Transfer factors of radionuclides and stable elements from soil to rice and wheat

It is important to obtain local transfer factors (TFs) of long-lived radionuclides for assessment of radioactive waste disposal, because climates, soil types and vegetation can all affect TFs. The global fallout 90Sr and 137Cs are good tracers to obtain the TFs under natural conditions. However, the radioactivity levels of these radionuclides in plants are extremely low. To close the gap, we measured the concentrations of stable Cs and Sr elements in soil and rice and wheat plants by ICP-MS. We focused on rice and wheat, because the consumption of cereals are very high in Japan and Asian countries. The obtained TFs of Cs and Sr for rice and wheat were compared with the TFs of 137Cs and 90Sr. About 30 other elements, including U and Th, were also measured in both plant and soil samples. The TFs obtained for both radionuclides and sstable elements are compared and discussed.ECORAD 200