Transfer of Chernobyl fallout radionuclides from feed to growing rabbits - Cesium-137 balance

Intake, excretion and retention of gamma-emitting radionuclides were assessed in male rabbits fed a radioactive pelleted diet (137Cs = 858 Bq kg-1 as fed) containing 40% dehydrated alfalfa meal contaminated by Chernobyl fallout. In order to evaluate radionuclide retention, an experiment was carried out on 33 animals as follows: nine rabbits were slaughtered at the beginning of the trial, six were fed a radioactive diet for 42 days, six a radioactive diet for 21 days, six a radioactive diet for 21 days and a normal diet (137Cs = 112 Bq kg-1 as fed) for the following 21 days and six a normal diet for 42 days. All the animals were housed in individual metabolism cages throughout the trial. All faeces and urine were collected and analyzed separately and live weight and feed intake were measured on a weekly basis. At the end of the trial all the animals were slaughtered and the activities of net body and muscles were determined. Cesium-137, 134Cs, 103Ru, 106Ru, 125Sb, 110m Ag, and 40K were ...