Contaminated wood -Reply

["CLAUDE A. FLORY" <FLORYCA@GWSMTP.NU.COM>]

We routinely see fallout Cs-137 and Sr-90 in our Connecticut environmental
samples.  During the summer, when milk animals are on pasture, these two
isotopes are detected at 1 to 5 pCi/l.  Goat milk has higher levels than cow
milk.  [ What's in those tin cans? :-) ]  Natural broadleaf vegetation has up
to 10 pCi/kg Cs-137, but processed foodstuff from the market has no detectable
fallout.  We do not sample any meat products (don't see longhorns or pig farms
in CT).  

Makes me wonder how much the paper industry is redistributing fallout from wood
to milk via vegetation.

>>> <Egoitein@aol.com> 06/28/98 05:37pm >>>
I have questions about the radioactivity in wood.  I suppose that the
contamination is the result of fall out from atmospheric tests and the
consequent uptake by trees from contaminated groundwater or soil. 

If trees absorb Cs, what about other vegetation including produce and further
up the food chain such as milk and meat products?

Also isn't the distribution of  the fall out more prevalent in the Northern
and Eastern part of the US?