Technetium absorption and turnover in monogastric and polygastric animals.

Technetium (Tc) released into the environment can reach animals in various chemical forms: as pertechnetate (TcO-4) in drinking water or deposited on the surface of vegetables and forage plants, or as Tc bioincorporated into plants and associated with various plant constituents. In addition to being influenced by chemical speciation in the diet, absorption, metabolism, and retention of Tc in animals are modified by the treatment that the alimentary bolus undergoes during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract. This behavior differs markedly between polygastric and monogastric animals.

Metabolism of 51Cr, 54Mn, 59Fe and 60Co in lactating dairy cows.

Different radionuclides which can be released by nuclear installations (Na2(51) CrO4 , 54MnCl2 , 59FeCl3 and 60CoCl2 ) were given to lactating dairy cows either orally or by intravenous (i.v.) injection.

Distribution of tritium in the different organs of calves and pigs after ingestion of various tritiated feeds.

A research programme on the transfer of tritium in the food chain has been in progress for several years on the experimental farm of the Nuclear Energy Research Center at Mol. The studies reported here are related to the distribution of tritium in the organs of farm animals contaminated in various ways. Two young male calves ingested tritiated milk; the daily intake of 3H-organic form was about 15 muCi for each calf and the total activity ingested until the sacrifice was 482 muCi.