Uptake of ²¹⁰Po by aquatic plants of a fresh water ecosystem around the uranium mill tailings management facility of Jaduguda, India

Abstract

Purpose: The present study was designed to investigate the uptake of Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) by aquatic plants growing in a fresh water ecosystem around the tailings management facility of the uranium industry of Jaduguda, India. Evaluation of the activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po in aquatic plants, the concentration ratio of ²¹⁰Po from substrate to plants and the relationship of ²¹⁰Po with other stable elements were major objectives of the investigation.

Materials and methods: Based on the habitat, three types of plant were collected and analyzed for ²¹⁰Po activity estimation. Along with aquatic plants, effluent, surface water and bottom sediment were also collected and analyzed for ²¹⁰Po activity content. From the acid solution ²¹⁰Po was electrodeposited on brightly polished silver discs and counted for alpha activity in an alpha counter.

Results: The highest ²¹⁰Po activity concentration (4884 Bq kg⁻¹ fresh weight) was found in filamentous algae from residual water of the tailings pond. For sediment-rooted plants, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001) was observed between plant and sediment activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po.

Conclusions: For all of the three different groups of plants studied, highly significant correlations were observed between activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po and Cu with the significance level variation between 0.00–0.05 (both for linear and log transformed data).

Keywords::

• Po-210 uptake
• fresh water plants
• concentration ratio
• relationship

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to Dr D. N. Sharma, Director, Health, Safety and Environment Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, for his support and encouragement during this study. Suggestions received from colleagues of Health Physics Unit, Jaduguda, are also acknowledged. Thanks are due to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited for facilities and assistance provided during this investigation.

Declaration of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.