Radionuclide transfer from feed to camel milk.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiochemistry
• Animal Science

Background:

• Understanding radionuclide transfer in food chains is crucial for food safety and environmental monitoring.
• Camel milk is a significant dietary component in many regions, making its radionuclide content important to assess.
• Limited experimental data exists on the transfer of various radionuclides into camel milk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transfer of specific radionuclides (137Cs, 85Sr, 131I, 210Po, 210Pb, 238U) from feed to camel milk.
• To determine the biological half-lives and transfer coefficients of these radionuclides in lactating camels.
• To establish baseline data for radionuclide contamination in camel milk.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving three lactating camels over a 160-day period (60 days on spiked feed, 90 days on clean feed).
• Monitoring of activity concentrations of selected radionuclides in camel milk.
• Estimation of equilibrium transfer coefficients and biological half-lives using a one-component model.

Main Results:

• Activity concentrations of 137Cs, 85Sr, and 131I in milk decreased to background levels within 20 days after removing contaminated feed.
• Calculated transfer coefficients varied among radionuclides, with 85Sr and 238U showing notable values.
• Estimated biological half-lives were 6.4 days for 85Sr, 4.2 days for 131I, 8.9 days for 137Cs, and 53.3 days for 238U.

Conclusions:

• Artificial radionuclides (137Cs, 85Sr, 131I) exhibit relatively short biological half-lives in camels, clearing from milk within weeks.
• Natural radionuclides (238U) show longer biological half-lives, indicating slower elimination.
• This study provides the first experimental data on radionuclide transfer into camel milk, essential for risk assessment.