Multidisciplinary study of radionuclides and heavy-metal concentrations in wildlife on phosphate-mined and reclaimed lands. Final report

Technical Report · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6525515

Pritchard, P C.H.; Bloodwell, J M

The phosphate-rich mineral deposits of central Florida tend to exhibit background radiation levels that are elevated due to the uranium and its decay products found in association with the ore. The report documents radioactivity levels in two groups of animals that had heretofore not been examined by other investigators -- aquatic reptiles (American alligators, softshell turtles, and Florida cooter turtles) and terrestrial mammals (armadillos), based on the criterion that these species have significant proportions of their mass comprised of bony tissue likely to show elevated concentrations of radium. The alligator bones contained only low concentrations of radium, and there were no significant differences between alligators collected from mined, mineralized-unmined, or unmineralized land. Whether the levels of radium in the bones of the turtles represents a hazard to the health of these long-lived animals or to humans who may consume their flesh is unclear.

• Research Organization: Florida Audubon Society, Maitland (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6525515
• Report Number(s): PB-87-173167/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FLORIDA
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
METALS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIUM
URANIUM PHOSPHATES
MINING
HAZARDS
REPTILES
TURTLES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ANIMALS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION IV
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
USA
VERTEBRATES
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
510300 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)