Uptake of radium-226 from uranium mill tailing by C-3 and C-4 plants and implications for transport of radium-226 and radon-222 into the disposal-site environment

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5167174

MacDonell, M M

Radium-226 entry into plants grown on uranium mill tailings at pH 6.5 appears to be governed primarily by movement of tailings solution into the plant. The lower transpiration ratios of C-4 photosynthetic plants as compared to C-3 plants result in lower tissue concentrations of radium-225. In each case, the distribution of radium-226 within the plants studied: corn (C-4), dwarf sunflower (C-3), tall fescue grass (C-3), and four species of Panicum (two C-3 and two C-4) exhibited an acropetal gradient, decreasing from the roots where the concentrations are relatively high to the apex of the plant. Tissue concentrations of Ra-226 decreased over time, attributable to increases in biomass while total Ra-226 levels remain constant. Release of radon from vegetated tailings was found to be directly related to the total leaf area of the plant following introduction into the plant of tailings solution. Thus, the plant pathway is shown to be an important mechanism for the transport of radium-226 and radon-222 from mill tailings into the environment. Current tailings disposal site reclamation efforts should consider the effects of the photosynthetic nature of the vegetation species and its total leaf area to reduce the potential for introduction of these elements into the site environment.

• Research Organization: Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5167174
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540100 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- (1990-)
540240 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Thermal Effluents Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DATA ANALYSIS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOSYSTEMS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
SYNTHESIS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
UPTAKE
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES