Element interactions and soil properties affecting the soil-to-plant transfer of six elements relevant to radioactive waste in boreal forest

Abstract

Cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), uranium (U), and zinc (Zn) are among the elements that have radioactive isotopes in radioactive waste. Soil-to-plant transfer is a key process for possible adverse effects if these radionuclides are accidentally released into the environment. The present study aimed at investigating factors affecting such transfer in boreal forest. The plant species studied were blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), May lily (Maianthemum bifolium), narrow buckler fern (Dryopteris carthusiana), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and Norway spruce (Picea abies). Regression analyses were carried out to investigate the effects of the chemical composition and physical properties of soil on the soil-to-leaf/needle concentration ratios of Co, Mo, Ni, Pb, U and Zn. Soil potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) concentrations were the most important factors affecting the soil-to-plant transfer of the elements studied. Soil clay and organic matter contents were found to significantly affect plant uptake of Mo, Pb and U. Knowledge of the effects of these factors is helpful for interpretation of the predictions of radioecological models describing soil-to-plant transfer and for improving such models.

Assessing forest health via linking the geochemical properties of a soil profile with the biochemical parameters of vegetation

“…A significant negative linear relationship was found between K-Ca and K-Zn. The latter negative relationships agree with the finding of Roivainen et al (2012), who reported that the concentrations of soil macronutrients such as K, Mg and P negatively affected the uptake of several trace elements (Co, Mo, Ni, Pb, U and Zn) in boreal forests.…”

Transfer of elements relevant to nuclear fuel cycle from soil to boreal plants and animals in experimental meso- and microcosms

“…As the results for "mobile" (measured with an extraction method that provides an estimate of the fraction available to plants) and total concentrations in soil were essentially similar in our previous studies (Roivainen et al, 2011a(Roivainen et al, , 2011b(Roivainen et al, , 2012Tuovinen et al, 2011), we measured only soil total concentration in this study. Apart from concentration in soil, several factors including solid/liquid partition coefficient (Kd), pH (Echevarria et al, 2001) fertilization (Ryfyikiri et al, 2006), speciation of radionuclides (Salbu et al, 2004), interactions of elements, soil organic matter and clay contents (Roivainen et al, 2011a(Roivainen et al, , 2011b(Roivainen et al, , 2012 and rhizosphere processes (Ehlken and Kirchner, 2002), may impact the availability of elements in reality.…”

“…Apart from concentration in soil, several factors including solid/liquid partition coefficient (Kd), pH (Echevarria et al, 2001) fertilization (Ryfyikiri et al, 2006), speciation of radionuclides (Salbu et al, 2004), interactions of elements, soil organic matter and clay contents (Roivainen et al, 2011a(Roivainen et al, , 2011b(Roivainen et al, , 2012 and rhizosphere processes (Ehlken and Kirchner, 2002), may impact the availability of elements in reality. However, simplifications are necessary in radioecological modeling, and CRs based on total concentration are generally used.…”

Coordinated pattern of multi‐element variability in leaves and roots across Chinese forest biomes

“…Plant elements were positively correlated with soil element concentrations for seven elements in leaves and six in roots, other plant elements were negatively correlated or had no significant relationships with soil element concentrations (Appendix S9). Several published studies also detected weak coupling between soil and plant element concentrations (Ladanai et al, 2010;Roivainen et al, 2012). Soil properties (such as soil temperature, moisture, pH and Eh) and environmental factors that affected the biological availability of elements (Chapin, 1980;Kabata-Pendias, 2011;Roivainen et al, 2012), obscured to some extent the relationship between soil and plant element concentrations.…”