Examination of vegetation around a nuclear plant emitting gaseous fluorides in order to detect fluorine pollution

Fluorine pollution (chronic or occasional) around a plant rejecting gaseous fluoride effluents can be detected from vegetation samples by chemical analysis. Systematic monitoring allows the effects and gravity of the pollution to be estimated. The analytical method used consists of a double distillation (in phosphoric acid and perchloric acid) followed by a spectro-colorimetric analysis (alizarine-complexon-lanthane). This method of control allows both the efficiency of the trapping installations and also the appearance of effluents at unexpected places to be checked, In the event of an accident it is possible to determine the advisability of prohibiting the consumption of locally grown produce by humans or fodder by cattle. Research conducted in order to determine the relation between visible, damage to certain vegetables (tomatoes, haricot beans and sorghum) and their fluorine contents demonstrated that such a relation appears above all at the level of the leaves; chemical analysis may thus be used to confirm or reject information obtained on the basis of visual evidence