throes
keri
292
RUSSELL
to iodine 131 as the most significant releases of radioactivity into the environment (93). Both phosphorus 32 and zinc 65 have been detected in
grass and milk in pastures irrigated by the Columbia River into which the
Hanford cooling water is returned. Zinc 65, together with the induced
activities, cobalt 59 and 60 and iron 55, has also been found to be the main
source of radioactivity in fish and sea water soon after nuclear explosions
(94), The low concentration of the carrier isotopes in water can cause these
nuclides to be absorbed and concentrated to a spectacular extent in plants
and animals.
Plutonium.—Because of its very long half life and high toxicity to
animals consideration has been given to the entry into plants of the fissile
element plutonium. A very slow rate of absorption is to be expected because
it forms high valency (usually 4 or 6) ions; this has been confirmed in sev-
eral studies and, over 1.5 years, grass grown in pot culture may absorb less
than 10-* per cent of that added to the soil (95, 96).
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