THE BEHAVIOR OF RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT IN SOILS AND PLANTS. A Review Prepared for the Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation on Agriculture and Food Supplies

The sequence of events involved in the transfer of radioisotopes from fallout to the tissues of mand through the food chain are reviewed. Topics discussed include the reactions of radioisotopes with soil; the uptake, translocation, and distribution of radioisotopes in plants; external and internal effects of radiation on plants; soil-plant relations; and the effect of soil management on the uptake of radioisotopes by plants. Emphasis is placed on the path of Cs/sup 137/ and Sr/sup 90/ through the food chain. (142 references.) (C.H.)