Chemical associations of artificial radionuclides in Cumbrian soils

S L! M M A R yAuto radiography and quantitative image analysis were used to measure ^^'Cs distribution and translocation through mycelia of A. galHca Marxmuller & Ronnagn, and A. ostoyae (Romagn,) Herink growing in small microcosms in the laboratory, Rhizomorphs of .4.ga///c<3 were labelled with '*''*Cs in the field, and the translocation of radiolabel measured after excavation and destructi\'e harvesting. The flux of radiocaesium through rhizomorphs was estimated to be greater than through undifferentiated hyphae, and greater through rhizomorphs growing in tbe field tban through rbiisomorphs grown across homogeneous media in tbe laboratory. Differentiation witbin mycelia resulting in melanization or rhizomorph formation gave rise to increased heterogeneity in tbe ^^'Cs distribution through laboratory microcosms compared with that through microcosms containing undifferentiated mycelia. Radiocaesium leaked from undifferentiated hyphae into the surrounding medium, but melanized regions of the mycelium appeared to be eonservative for radiocaesium, Tbese findings provide further evidence for the importance of filamentous fungi in determining the distribution and rate of release of radiocaesium currently present in the environment as a result of weapons testing and the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.

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“…RadiGcaesium is known to remam bound to the top 150 mm of soil for long periods of time (Livens & Baxter, 1988). Penicilhum spp.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The physiology of basidiomycete linear organs

Gray

Dighton²,

Jennings

1996

New Phytologist

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“…A very negligible amount of soil organic matter could affect the chemical nature of plutonium due to formation of stable organic complexes. The chemical transformation of plutonium could considerably influence its solubility and accumulation potentiality [22]. For example, in the soil layer, which contained 40-49% of organic carbon, the 239,240 Pu activity concentration up to 87% was observed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All these components of minerals are good absorbers of cesium. Cesium is particularly very strongly associated with silicates and clay [22]. As proposed by Abril [23], man-made radionuclides are generally associated within the surface layer of mineral particles only superficially.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

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Distribution of artificial radionuclides in the Baltic seaside environment

Druteikienė¹,

Morkūnienė²,

Lukšienė³

2011

Lithuanian J. Phys.

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Investigation on137 Cs and 239,240 Pu activity concentration was undertaken in a coastal zone of the Baltic Sea on the Lithuanian territory to study the vertical distribution of radionuclides (down to 30 cm). The Baltic seaside is one of the regions where the highest radionuclide concentrations after the Chernobyl NPP accident were detected. Moreover, this area is a significant recreational zone, therefore, peculiarities of radionuclide spreading in the environmental ecosystem are important from the radioecological point of view. The obtained results of vertical distribution of 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu in sand and forest soil suggest that the radionuclide downward migration depends on the structure of matrix and its chemical composition. Besides, the results of radionuclide distribution on the stripe between the Baltic Sea and the Curronian Lagoon indicate that the sea is a possible source of radioactive contaminants.

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“…The net effect of these and other related processes is difficult to predict. However, as Table 1 indicates, the Means et al, 1978Desai et al, 1989Ge~abek and Ullah, 1988Mesuere and Fish, 1989Megumi and Mamuro, 1975Megumi and Mamuro, 1975Sayin et al, 1990Megumi and Mamuro, 1975Megumi and Mamuro, 1977Nyhan et al, 1976Livens et al, 1985Megumi and Mamuro, 1977Megumi and Mamuro, 1977Sayin et al, 1990Megumi and Mamuro, 1977 theoretical contaminant enrichments that would be expected solely on the basis of particle diameters are seldom approached. Most of the natural particle-sorting processes result in enrichments of less than 10 fold.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Concentration enrichment of sparingly soluble contaminants (U, Th and Pb) by erosion and by soil adhesion to plants and skin

Sheppard

Evenden

1992

Environ Geochem Health

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Sparingly soluble contaminants are less likely to affect human health through food chain transfers, such as plant uptake or passage through animal-based foods, because mobility in these pathways is limited by solubility. Direct ingestion or inhalation of contaminated soil becomes the dominant pathway. However, both of these can be selective processes. Clay-sized particles carry the bulk of the sparingly soluble contaminants, and mechanisms that selectively remove and accumulate clay from the bulk soil also concentrate the contaminants. Erosion is another process that selectively removes clays. This project examined the degree of clay and contaminant-concentration enrichment that could occur by these processes, using U, Th and Pb as representative contaminants and using a clay and a loam soil. Erosion by water in natural rainfall events caused concentration enrichments up to 7 fold, and enrichments varied with characteristics of the erosion events. Enrichments were higher for the coarser, loam soil. Adhesion to skin gave modest enrichments of 1.3 fold in these soils, but up to 10 fold in sandy soils studied subsequently. Adhesion to plant leaves, where there was no root contact with contaminated soil, gave leaf concentrations comparable to situations where the roots contacted the contaminated soil. Clearly, adhesion to leaves is an important component of plant accumulation of sparingly soluble contaminants.

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Chemical associations of artificial radionuclides in Cumbrian soils

Cited by 101 publications

References 21 publications

The physiology of basidiomycete linear organs

The physiology of basidiomycete linear organs

Distribution of artificial radionuclides in the Baltic seaside environment

Concentration enrichment of sparingly soluble contaminants (U, Th and Pb) by erosion and by soil adhesion to plants and skin

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