RESEARCH INTO THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE UPTAKE OF 90Sr AND 137Cs BY PLANTS FROM RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED SOILS OF THE SOUTHERN URALS

The objective of this work was to study the factors affecting the intake of Sr-90 and Cs-137 by plants from soils exposed to radioactive contamination resulting from operations of the Mayak Industrial Association. Specific activities of Sr-90 and Cs-137 in the samples were determined by the radiochemical method. The most severe contamination by Sr-90 and Cs-137 of natural soils was found in forest soil cover and in the 0-5 cm soil layer. The contamination density of the area is mainly determined by activity in the soil layer 0-20 cm that contains 3-97% of Sr-90 and 60-92% of Cs-137. Portions of radionuclides contained in soil (89-96% of Sr-90 and 18-73% of Cs-137) can be converted into cationic use. An insignificant share of water-soluble radionuclides goes from soil to agricultural produce. Health Phys. 103(1):56-57; 2012