A study on possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as polonium 210Po and lead 210Pb contamination biomonitor in the area of phosphogypsum stockpile

The aim of this study was to test a possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as a biomonitor of polonium Po-210 and lead Pb-210 contamination near phosphogypsum stacks by determining concentrations of these radionuclides in samples collected from the area of phosphogypsum stockpile in WiA > linka (northern Poland). The Po-210 and Pb-210 contents in roots depended on their concentrations in soils. Bioconcentration factor values from soil to root of the plant did not depend on Po-210 and Pb-210 contents in soils that leads to the conclusion that different polonium and lead species have different affinities to U. dioica plants. The main sources of both analyzed radionuclides in green parts of plants are wet and dry air deposition and transportation from soil. The values of Po-210/Pb-210 activity ratio indicate natural origin of these radioisotopes in analyzed plants. Po-210 and Pb-210 concentration in U. dioica roots is negatively weakly correlated with distance from phosphogypsum stockpile.