Assessment of the bioavailability and depuration of uranium, cesium and thorium in snails (Cantareus aspersus) using kinetics models.

Uranium ore waste has led to soil contamination that may affect both environmental and soil health. To analyze the risk of metal transfer, metal bioavailability must be estimated by measuring biological parameters. Kinetic studies allow taking into account the dynamic mechanisms of bioavailability, as well as the steady state concentration in organisms necessary to take into account for relevant risk assessment. In this way, this work aims to model the snail accumulation and excretion kinetics of uranium (U), cesium (Cs) and thorium (Th). Results indicate an absence of Cs and Th accumulation showing the low bioavailability of these two elements and a strong uranium accumulation in snails related to the levels of soil contamination. During the depuration phase, most of the uranium ingested was excreted by the snails. After removing the source of uranium by soil remediation, continued snails excretion of accumulated uranium would lead to the return of their initial internal concentration, thus the potential trophic transfer of this hazardous element would stop.