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The transfer of radiocaesium to ewes through a breeding cycle – an illustration of the pitfalls of the transfer coefficient
- Source :
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 98:24-35
- Publication Year :
- 2007
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2007.
-
Abstract
- A study to measure the transfer of radiocaesium to adult female sheep through a breeding cycle is described. The transfer of radiocaesium from the diet to muscle (estimated as the equilibrium transfer coefficient) was significantly lower to pregnant, and especially lactating, animals compared to non-lactating and barren animals. High dry matter intake rates were also associated with significantly lower transfer coefficients. Known relationships between dry matter intake rates and protein turnover could credibly explain some of these differences. However, when described as the concentration ratio, radiocaesium transfer to meat was apparently highest during lactation. The apparent difference in results obtained by the two approaches of determining transfer is the consequence of daily dry matter intake being a denominator within the estimation of transfer coefficient. A wider discussion of transfer coefficients and concentration ratios leads us to suggest that the concentration ratio is the more robust and potentially generic parameter.
- Subjects :
- Male
Food intake
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Administration, Oral
Breeding
Biology
Reproductive cycle
Concentration ratio
Animal science
Pregnancy
Transfer (computing)
Animals
Lactation
Environmental Chemistry
Concentration factor
Dry matter
Waste Management and Disposal
Sheep
Adult female
Ecology
Reproducibility of Results
General Medicine
Animal Feed
Pollution
Cesium Radioisotopes
Female
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 0265931X
- Volume :
- 98
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....908d43b9f6a326cb3ffa99d8ea9dd2f4