The Effects of Atomic Radiation on Oceanography and Fisheries (1957) / Chapter Skim
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ACCUMULATION AND RETENTION OF RADIOACTIVITY FROM FISSION PRODUCTS AND OTHER RADIOMATERIALS BY FRESH-WATER ORGANISMS
ACCUMULATION AND RETENTION OF RADIOACTIVITY FROM FISSION PRODUCTS AND OTHER RADIOMATERIALS BY FRESH-WATER ORGANISMS
Pages 88-95
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From page 88... ...
This program has been primarily concerned with the accumulation of radioactive materials in the flora and fauna of the Columbia River. The effluent water released to the Columbia from the plutonium-producing reactors at the Hanford Operation contains radioelements induced when the "impurities" in the cooling water pass through the high neutron flux.
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From page 89... ...
That work was performed by the Fish and Game Branch, Division of Forestry Relations, Tennessee Valley Authority, under contract to the Atomic Energy Commission and consisted primarily in an ecological survey of White Oak Creek and its drainage area. In that study, principal emphasis was placed on the effects on the biota and its environment from radiomaterials that consisted of both fission products and wastes with induced radioactivity from the processing of different materials in the preparation of radioisotopes.
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From page 90... ...
Field studies in the Columbia River at the Hanford Operation and in White Oak Lake at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have provided an opportunity to study the uptake and accumulation of a variety of radioactive materials by organisms in those waters under natural conditions. Omitting those radionuclides which have half-lives shorter than ten hours, there are measurable amounts of Na24, Cr51, Cu04, P52, As7a, and rare earths in effluent from the Hanford reactors.
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From page 91... ...
Thus it is apparent that elements which are introduced into an environment as insoluble or tightly fixed compounds, or become parts of such compounds shortly after their introduction, may be of little or no use to the organisms even though the particular element involved normally enters into their metabolic processes. Another factor in the concentration of radiomaterials by fresh-water organisms about which there is only limited information available is the effect of the presence of one chemical on the uptake of another.
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From page 92... ...
Concentration of radioactive materials in different organisms In unpublished results from the studies at White Oak Lake, it was shown that bacteria may have the greatest powers for concentrating radiomaterials of any of the fresh-water organisms, their concentration factors for certain isotopes may exceed 1,000,000. However, it is not definitely known for all radionuclides whether or not they actually enter into the metabolism of the bacteria or are adsorbed to surface areas.
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From page 93... ...
Discussion Based on our present knowledge, there can be no broad statement to the effect that "aquatic organisms will concentrate radioactivity in their tissues." Rather, each individual situation must be appraised separately in the light of the following basic considerations which are concerned with the accumulation of radiomaterials by fresh-water organisms: (1) the particular ele
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From page 94... ...
Such deleterious effects could range from those in which only the individual organism is involved to those in which the entire population may be affected. Little information is available on the tolerances of the various aquatic organisms to different radioactive materials.
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From page 95... ...
Proceedings of the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, 13 (P/281)
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