Fab. 15, 1964 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE tured 3417 SOURCES OF RADIOACTIVITY IN FOODS, Altred Wo. Klement, dp. (Atemice Energy Commission, Washington, D.C). Ohic Agr. Expt. Sta,, Spec, Rept, Ser, No, tT, 4-896), Various sources of environmental radinactivity that may affect its accumulation in foods are discussed, Plant roota are one of the most important entry routes of radioactive wan ture radium [8 usually the most important of the naturally- * and raic wis materials inte hinlogical systems, With respect to agricul- Fem, eecurring suclides, with Kit likely being the most abundant ALi natural radionuclide in agricuitural geile. Coamic partictea reacting with stable cloments in the atmoaphere, and to & ane! netic of leas than Voinegaton primarily contaminate the Troposphere and grodice tropespherie fallout, The principle radionuclides cf interest ia Troposplierte fatiout are yyy Sr pas tall) and art we Ipens With ylchds in exerss of eneovepat mocontaniuinate beth fropesphe re and Strateepbore dnorhe case et Stratespherio fallout, Lone redised nuchides suchas 87 687) Cl and Put hooome iimportant. Darect-cvele atr-cooled reactors and reactor ftucl processing plants are examples of industria] operations that release some radioactive debris to the atmosphere, lodine-132 contamination of milk resulting from the Windscale incident 18 discussed. Hasic methods of radicactive woste disposal are revtewed, (HOM.G.) 3418 RADIOACTIVITY IN FOODS. POULTRY AND ANIMALS EN GENERAL. Homer Patrick (West Virginia niy., Motgarntoewn, W.Va. Ohio Agr Fapt. 5ta., Spec. Rept. sor. Nol d, W2-fbgaap, Faisston products toast comeawaly considered important ieantimal feats are Se) Se Cat) Balt até? and 11, The tye most probable sourees from which large amounts of Se and 81 could he obtained are plant anc animal products high in caloum. Radio-struntiam isotopes, con- a) a, oe tee Centiated in the bones and egg shells of meat animals, may i- the flour was about two-fifths that of the wheat. Specific activity GwC Sr¥/mg Sr) measurements fn bran layer tissues fram which flour is made. From the HASL. tri-city diet study it was deduced that from 10 to 207, of the total detonation are relittye to the yield of the explosion, Yields o}. to contain 10% of the Sr” in wheat. The Sr"*/Ca ratio in nuclides produced in nuclear weapons tests, most are short foe dand decay to unmensurable amounts within the {frac few hours, Types of fallout generated by a nuclear mo- and 1958. Wheat and milling products from the 1954 crops of nine additional states were obtained and analyzed for Sr” and calcium, Previous ‘experiments showed that stronHumderived from the soil ta taken up relatively poorly by the berry and tends to concentrate in the bran fraction, Sr*/Ca ration in U. 5. wheat crops were determined for each year between 1958 and 1961. Patent flour was found fractions indicated that the mechanism of contamination was hy direct deposition of the outermost Usaues of the source of current concern with tegard te radioactivity in foods fa detats from nuclear weapons teats, Of the radio- fingt. made by the Health and Safety Laboratories (HASI.). Samples were obtained from Minnesota crops of 1956, 1957, tritium and C! ta the fond chain, Undoubtedly, the major hegaer extent inthe sol], are responsible for addition of au, 475 he removed prior ta sliughter of the animal via feeding either a culetumiede ficient diet ora highly caleium-rich thet Due te continenvent of cadiostromtium: in food prod= ucta prinmvarity to bene and egg shell, the consumption haeard is small, However, cooking processes may result in amigrition of these nuclides to edible portions, Cesium1a enters the foo ' chain via plant reat ahaorption, The Cal ents ring a planteccupres the same moleculir posi-+ Hondas potassium fn the fiber structure but dows nat react hrochemically ax a partef the enzyme system, Cesium eon oabrates in the sqft tlesnes and mnuscles, Radirises topes cf iodine are predominately concentrated m the thread gland, soma as excreted in mulk, fodine- 129 and Pore outa hazard Pn neat and eggs, Bayium b37—-140 berry and then aome translocations of the Sr" to the inner Sr? was taken in at each of the cities. Sr""/Ca ratio in the total diet was lower than that of wheat products, The significance of this finding for dietary control of Sr* levels is indicated. (H.M.G.} 3420 RADIOACTIVITY (IN GRAINS. Philip F. Guatafson (Argonne National Lab., T.). Ohio Apr. Fxpt. Sta, Spec. Rope, Ser, No. 1, 41-8(1 963), Varinus types of grains were analyzed for Cs!" and K® by emma spectrometry of bulk samples, Samples representing the major grain producing portions of the United States were obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture. The data presented show that the Cs!]? and Sr" contents of grain are strongly dependent upon the fallout deposition occurring during the growing season and to a lesser extent upon the accumulation of these radionuchdes inthe soil, Newly deposited fallout products have a 10-fold greater probahility of entering the plant and be ing in- cerporated inte the grain, Hence the importance ot foliar uptake or other modes of entry into the plant exclusive of the reet uptake 15 apparent. [tis alse of interest to note the relative low amounts of Cs!7 and Sr” present in corn 48 comtpared to other cereal products. (H.\E,G.) 3621 SURVEY OF RADIOAC IIVITY IN ERUITS AND VEGF TABLES. Edwin P, Laug (Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, D. C.). Ohie Agr. Fxpt. Stu., Spee. Rept. Ser, No. 1, 50-7(19634). Data are presented on Sr? concentration per kilogram of fruit and vegetable raw product. The ordinary mechanical processes in the preparation of human food can be expected te reduce the intake of Sr”? materially, Furthermore, the concentrations per kilogram of any food must be evaluated Interms of the average datly aaiount eaten, When this 1s tlome The oyscntatlon offered by the Fedcral Radtation Coun cH becomes very useful, (auth? 3622 CUMRENT RESEARCH ON RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION GF SOLLS AND PLANTS. Alfred W, Klement, Jv, (U') S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DLO. Onle Agr. Fxpt. Sta,, Spec, Rept. Ser. No, 1. 54-ATLUAT, mach epociiy absorbed clement and go highly completed inthe gutthatrt probably wilt not became am great danger, Cree dre dp aan tor radiasetis itv determinations in Research dealing with the interrelations of soils ant Plante that centeol the absorption of radioinucicies by plants see atocteb sagas pregrarics on radioactive contamination ot plants and sails, 1 1619 ey ame haste recemmemfations kd. ue made for ntti patios. 4b AP Gy SOS TEAL MTN PS WHER AR AND Pb. tts apr Bove tty Coeatartes sem Nak cha Spee Mept Ser Nala is reviewed, Deseriptiona are given of VP Cespons ore GONE) 3623 GUIDELINES POR TOLER ANCY bri dsc BRADTONTODLEDES IN SEAN Po-ty Prem bd R tC deada ea os Me atth Sensaee, Woesbioncton, Bo poured Goma td