Abstract

Cesium-137 concentrations in plant species of three biotopes of northern Greece, differing in location as well as in vegetation, are reported following the Chernobyl reactor accident. The cesium uptake by plants was due to the foliar deposition rather than the root uptake. The highest level of cesium in plants was found in Ranunculus sardous, a pubescent plant. The 137Cs concentration was about 22 kBq kg −1d.w. A high level of cesium was also found in Salix alba ( 137Cs: 19.6 kBq kg −1d.w.), a deciduous tree showing that hairy leaves or leaves having rough and large surfaces can absorb greater amounts of radioactivity (surface effect). A comparison is also made between the results of measurements of the present study and the results of measurements of some herbarium plants collected one year before the accident as well as the results of measurements of some new plants grown and collected one year after the accident resulting in a natural removal rate of 137Cs in plants varying from 14 to 130 days.

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