Metabolism of Radioactive Cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) and Potassium by Dairy Cattle as Influenced by High and Low Forage Diets

Johnson, James E.; Ward, Gerald M.; Firestone, E. E.; Knox, K. L.

doi:10.1093/jn/94.3.282

Cited by 39 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The increased excretion of radiocaesium by modification of dietary intake of potassium and sodium (Mraz et al 1957), other primary nutrients (Johnson et al 1968;Snipes & Riedesel, 1969) and even stable caesium (Furchner & Richmond, 1962) was not very effective. The mixing of additives such as vermiculite (Hazzard et al 1969) or bentonite (Van den Hoek, 1976) up to 10% of daily food intake was necessary to achieve an 80% reduction of caesium in milk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C

Arnaud

Clément

Getaz

et al. 1988

Journal of Dairy Research

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SummaryAdding ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate (AFCF) to cows' fodder produced after the Chernobyl nuclear accident prevented milk contamination by increasing the faecal elimination of 137Cs. Synthesis of ammonium ferric hexa[14C]-cyanoferrate (AF14CF) and its purification were performed for the study of the metabolic fate of this complex, and the evaluation of the possible release of cyanide. The stability of this colloidal product, tested by anaerobic incubation in rumen juice in vitro, showed no release of free cyanide from AF14CF, but hexacyanoferrate was identified in the rumen juice and 0·13% of the added radioactivity was converted to labelled CO2. AF14CF administered per os to two cows showed a nearly quantitative excretion of radioactivity in faeces during the first 3 d (91–95%). A very low but significant level of radioactivity appeared in plasma, blood cells, expired CO2 and was detected in organs taken 9 d after administration. Total cumulative radioactivity in urine and milk amounted to 0·19–0·47% and 0·068–0·071% respectively for the two cows. Labelled hexacyanoferrate and thiocyanate were identified in the urine and also in faeces. In spite of this relative instability of AFCF in the rumen of cows, the poor absorption of AF14CF degradation products showed that AFCF constitutes an efficient and safe food additive to prevent the absorption of radioactive caesium from ruminant feed and its secretion in milk.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C

Arnaud

Clément

Getaz

et al. 1988

Journal of Dairy Research

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“…The sources have included the following: herbage contaminated by a variety of mechanisms including root uptake, marine discharges from the Sellafield reprocessing plant, and Chernobyl fallout; ewes' milk; and a range of different soil types. These authors have expressed their results in terms of the ratio of the equilibrium activity concentration of radiocesium in milk or meat to the daily intake of radiocesium [defined as the transfer coefficient by Johnson et al (18)]. While observed differences in this ratio may be due to variation in bioavailability, it may not be the only cause as transfer coefficients can be influenced by a number of physiological parameters such as feeding and growth rates (19) or stage of lactation (20).…”

Section: Radiocesiummentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Source-Dependent Bioavailability in Determining the Transfer of Ingested Radionuclides to Ruminant-Derived Food Products

Beresford

Mayes

Cooke

et al. 2000

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The transfer of radioactivity to the milk and meat of farm animals is likely be a major exposure pathway of human populations, following an environmental release of radioactivity. The importance of source-dependent bioavailability in determining absorption from the ruminant gastrointestinal tract of the radiologically significant radionuclides (radiocesium, radiostrontium, radioiodine, and plutonium) is reviewed. The requirements for and suitability of in vitro methods of determining bioavailability for absorption of these radionuclides is also assessed. Radiocesium absorption varies over a 50-fold range, depending upon dietary source. Source-dependent bioavailability is therefore an important factor in determining the radiocesium contamination of ruminant-derived food products, and reliable in vitro techniques have been developed to rapidly determine its bioavailability. In contrast, under conditions of adequate calcium intake, the absorption of radiostrontium will not be greatly influenced by the dietary source. Results of in vitro extractions of radiostrontium could be misleading, as they indicate differences in bioavailability that are not observed in the animal. Absorption of radioiodine is complete and independent of source. There is currently a lack of data on plutonium absorption in ruminants. However, on the basis of the limited data available, in vitro incubations provide a measure of the relative bioavailabilities of plutonium from different sources. The applicability of the techniques reviewed to the study of other radionuclides and heavy metals is discussed.

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“…In contrast, those sheep with lower 137 Cs intakes grazed areas of fine grass swards dominated by Agrostis spp., which is likely to have had a higher digestibility [32] than those species grazed by sheep with high 137 Cs intakes. Previous studies have suggested a comparatively low transfer to ruminants of dietary radiocaesium associated with herbages of low digestibility [19,33,34]. This is probably the result of a reduction in the degree of 137 Cs absorption.…”

Section: Estimation Of Radiocaesium Intakementioning

confidence: 98%

Radiocaesium variability within sheep flocks: determination of 137 Cs intake in free-ranging sheep

Beresford¹,

Barnett²,

Mayes³

2000

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics

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A study is described in which 137Cs intake by free-ranging sheep was estimated at two farms in the area of west Cumbria (northwest England) which received some of the highest amounts of fallout from the Chernobyl accident within the United Kingdom. The faecal excretion of 137Cs was estimated from faecal 137Cs activity concentrations and the use of intraruminal controlled release devices containing Cr2O3 to determine faecal dry matter output. The intake of 137Cs was estimated by assuming an apparent absorption coefficient appropriate to the herbage grazed. The methodology has the advantage that sampling of herbage representative of that ingested by study animals is not required. Caesium-137 dietary intake explained >60% of the observed variability in the 137Cs activity concentration determined in the muscle of sheep. Resultant transfer coefficient (Ff) values to describe the transfer of 137Cs from the diet to muscle were in agreement with previously reported values. At one farm, there was a positive correlation between the 137Cs activity concentration in muscle and Ff whilst at the other farm there was a negative correlation between Ff and 137Cs dietary intake. Potential reasons for these observations are discussed.

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Metabolism of Radioactive Cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) and Potassium by Dairy Cattle as Influenced by High and Low Forage Diets

Cited by 39 publications

References 12 publications

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C

The Importance of Source-Dependent Bioavailability in Determining the Transfer of Ingested Radionuclides to Ruminant-Derived Food Products

Radiocaesium variability within sheep flocks: determination of 137 Cs intake in free-ranging sheep

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Metabolism of Radioactive Cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) and Potassium by Dairy Cattle as Influenced by High and Low Forage Diets

Cited by 39 publications

References 12 publications

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with 14C

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with 14C

The Importance of Source-Dependent Bioavailability in Determining the Transfer of Ingested Radionuclides to Ruminant-Derived Food Products

Radiocaesium variability within sheep flocks: determination of 137 Cs intake in free-ranging sheep

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Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C

Synthesis, effectiveness and metabolic fate in cows of the caesium complexing compound ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate labelled with ¹⁴C