Historical overview of the project "Sunshine" in Belgium.
The project "Sunshine" was originally focused on the study of strontium 90 from the world-wide radioactive fallout and its effects on man. It was one of the most important projects the USAEC had ever had. It was being conducted as a scientific study, the primary purpose of which was to discuss the scientific truth and present the facts publicly. The implementation of the Project in Belgium started in 1958 and developed into two main directions: a) Environmental survey and b) Experimental research in both natural and controlled conditions. The paper described the characteristics of the seven stations "Sunshine" distributed in the typical agricultural regions of the country, their sampling, the analytical procedures used and the results obtained (relationship rain/grass; milk/grass; the observed ratio etc.). Experimental researches performed in natural conditions aimed to investigate the influence of the yield of the grass/crops on the direct retention of the deposited fission products; other experiments watched the transfer of radiostrontium and radiocesium from soils to plants; several experiments on artificially contaminated pastures grazed by cows allowed to clarify the importance of such factors as the methods of feeding and types of pastures for the transfer of major radionuclides to milk. Experimental researches conducted in controlled conditions dealt with such topics as study on the retention of strontium 90 in soil, studies on foliar contamination by radiostrontium and radiocesium, absorption and distribution in plants of Sr and Ca, discrimination between Sr and Ca during the transfer from feed to cow milk, study on the contamination by the major fission products of the milk products. Finally tentative countermeasures were tested: application of significant amounts of stable strontium in contaminated soils and influence of alginate on radiostrontium absorption from contaminated milk to piglets.
rene.kirchmann@ping.be
R J
RJ
Kirchmann
D001530:Belgium; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000266:history*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*
D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes