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Radionuclide Concentrations in Vegetation at a Solid Radioactive Waste-Disposal Area in Southeastern Idaho¹

ABSTRACT

Concentrations of ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, and ²⁴¹Am in crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn) and Russian thistle (Salsola kali L.) samples collected at a solid radioactive waste-disposal area in southeastern Idaho were significantly (P ± 0.05) greater than concentrations in control vegetation. No significant differences were found for ⁹⁰Sr or ¹³⁷Cs concentrations between the waste-disposal and control-area vegetation. Russian thistle had more radionuclide contamination than crested wheatgrass, presumably because of its greater rooting depth and spreading growth. The total radionuclide inventory of ⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, and ²⁴¹Am in vegetation at the 36-ha waste-disposal area (77 µCi) was not significantly (P > 0.05) greater than the 17 µCi in control-area vegetation. Ninety percent of the radioactivity in waste-disposal area vegetation and 99% in control-area vegetation were attributed to ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs. The Pu inventory in Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) vegetation was only 0.02% of the quantity of Pu estimated to occur in SDA surface soils in 1974. Accumulation of radionuclides by vegetation is not considered a major mode of radionuclide transport through the environment surrounding this radioactive-waste-disposal area.

Key Words: americium • nuclear waste management • plutonium • radionuclide inventory • vegetative contamination

¹ Research funded cooperatively by the Division of Waste Products and the Office of Health and Environmental Research, U.S. Department of Energy.

² Radioecologist, USDOE, Environmental Sciences Branch, Idaho National Engineering Lab., 550 Second St., Idaho Falls, ID 83401.

Received for publication July 6, 1981.