Transfer of 137Cs to milk and meat in Hungary from Chernobyl fallout with comparisons of worldwide fallout in the 1960s.

Transfer coefficients for 137Cs from the Chernobyl accident were determined for milk (Fm) and meat (Ff) of cows and sheep in Hungary. Fm and Ff for both cows and sheep fed forage harvested within 1 mo of the accident were lower than results reported for worldwide fallout from weapons tests. Forage harvested 60 d or later after the accident produced an Fm similar to results from feeding soluble 134Cs. The results are interpreted to indicate three distinct categories of Fm about 2.0 X 10(-3), 4.0 X 10(-3) and 1.4 X 10(-2) d L-1, respectively, for Chernobyl fallout, worldwide fallout and soluble Cs isotopes or 137Cs contained in plants from soil uptake.