Post-deposition transport of radionuclides in fruit.

This paper considers two main pathways for contamination of fruit by radionuclides: (i) absorption after deposition directly to exposed fruit surfaces, and (ii) absorption after deposition to other exposed plant surfaces followed by translocation to fruit. The aim is to collect the available information on fruit from temperate regions, identify the factors affecting post deposition processes in fruit plant systems, identify gaps in knowledge and give recommendations for future work. The majority of information available on above-ground absorption and further translocation to fruit concerns 134Cs and 85Sr in soluble form in apple, strawberry and grapevine. In general, 85Sr is absorbed and translocated to a lesser extent than is 134Cs. The rate of absorption and translocation depends on the physiological stage and age of the plant, and varies between different plant species and varieties.