Uptake and transport of radioactive nickel and cadmium into three vegetables after wet aerial contamination

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality 2005-09, Vol.34 (5), p.1497-1507
• Main Authors: Fismes, J, Echevarria, G, Leclerc-Cessac, E, Morel, J.L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Applied sciences; atmospheric deposition; beans; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Botany; Cadmium; Cadmium Radioisotopes - pharmacokinetics; Contamination; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Crops, Agricultural - metabolism; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabaceae - growth & development; Fabaceae - metabolism; Fruits; fruits (plant anatomy); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth chambers; Lactuca - growth & development; Lactuca - metabolism; Lactuca sativa; Leaves; lettuce; Life Sciences; Nickel; Nickel - pharmacokinetics; Phaseolus vulgaris; plant growth; Plant species; Plants; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Radioactive materials; Radioactivity; Radioisotopes; Radioisotopes - pharmacokinetics; radionuclides; radishes; Raphanus - growth & development; Raphanus - metabolism; Raphanus sativus; Retention; Seeds; Spectrometry, Gamma; Trace elements; Translocation; uptake mechanisms; Vegetables; Water pollution; Wet deposition
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.0274

Knowledge of radionuclide or trace element retention and translocation to plants following an aerial contamination event, for example, sprinkling with contaminated water, is necessary for the evaluation of human exposure through consumption of contaminated vegetables. The fate of 63Ni and 109Cd in all plant parts of three different vegetables after wet deposition on leaves or on fruits was studied. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under controlled conditions in a growth chamber were contaminated with 63Ni and 109Cd either on leaves, by means of two different contamination methods (a single early contamination and a repetitive one), or on bean husks (third contamination method: a single contamination at a late stage). Spiked and nonspiked organs were harvested at maturity and radionuclide contents were measured. The fraction retained was on average 56% of the initially administered doses of 63Ni and 87% of 109Cd. The leaf-to-other organ translocation factor was considerably higher for 63Ni (on average 43% of retained radioactivity) than for 109Cd (8%). Nickel-63 migrated throughout the whole plant following foliar contamination, and mainly toward young leaves, seeds in formation, and sink organs, whereas 109Cd migrated to a much lesser extent and only to the organs that were closest to the spiked one, and not at all into fruit. After a fruit contamination event, both radionuclides were translocated into the seeds of spiked fruits. Radionuclide retention and translocation were not affected by plant species, but principally by the type of organ contaminated.