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Uptake and Translocation Studies in Balsam Fir Seedlings with ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn Radioisotopes Applied to Soil Surfaces

Dep. of Natural Resource Sci., Macdonald Campus of McGill Univ., 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., H9X 3V9 Canada;

G. G. Kennedy

Nuclear Engineering Inst., École Polytechnique, P.O. Box 6079, Montreal, Que., H3C 3A7 Canada.

^* Corresponding author (zqlin{at}nrs.mcgill.ca).

ABSTRACT

Pathways of heavy metal deposits in balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L) Mill.] seedlings were investigated by simultaneously applying ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn radioisotopes on soil surfaces. Downward movement of ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn in soils was documented to the 14 to 16 cm depth 70 d after application. One-year-old needles and 3-yr-old twigs concentrated more radioisotopes than older needles and younger twigs, respectively, with the sample specific activity (kBq kg^–1) of ⁵⁴Mn 5 to 10 times higher than that of ⁶⁵Zn. The activity in seedlings on the 70th d of the experiment was 5.2% of the total remaining activity for ⁵⁴Mn (6290 kBq) and 2.6 % for ⁶⁵Zn (6031 kBq). The distribution of ⁵⁴Mn in the seedling was 31% in roots, 31% in twigs, 26% in stems, and 12% in needles, while roots retained 86% of ⁶⁵Zn. No appreciable migration of elements from internal tissues to epicuticular wax layers was found when shoots were washed in chloroform. The maximum leaching ratio was below 0.5 and 1.0% for ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn, respectively, when shoots were washed in simulated acid rain for 5 min.