Research of beta-radioactivity of certain medicinal plants of Dnipro area

In the course of research conducted in the laboratory of radioecology of DNU, information was obtained on the beta-radioactivity of nine species of medicinal plants from two types of habitats – meadow biocenosis on the outskirts of the village. Kirovsky Dnipro region and a weed-meadow group near the town of Kamyanske, Dnipro area. Beta-radioactivity of the studied medicinal plants varied in the range from 1.18×10-5 Bq to 19.09×10-5 Bq at relatively clean habitats and from 18.35×10-5 Bq to 82.95×10-5 Bq on the anthropogenically polluted area. In a relatively clean habitat, the lowest indicators of beta-radioactivity in aboveground organs are characterized by Artemisia vulgaris L. and Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medikus, the highest – Hypericum perforatum L. and Achillea submillefolium Klokov & Krytzka. In the underground organs, the highest indicators of beta-radioactivity were recorded in Artemisia vulgaris and Hypericum perforatum, the lowest – in Melissa officinalis L. and Valeriana officinalis L. Under conditions of industrial pollution, the lowest indicators of beta-radioactivity in aboveground organs were found in Artemisia vulgaris and Matricaria recutita L., in underground – in Tanacetum vulgare L. and Achillea submillefolium. The highest values of beta-radioactivity in these conditions were registered in the aboveground organs of Tanacetum vulgare and Hypericum perforatum and in the underground parts of  Melissa officinalis and Hypericum perforatum. The analysis showed that the anthropogenic factor (pollution) has a statistically proven effect on the beta-radioactivity of the studied medicinal plants (with a probability of P = 0.999). Indicators of the strength of influence were high – from 67 to 85%. Anthropogenic pollution has the greatest impact on the beta-radioactivity of underground organs. The identified trend reflects a well-known natural dependence – the farther along the transport chain from the root is the body, the less, as a rule, it accumulates radionuclides. The detected values of beta-radioactivity, including in the industrially contaminated area are not dangerous with a single use of the studied medicinal plants. However, medicinal plants collected in the contaminated area due to increased beta-radioactivity can cause damage with prolonged systematic use due to the cumulative effect and are therefore not recommended for use.