Predicting soil to plant transfer of radiocesium using soil characteristics

Journal Article · Thu Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es9808853· OSTI ID:355520

Absalom, J P; Young, S D; Crout, N M.J.; Gillett, A G ^[1]; Nisbet, A F; Woodman, R F.M. ^[2]; Smolders, E ^[3]

---

1. Univ. of Nottingham, Loughborough (United Kingdom). School of Biological Sciences
2. National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton (United Kingdom)
3. K.U. Leuven, Heverlee (Belgium). Lab. of Soil Fertility and Soil Biology

A model is presented that dynamically estimates the radiocesium activity in herbage from readily available soil parameters. Three key properties underlying the bioavailability of radiocesium in soils were estimated in the model: the labile radiocesium distribution coefficient (k{sub dl}), the solution K{sup +} concentration ([m{sub K}]), and the radiocesium concentration factor. These were determined as functions of the soil clay content and exchangeable K status. The effect of time on radiocesium fixation was described by two first-order decay equations. The model was initially parameterized using radiocesium uptake data from a ryegrass pot trial. Without further parameterization, the model was then tested for a wide range of soil and crop combinations using a database of published and unpublished information from a variety of sources and covering contamination time periods of 0.5--11 years. Model predictions of activity concentrations in crops were in generally good agreement with observed values.

• OSTI ID: 355520
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 33; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CESIUM ISOTOPES
FORECASTING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLANTS
ROOT ABSORPTION
SOILS