Americium-241 uptake by Bahiagrass as influenced by soil type, lime, and organic matter
Availability of /sup 241/Am to bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), a major forage crop in the southeastern US, was studied under greenhouse conditions using two soil types, two rates of lime, and four rates of organic matter. The plants were grown in pots until three clippings were obtained. Americium-241 concentrations in plant tissues from the unlimed Dothan (24% clay) soil were, on the average, approximately twice as high as those from unlimed Troup (10% clay) soil. Lime significantly reduced /sup 241/Am uptake from both soils. The americium concentration ratios (americium concentration in dry plant tissue/average americium concentration in dry soil) for limed treatments were, in general, one order of magnitude lower than those for unlimed treatments. Organic matter, added to the soils as bermuda grass hay, somewhat reduced /sup 241/Am uptake, especially when added at high rates in unlimed soils. The effect of lime on uptake could be attributed to immobilization of americium ions external to the roots as a result of decreased solubility of this radionuclide and/or antagonistic effect of increased calcium ion concentration in the soil solution on americium ions. The effect of organic matter on uptake could be attributed to its fixing capacity for metals.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-09-0819
- OSTI ID:
- 5544328
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 8:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AMERICIUM 241
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
GRASS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
BIOMASS
CALCIUM OXIDES
PLANT TISSUES
SOILS
SOUTHEAST REGION
UPTAKE
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560173* - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects