Atmospheric deposition, resuspension, and root uptake of Pu in corn and other grain-producing agroecosystems near a nuclear fuel facility

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199012000-00009· OSTI ID:6280415

Pinder, III, J E; McLeod, K W; Adriano, D C; Corey, J C; Boni, A L ^[1]

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1. Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, SC (USA)

Plutonium released to the environment may contribute to dose to humans through inhalation or ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs. Plutonium contamination of agricultural plants may result from interception and retention of atmospheric deposition, resuspension of Pu-bearing soil particles to plant surfaces, and root uptake. Plutonium on vegetation surfaces may be transferred to grain surfaces during mechanical harvesting. Data obtained from corn grown near the U.S. Department of Energy's H-Area nuclear fuel chemical separations facility on the Savannah River Site were used to estimate parameters of a simple model of Pu transport in agroecosystems. The parameter estimates for corn were compared to those previously obtained for wheat and soybeans. Despite some differences in parameter estimates among crops, the relative importances of atmospheric deposition, resuspension, and root uptake were similar among crops. For even small deposition rates, the relative importances of processes for Pu contamination of corn grain should be: transfer of atmospheric deposition from vegetation surfaces to grain surfaces during combining greater than resuspension of soil to grain surfaces greater than root uptake. Approximately 3.9 X 10(-5) of a year's atmospheric deposition is transferred to grain. Approximately 6.2 X 10(-9) of the Pu inventory in the soil is resuspended to corn grain, and a further 7.3 X 10(-10) of the soil Pu inventory is absorbed and translocated to grains.

• OSTI ID: 6280415
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Health Physics; (USA) Vol. 59:6; ISSN 0017-9078; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540230 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560162 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
ACTINIDES
AEROSOLS
CEREALS
COLLOIDS
CONTAMINATION
DEPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FOOD
FOOD CHAINS
GRAMINEAE
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAIZE
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PLANTS
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ROOT ABSORPTION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SOILS
SOLS
SOYBEANS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VEGETABLES
WHEAT