Radiostrontium, radiocesium and stable mineral composition of bones of domestic reindeer from Vågå, Norway

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: Staaland, Hans, Bjørnstad, Helge, Pedersen, Øyvind, Hove, Knut
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1991
• Subjects: reindeer; bone minerals; radiostrontium; radiocesium; Ca; Mg; P; Na; K; Norway; Rangifer
• Online Access: https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/969; https://doi.org/10.7557/2.11.1.969

Radiostrontium, radiocesium and macromineral concentrations were measured in metatarsal or metacarpal bones from 78 reindeer (59 calves and 19 adults) in the Vågå reindeer herding district in Southern Norway. Samples were collected in the period August 1988 to May 1989. Radiocesium concentrations increased from August through the winter. Radiostrontium varied slightly around an average value 1810 Bq/kg DM. Mg concentrations decreased through the winter, the concentrations of other minerals and bone density showed only small variations. No signs of mineral deficiencies were observed. It is concluded that radiostrontium mainly originated from the Chernobyl nuclear accident.Radiostrontium, radiocesium og stabile mineraler in reinknokler fra Vågå, NorgeAbstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag: Innhold av radiostrontium, radiocesium og makromineraler ble målt i reinsdyrknokler (metatarsus og metacarpus) innsamlet fra 78 dyr (59 kalver og 19 voksne) tilhørende Vågå tamreinlag. Prøvene ble samlet i perioden august 1988 til mai 1989. Innholdet av radiocesium økte fra august og gjennom vinteren, mens innholdet av radiostrontium var temmelig konstant (1810 Bq/ kg tørrstoff). Magnesium innholdet avtok gjennom vinteren, mens innholdet av andre mineraler samt knoklenes tetthet varierte lite. Det ble ikke observert noen tegn på mineralmangel. Mesteparten av det radioaktive strontium kom fra atomkraftulykken i Tsjernobyl.