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Plutonium concentrations in arthropods at a nuclear facility

Abstract

Arthropods were collected for /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu (/sup 239/Pu) and /sup 238/Pu analysis from three study plots in close proximity to the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant and from a site 110 km N-NE of the plant. Mean /sup 239/Pu concentrations in arthropods were 265, 16, 0.7 and 0.5 dis/min g/sup -1/ at the three Rocky Flats study plots and at the control site, respectively. Arthropod /sup 239/Pu concentration data were statistically analyzed by season of collection, taxonomic group, and sampling site. Only the collection site differences were significant (..cap alpha.. = 0.01) and these were correlated with /sup 239/Pu concentrations in soil. The mean activity ratio of /sup 239/Pu to /sup 238/Pu in arthropods was 52, similar to the value of 51 obtained for soil. The mean ratio of /sup 239/Pu in arthropods to /sup 239/Pu in 0-3 cm soil at Rocky Flats was 9 x 10/sup -3/. Arthropod biomass and Pu concentration data indicated that only about 10/sup -8/ of the total plutonium inventory is in the arthropod component of the ecosystem. Leafhoppers, grasshoppers and spiders accounted for roughly 80% of the arthropod inventory of /sup 239/Pu.
Authors:
Bly, J A; Whicker, F W [1] 
  1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins (USA). Dept. of Radiology and Radiation Biology
Publication Date:
Sep 01, 1979
Product Type:
Journal Article
Reference Number:
AIX-11-510681; EDB-80-079255
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Health Phys.; (United Kingdom); Journal Volume: 37:3
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; ARTHROPODS; RADIOACTIVITY; PLUTONIUM 238; RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS; PLUTONIUM 239; BIOMASS; PLUTONIUM; QUANTITY RATIO; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; ROCKY FLATS PLANT; SAMPLING; SEASONS; SOILS; STATISTICS; UPTAKE; VARIATIONS; ACTINIDE ISOTOPES; ACTINIDE NUCLEI; ACTINIDES; ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; ANIMALS; ELEMENTS; ENERGY SOURCES; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; EVEN-ODD NUCLEI; HEAVY NUCLEI; INVERTEBRATES; ISOTOPES; MASS TRANSFER; MATHEMATICS; METALS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NUCLEI; PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES; RADIOISOTOPES; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; US AEC; US DOE; US ERDA; US ORGANIZATIONS; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 510302* - Environment, Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987); 560172 - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Animals- (-1987)
OSTI ID:
5424545
Country of Origin:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: CODEN: HLTPA
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
Pages: 331-336
Announcement Date:
May 01, 1980

Citation Formats

Bly, J A, and Whicker, F W. Plutonium concentrations in arthropods at a nuclear facility. United Kingdom: N. p., 1979. Web.
Bly, J A, & Whicker, F W. Plutonium concentrations in arthropods at a nuclear facility. United Kingdom.
Bly, J A, and Whicker, F W. 1979. "Plutonium concentrations in arthropods at a nuclear facility." United Kingdom.
@misc{etde_5424545,
title = {Plutonium concentrations in arthropods at a nuclear facility}
author = {Bly, J A, and Whicker, F W}
abstractNote = {Arthropods were collected for /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu (/sup 239/Pu) and /sup 238/Pu analysis from three study plots in close proximity to the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant and from a site 110 km N-NE of the plant. Mean /sup 239/Pu concentrations in arthropods were 265, 16, 0.7 and 0.5 dis/min g/sup -1/ at the three Rocky Flats study plots and at the control site, respectively. Arthropod /sup 239/Pu concentration data were statistically analyzed by season of collection, taxonomic group, and sampling site. Only the collection site differences were significant (..cap alpha.. = 0.01) and these were correlated with /sup 239/Pu concentrations in soil. The mean activity ratio of /sup 239/Pu to /sup 238/Pu in arthropods was 52, similar to the value of 51 obtained for soil. The mean ratio of /sup 239/Pu in arthropods to /sup 239/Pu in 0-3 cm soil at Rocky Flats was 9 x 10/sup -3/. Arthropod biomass and Pu concentration data indicated that only about 10/sup -8/ of the total plutonium inventory is in the arthropod component of the ecosystem. Leafhoppers, grasshoppers and spiders accounted for roughly 80% of the arthropod inventory of /sup 239/Pu.}
journal = []
volume = {37:3}
journal type = {AC}
place = {United Kingdom}
year = {1979}
month = {Sep}
}