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Plant uptake of radionuclides
Author(s) -
Bell J.N.B.,
Minski M.J.,
Grogan H.A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.1988.tb00740.x
Subject(s) - radionuclide , environmental science , vegetation (pathology) , radioecology , contamination , soil water , deposition (geology) , radioactive contamination , soil contamination , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , ecology , sediment , geology , biology , medicine , paleontology , physics , geotechnical engineering , pathology , quantum mechanics
. The factors influencing uptake of radionuclides from soils into vegetation are discussed with reference to soil type, radionuclide, plant species and organ, and time since initial contamination. Gaps in knowledge are identified, particularly as highlighted by the unexpected behaviour of radiocaesium in many upland areas of Britain, following deposition after the Chernobyl accident. The importance of resuspended soil for contamination of aerial plant parts is also considered in relation to radionuclide type, vegetation height, and meteorological conditions. The development of an international database by the International Union of Radioecologists for soil to crop transfer factors of radionuclides derived from European experiments is briefly described. This database is now being used for statistical analyses aimed at quantifying the importance of environmental and biological factors in influencing uptake of radionuclides from the soil.