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Estimating transfer parameters in the absence of data

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Abstract

The calculation of transfer of radionuclides from the abiotic to the biotic environment is a well-established practice in radiological assessments. Concentration ratios provide simple means to estimate radionuclide activity in biota, from measured (or estimated) radionuclide concentrations in either a food source or an abiotic component such as soil or water. They are typically reported by element, and data compilations may include information such as soil type (e.g., sand, loam, clay) and species. The data may be for multiple species at a single location, single species at multiple locations, or represent compilations from multiple sources. Recently published guidance suggests that estimates are best made using data from the same ecosystem. This paper examines this recent guidance, in the context of using measured data from within a single ecosystem and comparing results to more generic values. Results suggest that generic values may be an adequate substitute for site-specific information. It illustrates how ionic potential may be used as an alternative to group chemical properties in estimating transfer factors. Lastly, limited evidence is found to support the concept of allometric scaling functions for elemental concentrations in plants.

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Notes

  1. Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Official Soil Series Descriptions [Online WWW]. Available URL: “http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/osd/index.html” [Accessed 10 February 2008]. USDA-NRCS, Lincoln, NE.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to acknowledge the OSU College of Forestry for the use of the MacDonald/Dunn Research Forest and the OSU Radiation Center for use of the TRIGA Reactor. She also wishes to thank David Bytwerk, Becky Fasth, Leah Minc, Nathan Knapp, and Tristan Hay for sample collection, preparation, and analysis. This research is based on work supported by the U. S. Department of Energy, under Cooperative Agreement Number DE-FC01-06EW07053 entitled ‘The Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation III’ awarded to Oregon State University. The opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Energy or of Oregon State University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5902, USA

    Kathryn A. Higley

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  1. Kathryn A. Higley
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Correspondence to Kathryn A. Higley.

Additional information

This paper is based on a presentation made at the second meeting of the Wildlife Transfer Coefficient Handbook Working Group of the IAEA EMRAS II programme (held at the IAEA, Vienna, 22–24 July 2009).

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Higley, K.A. Estimating transfer parameters in the absence of data. Radiat Environ Biophys 49, 645–656 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-010-0326-9

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