Interception and retention of wet-deposited radiocaesium and radiostrontium on a ley mixture of grass and clover

Abstract

The aims of this study were to assess the potential radioactive contamination of fodder in the case of accidental radionuclide fallout, and to analyse the relationship between interception and retention of radionuclides as a function of biomass and Leaf Area Index (LAI). The interception and the retention of wet deposited (134)Cs and (85)Sr in ley (a mixture of grass and clover) were measured after artificial wet deposition in a field trial in Uppsala (eastern central Sweden). The field trial had a randomised block design with three replicates. (134)Cs and (85)Sr were deposited at six different growth stages during two growing seasons (2010 and 2011) using a rainfall simulator. The biomass was sampled in the center of each parcel 2 to 3h after deposition and at later growth stages (1 to 5) during the growing season. The above ground biomass and LAI were measured as well. The interception of radionuclides by the ley was largest at the late growth stages; the spike and tassel/flowering (code 5:6) in the 1(st) year, and at flowering/initial flowering (code 6:5) in the 2(nd) year. There was a correlation between radionuclide interception and above ground plant biomass, as well as with LAI, for both radionuclides in both years. The highest activity concentrations of both radionuclides were measured after deposition at the late growth stages and were found to be higher in the 2(nd) year. The weathering half-lives were shorter at the earlier growth stages than at the later growth stages for both radionuclides. For the magnitude of deposition chosen in our experiment, it can be concluded that the above ground biomass is a good predictor and the LAI a more uncertain predictor of the interception of radiocaesium and radiostrontium by ley grass and clover.

Keywords: Aggregated transfer factor; Fodder crops; Growth stages; Radioactive deposition; Weathering half-life.