Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10686748 | Journal of Environmental Radioactivity | 2005 | 17 Pages |
Abstract
Foliar transfer of 241Am, 239,240Pu, 137Cs and 85Sr was evaluated after contamination of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) at the flowering development stage, by soaking their first two trifoliate leaves into contaminated solutions. Initial retentions of 241Am (27%) and 239,240Pu (37%) were higher than those of 137Cs and 85Sr (10-15%). Mean fraction of retained activity redistributed among bean organs was higher for 137Cs (20.3%) than for 239,240Pu (2.2%), 241Am (1%) or 85Sr (0.1%). Mean leaf-to-pod translocation factors (Bq kgâ1dry weight pod/Bq kgâ1dry weight contaminated leaves) were 5.0 Ã 10â4 for 241Am, 2.7 Ã 10â6 for 239,240Pu, 5.4 Ã 10â2 for 137Cs and 3.6 Ã 10â4 for 85Sr. Caesium was mainly recovered in pods (12.8%). Americium and strontium were uniformly redistributed among leaves, stems and pods. Plutonium showed preferential redistribution in oldest bean organs, leaves and stems, and very little redistribution in forming pods. Results for americium and plutonium were compared to those of strontium and caesium to evaluate the consistency of the attribution of behaviour of strontium to transuranium elements towards foliar transfer, based on translocation factors, as stated in two radioecological models, ECOSYS-87 and ASTRAL.
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Energy
Nuclear Energy and Engineering
Authors
P. Henner, C. Colle, M. Morello,