Foliary contamination in the area of Bratislava (Czecho-Slovakia) after the Chernobyl accident

The contamination of leaves of some ornamental and fruit-tree plants (18 species), herbs (6) and early leafy vegetable (2) were assessed in the region of Bratislava and its vicinity through the first months after the Chernobyl accident. The levels of contamination showed local and temporal dependence. In October compared to its levels five months earlier, foliar contamination showed a relative 12- to 200-fold decrease of radioactivity. The effective half-life of the mixture of fission products in cumulative fallout on leaves of vegetation changed depending on time after the accident from 4 days (on day 10) to 150 days (after 2 months). The soluble fraction of radioactive contaminants on plant foliage ranged from 0.12 to 0.64.