A series of laboratory radiotracer experiments was carried out to examine the biolunetics of the transuranium nuclides plutonium, americium and neptunium in decapod crustaceans. Crabs Carcinus rnaenas exposed to 2 3 7~~ or 241Am in seawater reached whole body concentration factors (CF) of 75 and 145, respectively, after 8 d. Highest concentration factors for individual tissues were those for gills (CF = 960 for Am, 340 for Pu). For both radionuclides, about 7 0 % of total body burden was associated with the exoskeleton in which Am (CF = 240) was enriched relative to Pu (CF = 70). Elimination of each radionuclide was relatively rapid with biological half-times of 45 and 55 d for Am and Pu, respectively, for the slow release compartment. Because much of the accumulated body burden was associated with the exoskeleton, moulting strongly influenced elimination. 2 3 7~~, 2 4 1~m or 237Np ingested with labelled food by various decapod species were initially excreted with the feces, followed by loss from a soluble radionuclide pool within the animal. Absorption efficiencies for ingested transuranics ranged from 10 to 40 % with hlghest values in the largest decapods (C, lnaenas and Cancer pagurus) examined. Initially, absorbed radionuclides were mostly contained in the hepatopancreas; however, there is evidence for internal transfer of transuranics to other tissues, particularly those associated with the exoskeleton. Such high assimilation efficiencies differ markedly from the few tenths or hundredths of a percent typically found in vertebrate species and thus highlight the ability of decapods to assimilate and retain large fractions of transuranium nuclides incorporated in their prey.
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