RESUMO
Radio transmitters are a useful tool in determining the degree of use of and extent of movement from contaminated sites by highly mobile wildlife species. Programs monitoring wildlife species for environmental contaminants from localized sources can maximize the amount of information obtained from an individual animal by using radio-telemetry to ascertain residence history. The use of radio-telemetry techniques on two mobile wildlife species, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), to document their use of and movement from low-level radionuclide contaminated waste ponds are described.
RESUMO
A comparison was made between the amount of time 17 radio-collared mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) spent near low-level waste-management ponds on the Hanford Site and the levels of radionuclides found in samples of their muscle, liver, bone and rumen contents. All deer had low, but detectable, amounts of 137Cs in their muscle, liver and rumen contents and 90Sr in their bone. Several other radionuclides were detected in the rumen samples, but were apparently not incorporated into the muscle and liver tissue. There was a positive, significant correlation between the amount of time deer spent near the waste-management ponds and the levels of 137Cs in their muscle and liver and 90Sr in their bone. The concentrations of 137Cs in rumen samples did not appear to be related to the amount of time deer spent near waste-management ponds. The variability of 137Cs in muscle was higher in those deer living near the waste-management ponds than in individuals residing in areas remote from the ponds. In general, the levels of radionuclides in Hanford Site deer appear to be reduced from that observed in the 1960s.