Abstract |
The uptakes of cerium-144, promethium-147, and plutonium-238 by oat plants were determined for nine soils, and promethium-147 and plutonium-238 uptakes were compared with cerium-144 uptake. The percentage uptake values for all three radionuclides were very low, ranging from .000,001 to .001 percent. Nitrogen and potassium fertilizers increased the uptake of promethium-147 by oat plants from an Amite soil. Because the amount of cerium-144, promethium-147, and plutonium-238 taken up by plants from soils is very small, the health hazards to man by the soil-plant-man pathway from these radionuclides will probably be negligible at the levels used in this study. (Author) |