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Agronomic Factors Affecting Polonium‐210 and Lead‐210 Levels in Tobacco. II. Varieties and Curing Methods
Author(s) -
Tso T. C.,
Carr J. M.,
Ferri E. S.,
Baratta E. J.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1968.00021962006000060019x
Subject(s) - curing of tobacco , flue , curing (chemistry) , chemistry , horticulture , polonium , tobacco leaf , kerosene , agronomy , waste management , biology , radiochemistry , agricultural engineering , polymer chemistry , engineering , organic chemistry
Tobacco seedlings accumulated Pb 210 and Po 210 to a concentration much higher than that found in the soil. The levels of these radioelements decreased as the plants grew. Only minor differences were observed in harvested leaves of two flue‐cured varieties — ‘Coker 319’ and ‘Virginia Bright Leaf.’ The Pb 210 and Po 210 content in the seeds are in much lower levels than those in the respective leaves produced from the same plant. Neither of the two methods of flue‐curing — a closed system with wood or an open system with kerosene — resulted in significant differences in radioisotope levels of cured leaf. Pb 210 and Po 210 , if present in the combustion products of wood, were trapped in or exhausted through the flue pipes and were not deposited on the tobacco. Kerosene, because it contains little radioactivity, would not contribute much to the Pb 210 and Po 210 level of cured leaf when fully exposed to products of combustion in an open system.