Skip to main content
Log in

Relationship between the Concentration of Caesium-137 in Milk and Man

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

CAESIUM-137, which is present in the fallout from nuclear explosions and is a potential hazard to man, is detectable in most components of the diet, but the chief sources are milk and dairy produce1,2. Models that predict levels of caesium-137 in the food chain and in man have been proposed3, but they are restricted to a given geographical region. Because of diversity in dietary habits and food origins, we have attempted to relate the concentration of caesium-137 in man to its concentration in milk. This procedure should be satisfactory for extrapolation to the rest of the diet provided the variation of the concentration of caesium-137 in milk with time approximately parallels analogous variations in the remainder of the diet.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Boni, A. L., Health Phys., 12, 501 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gustafson, P. E., and Miller, J. E., Health Phys., 16, 167 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aarkrog, A., Health Phys., 20, 297 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rundo, J., Brit. J. Radiol., 37, 108 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Richmond, C. R., Furchner, J. E., and Langham, W. H., Health Phys., 8, 201 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Agric. Res. Counc. Res. Lab. Ann. Rep. (1960–72).

  7. Burch, P. R. J., Hughes, D., Iinuma, T. A., Overton, T. R., and Appleby, D. B., in Whole-Body Counting (IAEA, Vienna, 1962).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Godfrey, B. E., and Vennart, J., Nature, 218, 741 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Harries, J. M., Hobson, E. A., and Hollingsworth, D. F., Proc. Nutr. Soc., 21, 157 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MARSHALL, D., BURKINSHAW, L. Relationship between the Concentration of Caesium-137 in Milk and Man. Nature 240, 571–572 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/240571a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/240571a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

Navigation