Abstract
AbstractConcentrations of 238Pu, 239,240Pu, and 241Am in crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn) and Russian thistle (Salsola kali L.) samples collected at a solid radioactive waste‐disposal area in southeastern Idaho were significantly (P ± 0.05) greater than concentrations in control vegetation. No significant differences were found for 90Sr or 137Cs concentrations between the waste‐disposal and control‐area vegetation. Russian thistle had more radionuclide contamination than crested wheatgrass, presumably because of its greater rooting depth and spreading growth. The total radionuclide inventory of 90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239,240Pu, and 241Am in vegetation at the 36‐ha waste‐disposal area (77 µCi) was not significantly (P > 0.05) greater than the 17 µCi in control‐area vegetation. Ninety percent of the radioactivity in waste‐disposal area vegetation and 99% in control‐area vegetation were attributed to 90Sr and 137Cs. The Pu inventory in Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) vegetation was only 0.02% of the quantity of Pu estimated to occur in SDA surface soils in 1974. Accumulation of radionuclides by vegetation is not considered a major mode of radionuclide transport through the environment surrounding this radioactive‐waste‐disposal area.
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