Plant/soil concentration ratios of SSWRa for contrasting sites around an active U mine-mill
Concentrations of 226Ra were determined in native vegetation and underlying substrate (soil and tailings) at various sites around a conventional open-pit, acid leach U production operation in Wyoming. Plant/soil concentration ratios (CRs) for 226Ra were estimated for various sites, including weathered tailings; a tailings impoundment shoreline; downwind from exposed tailings; a mine overburden reclamation area; and several background locations. Radium-226 concentrations for vegetation and substrate and CR values from the perturbed sites were elevated above background. The highest vegetation concentration (1.3 Bq g-1) was found in a grass which had invaded exposed, weathered tailings. Levels of 226Ra in soil and vegetation and CR values decreased with distance from the tailings impoundment edge. CR values varied significantly among sites, but few differences were found between plant species groups. The observed CR values ranged from 0.07 at the background and reclamation areas to 0.4 downwind from the tailings area. Average CR values for plants growing on exposed tailings and within one meter from the impoundment edge were 0.15 and 0.3, respectively. CR values of 226Ra for plants on tailings substrates were comparatively low in contrast to other radionuclides in the U chain. We speculate that in the case of sulfuric acid leached tailings-derived material, 226Ra is sequestered as sulfate, which is highly insoluble relative to the sulfates of the other elements (e.g., U and Th) resulting in reduced availability for plant uptake.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6787178
- Journal Information:
- Health Phys.; (United States), Vol. 55:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
2015 Advanced Site Investigation and Monitoring Report Riverton, Wyoming, Processing Site September 2016
Ground distribution patterns of selected radioactive, chemical, and physical contaminants from dispersion of U mill tailings
Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
PLANTS
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADIUM 226
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SOILS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
GRASS
LAND POLLUTION
METALLURGY
MILL TAILINGS
MINING
UPTAKE
URANIUM MINES
WYOMING
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MASS TRANSFER
MINES
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560162 - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells