Radioiodine Retention in Ovine Thyroids in Northwestern Greece Following the Reactor Accident at Chernobyl

Abstract

Iodine-131 concentrations were measured throughout the summer of 1986 in thyroids of lambs slaughtered at Ioannina (Northwestern Greece) following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. During the survey, 40 thyroids were collected. The highest level of 131I detected was 2471 +/- 339 Bq per thyroid. The thyroids of 20 lambs did not contain detectable 131I concentrations, while the contamination content of the others was greatly variable. The transport of 131I from pasture to thyroids of lambs has been described through a simple model for the retention of 131I in the glands. The transfer coefficient fT, expressing the steady-state equilibrium, was estimated to be 564 +/- 270 kg-1 d. This result reflects the sensitivity of animal thyroids as biological radioiodine monitors.