Mycoremediation: the study of transfer factor for plutonium and americium uptake from the ground

Abstract

In our scientific research we have monitored mycoremediation’s properties of oyster mushrooms in cultivation on the soil what is contaminated by solutions with radioactive isotopes of 239Pu and 241Am with known activity. We monitored specific activities of absorbed radionuclides in fruiting bodies and chemical forms of radionuclides which were compared to calculated specific activities of two background samples of oyster mushrooms intended for consumer purpose. We determined distributive coefficients between the ground and the fruiting body of oyster mushrooms. The average value which was obtained for the transfer factor for plutonium was 0.72 and for americium 3.97. To evaluate a quantity of absorbed radionuclides we used a method of liquid extraction. The emitting alpha radiation of alpha radionuclides was detected by spectrometry. For defining individual fractions of plutonium and americium that are contained in mushroom bodies was used the sequential leaching method.