Cs-137 in the natural environment of the Gorce Mountains (Poland)

J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2014;301(1):49-56. doi: 10.1007/s10967-014-3144-8. Epub 2014 Apr 29.

Abstract

Concentration of activity of Cs-137 and its spatial distribution in soils and lichen Hypogymnia physodes were determined in the Gorce Mts. (several hundred km2) in S Poland. The authors distinguished two areas of the Gorce Mts. on the basis of markedly different Cs-137 depositions, whose respective average values are 4.4 and 9.9 kBq/m2 as at 1st July 2005. The average Cs-137 activity concentration in the lichen H. physodes from the Gorce is 47 Bq/kg d.m. A significant local variability of quantities measured amounts to a few dozen percent was found.

Keywords: Chernobyl; Cs-137; Gamma-spectrometry; Gorce Mts.; Lichens; Soil.