Assessment of the radiocaesium levels in irish soils and its transfer to crops

The behaviour of radiocaesium deposited by the Chernobyl fall-out was investigated in eleven different permanent pastures and arable lands. Samples of grass and subjacent soil at various depths were collected and analysed for their caesium content during a period extending from the Spring of 1987 (one year after the accident) to the Autumn of 1988. Soil from tillage land along with vegetable and grain crops from this land were also sampled and subjected to gamma spectrometric analysis. The results for the pasture soils show that there has been limited downward migration of Chernobyl caesium. In October 1988 more than 88% of caesium of Chernobyl origin was still retained in the 0-10 cm layer of undisturbed pasture soil. It would also appear that at most sites more than 70% of weapons deposited caesiym is still contained in the 0-15 cm soil layer