HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Entry, J. A. Articles by Emmingham, W. H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Entry, J. A. Articles by Emmingham, W. H. Agricola Articles by Entry, J. A. Articles by Emmingham, W. H.

Accumulation of Cesium-137 and Strontium-90 in Ponderosa Pine and Monterey Pine Seedlings

Dep. of Agron. and Soils, 202 Funchess Hall, Auburn Univ., Auburn, AL 36849-5412;

Paul T. Rygiewicz

USEPA, Environ. Res. Lab., Corvallis, OR 97333;

William H. Emmingham

Dep. of Forest Science, College of Forestry, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR 97331.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Because ponderosa pine [Pinus ponderosa (Dougl. ex Laws)] and Monterey pine (P. radiata D Don) have exceptionally fast growth rates and their abscised needles are not readily dispersed by wind, these species may be valuable for removing radioisotopes from contaminated soils. Ponderosa and Monterey pine seedlings were tested for their ability to accumulate ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr—characteristic radioisotopes of nuclear fallout—from contaminated soil. Seedlings were grown for 3 mo in 165 cm³ sphagnum peat moss/perlite (1:1 V/V) in a growth chamber. In Exp. 1, seedling accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr after 1 mo of exposure was measured. In Exp. 2, seedling accumulation of the radioisotopes during different-length exposures was measured. Seedling accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr at different concentrations of the radioisotopes in the growth medium was measured in Exp. 3. Ponderosa pine accumulated 6.3% of the ¹³⁷Cs and 1.5% of the ⁹⁰Sr present in the growth medium after 1 mo; Monterey pine accumulated 8.3% of the ¹³⁷Cs and 4.5% of the ⁹⁰Sr. Accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr by both coniferous species was curvilinearly related to duration of exposure. Accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr by both species increased with increasing concentration in the growth medium and correlated curvilinearly with radioisotope concentration in the growth medium. Large areas throughout the world are contaminated with ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr as a result of nuclear weapons testing or atomic reactor accidents. The ability of trees to sequester and store ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr introduces the possibility of using reforestation to remediate contaminated soils.

Paper no. 2863 of the Forest Res. Lab., Oregon State Univ.

Received for publication December 22, 1992.