Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors
The accumulation of plutonium (/sup 238/Pu) and americium (/sup 241/Am) in seeds and roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. was investigated following foliar interception. Under controlled conditions plants were exposed to well-characterized aerosols of fresh and aged Pu-dioxide, fresh Am-oxides, and Pu-nitrate and Pu-citrate complexes to assess the influence of chemical form and long-term weathering on foliar absorption and subsequent translocation to other plant parts. Mean values for Pu and Am accumulated in seeds and roots 28 days after foliar exposure ranged from 9 to 427 x 10/sup -4/% of that deposited on foilage. These results and previous plant uptake studies indicate that the foliar route is potentially of equal importance to the soil-root pathway as a route of transport. The levels of Pu and Am in seeds and roots resulting from foliar absorption and translocation from foilage were significantly affected by simulated rainfall and by the size of particles to which foilage was exposed. The influence of relative humidity and solution aging of oxides was less definitive; however, results suggest that either or both may infuence foliar absorption and subsequent translocation of Pu and Am to seeds and roots.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 5195936
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 9:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMERICIUM 241
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
FOLIAR UPTAKE
BEANS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
PLUTONIUM 238
AEROSOLS
AMERICIUM OXIDES
CITRATES
DATA COMPILATION
HUMIDITY
PARTICLE SIZE
PLUTONIUM COMPLEXES
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ROOT ABSORPTION
SEEDS
TABLES
UPTAKE
ACTINIDE COMPLEXES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM COMPOUNDS
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COMPLEXES
DATA
DATA FORMS
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FOOD
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
SIZE
SOLS
TRANSPLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM COMPLEXES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
VEGETABLES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510302* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
560173 - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)