Växters upptag av radioaktivitet

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study was to investigate the uptake of radionuclides in radishes during different exposureperiods. The selected radionuclides included caesium-137 and uranium-238. The exposure periods were 5,3, and 1 week(s), respectively, while the total cultivation period was 6 weeks. Furthermore, the distributionpatterns of the radionuclides in different parts of the radish were examined, and the interaction betweenthe radionuclides was studied. Analytical instruments used in this study included autoradiograph, ICP-MS,and HPGe. The results indicated that exposure duration potentially affected both the distribution patternand the amount of accumulated radioactivity in the radish. In addition, uranium was observed to remainprimarily in the roots, whereas caesium was distributed more homogeneously throughout the plant. This waslikely due to caesium’s similarity to the other alkali metals, such as potassium, which allows it to be taken upby the plant through similar transport pathways as these metals. Conversely, uranium differs greatly fromthese metals and can therefore not be taken up by the plants in the same way. Furthermore, an effect onradionuclide uptake was observed during simultaneous exposure to uranium-238 and caesium-137. Finally,the study is considered to provide an adequate foundation for future research, although the limited amountof data means that no definitive conclusions could be drawn.