[You.

91

‘from plant
ited as 0.13.
(DF;) and
ited as 0.25.
., the popuerived from
soi to bone
= (08x 1.0
rium Sr-90/

1964]

YWARTIN : RADIOECOLOGY AND STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION

~Average Sr-90
in U.S. milk
as.
“od as
expresses
ue

1
=o
9

Average Sr-90

Average Sr-90

in U.S.soil
cad 4e
aias

315

+2.6

—

deposition for

:
preceding month,
expresse a as
me/m?

According to estimates based on this formula, 51% to 83% of the Sr-90

in U, S. milk (an average of 69%) during 1958 was derived from soil, and
the remaining 17% to 49% (an average of 31%) was derived from worldwide fallout. Burton et al. (1960) have reported that 20% of the Sr-90 in

milk produced in the United Kingdom during 1958 was derived from soil

are known,
a deposited
tion, Allowexpression,
ie fractions
ces, respec-

deposits and 80% from fresh fallout. The difference between Knapp’s interpretation of Sr-90 levels in U. S. milk and Burton et al.’s interpretation of
data collected in the United Kingdom have not been explained, but it seems

owance for
ja are uni-

and by Langham and Anderson (1959) and has been used by Dunning
(1962) to predict the maximum possible levels of Sr-90 in U. 8. milk and in
the total diet of people living in the U. 8. The soil and fallout levels used
for this purpose are based on the prediction that fallout from the 1961 test
series in Russia will raise the average concentration of Sr-90 in U. 8. soils
from about 80 to about 125 me/mi’.
Aceording to Dunning (1962):

lis sort are

s of radiout but are
n Dret. The
ry Commisthe United
rograms to

ods, and in
s generally
d bones of
;may vary
concentra-

l-wide fallve studied
yposed emiman diets
wssimilated
U.S. milk
and seems

quite likely that a reasonable explanation of these differences could be found

by making detailed studies and comparisons of the Sr-90 fallout and its
eyclmg in representative pasture ecosystems in the two countries.
The formula outlined below is similar to those proposed by Knapp (1961)

C= aT +bR, where:
C = concentration (Sr Units) in diet
T = total deposition (me/mi? = 125)
R = rate of Sr-90 fallout (me/mi*/yr = 45)
_a & b= proportionality constants:
For U. 8. milk :a=0.1 & b=0.4
For total diet :a=0.15 & b=0,2
Bycaleulation, C = (0.1 x 125) + (0.2 x 45) = 21.5 Sr Units in milk; and
C = (0.15 x 125) + (0.2 x 45) = 36.75 Sr Units in the total diet of people living
in the U. S. during 1962. Because the formula assumes that 100% of the

fallout on the U. 8. will oceur in one year, these estimates are probably too
high.
Ecological models of the kind described above are particularly useful in
helping to evaluate, on a nation-wide or world-wide seale, the potential shortand long-term hazards of fallout to human populations. Theyprovide a basis
for predicting future levels of particular fission products in human populations and in parts of the food-chains leading to man.

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