Uptake of Radionuclides by Bryophytes in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone

Brigitte Schmidt, Felix Kegler, Georg Steinhauser, Ihor Chyzhevskyi, Sergiy Dubchak, Caroline Ivesic, Marianne Koller-Peroutka (Corresponding author), Aicha Laarouchi, Wolfram Adlassnig

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

The “Chernobyl nuclear disaster” released huge amounts of radionuclides, which are still detectable in plants and sediments today. Bryophytes (mosses) are primitive land plants lacking roots and protective cuticles and therefore readily accumulate multiple contaminants, including metals and radionuclides. This study quantifies 137Cs and 241Am in moss samples from the cooling pond of the power plant, the surrounding woodland and the city of Prypiat. Activity concentrations of up to 297 Bq/g (137Cs) and 0.43 Bq/g (241Am) were found. 137Cs contents were significantly higher at the cooling pond, where 241Am was not detectable. Distance to the damaged reactor, amount of original fallout, presence of vascular tissue in the stem or taxonomy were of little importance. Mosses seem to absorb radionuclides rather indiscriminately, if available. More than 30 years after the disaster, 137Cs was washed out from the very top layer of the soil, where it is no more accessible for rootless mosses but possibly for higher plants. On the other hand, 137Cs still remains solved and accessible in the cooling pond. However, 241Am remained adsorbed to the topsoil, thus accessible to terrestrial mosses, but precipitated in the sapropel of the cooling pond.
Original languageEnglish
Article number218
JournalToxics
Volume11
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2023

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 106040 Radiation biology

Keywords

  • americium
  • bryophytes
  • cesium
  • fallout
  • mosses
  • radioactivity
  • strontium

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