I N F O R M A T I O N
F13.v1

CONTAMINATION OF FARM PRODUCE

After deposition, the contaminationlevel of farm produce fell atvariable rates
The contamination level of farm produce was highest immediately after deposition.
For leafy vegetables, contamination fell quickly in the two months which followed.
In cows’ milk, it depended on the animals’ feeding routines. The contamination ofmeat fell much more slowly.

IODINE 131 CONTAMINATION OF FARM PRODUCE FELL QUICKLY AS
THIS IS A SHORT-LIVED RADIONUCLIDE. IODINE 131 WAS NO LONGER
PRESENT IN MOST PRODUCTS BY THE END OF JULY 1986
Regulations:
From 6 May 1986, European recommendations set the limits for iodine 131 activity
in imported dairy products and dairy products
for consumption by infants at 500, 250 and
100 Bq/l successively. These limits were also
reduced for other foodstuffs: 350, 170 and
100 Bq/kg.

Iodine 131 contamination
Bq/kg

Alsace100,000

Vosges

10,000

1,000

Lettuce and other leafy vegetables producedin the east often exceeded these values. The
same occurred on a more occasional basis withFrench dairy production, and particularly withgoats’ milk in Corsica.

10021ayM

1986

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ay10CAESIUM 137 CONTAMINATION OF LEAFY VEGETABLES FELL
THROUGHOUT MAY AND JUNE. CONTAMINATION OF MILK AND MEATCHANGED ACCORDING TO FODDER CONTAMINATION■ In May and June 1986, plant and vegetable

From July 1986, plants and vegetables planted
after the deposition were contaminatedthrough their roots. This contamination levelwas 100 to 1,000 times lower.

contamination was in the form of direct
deposition on the leaves. As they grew overthis period, the contamination decreased ona daily basis.

Caesium 137 contamination in lettuce at the harvest dateBq/Kg

The lettuces harvested at the beginning of May
strongly absorbed the radionuclides deposited.

1,000

10Lettuce seeds planted at the beginning of May
and harvested in June were not contaminatedthrough their leaves.

1

Contamination through the roots

Contamination through the leaves

OFTHE

July
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CHERNOBYL

Animals fed on fresh Animals fed on fresh

1986

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A F T E R MBq/lA T He0,1M

www.irsn.org

The lettuces harvested in the middle of May were in theirearly stages at the time of deposition. The particle specificactivity (Bq/kg) falls as plants and vegetables grow.

100rlyEnvironment and Response
Division
Philippe Renaud
Tel. +33 (0)4 42 19 96 60
philippe.renaud@irsn.fr

ea

CONTACTACCIDENT

Animals fed on hay with aIN

FRANCE

I N F O R M A T I O N
Bq/KgThe lettuces harvested at the beginning of May
strongly absorbed the radionuclides deposited.

1,000

The lettuces harvested in the middle of May were in theirearly stages at the time of deposition. The particle specificactivity (Bq/kg) falls as plants and vegetables grow.

100

10Lettuce seeds planted at the beginning of May
andcontamination
harvested in June werenot contaminated■ In the spring of 1986 during the grazing period,
activityin both cows’ milk andthrough their leaves.

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1986

July

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grass fell. 1It rose again in autumn 1986 when the animals stopped grazing and were fed withfodder harvested in Contamination
the spring.through the leaves
Contamination through the roots
In the east0,1of France, contamination activity in milk fell from 100 to a few Bq/l in one year.

Caesium 137 contamination in milk
Bq/l
100

Animals fed on fresh
grass with acontamination levelof 1,000 Bq/kg.

Animals fed on fresh
Animals fed on hay with agrass with acontamination level of 400 Bq/kg.
contamination level ofAnimals returned to graze
less than 100 Bq/kg.
on new grass that was
no longer contaminated.

10FoinilAprDeFe
1 9 b..
87c..

..

StablingOctstAuguneJuMa19 y86

Free grazing

June

EasternFranceFree grazing

1t

Regulations:
The restrictions placed on the import of foodstuffs with respect to their caesium 137 content
came into force on 31 May 1986: 370 Bq/l for dairy products and 600 Bq/kg for other products.
French production in the east of the country only rarely exceeded these limits, except in thecase of leafy vegetables in the ﬁrst days of May, and meat for which caesium 137 contamination
activity of up to 1,000 Bq/kg was recorded occasionally.

Caesium 137 contamination
Provence
Bq/kg
1,000

Eastern France100Franche-Comté10

Postal address :lyJu1986

B.P. 313115 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex
Head ofﬁce :77, av. du Général-de-Gaulle
92140 Clamart
Switchboard +33 (0)1 58 35 88 88
Registered at the Nanterre Trade andCompanies Register under no. B 440 546 018

AFTERMATH

OF

THE

CHERNOBYL

ACCIDENTIN

FRANCE

IRSN. Communications Department/CPRP; DEI. Printing: OPAG. 2006 F13.v120ne
Ju30

Ju10neM

Philippe Renaud

ay0,121

DEI/SESURE/LERCM

ayet de Sûreté Nucléaire

11M

Institut de Radioprotection