Transfer of 137Cs and 60Co from irrigation water to a soil-tomato plant system.
An experiment has been performed at the nuclear power plant of Garigliano (Caserta, Italy), aiming at the measurement of transfer factors of 137Cs and 60Co radionuclides from the irrigation water to a soil-plant system, with particular attention to the influence on such transfers of the irrigation technique (ground or aerial). Tomato plants were irrigated weekly with water contaminated with 137Cs and 60Co (about 375 Bq/m2 week), using both irrigation techniques. After 13 weeks, fruits, leaves, stems, roots and soil were sampled, and radionuclide concentrations were measured by high-resolution gamma spectroscopy. It was found that the activity allocated to the plant organs is significantly dependent upon the irrigation technique, amounting to 2.1% and 1.6% of the activity given in the cultivation for aerial treatment and 0.4% and 0.3% for the ground treatment, for 137Cs and 60Co respectively. The activity absorbed by plants is allocated mainly in leaves (> 55%), while less then 10% is stored in the fruits, for both irrigation techniques. Transfer factors (soil-plant and irrigation water-plant) of tomato plants and of weeds have been determined for 137Cs and 60Co, as well as for natural 40K in the soil.
Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Seconda Università di Napoli, Caserta, Italy. sabbares@na.infn.it
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Sabbares
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Stellato
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Cotrufo
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D'Onofrio
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A
Ermice
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Terrasi
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Alfieri
D000327:Adsorption; D000383:Agriculture; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000502:physiology; D011210:Power Plants; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014881:Water Supply
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive