title: Uptake of 134Cs in the shoots of Amaranthus tricolor and Amaranthus cruentus.
abstract: Amaranthus tricolor L. and Amaranthus cruentus L. were grown in pots containing 7.5 kg soils artificially contaminated with three levels of 134Cs activity: 5.55 x 10(5) Bq pot-1, 1.11 x 10(6) Bq pot(-)1, and 1.665 x 10(6) Bq pot(-1), respectively. Forty-nine days after sowing and growth, plants were harvested. The plants growing in soils with increasing 134Cs concentrations showed increasing concentration of this radionuclide in shoots. There were significant differences in uptake of 134Cs applied to soils between and within the plant species, depending on the initial 134Cs concentrations. The plant species showed different responses to the addition of (NH4)2SO4 to soils. Biomass production of both species was reduced in pots treated with (NH4)2SO4. (NH4)2SO4 application decreased the uptake of 134Cs by A. tricolor but increased the accumulation of 134Cs by A. cruentus, showing that chemicals with the highest efficiency to enhance the desorption of 134Cs might play an unexpected role in transferring the radionuclide to shoots.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China. tangshir@mail.hz.zj.cn
authors.forename: Shirong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ziyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiemin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D027721:Amaranthus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018533:Biomass; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011188:Potassium; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate