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  • Heavy-Metal Pollution
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Uptake and effects of americium-241 on a brackishwater amphipod

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 33, pages 138–152 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

The present paper reports the results of experimental work undertaken using the brackish-water amphipodGammarus duebeni duebeni and the transuranium nuclide americium-241. Data on the accumulation of this actinide showed that the larger fraction of the total body burden is associated with the exoskeleton. It was found that the body burden remained constant in the range pH 8.0–6.5 even though the water concentrations changed markedly. It would thus appear that the concept of a concentration factor should be re-examined and it is proposed that a factor should be defined in terms of environmental and chemical parameters which represent the bioavailable fraction of the actinide. The effect of americium on survival and moulting was studied at two activity concentrations; the dose rates and absorbed doses under the experimental conditions employed have been estimated. The differences in survival rates between the control and irradiated groups were statistically analyzed and the significant difference at the higher concentration is believed to be due to a synergism between physiological stress and radiotoxicity of americium rather than the chemical toxicity of the element.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland (Laboratorium Sülldorf), Wüstland 2, D-2000, Hamburg 55, Germany

    M. Hoppenheit

  2. Commission of the European Communities, Joint Research Centre, Ispra Establishment, Division of Chemistry, I-21020, Ispra, Varese, Italy

    C. N. Murray

  3. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Directorate of Fisheries Research, Fisheries Radiobiological Laboratory, Hamilton Dock, NR32 1DA, Lowestoft, Suffolk, England

    D. S. Woodhead

Authors
  1. M. Hoppenheit
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  2. C. N. Murray
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  3. D. S. Woodhead
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Hoppenheit, M., Murray, C.N. & Woodhead, D.S. Uptake and effects of americium-241 on a brackishwater amphipod. Helgolander Meeresunters 33, 138–152 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414742

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Keywords

Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

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