Interception and retention of /sup 238/Pu deposition by orange trees

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Health Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198706000-00002· OSTI ID:6327164

Pinder, III, J E; Adriano, D C; Ciravolo, T G; Doswell, A C; Yehling, D M

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) transform the heat produced during the alpha decay of /sup 238/Pu into electrical energy for use by deep-space probes, such as the Voyager spacecraft, which have returned images and other data from Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Future missions involving RTGs may be launched aboard the space shuttle, and there is a remote possibility that an explosion of liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen fuel could rupture the RTGs and disperse /sup 238/Pu into the atmosphere over central Florida. Research was performed to determine the potential transport to man of atmospherically dispersed Pu via contaminated orange fruits. The results indicate that the major contamination of oranges would result from the interception and retention of /sup 238/Pu deposition by fruits. The resulting surface contamination could enter human food chains through transfer to internal tissues during peeling or in the reconstituted juices and flavorings made from orange skins. The interception of /sup 238/Pu deposition by fruits is especially important because the results indicate no measurable loss of Pu from fruit surfaces through time or with washing. Approximately 1% of the /sup 238/Pu deposited onto an orange grove would be harvested in the year following deposition.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Georgia's Institute of Ecology, Aiken, SC
• OSTI ID: 6327164
• Journal Information: Health Phys.; (United States), Vol. 6, Issue 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FOOD CHAINS
CONTAMINATION
ORANGES
PLUTONIUM 238
DEPOSITION
RETENTION
AIR POLLUTION
CITRUS
FRUIT TREES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FOOD
FRUITS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
PLANTS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
TREES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
560162* - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells