A study on possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as polonium (210)Po and lead (210)Pb contamination biomonitor in the area of phosphogypsum stockpile.

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The aim of this study was to test a possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as a biomonitor of polonium 210Po and lead 210Pb contamination near phosphogypsum stacks by determining concentrations of these radionuclides in samples collected from the area of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The 210Po and 210Pb contents in roots depended on their concentrations in soils. Bioconcentration factor values from soil to root of the plant did not depend on 210Po and 210Pb contents in soils that leads to the conclusion that different polonium and lead species have different affinities to U. dioica plants. The main sources of both analyzed radionuclides in green parts of plants are wet and dry air deposition and transportation from soil. The values of 210Po/210Pb activity ratio indicate natural origin of these radioisotopes in analyzed plants. 210Po and 210Pb concentration in U. dioica roots is negatively weakly correlated with distance from phosphogypsum stockpile.