Radon transport from uranium mill tailings via plant transpiration. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5439893

Lewis, B A.G.

Radon exhalation by vegetation planted on bare or soil-covered uranium mill wastes was studied based on an assumption that radon transport from soil to atmosphere via plants takes place in the transpiration stream. Results show that radon exhalation by plants is inversely related to water transpired, primarily a dilution effect. Radon released appeared directly related to leaf area, suggesting that radon is carried into the plant by mass flow in water; however, once within the plant, radon very likely diffuses through the entire leaf cuticle, while water vapor diffuses primarily through open stomates. Application of a computerized model for water transpiration to radon exhalation is not immediately useful until the role of water in radon transport is defined throughout the continuum from rooting medium to the atmosphere. Until then, a simple calculation based on leaf area index and Ra-226 concentration in the rooting medium can provide an estimate of radon release from revegetated wastes containing radium.

• Research Organization: Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83ER60141
• OSTI ID: 5439893
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60141-T1; ON: DE85017357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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