NUREG/CR-6825 PNNL-14321 Literature Review and Assessment of Plant and Animal Transfer Factors Used in Performance Assessment Modeling Pacific Northwest National Laboratory U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Washington, DC 20555-0001 AVAILABILITY OF REFERENCE MATERIALS IN NRC PUBLICATIONS NRC Reference Material Non-NRC Reference Material As of November 1999, you may electronically access Documents available from public and special technical NUREG-series publications and other NRC records at libraries Indude all open literature items, such as NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room at books, journal articles, and transactions, Federal htto://www.nrc.aov/readina-rm.html. Publidy released Register notices, Federal and State legislation, and records Include, to name a few, NUREG-series congressional reports. 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NUREG/CR-6825 PNNL-14321 Literature Review and Assessment of Plant and Animal Transfer Factors Used in Performance Assessment Modeling Manuscript Completed: June 2003 Date Published: August 2003 Prepared by D.E. Robertson, D.A. Cataldo, B.A. Napier, K.M. Krupka, L.B. Sasser Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, WA 99352 P.R. Reed, NRC Project Manager Prepared for Division of Systems Analysis and Regulatory Effectiveness Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 NRC Job Code Y6469 Abstract A literature review and assessment was conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to update information on plant and animal radionuclide transfer factors used in performance-assessment modeling. A group of 15 radionuclides was included in this review and assessment. The review is composed of four main sections, not including the Introduction. Section 2.0 provides a review of the critically important issue of physicochemical speciation and geochemistry of the radionuclides in natural soil-water systems as it relates to the bioavailability of the radionuclides. Section 3.0 provides an updated review of the parameters of importance in the uptake of radionuclides by plants, including root uptake via the soil-groundwater system and foliar uptake due to overhead irrigation. Section 3.0 also provides a compilation of concentration ratios (CRs) for soil-to-plant uptake for the 15 selected radionuclides. Section 4.0 provides an updated review on radionuclide uptake data for animal products related to absorption, homeostatic control, approach to equilibration, chemical and physical form, diet, and age. Compiled transfer coefficients are provided for cows milk, sheeps milk, goats milk, beef, goat meat, pork, poultry, and eggs. Section 5.0 discusses the use of transfer coefficients in soil, plant, and animal modeling using regulatory models for evaluating radioactive waste disposal or decommissioned sites. Each section makes specific suggestions for future research in its area. A compact disk (CD) is supplied with this report. The CD contains an electronic copy of this report in portable document format (PDF). The figures in this report have been printed in black and white; color versions of the figures are provided on the CD. iii Contents Abstract ............................................................... iii Acknowledgements .............................................................. xiii Acronyms .............................................................. xv Chemical Symbols of Elements Discussed in this Report . .......................................................... xvi 1.0 Introduction .............................................................. 1.1 1.1 Radionuclides of Concern .............................................................. 1.3 1.2 Section 1 References .............................................................. 1.7 2.0 Speciation and Geochemistry of Radionuclides in Soil-Water Systems . ......................2.1 2.1 Background .............................................................. 2.1 2.2 Eh-pH Species Predominance Diagrams .............................................................. 2.5 2.3 Geochemical Processes Affecting the Mobility and Bioavailability of Selected Radionuclides .............................................................. 2.7 2.3.1 Cesium-137 (' 37Cs) .2.7 2.3.2 Strontium-90 ("Sr). 2.8 2.3.3 Technetium-99 (99Tc) .2.11 2.3.4 Iodine-129 (1291) .2.14 2.3.5 Selenium-79 (79Se) .2.16 2.3.6 Tin-126 ( 26Sn) .2.19 2.3.7 Thorium-232 (2 32 Th) .... ........................................... 2.21 2.3.8 Uranium-235 (235U). 2.23 2.3.9 Plutonium-239,240 (23924.Pu) .2.27 2.3.10 Neptunium-237 (237Np) .2.30 2.3.11 Americium-241 (241A) .2.33 2.3.12 Curium-242 (242Cm) .2.36 2.3.13 Beryllium-10 (' 0Be). 2.37 2.3.14 Nickel-59,63 (63'59Ni) .2.40 2.3.15 Niobium-94 (94Nb) .2.43 2.3.16 Silver- 108m (1omAg) .2.43 2.4 Section 2 References ................ 2.46 v I 3.0 Uptake of Radionuclides by Plants ................................................................ 3.1 3.1 Objective and Approach ............................................................ 3.1 3.2 Process Constraints ............................................................ 3.1 3.2.1 Contaminant Form and Chemistry ............................................................ 3.2 3.2.2 Routes of Exposure ............................................................ 3.3 3.2.3 Biological Variables ............................................................ 3.3 3.2.4 Role of Speciation and Chemical Form/Transfer Factors and Food Chain ....3.4 3.3 Soil-to-Plant Transfer ............................................................ 3.4 3.3.1 Cesium .3.5 3.3.2 Strontium .3.14 3.3.3 Technetium .3.15 3.3.4 Iodine. 3.16 3.3.5 Uranium .3.17 3.3.6 Plutonium .3.18 3.3.7 Neptunium. 3.19 3.3.8 Americium .3.20 3.3.9 Curium. 3.20 3.3.10 Thorium. 3.21 3.3.11 Beryllium .3.21 3.3.12 Nickel .3.21 3.3.13 Niobium. 3.22 3.3.14 Tin .3.22 3.3.15 Selenium .3.23 3.3.16 Silver .3.23 3.4 Irrigation Water-to-Plant Transfer .............................................. 3.23 3.4.1 Plant Mobility .............................................................. 3.24 3.4.2