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Honey bees and their products as indicators of environmental radioactive pollution

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Abstract

Samples of honey, pollen and honey bees have been collected in some regions of Italy after the Chernobyl accident, and subjected to gamma spectrometry in order to assess their possible use as markers of the radioactive environmental contamination. Pollen has resulted in the best indicator, since it reflects exactly the air contamination and therefore it is suitable for obtaining a map of fallout. Also bees can be used for the purpose, even if their collection is more difficult, whereas honey gives only an indication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Bologna, Via San Donato 15, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    D. Tonelli, E. Gattavecchia & S. Ghini

  2. Instituto di Entomologia “Guido Grandi”, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    C. Porrini & G. Celli

  3. Istituto Botanico, Università di Modena, Modena, Italy

    A. M. Mercuri

Authors
  1. D. Tonelli
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  2. E. Gattavecchia
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  3. S. Ghini
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  4. C. Porrini
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  5. G. Celli
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  6. A. M. Mercuri
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Tonelli, D., Gattavecchia, E., Ghini, S. et al. Honey bees and their products as indicators of environmental radioactive pollution. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 141, 427–436 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035809

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035809

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