Strontium-90 concentrations in pronghorn antelope bones near a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant

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Metacarpal bones were collected from pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) near a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant and adjacent areas on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Site in southeastern Idaho. Control bones were collected from offsite animals at higher elevations. Average concentrations in metacarpals were 9.6 +/- 2.8(SE) pCi/g(ash) within 10 km of the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP), 4.0 +/- 0.9 pCi/g for animals on the remainder of the INEL Site and S.5 f 1.0 pCi/g for control animals. ICPP atmospheric releases of Sr-90 appeared to have caused a significant (P < 0.05) increase in Sr-90 concentrations in antelope bones within 10 km of the ICPP as compared to bones of other INEL antelope. However, the ICPP antelope bone Sr-90 concentrations were not statistically different from that occurring in bones of the control animals from higher elevations. Antelope near the ICPP received approximately double the radiation dose to bone compared to doses received by other INEL antelope as a result of Sr-90 in bone. Strontium-90 in bone from both fallout and ICPP sources resulted in an estimated average radiation dose of 40 mrad/yr to endosteal cells and 20 mrad/Yr to active bone marrow.

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Reference Code: A80MAR04IDUS

Full Citation: Markham, O. D., D. K. Halford, and R. E. Autenrieth. 1980. Strontium-90 concentrations in pronghorn antelope bones near a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. Health Physics 38(5): 811-816.

Location: ANIMAL EF: MAMMALS