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Estimating the biological half-life for radionuclides in homoeothermic vertebrates: a simplified allometric approach

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Abstract

The application of allometric, or mass-dependent, relationships within radioecology has increased with the evolution of models to predict the exposure of organisms other than man. Allometry presents a method of addressing the lack of empirical data on radionuclide transfer and metabolism for the many radionuclide–species combinations which may need to be considered. However, sufficient data across a range of species with different masses are required to establish allometric relationships and this is not always available. Here, an alternative allometric approach to predict the biological half-life of radionuclides in homoeothermic vertebrates which does not require such data is derived. Biological half-life values are predicted for four radionuclides and compared to available data for a range of species. All predictions were within a factor of five of the observed values when the model was parameterised appropriate to the feeding strategy of each species. This is an encouraging level of agreement given that the allometric models are intended to provide broad approximations rather than exact values. However, reasons why some radionuclides deviate from what would be anticipated from Kleiber’s law need to be determined to allow a more complete exploitation of the potential of allometric extrapolation within radioecological models.

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Notes

  1. Nagy (2001) presents relationships based upon mass in units of grams; we have converted these to kilograms.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded under the EC EURATOM Seventh Framework Network of Excellence STrategy for Allied Radioecology (www.star-radioecologyorg) and a UK Natural Environment Research Council funded Knowledge Exchange project (www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT/).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK

    N. A. Beresford

  2. Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    J. Vives i Batlle

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  1. N. A. Beresford
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  2. J. Vives i Batlle
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Correspondence to N. A. Beresford.

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Beresford, N.A., Vives i Batlle, J. Estimating the biological half-life for radionuclides in homoeothermic vertebrates: a simplified allometric approach. Radiat Environ Biophys 52, 505–511 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-013-0481-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-013-0481-x

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