title: Recent research involving the transfer of radionuclides to milk.
abstract: The radionuclides in milk, which result from exposure of dairy cows to radioactive fallout, are a major factor in assessment of internal radiation of humans. To evaluate the radionuclide intake of people from fallout-contaminated milk requires information about feed sources and milk distribution. Pasture intake and the shelf-life of milk are important factors in the case of a short-lived radionuclide like 131I. Large-scale human radiation assessment studies are underway, all of which consider the dairy food chain as a critical component. These include retrospective studies of fallout from nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada site in the 1950s and the impact of the Chernobyl accident on April 26, 1986.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011868:Radioisotopes