Soil to plant transfer factors for strontium in some terrestrial plants at Kaiga site

Radiostrontium is deposited on the soil from different sources, such as atmospheric nuclear explosions and releases from nuclear establishments. The subsequent transfer to plants depends on several properties of the soil, its moisture content, and root uptake processes controlled by the plant. This paper discusses the results of the studies conducted to estimate the soil to plant transfer factors for strontium for some commonly available terrestrial plants at Kaiga site, where at present two nuclear power plants [220MW(e) each] are operational. In all the plants studied in this work, K, Ca and Sr concentrations were maximum in leaves. In general, Sr, Ca and K concentration in the plant parts were found to be related with its moisture. Amongst the plants studied in this experiment, soil to plant transfer factor was maximum in the case of Terminalia Arjuna. Present experiments clearly demonstrates the ability of leaves and roots of Terminalia Arjuna to highly concentrate Sr from soil, which makes these parts possible claimants as indicator organisms for 90Sr in terrestrial environment. The Ca and Sr contents of root of Terminalia Arjuna were found to be at same level as leaves even though moisture content in root is lower than leaves. (author)