Leaching of radionuclides from decaying blueberry leaves: Relative rate independent of concentration

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1990.00472425001900030018x· OSTI ID:5453268

Sheppard, S C; Evenden, W G ^[1]

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1. Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba (Canada)

Leaching of radionuclides from decaying vegetation has not been extensively investigated, especially for radionuclides other than {sup 137}Cs. The authors obtained leaves of blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium {times} V. corymbosum) that contained over 25-fold ranges in Se, Cs, and I concentrations, as well as a small quantity of leaves containing detectable U. All were contaminated by way of root uptake. Leaching took place for a period of 1 yr in the laboratory, using leach water from forest litter. Monthly, measurements were made of the radionuclide contents and decaying leaf dry weights. The data conformed to an exponential decay model with two first-order components. In no case did the relative loss rates vary systematically with the initial tissue radionuclide concentrations. Loss rates decreased in the order Cs > I > U > dry wt. > Se. Because of the low leaching rate of Se relative to the loss of dry weight, decaying litter may actually accumulate elements such as Se. Accumulation of radionuclides in litter could have important implications for lateral transport, recycling, and direct incorporation into edible mushrooms.

• OSTI ID: 5453268
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Vol. 19:3; ISSN 0047-2425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BLUEBERRIES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
CESIUM 134
LEACHING
IODINE 125
SELENIUM 75
URANIUM
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
LEAVES
ROOT ABSORPTION
UPTAKE
ABSORPTION
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BERRIES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FOOD
FRUITS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSI
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SELENIUM ISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
540230* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)