Comparison of radionuclide levels in soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10189845· OSTI ID:10189845

Landeen, D S

Soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogam, and small mammal samples were collected and analyzed for cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium 239/240, technetium-99, and iodine-129 from 1981 to 1986 at the US Department of Energy Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State as part of site characterization and environmental monitoring activities. Samples were collected on the 200 Areas Plateau, downwind from ongoing waste management activities. Plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals are media that are not routinely utilized in monitoring or characterization efforts for determination of radionuclide concentrations. Studies at Hanford, other US Department of Energy sites, and in eastern Europe have indicated that plant litter and cryptogams may serve as effective ``natural`` monitors of air quality. Plant litter in this study consists of fallen leaves from sagebrush and ``cryptogams`` describes that portion of the soil crust composed of mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi. Comparisons of cesium-137 and strontium-90 concentrations in the soil, sagebrush, litter, and cryptogams revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) levels in plant litter and cryptogams. Technetium-99 values were the highest in sagebrush and litter. Plutonium-238 and 239/40 and iodine-129 concentrations never exceeded 0.8 pCi/gm in all media. No evidence of any significant amounts of any radionuclides being incorporated into the small mammal community was discovered. The data indicate that plant litter and cryptogams may be better, indicators of environmental quality than soil or vegetation samples. Augmenting a monitoring program with samples of litter and cryptogams may provide a more accurate representation of radionuclide environmental uptake and/or contamination levels in surrounding ecosystems. The results of this study may be applied directly to other radioecological monitoring conducted at other nuclear sites and to the monitoring of other pollutants.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 10189845
• Report Number(s): WHC-EP--0771; ON: DE95001629; BR: 35AF11201/35AF11202
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230
540250
560101
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CESIUM 137
DOSIMETRY AND MONITORING
HANFORD RESERVATION
IODINE 129
LEAVES
LICHENS
MOSSES
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
POLLUTANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SAMPLING
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
SOILS
STRONTIUM 90
TECHNETIUM 99