Retention and translocation of foliar applied ^2^3^9^,^2^4^0Pu and ^2^4^1Am, as compared to ^1^3^7Cs and ^8^5Sr, into bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) ... from: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity]

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Description:
Foliar transfer of ^2^4^1Am, ^2^3^9^,^2^4^0Pu, ^1^3^7Cs and ^8^5Sr was evaluated after contamination of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) at the flowering development stage, by soaking their first two trifoliate leaves into contaminated solutions. Initial retentions of ^2^4^1Am (27%) and ^2^3^9^,^2^4^0Pu (37%) were higher than those of ^1^3^7Cs and ^8^5Sr (10-15%). Mean fraction of retained activity redistributed among bean organs was higher for ^1^3^7Cs (20.3%) than for ^2^3^9^,^2^4^0Pu (2.2%), ^2^4^1Am (1%) or ^8^5Sr (0.1%). Mean leaf-to-pod translocation factors (Bqkg^-^1dry weight pod/Bqkg^-^1dry weight contaminated leaves) were 5.0x10^-^4 for ^2^4^1Am, 2.7x10^-^6 for ^2^3^9^,^2^4^0Pu, 5.4x10^-^2 for ^1^3^7Cs and 3.6x10^-^4 for ^8^5Sr. Caesium was mainly recovered in pods (12.8%). Americium and strontium were uniformly redistributed among leaves, stems and pods. Plutonium showed preferential redistribution in oldest bean organs, leaves and stems, and very little redistribution in forming pods. Results for americium and plutonium were compared to those of strontium and caesium to evaluate the consistency of the attribution of behaviour of strontium to transuranium elements towards foliar transfer, based on translocation factors, as stated in two radioecological models, ECOSYS-87 and ASTRAL.