Radionuclides Measurement and Assay of Soil and their Corresponding Absorbed Dose Rate in Air In Aramoko-Ekiti, Nigeria

Four radionuclides ( ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K) have been analysed in soil samples collected from Aramoko-Ekiti, South West Nigeria by a sensitive gamma-ray spectroscopic system consisting of a 7.6 cm × 7.6 cm Nal(TI) scintillation detector interfaced with Canberra series 10 plus multichannel analyser. Results obtained show that the radionuclides are present in varying concentrations in the soil, except ¹³⁷Cs which was not detectable. The absorbed dose rates in the air of the location due to these radionuclides is within the UNSCEAR recommended world average value.     

Sources of 137Cs fluvial export from a forest catchment evaluated by stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic characterization of organic matter

Fluvial export of particulate and dissolved ¹³⁷Cs was investigated to reveal its sources and transfer mechanisms in a broadleaved forest catchment using a continuous collection system. The finest size fraction (<75 µm), consisting of decomposed litter and surface mineral soil, was the dominant fraction in the particulate ¹³⁷Cs load, although the contribution of coarser size fractions increased during high water discharge in 2014. The dissolved ¹³⁷Cs originated from the decomposition of ¹³⁷Cs-contaminated litter. Temporal changes in ¹³⁷Cs distribution in the litter–mineral soil system indicated that the dissolved ¹³⁷Cs load will be moderated in several years, while particulate ¹³⁷Cs load has the potential to continue for a long time.

     

A laboratory approach for investigations into the potential effectiveness of potassium-based fertilisers in reducing radiocesium transfer from soil to plant

The paper presents a laboratory experimental model based on a simplesoil-plant system used to investigate the potential effectiveness of potassium-basedfertilisers in reducing soil-to-plant transfer of radiocesium. The soil-plantsystem, slightly modified comparing to that described originally in the NEUBAUER'splantlet method, consists in wheat plantlets grown from caryopsis phase onbrown acid soil contaminated with ¹³⁷Cs resulted from Chernobylnuclear accident and treated with potassium salt of 30%. The effectivenessof 30% potassium salt applied to the soil as treatment is discussed in termsof reduction factor for ¹³⁷Cs soil-to-plant transfer coefficientand ¹³⁷Cs ⁺ :K ⁺ ratio in soil and plantlets.     

Investigation of 85Sr adsorption in the presence of Na+, K+ and Cs+ on selected soils from different horizons</p> </p>

Summary Results of studies of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺ influence on the adsorption of ⁸⁵Sr on soil samples of the different types of successive horizons are presented. It was proved that the adsorption isotherms in log-log coordinates are of straight-line type and may be described by the Freundlich equation. Monovalent cations influence the coverage degree of the soil surface by ⁸⁵Sr (most often lowering it) in the following order K⁺3Na⁺3Cs⁺. The investigation of pH influence proved its essential meaning in the process. The plateau of surface coverage degree versus pH lies above pH 5.5 or 6.5 depending on the soil type. Generally, in the studied system, the size of ⁸⁵Sr adsorption depends on the concentration of the isotope, pH of the solution, type of monovalent cation, and on the soil properties.</p> </p>     

A dynamic soil chamber system coupled with a tunable diode laser for online measurements of δ13C, δ18O,and efflux rate of soil‐respired CO2

High frequency observations of the stable isotopic composition of CO₂ effluxes from soil have been sparse due in part to measurement challenges. We have developed an open‐system method that utilizes a flow‐through chamber coupled to a tunable diode laser (TDL) to quantify the rate of soil CO₂ efflux and its δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values (δ¹³C_R and δ¹⁸O_R, respectively). We tested the method first in the laboratory using an artificial soil test column and then in a semi‐arid woodland. We found that the CO₂ efflux rates of 1.2 to 7.3 µmol m^?2 s^?1 measured by the chamber‐TDL system were similar to measurements made using the chamber and an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) (R² = 0.99) and compared well with efflux rates generated from the soil test column (R² = 0.94). Measured δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values of CO₂ efflux using the chamber‐TDL system at 2 min intervals were not significantly different from source air values across all efflux rates after accounting for diffusive enrichment. Field measurements during drought demonstrated a strong dependency of CO₂ efflux and isotopic composition on soil water content. Addition of water to the soil beneath the chamber resulted in average changes of +6.9 µmol m^?2 s^?1, ?5.0‰, and ?55.0‰ for soil CO₂ efflux, δ¹³C_R and δ¹⁸O_R, respectively. All three variables initiated responses within 2 min of water addition, with peak responses observed within 10 min for isotopes and 20 min for efflux. The observed δ¹⁸O_R was more enriched than predicted from temperature‐dependent H₂O‐CO₂ equilibration theory, similar to other recent observations of δ¹⁸O_R from dry soils (Wingate L, Seibt U, Maseyk K, Ogee J, Almeida P, Yakir D, Pereira JS, Mencuccini M. Global Change Biol. 2008; 14: 2178). The soil chamber coupled with the TDL was found to be an effective method for capturing soil CO₂ efflux and its stable isotope composition at high temporal frequency. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Lead Contamination on Soil Microbial Activity Measured by Microcalorimetry

Microcalorimetry was used to investigate the microbial activity in three types of soil (orchard soil, crop soil, forest soil) in Wuhan, China, and to evaluate the influence of different concentrations of lead (Pb²⁺) on soil microbial activity. The experimental results revealed that due to different physical and chemical characteristics of the soils, soil microbial activity in three soil samples were in a descending sequence: orchards soil, crops soil, forest soil. Six levels of Pb viz. 0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μg·g⁻¹ were applied in these soils, and the results showed that an increase of the amount of Pb²⁺ is associated with a decrease in microbial activity in the soils due to the toxic effect of Pb²⁺. In order to gain further insight of the sequential change of microorganisms, determination of colony forming units (CFU) was performed to provide a negative linear correlation between the heat effect and the respective number of microorganisms in the system.     

Determination of the chemical forms of iodine with IC-ICP-MS and its application to environmental samples

An online analytical system using ion chromatography (IC) followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed for the separate determination of I⁻ and IO₃⁻ in aqueous solutions with a detection limit 0.1–1 μg 1/1. The total iodine concentration was also directly determined by ICP-MS. Iodine in several environmental samples (i.e., rain, river water, brine, and soil solution) was successfully determined with information on its chemical form. The release of I⁻ into soil solution with decreasing Eh was observed in an incubation experiment with flooded soil. An iodine form other than I⁻ and IO₃⁻ was observed in several environmental samples.     

Sorption and desorption of radioiodine and radioselenium on calcareous soil and its solid components

This paper is an extension of previous papers^1–3. The breakthrough curves and the displacement curves of¹²⁵I⁻ and⁷⁵SeO₃ on the calcareous soil, the treated soil to remove CaCO₃ and the treated soil to remove organic matter were determined at pH 7.8, at 20°C and in the presence of 1·10⁻³ or 1·10⁻⁴ mol/l CaCl₂. These results from column experiments and from batch experiments in the previous papers^1,2 were mutually complementary. It can be definitely concluded that iodide is retained to a very small degree and tetravalent-selenium is retained to a small degree by calcareous soil and that organic matter in calcareous soil acts as a significant trap of iodide and CaCO₃ acts as a trap of tetravalent selenium. Iodide and tetravalent-selenium would be expected to have relatively high dissemination in calcareous soil.     

Radioactivity levels of <Superscript>238</Superscript>U and <Superscript>232</Superscript>Th,the α and β activities and associated dose rates from surface soil in Ulu Tiram,Malaysia

A survey was carried out to determine terrestrial gammaradiation dose rates, the concentration level of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th and α and β activities for the surface soil in Ulu Tiram, Malaysia A 125 measurements were performed using a NaI(T1) gamma-ray detector with crystal size of 1″ × 1″ on 15 soil samples collected from the site area about 102 km^{2 238}U and ²³²Th concentrations were determined in soils by using hyper pure germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometry. The activity of α and β from the surface soil was counted by using alpha beta counting system. The average value of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th concentrations in soil samples collected are 3.63±0.39 ppm within the range of 1.74±0.20 to 4.58±0.48 and 43.00±2.31 ppm within the range of 10.68±0.76 to 82 10±4.01 ppm, respectively. The average estimate of α and β activity in soil samples collected are 0.65±0.09 Bqg⁻¹ and 0.68±0.08 Bqg⁻¹, respectively. The average of terrestrial gamma-radiation dose rates measured in Ulu Tiram was found to be 200 nGy h⁻¹, within the range of 96 to 409 nGy h⁻¹. The population weighted outdoor annual effective dose was 1.2 mSv.     

Activity concentration of226Ra and238U in various soils

The distribution of²²⁶Ra and²³⁸U in various soils has been studied. Supposing that radioactive equilibrium were in existence, the average activities of²²⁶Ra and²³⁸U would show a nearly 11 correlation. As weathering affects radioactive equilibrium in surface soil, radioactive equilibrium was not in existence. Therefore, four kinds of soil were selected from different weathering conditions, viz. river bed soil, paddy field soil, field soil and uncropped soil. The²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U ratio of various soils lies in the range of 1.63 to 2.41. The activity concentrations of²²⁶Ra were greater than²³⁸U in various soils. The ratio²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U can be shown to be a quantitative index of weathering. Phosphatic manure contains²³⁸U and its daughter isotopes in concentrations far exceeding the average abundance in the earth's crust. But the cultivated soils (paddy field soil, field soil) are not affected by fertilizers in Kamisaibara.     

Assessment of radioactivity contribution and transfer characteristics of natural radionuclides in agroecosystem

Taking into account the importance of distribution and transfer of radionuclides in the soil–plant system, especially in agricultural fields, the aim of this research was assessment of radioactivity contribution and transfer characteristics of natural radionuclides in agroecosystem. The measurement of the natural radioactivity distribution was conducted in organic and sustainable farming management systems. Statistical evaluation of the physical and chemical properties of soils subjected to different farming systems, revealed the existence of differences in some parameters. Balanced distribution of natural radionuclides in soil-crop system was observed. Radionuclide ⁴⁰K was the most accessible to the investigated crops via uptake from the soil, then ²³²Th and ²²⁶Ra. The obtained results are useful for understanding the behavior of the radionuclides and provide an insight into the cumulative deposition of radioactivity in the agroecosystem.

     

Distribution and behavior of long-lived radioiodine in soil

The concentration of¹²⁹I in soil in Japan was determined by neutron activation analysis. For the activation analysis, pre-irradiation chemical separation of the iodine was carried out by acid decomposition and distillation and post-irradiation treatment was performed by ion exchange and solvent extraction. The concentration of stable iodine and¹³⁷Cs were also determined and compared with the behavior of¹²⁹I in soil.Soil samples from Ibaraki, Fukui, Fukushima, and Nagasaki Prefectures were analyzed and¹²⁹I was detected in amounts ranging from 10^–7 to 10^–5 Bq/g soil in uncultivated surface soil. There are apparently small variations in the¹²⁹I concentrations in each of the regions analyzed.From depth profile studies in sandy soil, the iodide form of¹²⁹I was found to migrate downward at a relatively rapid rate while other species remain longer in the surface soil.     

Assessment of 210Po deposition in moss species and soil around coal-fired power plant

In the present study, the depositions of ²¹⁰Po were assessed in the surface soil and some mosses species found in the area around coal fired power plant using radiochemical deposition and alpha spectrometry counting system. The purposes of the study were to determine activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po in mosses and surface soil collected around coal-fired power plant in relation to trace the potential source of ²¹⁰Po and to identify most suitable moss species as a bio-indicator for ²¹⁰Po deposition. In this study, different species of mosses, Orthodontium imfractum, Campylopus serratus and Leucobryum aduncum were collected in May 2011 at the area around 15 km radius from Tanjung Bin coal-fired power plant located in Pontian, Johor. The ²¹⁰Po activity concentrations in mosses and soil varied in the range 102 ± 4 to 174 ± 8 Bq/kg dry wt. and 37 ± 2 to 184 ± 8 Bq/kg dry wt., respectively. Corresponding highest activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po observed in L. aduncum, therefore, this finding can be concluded this species was the most suitable as a bio-indicator for ²¹⁰Po deposition. On the other hand, it is clear the accumulation of ²¹⁰Po in mosses might be supplied from various sources of atmospheric deposition such as coal-fired power plant operation, industrial, plantation, agriculture and fertilizer activities, burned fuel fossil and forest; and other potential sources. Meanwhile, the main source of ²¹⁰Po in surface soil is supplied from the in situ deposition of radon decay and its daughters in the soil itself.     

Automated determination of carboxylic acids in biological and geochemical samples by means of a chemical reaction detector

Rapid evaluation of carboxylic acids by means of an automated spectrophotometric determination in a continuous-flow system is described. The system was applied to food and soil extracts either as a stand-alone device or as a chemical reaction detector coupled to a chromatographic separation column. Calibration in the automated system was performed with citric acid as a reference standard in the concentration range 4.76 × 10^?5?4.76 × 10^?3 mol l^?1. The molar calibration equation was A=64x ? 6.7 × 10^?5 (x=concentration ) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997 ( six points). The sample volume was 0.5 ml. In addition to the semi-quantitative evaluation of carboxylic groups, it is shown that the system is also applicable to species analyses.     

Effect of fulvic acid and ionic strength on the sorption of radiostrontium on Chinese calcareous soil and its solid components

Summary The sorption and desorption of radionuclide ⁹⁰Sr²⁺were investigated on untreated calcareous soil and two treated soils to remove organic matter and calcium carbonate using batch technique. The experiments were carried out at ambient condition, pH 7.8±0.1 and in the presence of 0.001M NaCl. Effects of fulvic acid and ionic strength on the sorption of ⁹⁰Sr²⁺on calcareous soil were also studied. It was found that the sorption isotherms are linear in the strontium concentration range used herein, and the sorption of ⁹⁰Sr²⁺on the calcareous soil can be described as a reversible sorption process and the sorption mechanism is mainly ion-exchange. The sorption is dependent on ionic strength, and fulvic acid enhances the sorption of ⁹⁰Sr²⁺on calcareous soil. Organic matter present in the calcareous soil is a significant trap of ⁹⁰Sr²⁺and is responsible for the sorption.     

The transfer of natural (226Ra,?232Th, 40K) and artificial (137Cs, 90Sr) radionuclides from soil to the wood of a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

On the Stabatishke site near to Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant a near surface repository for low and intermediate-level short-lived radioactive waste is being constructed to store the waste which was produced during the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. A possible spread of radionuclides from the near surface repository and the radiation level of expression are one at the most important aspects while evaluating the safety of the repository. The article examines the specific activity of artificial (¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr) and natural (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K) radionuclides in the soil of Stabatishke site of Ignalina NPP in pinewood; the spread of these radionuclides is determined in the system “soil-tree”. The change of long term soil pollution with artificial radionuclides was estimated. This is a background soil pollution which had been there before the exploitation of the near surface waste repository. The transfer factors of natural (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K) and artificial (¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr) radionuclides from the 0-to-20-cm soil layer to different annual pinewood rings were measured. After estimation of the position of pine roots in accordance to the soil vertical and the annual change of the plant biomass, the transfer factor of ¹³⁷Cs movement to different annual pinewood rings from the separate 0 to 20-cm soil layers was determined.     

Studies of 85Sr adsorption on grain fractions of soil

Summary The adsorption of ⁸⁵Sr on grain fractions isolated from four different types of soil was studied. The influence of pH, concentration and presence of calcium ions on the process was investigated. The adsorption process depends mainly on pH, grain size of the solidandthe type of soil. Ca²⁺in the system is lowering the adsorption of ⁸⁵Sr.     

Bio Availability of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in the Soil to Earthworm (L. rubellus) System

Abstract

The earthworm's (Lumbricus rubellus) uptake of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from a soil contaminated with a commercial PCB formulation (Askarel at 150 μg g^?1) and their elimination of PCBs into a low contaminated soil (15 μg g^?1) has been studied. 17 individual congeners were monitored. The uptake and the elimination rate were similar for all PCB congeners notwithstanding their different chloro-substitution pattern which suggested that bioaccumulation of PCBs in earthworms is governed by passive, possibly diffusion controlled processes. The equilibrium state in the three-phase system, soil/soil water/earthworm was reached with a half-time around 3–4 days. The soil to earthworm bioconcentration factor ranged from 4 to 20 for tetra- to octa-chlorinated biphenyls and was weakly depending on the octanol-water partition coefficient: BCF = ?(1.3?1.8) × K _OW ^(0.35?0.40).     

Mixing of atmospheric <Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb and <Superscript>7</Superscript>Be and <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs and <Superscript>90</Superscript>Sr fission products in four characteristic soil types

Depth distribution of atmospheric ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be and ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs fission products was measured in two types of aeolian soils (desert dust and volcanic ash), irrigated paddy soil and strongly acidic soil. The depth dependence of ²¹⁰Pb, ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs show that these radionuclides have been diffused as solid soil particles in surface soil layers. In aeolian soil layers, about 50% of ⁹⁰Sr were diffused in surface soil layer and the remaining 50% had penetrated to deeper layers. The half of the fission particles containing ⁹⁰Sr were shown to have decomposed over the past 35 years.     

Determination and dynamics of kanamycin A residue in soil by HPLC with SPE and precolumn derivatization

As one of the aminoglycoside antibiotics, kanamycin has been widely used in human therapy and as an additive to promote growth and prevent disease in forage. The kanamycin residue may have potenital risks for organisms and the environment. Therefore, the monitoring of this drug may have dynamic importance. In this work, a novel method for determination and dynamic study of kanamycin A was developed through solid phase extraction and derivatization with 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride before high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The calculated recoveries were from 72.3 to 92.5%, with relative standard deviations from 2.99 to 6.94%. The detection limit of kanamycin A in soil was 0.006?mg?kg^?1 with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The dynamics in soil showed that the degradation of kanamycin A coincided with the equations C?=?1.951e^{?0.0482 t} for black soil and C?=?1.807?e^{?0.0247 t} for red soil and the half-lives were 14.38 and 28.06?d respectively. The degradation rate reached 95.19% in black soil after 63 days compared with 77.14% in red soil.