Tobacco plant as possible biomonitoring tool of red mud dust fallout and increased natural radioactivity.

Tibor Kovács,Mária Horváth,Edit Tóth-Bodrogi,Gergő Bátor,Anita Csordás

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03455

Tibor Kovács, Mária Horváth + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03455

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Journal: Heliyon	Publication Date: Mar 1, 2020
Citations: 9	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Pannonia

Abstract

Exposure to toxic heavy metal content in soil and inherent naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) needs to be monitored, especially after industrial accidents and remediation efforts. Just such an accident happened near Ajka city in Hungary; a large quantity of red mud flooded out from a reservoir. The afflicted area was remediated, and the red mud deposition technology was changed from a wet to a dry procedure. Concerns have been raised about potential hazards from airborne NORM dust in this area. The objectives of this study were to assess the use of explanted tobacco plants as an active biomonitoring system for airborne NORM dust and to reveal weather-related correlations of Po-210 in airborne dust. In 2011, 2012 and 2014, measurements were taken of the following at six monitoring sites in the polluted area and at eight sites in unpolluted areas: soil and tobacco plant Po-210 isotope levels, airborne Rn-222, Ra-226 in soil, Th-232 and K-40 radioactivity concentrations. The transfer factors (TFs) of tobacco were calculated yearly for these isotopes. Association of data with local weather features was determined. In 2012 (the windiest and driest year), the mean Po-210 activity concentrations of tobacco samples in polluted areas were significantly higher than in 2011 and in 2014 (p = 0.044 and p = 0.024, respectively). The mean TF of samples in 2012 was also significantly higher in tobacco plants grown in the polluted area compared to ones grown in unpolluted areas (p = 0.020). These results presumably originate from red mud dust-particle adsorption on tobacco plant leaves. Tobacco plants are promising active bioindicators of airborne particulate pollution by Po-210 or other atmospheric NORM content.

Highlights

In order to ensure sustainable environmental and living conditions for human society, air and soil quality needs to be maintained (Laville et al, 2006; Morvan et al, 2008; Lehndorff and Schwark, 2010)
According to the corresponding Pearson statistical analyses, we could assume that the surfaces of tobacco plant leaves located closer to the reservoir would have collected more dust, the increase in Po-210
The results imply that the tobacco plant absorbs Po-210 through its roots but is capable of absorbing radionuclides via its leaf surfaces (Berger et al, 1965; Wolterbeek and Bode, 1995; Vandenhove et al, 2009; Shahid et al, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

In order to ensure sustainable environmental and living conditions for human society, air and soil quality needs to be maintained (Laville et al, 2006; Morvan et al, 2008; Lehndorff and Schwark, 2010). Assessment of environment qualities, defined as the ability of key environmental constituents such as soil or air to deliver ecosystem services in a sustainable way (Doran and Parkin, 1994), has become a major research topic during the last two decades (Gomez-Baggethun and Ruiz-Perez, 2011). Increased metal PMF will be the source of system-wide environmental toxicity. The increased mobility of air pollutants represents a major and systematic environmental risk. In turn (and without exception), leads to hazards for human lives

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