Time-dependent leaching of radium from leaves and soil
The accumulation of Ra or other radionuclides in vegetation via root uptake depends on the availability and uptake rate from soil, in addition to the rate of loss from the leaves due to natural leaching processes. Studies were conducted to determine the time-dependent leachable fraction of /sup 226/Ra from soil as a function of time after soil spiking and the loss rate of internal /sup 226/Ra from leaves due to leaching by exposure to natural field conditions. The leachable fraction of Ra from spiked soil decreased exponentially over time to a value of 0.1% after approximately 28 d. The internal Ra activity in leaves decreased exponentially to 40% of the original activity after 1 yr of exposure to outdoor conditions in a semiarid environment. The relationship of these two phenomena to the accumulation of Ra in plants via root uptake is illustrated by the equilibrium solution of a first-order differential equation.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-79EV10305
- OSTI ID:
- 6937902
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 15:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
RADIUM
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
LEACHING
ROOT ABSORPTION
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LEAVES
RADIUM 226
SOILS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ABSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DATA
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
METALS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
UPTAKE
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology