Abstract
Relatively elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radium isotopes are found in the two main aquifers of the arid southern part of Israel. Radium is found in the groundwater as three isotopes ({sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 224}Ra), in activity concentrations frequently exceeding the limits set in the drinking water quality regulations. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of ongoing experiments testing the feasibility of using the water for irrigation. A controlled experimental system was designed consisting of lysimeters filled with local sandy loam soil. The lysimeters were irrigated at 3 levels of {sup 226}Ra activity concentration in the water: low-radium water (<0.04 Bq.l{sup -1}), high-radium water (1.8 Bq.l{sup -1}), and water enriched at 50 times the concentration in high-radium water (in order to simulate long-term irrigation with high-radium water). Several crops (cucumbers, melons, radish, lettuce, alfalfa, wheat and tomatoes) were grown. It was found that radium uptake by plants is mainly controlled by environmental conditions: soil solution activity concentration, water availability, and potential evapotranspiration. {sup 226}Ra accumulates in the leaves of the grown crops following the evapotranspiration current, while its accumulation in the edible parts (fruits and roots) is minimal. For the sake of comparison,
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Haquin, Gustavo;
Koch, Jean;
Gazit-Yaari, Naama;
[1]
Tripler, Effi;
[2]
Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)];
Yehuda, Zehava;
Shani, Uri
[3]
- Soreq Nuclear Research Center, 81800 - Yavne (Israel)
- Southern Arava Research and Development, 88820 - Hevel Eilot (Israel)
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)
Citation Formats
Haquin, Gustavo, Koch, Jean, Gazit-Yaari, Naama, Tripler, Effi, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)], Yehuda, Zehava, and Shani, Uri.
Sustainable use of natural water sources containing elevated radium activity.
IAEA: N. p.,
2010.
Web.
Haquin, Gustavo, Koch, Jean, Gazit-Yaari, Naama, Tripler, Effi, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)], Yehuda, Zehava, & Shani, Uri.
Sustainable use of natural water sources containing elevated radium activity.
IAEA.
Haquin, Gustavo, Koch, Jean, Gazit-Yaari, Naama, Tripler, Effi, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)], Yehuda, Zehava, and Shani, Uri.
2010.
"Sustainable use of natural water sources containing elevated radium activity."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_21480386,
title = {Sustainable use of natural water sources containing elevated radium activity}
author = {Haquin, Gustavo, Koch, Jean, Gazit-Yaari, Naama, Tripler, Effi, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)], Yehuda, Zehava, and Shani, Uri}
abstractNote = {Relatively elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radium isotopes are found in the two main aquifers of the arid southern part of Israel. Radium is found in the groundwater as three isotopes ({sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 224}Ra), in activity concentrations frequently exceeding the limits set in the drinking water quality regulations. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of ongoing experiments testing the feasibility of using the water for irrigation. A controlled experimental system was designed consisting of lysimeters filled with local sandy loam soil. The lysimeters were irrigated at 3 levels of {sup 226}Ra activity concentration in the water: low-radium water (<0.04 Bq.l{sup -1}), high-radium water (1.8 Bq.l{sup -1}), and water enriched at 50 times the concentration in high-radium water (in order to simulate long-term irrigation with high-radium water). Several crops (cucumbers, melons, radish, lettuce, alfalfa, wheat and tomatoes) were grown. It was found that radium uptake by plants is mainly controlled by environmental conditions: soil solution activity concentration, water availability, and potential evapotranspiration. {sup 226}Ra accumulates in the leaves of the grown crops following the evapotranspiration current, while its accumulation in the edible parts (fruits and roots) is minimal. For the sake of comparison, {sup 226}Ra activity concentration in the edible parts (apart from leaves when they are the edible tissue) is well under the activity concentration of the {alpha}-emitting radionuclides recommended in the Codex Alimentarius for radionuclides of anthropogenic origin. The lysimeter experiment showed that {sup 226}Ra is mainly concentrated in the upper 20-25 cm of the soil, since sorption of {sup 226}Ra to soil particles hinders its mobility. Fifteen years of crop irrigation were simulated by a model describing the coupled processes of transport and sorption of Ra in soil. This model predicted low Ra activity concentration in the soil solution of the root zone. Development of an activity concentration limit for irrigation water is under consideration. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {2010}
month = {May}
}
title = {Sustainable use of natural water sources containing elevated radium activity}
author = {Haquin, Gustavo, Koch, Jean, Gazit-Yaari, Naama, Tripler, Effi, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 - Rehovot (Israel)], Yehuda, Zehava, and Shani, Uri}
abstractNote = {Relatively elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radium isotopes are found in the two main aquifers of the arid southern part of Israel. Radium is found in the groundwater as three isotopes ({sup 226}Ra, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 224}Ra), in activity concentrations frequently exceeding the limits set in the drinking water quality regulations. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of ongoing experiments testing the feasibility of using the water for irrigation. A controlled experimental system was designed consisting of lysimeters filled with local sandy loam soil. The lysimeters were irrigated at 3 levels of {sup 226}Ra activity concentration in the water: low-radium water (<0.04 Bq.l{sup -1}), high-radium water (1.8 Bq.l{sup -1}), and water enriched at 50 times the concentration in high-radium water (in order to simulate long-term irrigation with high-radium water). Several crops (cucumbers, melons, radish, lettuce, alfalfa, wheat and tomatoes) were grown. It was found that radium uptake by plants is mainly controlled by environmental conditions: soil solution activity concentration, water availability, and potential evapotranspiration. {sup 226}Ra accumulates in the leaves of the grown crops following the evapotranspiration current, while its accumulation in the edible parts (fruits and roots) is minimal. For the sake of comparison, {sup 226}Ra activity concentration in the edible parts (apart from leaves when they are the edible tissue) is well under the activity concentration of the {alpha}-emitting radionuclides recommended in the Codex Alimentarius for radionuclides of anthropogenic origin. The lysimeter experiment showed that {sup 226}Ra is mainly concentrated in the upper 20-25 cm of the soil, since sorption of {sup 226}Ra to soil particles hinders its mobility. Fifteen years of crop irrigation were simulated by a model describing the coupled processes of transport and sorption of Ra in soil. This model predicted low Ra activity concentration in the soil solution of the root zone. Development of an activity concentration limit for irrigation water is under consideration. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {2010}
month = {May}
}