title: Natural radioactivity in winter wheat from organic and conventional agricultural systems.
abstract: The distribution of natural radionuclides was studied in winter wheat plants collected from three sites in Belgium during 2004-2007. Activity concentrations of (40)K, (226)Ra, (228)Ra and (228)Th in organically and conventionally grown wheat, and in the corresponding soil samples, were determined using ultra low-level gamma-ray spectrometry. The observed soil-to-wheat concentration ratios were calculated for the different parts of the wheat plant (root, stem and grain) in the two agricultural systems (organic and conventional). There were large variations in radionuclide activity concentrations between the sites and fields, but no significant difference between conventionally and organically grown wheat plants was observed.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patric
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maquet
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hult
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gasparro
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marissens
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González de Orduña
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D001530:Belgium; D058871:Organic Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis*; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D012987:Soil; D013910:Thorium; D011883:Radium