Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

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No: 1005

Conference: Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009

Title: Radionuclides Uptake by a Common Reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) Grown in the Vicinity of the Former Uranium Mine at Žirovski Vrh

Theme: Radiation and Environment

Author(s): Marko Černe, Borut Smodiš, Marko Štrok

Contact : Marko Černe

E-mail: marko.cerne@ijs.si

Address: Institut "Jožef Stefan"
1001 Ljubljana

Country: Slovenia

Uranium is a natural radioactive element, widely dispersed throughout the earth's crust. Its behaviour in soils is controlled by actions and interactions between physico-chemical and biological processes in soil that determine the bioavailability of uranium and its decay products. In many cases, the natural abundance has been re-distributed due to anthropogenic activities, resulting in radioactive contamination of water, soil and vegetation. In the vicinity of uranium mining areas, in particular, the radionuclides may be discharged to the environment with the tailings during the milling process. At the former uranium mine Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, U-mining and milling tailings are deposited at Boršt and Jazbec sites. Plants grown in soils contaminated with U tailings may represent radiological concern due to uranium transfer into the food chain. The uptake of radionuclides by plants is a common phenomenon observed by some metal-accumulating plants that grow on soils contaminated with uranium tailings or uranium mine runoff waters. The understanding of transport of uranium and its decay products through a soil-plant system is thus important for better radiological assessment of human exposure to radioactive elements through ingestion. Furthermore, the study of radionuclides accumulation in plants is very important in determining their environmental behaviour, especially when considering food chain transfers or phytoremediation potential. Uranium is usually accumulated in the roots and translocated to the shoots in limited amounts. Uranium plant accumulators are usually plants from Brassicaceae and Poaceae family. A Common reed, a tall perennial grass, which grows in a wetland habitats accumulates metals in the above-ground parts and may be used for phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soils, because of high biomass production and high metal-accumulation potential. Preliminary results of radionuclides uptake measured for such plants growing on a contaminated area are presented. A Common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.), that was grown in a marsh containing runoff water from the Boršt tailings accumulated 28 Bq/kg and 8.6 Bq/kg of 238U in leaves and stems, respectively. In the contribution, specific activities of other nuclides from 238U decay chain are also shown and discussed.

No:	1005
Conference:	Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2009
Title:	Radionuclides Uptake by a Common Reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) Grown in the Vicinity of the Former Uranium Mine at Žirovski Vrh
Theme:	Radiation and Environment
Author(s):	Marko Černe, Borut Smodiš, Marko Štrok
Contact :	Marko Černe
E-mail:	marko.cerne@ijs.si
Address:	Institut "Jožef Stefan" 1001 Ljubljana
Country:	Slovenia

Uranium is a natural radioactive element, widely dispersed throughout the earth's crust. Its behaviour in soils is controlled by actions and interactions between physico-chemical and biological processes in soil that determine the bioavailability of uranium and its decay products. In many cases, the natural abundance has been re-distributed due to anthropogenic activities, resulting in radioactive contamination of water, soil and vegetation. In the vicinity of uranium mining areas, in particular, the radionuclides may be discharged to the environment with the tailings during the milling process. At the former uranium mine Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, U-mining and milling tailings are deposited at Boršt and Jazbec sites. Plants grown in soils contaminated with U tailings may represent radiological concern due to uranium transfer into the food chain. The uptake of radionuclides by plants is a common phenomenon observed by some metal-accumulating plants that grow on soils contaminated with uranium tailings or uranium mine runoff waters. The understanding of transport of uranium and its decay products through a soil-plant system is thus important for better radiological assessment of human exposure to radioactive elements through ingestion. Furthermore, the study of radionuclides accumulation in plants is very important in determining their environmental behaviour, especially when considering food chain transfers or phytoremediation potential. Uranium is usually accumulated in the roots and translocated to the shoots in limited amounts. Uranium plant accumulators are usually plants from Brassicaceae and Poaceae family. A Common reed, a tall perennial grass, which grows in a wetland habitats accumulates metals in the above-ground parts and may be used for phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soils, because of high biomass production and high metal-accumulation potential. Preliminary results of radionuclides uptake measured for such plants growing on a contaminated area are presented. A Common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.), that was grown in a marsh containing runoff water from the Boršt tailings accumulated 28 Bq/kg and 8.6 Bq/kg of 238U in leaves and stems, respectively. In the contribution, specific activities of other nuclides from 238U decay chain are also shown and discussed.