Premium
Accumulation of Strontium and Cesium by Kale as a Function of Age of Plant
Author(s) -
Weaver C. M.,
Harris N. D.,
Fox L. R.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1981.00472425001000010021x
Subject(s) - radionuclide , caesium , chemistry , strontium , nutrient , nuclide , zoology , radiochemistry , brassica oleracea , horticulture , biology , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The accumulation of Sr and Cs throughout the growth cycle of a hydroponically grown vegetable crop ( Brassica oleracea var. acephala D.C. ‘Blue Curl’) was studied. The cumulative effect of supplying the radionuclides through the nutrient solution to kale throughout the growth cycle, simulating a continuous discharge, was compared to exposure at each stage of the growth cycle to a single dose of radioactivity, simulating an accidental release. The time course of accumulation of 137 Cs supplied continuously through the nutrient solution resembled the sigmoidal dry weight growth curve of the vegetable. Accumulation of this nuclide after exposure of kale to radioactivity for 48 hours at each stage of growth decreased with age of the plant. The time course of 90 Sr supplied continuously resembled the pattern of the periodic 48‐hour accumulation for this radionuclide, although there was a 1‐ to 2‐week lag period between the two uptake patterns.