The radiochemical contamination (²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U) of zone around phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland)

Abstract

The aim of this work was the determination of the impact of phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland) for radiological protection of zone around waste heap. These studies are very important for the estimation of natural alpha radionuclides contents in the vicinity of phosphogypsum waste heap and for environmental pollution assessment of this area. The process of bioaccumulation of radionuclides in interior plants parts prove to examine their origin sources, too. The activity of ²¹⁰Po, ²³⁴U, and ²³⁸U were measured using an alpha spectrometer. The values of uranium and polonium concentration in water with immediate area of waste heap are considerably higher than in the waters of the Martwa Wisła river. The values of activity ratio ²³⁴U/²³⁸U are approximately about one in the phosphogypsum (0.97 ± 0.05) and in the water of retention reservoir and pumping station (0.92 ± 0.01 and 0.99 ± 0.08), while in the water from the Martwa Wisła river they are slightly higher than one (1.03 ± 0.07 and 1.17 ± 0.06). In the analyzed plants species the highest amounts of polonium and uranium were found in ruderal plants samples (between 51 ± 1 and 89 ± 1 for ²¹⁰Po; between 36 ± 3 and 68 ± 3 for ²³⁸U) as well as hygrophilous plant samples (18 ± 1 and 84 ± 3; 42 ± 2 and 130 ± 4, respectively for ²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U). The more amounts of ²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U radionuclides were accumulated mainly in the roots of plant species in comparison to green parts. The general conclusion of realized study is higher influence of phosphogypsum on radioactive contamination of environmental zone around heap waste in Wiślinka (northern Poland).

Keywords:

• Phosphogypsum waste heap
• polonium ²¹⁰Po
• uranium ²³⁴U and ²³⁸U
• meadow
• hygrophilous and edible plants
• corn
• water
• phosphogypsum

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Polish Ministry of Higher Education and Sciences for the financial support of this work under grant DS/8460—4—0176—1. We also would like to thank B. Plewczyński and I. Knapkiewicz farmers of private household I and II for help in realization of this study.