NUKLEONIKA 2009, 54(4):297-303

 


137Cs TRANSFER FROM LOCAL PARTICULATE MATTER TO LICHENS AND MOSSES



Andrzej Kłos1, Małgorzata Rajfur1, Maria Wacławek1, Witold Wacławek2

1 Chair of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, University of Opole,
4 kard. B. Kominka Str., 45-032 Opole, Poland
2 Chair of Chemical Physics, University of Opole, 48 Oleska Str., 45-052 Opole, Poland

Data on 137Cs radioactivity in the lichen Hypogymnia physodes and the moss Pleurozium schreberi were compared with the 137Cs content in soil for a Chernobyl 137Cs contaminated forest area of Bory Stobrawskie, southern Poland. The study area partly overlaps the so-called Opole Anomaly, where 137Cs radioactivity of forest upper soil layer in some places is 100 times greater than the average for Poland. A clear correlation between 137Cs radioactivity in the upper soil layers and in lichens and mosses was found, the relationship of which can be expressed as follows: Alichen(moss) = a + b ln(DELTAAs.), where (DELTAAs.) is the radioactivity of mobile 137Cs cations, leached from soil to an HCl solution of pH = 3.9. Lichen transplantation method was used to demonstrate the transfer of 137Cs from soil via local soil particulate matter to transplanted epiphytic lichens. During 220 days of exposure, 137Cs radioactivity in the transplanted lichens increased by 145 Bq kg–1 (d.m.). Atmospheric activity of 137Cs during this time was low (on average it was 5.4 µBq m–3). The lichens were transplanted from regions with low 137Cs soil radioactivity (ca. 30 Bq kg–1 (d.m.)) to areas where it exceeded 1400 Bq kg–1 (d.m.).

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