Biomaterial Database

The transfer of cesium-137 and strontium-90 from soil to food crops after the Chernobyl accident. 1994

A Paasikallio, and A Rantavaara, and J Sippola

Agricultural Research Centre of Finland, Institute of Soils and Environment, Jokioinen.

The soil to plant transfer of 137Cs and 90Sr was studied at seven locations in Finland over 4 and 2 years, respectively. The plant/soil concentration ratio of 137Cs for field crops in the southern area (60 degrees-63 degrees N) ranged from 0.001 to 0.26 and in the northern area (64 degrees-67 degrees N) from 0.01 to 2.29, and that of 90 Sr in the whole area from 0.02 to 2.44. The mean concentration ratio of 90Sr was about nine times higher than that of 137Cs in the southern area. The concentration ratio of 137Cs for leaf vegetables fluctuated between years, and that for carrot, potato and especially cereals decreased gradually after the first year. In the fourth year, the mean concentration ratio of 137Cs in the southern area was about 60% of the first year value for coarse mineral soils and 80% of that for clay and silt soils. There was no difference in the average 90Sr ratios between the 2 years studied. The concentration ratio of 137Cs was lower for clay and silt soils than for coarse mineral soils, and the 90Sr ratio was lowest for organic soils. The concentration ratio of 137Cs for vegetables and grain decreased in the order: lettuce, cabbage > carrot, potato > cereals, onion; for fruits in the order: blackcurrant > strawberry > apple, and the concentration ratio of 90Sr decreased in the order: lettuce, cabbage > carrot, onion > cereals > potato.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010945	Plants, Edible	An organism of the vegetable kingdom suitable by nature for use as a food, especially by human beings. Not all parts of any given plant are edible but all parts of edible plants have been known to figure as raw or cooked food: leaves, roots, tubers, stems, seeds, buds, fruits, and flowers. The most commonly edible parts of plants are FRUIT, usually sweet, fleshy, and succulent. Most edible plants are commonly cultivated for their nutritional value and are referred to as VEGETABLES.	Food Plants,Edible Plant,Edible Plants,Food Plant,Plant, Edible,Plant, Food,Plants, Food
D011210	Power Plants	Units that convert some other form of energy into electrical energy.	Electric Power Plants,Hydroelectric Power Plants,Thermoelectric Power Plants,Electric Power Plant,Hydroelectric Power Plant,Plant, Electric Power,Plant, Hydroelectric Power,Plant, Power,Plant, Thermoelectric Power,Plants, Electric Power,Plants, Hydroelectric Power,Plants, Power,Plants, Thermoelectric Power,Power Plant,Power Plant, Electric,Power Plant, Hydroelectric,Power Plant, Thermoelectric,Power Plants, Electric,Power Plants, Hydroelectric,Power Plants, Thermoelectric,Thermoelectric Power Plant
D002523	Edible Grain	SEEDS used as a major nutritional source, most often the grain from the POACEAE family.	Cereals,Cereal Grain,Cereal,Cereal Grains,Edible Grains,Grain, Cereal,Grain, Edible,Grains, Cereal,Grains, Edible
D002588	Cesium Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of cesium that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. Cs atoms with atomic weights of 123, 125-132, and 134-145 are radioactive cesium isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Cesium
D005387	Finland	A country in northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia. The capital is Helsinki.	Aland Islands,Åland Islands
D005507	Food Contamination, Radioactive	Exposure of FOOD to radioactive substances, distinguishable from FOOD IRRADIATION, a food preservation technique.	Contamination, Radioactive Food,Radioactive Food Contamination
D005638	Fruit	The fleshy or dry ripened ovary of a plant, enclosing the seed or seeds.	Berries,Legume Pod,Plant Aril,Plant Capsule,Aril, Plant,Arils, Plant,Berry,Capsule, Plant,Capsules, Plant,Fruits,Legume Pods,Plant Arils,Plant Capsules,Pod, Legume,Pods, Legume
D012990	Soil Pollutants, Radioactive	Pollutants, present in soil, which exhibit radioactivity.	Pollutants, Radioactive Soil,Radioactive Soil Pollutants
D013326	Strontium Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of strontium that decay or disintegrate spontaneously emitting radiation. Sr 80-83, 85, and 89-95 are radioactive strontium isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Strontium
D014455	Ukraine	Country in Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east. The capital is Kyiv.