Accumulation and distribution of nutrients, radionuclides and metals by roots, stems and leaves of plants

Abstract

In the process of growth and development, plants not only absorb essential nutritional elements, but also absorb radioactive and non-essential elements from the environment, and their distribution varies in different parts of the plant. In this study, neutron activation analysis and gamma spectrometry were performed on stems, roots, and leaves of vegetables. The results indicate that the accumulation of radionuclides and multi-elements depends on the plant type and plant parts. Activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th in plants were accumulated in the following order: Roots > Stems > Leaves. The highest concentrations of 40K and 210Pb were observed in the stems and leaves of plants, respectively. Essential nutrient requirements of plants are in the following order: K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Zn > Mn. Among the non-essential metals, the concentration of Na in the vegetable sample was much greater than those of the other elements. The K/Na ratio in the plant depends on the type of plant and the translocation within the plant.