Comparison of models of radionuclide migration in food chains

Two models are compared used for describing the transfer of radioactive substances to man through food chains: the model used in US NRC Regulatory Guide 1.109 and that used in Interatomehnergo NTD No. 38.220.56-81. The models are compared with regard to the approach to model construction, with regard to mathematical expressions and recommended values of parameters. The comparative calculations show that with the use of the recommended values the contribution of direct contamination is prevalent in both models. The concentration of radioactive substances in selected products calculated for indirect contamination using the NRC method is more conservative. For direct and total contamination the NRC method provides higher values of concentrations in the leaf and non-leaf vegetables (cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers) than the NTD method. Concentrations in non-leaf vegetables are higher than in wheat for 4 nuclides only and in meat and milk for 13 radionuclides of the considered set of 22 radionuclides. Substitution of the recommended values of the parameters of the NRC model with recommended values of the corresponding parameters of the NTD model will reduce total concentrations in products as against initial results of the two studied models. (author)