Mechanisms for Radon-222 transport in vascular plants, and uptake of radium-226 in C/sub 3/ and C/sub 4/ species: Final report for period August 5, 1985-December 31, 1987

Technical Report · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7225266

Lewis, B G

Previous work in our laboratory had provided quantitation of plant exhalation of Radon-222. This present work focused on the mechanisms of the phenomenon. Experiments with radon diffusion through paraffin indicated that plant epicuticular wax would present essentially no barrier to radon unlike its effect on water vapor diffusion. Thus, radon and water transport in the plant appear to be decoupled primarily in the leaf mesophyll. Transport of radon from root to leaf appears to be primarily as convective flow in the xylem fluid, but diffusion of radon from the fluid into air spaces within the plant probably occurs. Experiments with plants in solution culture indicated that, generally, C/sub 3/ species tended to have higher tissue concentrations of Radium-226, but these differences were less marked, and could even be reversed, for C/sub 3/ and C/sub 4 plants within the same genus. Manipulating solution culture pH was not dramatically effective in reducing Radium-226 uptake. 8 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs.

• Research Organization: Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-85ER60369
• OSTI ID: 7225266
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60369-T1; ON: DE88011607
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510300 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560162* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
C4 SPECIES
CALVIN CYCLE SPECIES
CEREALS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GRASS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MAIZE
MASS TRANSFER
MILL TAILINGS
NUCLEI
PH VALUE
PLANT TISSUES
PLANTS
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
TISSUES
TRANSPIRATION
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES