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Singh BSM, Dhal NK, Kumar M, Mohapatra D, Seshadri H, Rout NC, Nayak M. Phytoremediation of 137Cs: factors and consequences in the environment. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2022; 61:341-359. [PMID: 35869396 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-022-00985-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Radionuclide contamination is a concerning threat due to unexpected nuclear disasters and authorized discharge of radioactive elements, both in the past and in present times. Use of atomic power for energy generation is associated with unresolved issues concerning storage of residues and contaminants. For example, the nuclear accidents in Chernobyl 1986 and Fukushima 2011 resulted in considerable deposition of cesium (Cs) in soil, along with other radionuclides. Among Cs radioactive variants, the anthropogenic radioisotope 137Cs (t½ = 30.16 years) is of serious environmental concern, owing to its rapid incorporation into biological systems and emission of β and γ radiation during the decaying process. To remediate contaminated areas, mostly conventional techniques are applied that are not eco-friendly. Hence, an alternative green technology, i.e., phytoremediation, should in future be considered and implemented. This sustainable technology generates limited secondary waste and its objectives are to utilize hyper-accumulating plants to extract, stabilize, degrade, and filter the radionuclides. The review highlights plant mechanisms for up-taking radionuclides and influences of different environmental factors involved in the process, while considering its long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- B S Manisha Singh
- Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneshwar, 751013, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, (CSIR-HRDC) Campus, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Nabin Kumar Dhal
- Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneshwar, 751013, India.
| | - Manish Kumar
- Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneshwar, 751013, India
| | | | | | - Nirad Chandra Rout
- Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneshwar, 751013, India
| | - Monalisha Nayak
- Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Niyamak Bhavan, Mumbai, Anushakti nagar, 400094, India
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Wai KM, Krstic D, Nikezic D, Lin TH, Yu PKN. External Cesium-137 doses to humans from soil influenced by the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear power plants accidents: a comparative study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7902. [PMID: 32404910 PMCID: PMC7220933 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64812-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
External exposure to gamma-photon irradiation from soil contamination due to nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents has significant contribution to human radiation exposure in the proximity of the NPP. Detailed absorbed doses in human organs are rarely reported in the literature. We applied the Monte Carlo Neutron Particle (MCNP) transport code to calculate and compare the absorbed doses in different human organs. The absorbed doses by gamma-photon radiation were from cesium-137 (137Cs) in soil contaminated by the two major NPP accidents. More serious and wide-spread impacts of the Chernobyl NPP accident on soil contamination in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and countries as far as Sweden and Greece were due to the inland location, radiative plume transport pathway and high 137Cs emission strength (9 times the Fukushima emission). Based on our MCNP calculations, the largest absorbed dose was found in skin. The maximum calculated external 137Cs annual effective dose received from the Chernobyl accident was 10 times higher relative to the Fukushima accident. Our calculated effective doses at various influenced areas were comparable to those available in the literature. The calculated annual effective doses at areas near the Fukushima and Chernobyl NPPs exceeded the ICRP recommendation of 1 mSv yr-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka-Ming Wai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
- Intelligent Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
| | - Dragana Krstic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovica 12, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia
| | - Dragoslav Nikezic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovica 12, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia
| | - Tang-Huang Lin
- Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Peter K N Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Ota M, Terada H, Hasegawa H, Kakiuchi H. Processes affecting land-surface dynamics of 129I impacted by atmospheric 129I releases from a spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 704:135319. [PMID: 31896232 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial environments impacted by atmospheric releases of 129I from nuclear plants become contaminated with 129I; however, the relative importance of each land-surface 129I-transfer pathway in the process of the contamination is not well understood. In this study, transfers of 129I in an atmosphere-vegetation-soil system are modeled and incorporated into an existing land-surface model (SOLVEG-II). The model was also applied to the observed transfer of 129I at a vegetated field impacted by atmospheric releases of 129I (as gaseous I2 and CH3I) from the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, Japan, during 2007. Results from the model calculation and inter-comparison of the results with the measured environmental samples provide insights into the relative importance of each 129I-transfer pathway in the processes of 129I contamination of leaves and soil. The model calculation revealed that contamination of leaves of wild bamboo grasses was mostly caused by foliar adsorption of inorganic 129I (81%) following wet deposition of 129I. In contrast, accumulation of 129I in the leaf due to foliar uptake of atmospheric 129I2 (2%) was lesser. Root uptake of soil 129I was low, accounted for 17% of the 129I of the leaf. The low root-uptake of 129I in spite of the 129I contained in the soil was ascribed to the fact that the most fraction (over 90%) of the soil 129I existed in "soil-fixed" (not plant-available) form. Regarding the 129I-transfer to the soil, wet deposition of 129I was ten-fold more effective than dry deposition of atmospheric 129I2; however, the deposition of 129I during the year represented only 2% of the model-assumed 129I that pre-existed in the soil; indicating the importance of long-term accumulation of 129I in terrestrial environments. The model calculation also revealed that root uptake of inorganic 129I can be more influential than volatilization by methylation in exportation of 129I from soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakazu Ota
- Research Group for Environmental Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
| | - Hiroaki Terada
- Research Group for Environmental Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
| | - Hidenao Hasegawa
- Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Ienomae, Obuchi, Rokkasho, Kamikita, Aomori 039-3212, Japan
| | - Hideki Kakiuchi
- Department of Radioecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, 1-7 Ienomae, Obuchi, Rokkasho, Kamikita, Aomori 039-3212, Japan
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Burger A, Weidinger M, Adlassnig W, Puschenreiter M, Lichtscheidl I. Response of Plantago major to cesium and strontium in hydroponics: Absorption and effects on morphology, physiology and photosynthesis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 254:113084. [PMID: 31473385 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Human activities lead to increasing concentration of the stable elements cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) and their radioactive isotopes in the food chain, where plants play an important part. Here we investigated Plantago major under the influence of long-term exposure to stable Cs and Sr. The plants were cultivated hydroponically in different concentrations of cesium sulfate (between 0.002 and 20 mM) and strontium nitrate (between 0.001 and 100 mM). Uptake of Cs and Sr into leaves was analyzed from extracts by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It was increased with increasing external Cs and Sr concentrations. However, the efficiency of Cs and Sr transfer from solution to plants was higher for low external concentrations. Highest transfer factors were 6.78 for Cs and 71.13 for Sr. Accumulation of Sr was accompanied by a slight decrease of potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) in leaves, whereas the presence of Cs in the medium affected only uptake of K. The toxic effects of Cs and Sr were estimated from photosynthetic reactions and plant growth. In leaves, Cs and Sr affected the chlorophyll fluorescence even at their low concentrations. Low and high concentrations of both ions reduced dry weight and length of roots and leaves. The distribution of the elements between the different tissues of leaves and roots was investigated using Energy Dispersive X-Ray microanalysis (EDX) with scanning electron microscope (SEM). Overall, observations suggested differential patterns in accumulating Cs and Sr within the roots and leaves. When present in higher concentrations the amount of Cs and Sr transferred from environment to plants was sufficient to affect some physiological processes. The experimental model showed a potential for P. major to study the influence of radioactive contaminants and their removal from hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Burger
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Marieluise Weidinger
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfram Adlassnig
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Puschenreiter
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Semenkova AS, Polyakova TR, Korob DK, Seregina IF, Mikheev IV, Krupskaya VV, Romanchuk AY, Kalmykov SN. Sorption of Cs(I) and Np(V) onto Clays from the Ostrozhanskoe Deposit (Belarus). RADIOCHEMISTRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1066362219050163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Burger A, Lichtscheidl I. Strontium in the environment: Review about reactions of plants towards stable and radioactive strontium isotopes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 653:1458-1512. [PMID: 30759584 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Radiostrontium is released to the environment from routine and accidental discharge and acts on living organisms either from external sources or after absorption. When incorporated by plants, it enters the food chain and causes primary threat to human health and the environment. Understanding the mechanisms of plants for strontium uptake and retention is therefore essential for decision making concerning agriculture: are uptake rates low enough so that plants can serve as food? Or is radiostrontium accumulated so that plants should not be eaten but could be probably used for extracting strontium from water and soil in hot spots of pollution? The review presents a summary of studies about the origin of stable and radioactive strontium in the environment and effects coming from both internal and external exposure of plants. Mobility and availability of strontium to plant roots in soil are controlled by external factors such as chemical composition of the soil and pH, temperature and agricultural soil cultivation as well as soil biological networks built by microbial communities. Plant surfaces may receive input of strontium from deposition induced by atmospheric pollution or by acquisition from water through the whole immersed surface. Cells have entry mechanisms for strontium such as plasma membrane transporters for calcium and potassium. Part of absorbed strontium can be lost via processes discussed in this review. We give examples on strontium transfer factors for 149 plants to estimate plant absorption capacity for strontium from soil, water and air. Uptake efficiency of terrestrial and aquatic plants is deciding about their remediation potential to either remove radiostrontium by accumulation and rhizofiltration or to retain it in roots or aerial parts. Data of strontium content in soils after fallout and edible plants from long-term monitoring support the evaluation of the potential hazards posed by strontium input to the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Burger
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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7
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Horemans N, Nauts R, Vives I Batlle J, Van Hees M, Jacobs G, Voorspoels S, Gaschak S, Nanba K, Saenen E. Genome-wide DNA methylation changes in two Brassicaceae species sampled alongside a radiation gradient in Chernobyl and Fukushima. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 192:405-416. [PMID: 30055441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The long-term radiological impact to the environment of the nuclear accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima is still under discussion. In the course of spring of 2016 we sampled two Brassicacea plants, Arabidopsis thaliana and Capsella bursa-pastoris native to Ukraine and Japan, respectively, alongside a gradient of radiation within the exclusion and difficult to return zones of Chernobyl (CEZ) and Fukushima (FEZ). Ambient dose rates were similar for both sampling gradients ranging from 0.5 to 80 μGy/h at plant height. The hypothesis was tested whether a history of several generations of plants growing in enhanced radiation exposure conditions would have led to changes in genome-wide DNA methylation. However, no differences were found in the global percentage of 5-methylated cytosines in Capsella bursa pastoris plants sampled in FEZ. On the other hand a significant decrease in whole genome methylation percentage in Arabidopsis thaliana plants was found in CEZ mainly governed by the highest exposed plants. These data support a link between exposure to changed environmental conditions and changes genome methylation. In addition to methylation the activity concentration of different radionuclides, 137Cs, 90Sr, 241Am and Pu-238,239,240 for CEZ and 137, 134Cs for FEZ, was analysed in both soil and plant samples. The ratio of 5.6 between 137Cs compared to 134Cs was as expected five years after the FEZ accident. For CEZ 137Cs is the most abundant polluting radionuclide in soil followed by 90Sr. Whereas 241Am and Pu-isotopes are only marginally present. In the plant tissue, however, higher levels of Sr than Cs were retrieved due to a high uptake of 90Sr in the plants. The 90Sr transfer factors ranged in CEZ from 5 to 20 (kg/kg) depending on the locality. Based on the activity concentrations of the different radionuclides the ERICA tool was used to estimate the total dose rates to the plants. It was found that for FEZ the doses was mainly contributable to the external Cs-isotopes and as such estimated total dose rates (0.13-38 μGy/h) were in the same range as the ambient measured dose rates. In strong contrast this was not true for CEZ where the total dose rate was mainly due to high uptake of the 90Sr leading to dose rates ranging from 1 to 370 μGy/h. Hence our data clearly indicate that not taking into account the internal contamination in CEZ will lead to considerable underestimation of the doses to the plants. Additionally they show that it is hard to compare the two nuclear accidental sites and one of the main reasons is the difference in contamination profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium; Centre for Environmental Research, University of Hasselt, Universiteitslaan 1, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Robin Nauts
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jordi Vives I Batlle
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - May Van Hees
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Griet Jacobs
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO Nv), Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Stefan Voorspoels
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO Nv), Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Sergey Gaschak
- Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100, Slavutych, Ukraine
| | - Kenji Nanba
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity of Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima, 960-1296, Japan
| | - Eline Saenen
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
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8
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Burger A, Lichtscheidl I. Stable and radioactive cesium: A review about distribution in the environment, uptake and translocation in plants, plant reactions and plants' potential for bioremediation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:1459-1485. [PMID: 29122347 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Radiocesium in water, soil, and air represents a severe threat to human health and the environment. It either acts directly on living organisms from external sources, or it becomes incorporated through the food chain, or both. Plants are at the base of the food chain; it is therefore essential to understand the mechanisms of plants for cesium retention and uptake. In this review we summarize investigations about sources of stable and radioactive cesium in the environment and harmful effects caused by internal and external exposure of plants to radiocesium. Uptake of cesium into cells occurs through molecular mechanisms such as potassium and calcium transporters in the plasma membrane. In soil, bioavailability of cesium depends on the chemical composition of the soil and physical factors such as pH, temperature and tilling as well as on environmental factors such as soil microorganisms. Uptake of cesium occurs also from air through interception and absorption on leaves and from water through the whole submerged surface. We reviewed information about reducing cesium in the vegetation by loss processes, and we extracted transfer factors from the available literature and give an overview over the uptake capacities of 72 plants for cesium from the substratum to the biomass. Plants with high uptake potential could be used to remediate soil and water from radiocesium by accumulation and rhizofiltration. Inside plants, cesium distributes fast between the different plant organs and cells, but cesium in soil is extremely stable and remains for decades in the rhizosphere. Monitoring of contaminated soil therefore has to continue for many decades, and edible plants grown on such soil must continuously be monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Burger
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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9
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Romanchuk AY, Kuzenkova AS, Slesarev AS, Tour JM, Kalmykov SN. Cs(I) and Sr(II) Sorption onto Graphene Oxide. SOLVENT EXTRACTION AND ION EXCHANGE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/07366299.2016.1245067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Y. Romanchuk
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A. S. Kuzenkova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A. S. Slesarev
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J. M. Tour
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S. N. Kalmykov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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Singh M, Garg VK, Gautam YP, Kumar A. Soil to rice grain transfer factor and radiological dose of 137Cs and 90Sr around Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS), Narora, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-015-3939-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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11
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Koarashi J, Atarashi-Andoh M, Takeuchi E, Nishimura S. Topographic heterogeneity effect on the accumulation of Fukushima-derived radiocesium on forest floor driven by biologically mediated processes. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6853. [PMID: 25358420 PMCID: PMC4215300 DOI: 10.1038/srep06853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused serious radiocesium (137Cs) contamination of forest ecosystems located in mountainous and hilly regions with steep terrain. To understand topographic effects on the redistribution and accumulation of 137Cs on forest floor, we investigated the distribution of Fukushima-derived 137Cs in forest-floor litter layers on a steep hillslope in a Japanese deciduous forest in August 2013 (29 months after the accident). Both leaf-litter materials and litter-associated 137Cs were accumulated in large amounts at the bottom of the hillslope. At the bottom, a significant fraction (65%) of the 137Cs inventory was observed to be associated with newly shed and less degraded leaf-litter materials, with estimated mean ages of 0.5–1.5 years, added via litterfall after the accident. Newly emerged leaves were contaminated with Fukushima-derived 137Cs in May 2011 (two months after the accident) and 137Cs concentration in them decreased with time. However, the concentrations were still two orders of magnitude higher than the pre-accident level in 2013 and 2014. These observations are the first to show that 137Cs redistribution on a forested hillslope is strongly controlled by biologically mediated processes and continues to supply 137Cs to the bottom via litterfall at a reduced rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Koarashi
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
| | - Mariko Atarashi-Andoh
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
| | - Erina Takeuchi
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
| | - Syusaku Nishimura
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
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Steinhauser G, Brandl A, Johnson TE. Comparison of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents: a review of the environmental impacts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 470-471:800-17. [PMID: 24189103 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 430] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The environmental impacts of the nuclear accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima are compared. In almost every respect, the consequences of the Chernobyl accident clearly exceeded those of the Fukushima accident. In both accidents, most of the radioactivity released was due to volatile radionuclides (noble gases, iodine, cesium, tellurium). However, the amount of refractory elements (including actinides) emitted in the course of the Chernobyl accident was approximately four orders of magnitude higher than during the Fukushima accident. For Chernobyl, a total release of 5,300 PBq (excluding noble gases) has been established as the most cited source term. For Fukushima, we estimated a total source term of 520 (340-800) PBq. In the course of the Fukushima accident, the majority of the radionuclides (more than 80%) was transported offshore and deposited in the Pacific Ocean. Monitoring campaigns after both accidents reveal that the environmental impact of the Chernobyl accident was much greater than of the Fukushima accident. Both the highly contaminated areas and the evacuated areas are smaller around Fukushima and the projected health effects in Japan are significantly lower than after the Chernobyl accident. This is mainly due to the fact that food safety campaigns and evacuations worked quickly and efficiently after the Fukushima accident. In contrast to Chernobyl, no fatalities due to acute radiation effects occurred in Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Steinhauser
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States.
| | - Alexander Brandl
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Thomas E Johnson
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
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13
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Karunakara N, Ujwal P, Yashodhara I, Rao C, Sudeep Kumara K, Dileep BN, Ravi PM. Studies on soil to grass transfer factor (Fv) and grass to milk transfer coefficient (Fm) for cesium in Kaiga region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2013; 124:101-112. [PMID: 23685702 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2013.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Detailed studies were carried out to establish site-specific soil to grass transfer factors (Fv) and grass to cow milk transfer coefficients (Fm) for radioactive cesium ((137)Cs) and stable cesium (Cs) for Kaiga region, where a nuclear power station has been in operation for more than 10 years. The study included adopted cows, cows of local farmers, and cows from the dairy farm. A grass field was developed specifically for the study and 2 local breed cows were adopted and allowed to graze in this grass field. The soil and grass samples were collected regularly from this field and analyzed for the concentrations of (137)Cs and stable Cs to evaluate the soil to grass Fv values. The milk samples from the adopted cows were analyzed for the (137)Cs and stable Cs concentrations to evaluate Fm values. For comparison, studies were also carried out in dominant grazing areas in different villages around the nuclear power plant and the cows of local farmers which graze in these areas were identified and milk samples were collected and analyzed regularly. The geometric mean values of Fv were found to be 1.1 × 10(-1) and 1.8 × 10(-1) for (137)Cs and stable Cs, respectively. The Fm of (137)Cs had geometric mean values of 1.9 × 10(-2) d L(-1) and 4.6 × 10(-2) d L(-1), respectively, for adopted Cows 1 and 2; 1.7 × 10(-2) d L(-1) for the cows of local farmers, and 4.0 × 10(-3) d L(-1) for the dairy farm cows. The geometric mean values of Fm for stable Cs were similar to those of (137)Cs. The Fm value for the dairy farm cows was an order of magnitude lower than those for local breed cows. The Fm values observed for the local breed cows were also an order of magnitude higher when compared to the many values reported in the literature and in the IAEA publication. Possible reasons for this higher Fm values were identified. The correlation between Fv and Fm values for (137)Cs and stable Cs and their dependence on the potassium content ((40)K and stable K) in the soil and grass were also studied. In order to estimate the ingestion dose accurate data of the dietary habits of the population was necessary and this data was collected through a well planned demographic survey. The internal doses to a child due to the ingestion of (137)Cs along with the milk of the local cows and from the dairy farm were found to be 0.29 μSv y(-1) and 0.04 μSv y(-1),while that to an adult were 0.39 μSv y(-1) and 0.05 μSv y(-1), respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Karunakara
- University Science Instrumentation Centre, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, 574199 Mangalore, India.
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14
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James JP, Dileep BN, Ravi PM, Joshi RM, Ajith TL, Hegde AG, Sarkar PK. Soil to leaf transfer factor for the radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr at Kaiga region, India. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2011; 102:1070-1077. [PMID: 21868141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2011.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2011] [Revised: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/29/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Transfer factors are the most important parameters required for mathematical modeling used for environmental impact assessment of radioactive contamination in the environment. In this paper soil to leaf transfer factor for the radionuclides ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr is estimated for Kaiga region in Karnataka state, India. Among the plants in which study is carried out, ²²⁶Ra, ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr activity in leaves of herbaceous plants is higher than that of tree leaves. Soil to leaf transfer factor for ²²⁶Ra, ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr was found to be in the range of 0.03-0.65, 0.32-8.04, 0.05-3.03 and 0.42-2.67 respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshy P James
- Environmental Survey Laboratory, Kaiga Generating Station, Health Physics Division, BARC, Kaiga, Uttar Kannada District, Karwar, Karnataka 581400, India.
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15
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Seleznev AA, Yarmoshenko IV, Ekidin AA. Accumulation of 137Cs in puddle sediments within urban ecosystem. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2010; 101:643-646. [PMID: 20417997 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2010.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Revised: 12/17/2009] [Accepted: 03/31/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The role of puddle sediments as a final depot of (137)Cs horizontal migration within the urban landscape is studied using the example of Ekaterinburg city, Russia. Radioactive contamination in the city appeared due to fallout after atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and nuclear accidents. Contamination density of (137)Cs in the region was assessed from archive data to be about 5.1 kBq/m(2), of which the maximum activity concentration (<30 Bq/kg) is associated with the upper 15 cm soil layer. Results of the survey reported here indicate a mean (137)Cs activity concentration in puddle sediments of 80 Bq/kg, with a maximum value of 540 Bq/kg. It is estimated that horizontal migration has led to about a fourfold concentration of (137)Cs in puddle sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrian A Seleznev
- Institute of Industrial Ecology, Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 620219 Ekaterinburg, Russia.
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16
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Studies of 90Sr concentration and migration in the soils of the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-006-6889-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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17
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Pourcelot L, Steinmann P, Froidevaux P. Lower variability of radionuclide activities in upland dairy products compared to soils and vegetation: implication for environmental survey. CHEMOSPHERE 2007; 66:1571-9. [PMID: 17005236 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2006] [Revised: 08/02/2006] [Accepted: 08/07/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of the environment by radionuclides is usually estimated using soil and grass sampling. However, radionuclides are often not homogeneously distributed in soils. In the alpine Mercantour region (Western Alps, France) a large heterogeneity in Chernobyl 137Cs deposition has been previously observed. Here we report additional 137Cs results together with new 90Sr and Pu data for soil, grass, milk, and cheese samples. The results show that radioisotopes from nuclear weapons tests fallout are more homogeneously distributed than Chernobyl 137Cs. Further, we observe that the 137Cs and 90Sr contents are less variable in milk samples than in grass or soil samples. This can be attributed to the homogenization effect of cow vagrancy during grazing. Hence milk seems to be a more robust sample than soil or grass to evaluate the extent of contamination on a regional scale. We explore this idea by comparing own unpublished 90Sr results and 90Sr results from the literature to establish the relationship between altitude of grazing and contamination of soil and milk for Western Europe. There is a significant positive correlation between soil contamination and altitude and an even closer correlation between milk 90Sr activity (A) and altitude (h): A = A0 + e(k x h) where A0 is the expected activity of milk sampled at sea level (A0 = 0.064 +/- 0.014 Bq g(-1) Ca) and h is the altitude of grazing, k being a constant (k = 0.95 x 10(-3) +/- 0.11 x 10(-3) m(-1) Bq g(-1) Ca). The fact that there is less scattering in the relationship for the 90Sr(milk)-altitude than for 90Sr(soil)-altitude suggests, again, that milk is a well-suited sample for environmental survey. The relationship between the altitude of grazing and the 90Sr content of milk and cheese can also be used to assess the authenticity of dairy products.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pourcelot
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, CEA Cadarache Bat 153, 13108 St Paul Lez Durance, France.
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Rosén K, Shand CA, Haak E, Cheshire MV. Effect of clay content and wetting-and-drying on radiocaesium behaviour in a peat and a peaty podzol. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2006; 368:795-803. [PMID: 16626782 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2006] [Accepted: 03/06/2006] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of radiocaesium with peat under two moisture regimes was studied in laboratory experiments and by growing ryegrass in pot experiments to simulate changing field moisture conditions. A peat untreated and treated with 5% by weight of clay containing 46% illitic minerals, and a peaty podzol naturally containing 4.5% mineral matter on a dry weight basis were contaminated with (134)Cs and incubated. The soils were exposed to 8 wetting-and-drying cycles or kept constantly wet during 40 days. Extraction of the peat with 1 M CH(3)COONH(4) (pH 7) repeated after each wetting-and-drying cycle indicated increasing (134)Cs fixation with time of incubation. The peat treated with clay showed a much higher (134)Cs fixation than that without clay. The pot experiment with the incubated soils showed a (134)Cs transfer to ryegrass of the same order for the peaty podzol as for the peat treated with clay. For the peat untreated with clay the (134)Cs transfer to ryegrass was much greater. Wetting-and-drying the peat, with or without clay, increased the overall yield of grass and the concentration and uptake of (134)Cs over 5 consecutive harvests. K-fertilisation increased the yield of plant material (except for the peat with added clay), decreased the concentration of (134)Cs, but had no significant effect (p=0.05) on the resultant uptake of (134)Cs. Mixing clay with the surface layer of organic soils appears to be an effective means of decreasing radiocaesium transfer to field crops in fallout situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Rosén
- Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, Box 7014, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Soudek P, Valenová S, Vavríková Z, Vanek T. (137)Cs and (90)Sr uptake by sunflower cultivated under hydroponic conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2006; 88:236-50. [PMID: 16630674 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2006.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2005] [Revised: 01/24/2006] [Accepted: 02/22/2006] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The (90)Sr and (137)Cs uptake by the plant Helianthus annuus L. was studied during cultivation in a hydroponic medium. The accumulation of radioactivity in plants was measured after 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days of cultivation. About 12% of (137)Cs and 20% of (90)Sr accumulated during the experiments. We did not find any differences between the uptake of radioactive and stable caesium and strontium isotopes. Radioactivity distribution within the plant was determined by autoradiography. (137)Cs was present mainly in nodal segments, leaf veins and young leaves. High activity of (90)Sr was localized in leaf veins, stem, central root and stomata. The influence of stable elements or analogues on the transfer behaviour was investigated. The percentage of non-active caesium and strontium concentration in plants decreased with the increasing initial concentration of Cs or Sr in the medium. The percentage of (90)Sr activity in plants decreased with increasing initial activity of the nuclide in the medium, but the activity of (137)Cs in plants increased. The influence of K(+) and NH(4)(+) on the uptake of (137)Cs and the influence of Ca(2+) on the uptake of (90)Sr was tested. The highest accumulation of (137)Cs (24-27% of the initial activity of (137)Cs) was found in the presence of 10 mM potassium and 12 mM ammonium ions. Accumulation of about 22% of initial activity of (90)Sr was determined in plants grown on the medium with 8 mM calcium ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Soudek
- Department of Plant Tissue Cultures, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo nám. 2, CZ-166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Yttrium-90 adsorption on various soils of successive horizons in Poland. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2005. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-005-0506-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Henner P, Colle C, Morello M. Retention and translocation of foliar applied 239,240Pu and 241Am, as compared to 137Cs and 85Sr, into bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2005; 83:213-29. [PMID: 15936122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2005.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2004] [Revised: 04/05/2005] [Accepted: 04/14/2005] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Foliar transfer of 241Am, 239,240Pu, 137Cs and 85Sr was evaluated after contamination of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) at the flowering development stage, by soaking their first two trifoliate leaves into contaminated solutions. Initial retentions of 241Am (27%) and 239,240Pu (37%) were higher than those of 137Cs and 85Sr (10-15%). Mean fraction of retained activity redistributed among bean organs was higher for 137Cs (20.3%) than for 239,240Pu (2.2%), 241Am (1%) or 85Sr (0.1%). Mean leaf-to-pod translocation factors (Bq kg(-1) dry weight pod/Bq kg(-1) dry weight contaminated leaves) were 5.0 x 10(-4) for 241Am, 2.7 x 10(-6) for 239,240Pu, 5.4 x 10(-2) for 137Cs and 3.6 x 10(-4) for 85Sr. Caesium was mainly recovered in pods (12.8%). Americium and strontium were uniformly redistributed among leaves, stems and pods. Plutonium showed preferential redistribution in oldest bean organs, leaves and stems, and very little redistribution in forming pods. Results for americium and plutonium were compared to those of strontium and caesium to evaluate the consistency of the attribution of behaviour of strontium to transuranium elements towards foliar transfer, based on translocation factors, as stated in two radioecological models, ECOSYS-87 and ASTRAL.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Henner
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, Environment and Emergency Operations Division, Department for the Study of Radionuclides Behaviour in Ecosystems, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France.
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Solecki J. Yttrium-90 adsorption on various soils of successive horizons in Poland. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2004. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-004-0506-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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