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Environmental behavior of technetium in soil and vegetation: implications for radiological impact assessment

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6300838
Significant radiological exposures have been estimated for hypothetical atmospheric releases of Tc-99 from gaseous diffusion facilities when vegetation-to-soil concentration ratios obtained from previously published laboratory experiments are substituted for default values assumed in regulatory models. To test the relevancy of these laboratory concentration ratios, field investigations were conducted. Concentration ratios obtained from field data were one to two orders of magnitude less than previously published laboratory values. Furthermore, field concentrations of technetium in soil and vegetation were observed to decrease with time subsequent to initial application of /sup 95m/TcO/sub 4//sup -/. The decrease of technetium concentrations in field vegetation is suspected to be the result of leaching by precipitation, particle removal by wind action and dilution by tissue growth. These processes appear to be active for technetium deposited on the surfaces of aerial portions of vegetation as well as for technetium incorporated within plant tissue via root uptake from soil.
Research Organization:
Tennessee Univ., Knoxville (USA)
OSTI ID:
6300838
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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