Predicting tritium and radiocarbon in wild animals

摘要

We have assessed the tritium and ~(14)C concentrations in wild animals under conditions of continuous emission. For ~(14)C we have used a specific activity approach,. For tritium we have distinguished between tritiated water and organically bound tritium, adapting a metabolic model previously tested for farm animals. We have considered different European climatic zones (Arctic, Continental, Maritime and Mediterranean) assuming a constant yearly deposition (1 Bq y~(-1)) or constant atmospheric concentration (1 Bq m~(-3)). Less uncertainty is obtained assumining constant atmospheric concentrations, as tritiated water loss, required when assuming a constant deposition, within the different climatic zones is poorly defined.