Predicting tritium and radiocarbon in wild animals

• Main Authors: Galeriu, D., Beresford, N.A., Melintescu, A., Avila, R., Crout, N.M.J.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Ecology and Environment; Arctic
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/501501/

We have assessed the tritium and 14C concentrations in wild animals under conditions of continuous emission. For 14C we have used a specific activity approach,. For tritium we have distinguished between tritiated water and organically bound tritium, adapting a metabolic model previously tested for farm animals. We have considered different European climatic zones (Arctic, Continental, Maritime and Mediterranean) assuming a constant yearly deposition (1 Bq y-1) or constant atmospheric concentration (1 Bq m-3). Less uncertainty is obtained assumining constant atmospheric concentrations, as tritiated water loss, required when assuming a constant deposition, within the different climatic zones is poorly defined.