Accumulation and transfer of 110mAg in soil and vegetables

110mAg is a fission product inside nuclear reactors and can be released into the environment during accidents. In this study, accumulation and transfer of 110mAg in terrestrial ecosystems were studied in pot culture approach where vegetables such as lettuces, spinach, kale, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, egg plants and beans were cultured in soil that contains 110mAg in 10 Bq gsoil-1. Edible vegetable samples were collected and measured at different growth stages. The transfer factors were calculated. The results showed that 110mAg could be transferred from soil into plants, and spinach may be a critical plant. The leaching and migration of 110mAg in soils were also studied by soil column experiments. Results show that there is no 110mAg in leaching water and most of it stays in the topsoil of 2 cm deep, and 110mAg vertical migration is little. (author)