Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900030007x· OSTI ID:5195936

Cataldo, D A; Garland, T R; Wildung, R E; Thomas, J M

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), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 9:3; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510302* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560173 -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE COMPLEXES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AEROSOLS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM COMPOUNDS
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
AMERICIUM OXIDES
BEANS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CITRATES
COLLOIDS
COMPLEXES
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FOLIAR UPTAKE
FOOD
HEAVY NUCLEI
HUMIDITY
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM COMPLEXES
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
ROOT ABSORPTION
SEEDS
SIZE
SOLS
TABLES
TRANSPLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM COMPLEXES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE
VEGETABLES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES