Weather-dependent change of cesium, strontium, barium and tellurium contamination deposited as aerosols on various cultures.
Various types of plants (wheat, bean, lettuce, radish and grass) were contaminated by dry deposition of radioactive aerosols ((137)Cs, (85)Sr, (133)Ba and (123 m)Te) in order to supplement the radio-ecological data necessary for operational post-accidental codes. A few days after deposition, rainfalls were applied to these cultures to evaluate the influence of some characteristics of the rain on the contamination of the culture over time. On the other hand, for wheat and bean, the influence of the humidity condition of the foliage at the contamination time was considered. For a given plant species at a given vegetative stage, the four radionuclides were intercepted in an identical way. The interception varied from 30% for bean (young sprout) to 80% for lettuce (near maturity). The global transfer factor values were dependent on both the radionuclides and the plant species; nevertheless, a higher value was obtained for cesium, regardless of the plant and the rainfall (from 0.006 m(2)kg(fresh)(-1) for wheat-grains - contaminated at the shooting stage - or for bean-pods - contaminated at the pre-flowering stage - to 0.1m(2)kg(fresh)(-1) for a whole lettuce). The analysis of the results allowed us on the one hand, to extract parameter values of the foliar transfer directly usable in operational codes, in particular those relating to barium and tellurium, unknown until then, and on the other hand, to lay the foundations of a future, more mechanistic model, taking into account the foliar processes in a finer way.
Laboratory of Radioecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, DEI/SECRE/LRE, Cadarache, Bld 186, BP 3, 13115, St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France. chantal.madoz-escande@irsn.fr
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Madoz-Escande
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Santucci
D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D001465:Barium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011891:Rain; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D013691:Tellurium / Q000032:analysis; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D001465:Barium Radioisotopes; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011868:Radioisotopes; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D013691:Tellurium