137Cs distribution in guava trees

Abstract

This paper presents results of 137 Cs concentration measured from a guava tree cultivated after the fi rst decontamination work of one of the sites where the worst Brazilian radiological accident occurred. The present work aims to verify how the 137 Cs is transported and distributed along the tropical trees. Bi-dimensional analyses of the radial distribution of 137 Cs in the main trunk are also presented. Neither symmetrical nor homogeneous behaviors of the specifi c activity distribution in the tree rings were observed.

Radioecological investigations in Brazilian tropical plants

“…In such a way that the concentration of these radionuclides in the different organs of the plant decreases in general according to foliage > fruits > twigs > wood or main trunk. This behavior has also been observed for other tropical and temperate trees [2,3]. In fact, the pepper tree species produce both green and red peppers, the former being the younger fruit.…”

“…This parameter will be referred to as the biological half-life (BHL). Besides, the similarity of 137 Cs chemical behavior to that of potassium makes the study of this radionuclide accumulation in plants particulary interesting as it gives information on the absorption and distribution of salts in plants [2][3][4].…”

Accumulation and long-term decline of radiocaesium contamination in tropical fruit trees

“…Technical details of sample preparation and analysis can be obtained in Refs. [1][2][3][4]. Concentrations of free NH 4 + ions were estimated using the phenol-hypochlorite colorimetric method for the same compartments of chili pepper tree samples [7].…”

“…In the study of nutrient fluxes in plants, the suitability of using radioactive contaminants as tracers is a complex question, which has guided several researches [1][2][3][4][5]. For being chemically similar to some available nutrients in soil (such as potassium or ammonium), radiocaesium is absorbed by plant roots, being transported to its various compartments.…”

Recuperación de la biomasa mediante la sucesión secundaria, Cordillera Central de los Andes, Colombia

“…Sin embargo, se ha demostrado su existencia desde hace más de cien años en cientos de especies tropicales que crecen en todas las condiciones favorables para el crecimiento de árboles (Roig 2000, Worbes 2002, 2004, Brienen et al 2009, Lebrija-Trejos 2009, Rozendaal 2010. Entre las especies muestreadas se sabe de la anualidad de los anillos de crecimiento de Myrsine guianensis, Jacaranda copaia, Cedrela odorata, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Terminalia amazonia, Maclura tinctorea, Triplaris spp, Vochysia spp, Heliocarpus popayanensis y Psidium guajaba (Fahn et al 1981, Kumar & Singh 1988, Mosquera et al 2004, Worbes 2002, Tomazello et al 2004, Brienen et al 2009, Lebrija-Trejos 2009. Para otras especies la literatura reporta que pueden o no presentar anillos pero sin confirmar su frecuencia (Carothie 1948).…”