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Cesium-137, /sup 134/Cs and /sup 110m/Ag in lambs grazing pasture in NE Scotland contaminated by Chernobyl fallout

Journal Article · · Health Phys.; (United States)

The decline in Cs radioisotope levels has been studied in tissues from lambs grazing lowland pasture. The lambs were slaughtered 18 and 115 d after contamination with Chernobyl fallout. During this time the Cs activity decreased to 13% of the initial amount in animals that had continued to graze contaminated pasture and to 3.5% in animals consuming uncontaminated feed. The /sup 137/Cs concentration in grass from the field grazed by the lambs decreased with a half-time of 22 d over the period 11-100 d after contamination. The amounts of Cs radionuclides removed from the pasture by the grazing animals amounted to only 0.01% of the total, the rest remaining in the soil, with over 40% in the upper 10 mm. Small amounts of /sup 110m/Ag, found in grass, declined with a half-time of 8.9 d, and the radionuclide was found to accumulate in liver tissue.

Research Organization:
Aberdeen Univ., Foresterhill (Scotland)
OSTI ID:
6157246
Journal Information:
Health Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Health Phys.; (United States) Vol. 56:4; ISSN HLTPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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