Soil to plant (
            <i>Solanum tuberosum</i>
            L.) radionuclide transfer in the vicinity of an old uranium mine

Carvalho, Fernando P.; Oliveira, João M.; Neves, Orquídia; Abreu, Maria Manuela; Vicente, Elsa M.

doi:10.1144/1467-7873/09-213

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Radionuclide concentrations in horticulture products did suggest that the soil is not the main source of radionuclides for root uptake but, instead, could be the irrigation water used [19]. As water from irrigation wells contained moderate radionuclide concentrations, the horticulture products from this area were not heavily contaminated.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Preliminary assessment of uranium mining legacy and environmental radioactivity levels in Sabugal region, Portugal

Carvalho

Oliveira

Malta

2016

Int J Energy Environ Eng

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An environmental radioactivity survey carried out in the Sabugal region, Portugal, showed enhanced radioactivity levels in surface water streams related to water discharges from old uranium mines. Water from irrigation wells in this region displayed variable radionuclide levels due to natural occurrence of radionuclides and to contamination by mine water drainage. Horticulture products grown near the uranium mine sites contained elevated radium ( 226 Ra) concentrations, but lower concentrations of uranium and other radionuclides. Despite the relatively high radioactivity in irrigation water, the absorption and accumulation of radionuclides in agriculture products were limited. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the volume of uranium waste piles, it is considered as necessary to improving the management of mine wastes and mine drainage to prevent further increase of environmental radioactivity in the area. The assessment of environmental impact and radiation issues lasting from the past uranium mining shall be used as lessons to improving future mining activities.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Preliminary assessment of uranium mining legacy and environmental radioactivity levels in Sabugal region, Portugal

Carvalho

Oliveira

Malta

2016

Int J Energy Environ Eng

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“…Well water tapping the shallow aquifer shows elevated concentrations of 238 U, 226 Ra and 210 Po that correlated inversely with pH (Carvalho et al, 2009a). Carvalho et al (2009b) examined radionuclide uptake by potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) irrigated with waters from two shallow wells in this region. The plant/water concentration ratio for Ra by the potato tubers was proportional to the concentration of this radionuclide in the irrigation water.…”

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confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Campbell¹,

Gallegos²,

Landa

2015

Applied Geochemistry

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aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation" (2014 U is overwhelmingly the most abundant at greater than 99% of the total mass of U. Prior to the 1940s, U was predominantly used as a coloring agent, and U-bearing ores were mined mainly for their radium (Ra) and/or vanadium (V) content; the bulk of the U was discarded with the tailings (Finch et al., 1972). Once nuclear fission was discovered, the economic importance of U increased greatly. The mining and milling of U-bearing ores is the first step in the nuclear fuel cycle, and the contact of residual waste with natural water is a potential source of contamination of U and associated elements to the environment. Uranium is mined by three basic methods: surface (open pit), underground, and solution mining (in situ leaching or in situ recovery), depending on the deposit grade, size, location, geology and economic considerations (Abdelouas, 2006). Solid wastes at U mill tailings (UMT) sites can include both standard tailings (i.e., leached ore rock residues) and solids generated on site by waste treatment processes. The latter can include sludge or ''mud'' from neutralization of acidic mine/mill effluents, containing Fe and a range of coprecipitated constituents, or barium sulfate precipitates that selectively remove Ra (e.g., Carvalho et al., 2007). In this chapter, we review the hydrometallurgical processes by which U is extracted from ore, the biogeochemical processes that can affect the fate and transport of U and associated elements in the environment, and possible remediation strategies for site closure and aquifer restoration. This paper represents the fourth in a series of review papers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on geochemical aspects of UMT management that span more than three decades. The first paper (Landa, 1980) in this series is a primer on the nature of tailings and radionuclide mobilization from them. The second paper (Landa, 1999) includes coverage of research carried out under the U.S. Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program (UMTRA). The third paper (Landa, 2004) reflects the increased focus of researchers on biotic effects in UMT environs. This paper expands the focus to U mining, milling, and remedial actions, and includes extensive coverage of the increasingly important alkaline in situ recovery and groundwater restoration.Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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“…Po, for example in olive trees, showed their presence in roots, tree trunk and leaves, although the translocation of radionuclides from the root to aerial parts seems to occur in a very limited extent (Table 1 Po, but may vary with soil and plant type (Bettencourt et al, 1988;Carvalho et al, 2009 Pb ratio is about 1 usually (Carvalho, 1995). These results showed the presence of measurable activity concentrations of key uranium daughter radionuclides in common plants.…”

Section: Analyses Of 210mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Natural radionuclides, such as those of the uranium radioactive decay series, are absorbed from soils and irrigation water by root uptake and incorporated into plant structures (IAEA, 2009;Carvalho et al, 2009). Some natural radionuclides such as the radon daughters 210 Pb and 210 Po may be absorbed also from surface air by foliar uptake.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Fires and Resuspension of Radionuclides into the Atmosphere

Carvalho¹,

Oliveira²,

Malta³

2012

American Journal of Environmental Sciences

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Problem statement: Forest fires are especially frequent around the Mediterranean Sea basin in the summer period and might be able to release naturally-occurring and man-made radionuclides from plant biomass and inject them into the atmosphere. The impact of this radioactivity on populations was not investigated before. Approach: Radionuclide analysis was performed in plants, in smoke from plant burning and in cigarette smoke to determine radionuclide concentrations by alpha spectrometry. Results: Concentrations of 210 Pb and 210 Po in trees such as olive trees, showed low concentrations in roots, trunk and leaves and minor translocation of radionuclides from the root to aerial parts. Soil to plant transfer ratios for 210 Po and 210 Pb in several plants were in the range from 10 −4 to 10 −2 . Radionuclides from atmospheric depositions may be accumulated in plants by foliar uptake and for 210 Pb this seems the main pathway, with plant aerial parts displaying 210 Po/ 210 Pb ratios around 0.1, which is similar to the radionuclide ratios determined in atmospheric depositions. Experimental burning of wood from several tree species showed enhanced radionuclide concentrations in smoke compared to plant materials. Investigation of 210 Po release from tobacco leaves used in cigarettes, showed especially enhanced concentrations of this radionuclide in the cigarette smoke particles. Conclusion: Radionuclide concentrations in cigarette smoke expose the lung tissues of regular smokers to high concentrations of 210 Po that were considered carcinogenic. Although radionuclide concentrations in other plants analyzed were generally lower than in tobacco, globally the radionuclide activity in the plant biomass is elevated. Inhaled smoke particles from forest fires are likely to contribute to enhanced radiation doses in the human lung.

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Soil to plant ( Solanum tuberosum L.) radionuclide transfer in the vicinity of an old uranium mine

Cited by 25 publications

References 9 publications

Preliminary assessment of uranium mining legacy and environmental radioactivity levels in Sabugal region, Portugal

Preliminary assessment of uranium mining legacy and environmental radioactivity levels in Sabugal region, Portugal

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Forest Fires and Resuspension of Radionuclides into the Atmosphere

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