Further Studies of Radioactive Strontium and Caesium in Agricultural Crops after Direct Contamination

Summary

Investigations have continued on the extent to which ⁸⁹Sr and ¹³⁷Cs are transferred to the edible parts of cabbage and potato after aerial contamination at various times in the growing season. Significant trends in the concentration of ⁸⁹Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in the hearts of cabbages and ¹³⁷Cs in potato tubers were observed with maximum values after contamination in the middle of the season. A similar trend in the concentrations of ⁸⁹Sr in potato tubers was suggested, but no significant differences could be established. The range of concentrations was of the same order as those found in previous years. The present and earlier results have been used to assess the relationships in the field between the deposition of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs and their concentration in crops. These relationships show, at least for wheat and potatoes, reasonable agreement with those deduced from surveys of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in foodstuffs resulting from the worldwide dissemination of fall-out from nuclear weapons.