Radioactivity of Selected Agricultural Soils in Croatia: Effects of Soil Properties, Soil Management, and Geological Parameters

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2017-06, Vol.228 (6), p.1, Article 218
• Main Authors: Sostaric, Marko, Zgorelec, Eljka, Babic, Dinko, Sestak, Ivana, Kisic, Ivica, Mesic, Milan, Percin, Aleksandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Agricultural land; Agricultural management; Agriculture; Anthropogenic factors; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Caesium 137; Cesium radioisotopes; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Dosage; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Fixation; Gamma radiation; Gamma rays; Geological hazards; Geology; Health problems; Human influences; Hydrogeology; Land use; Land use management; Mathematical analysis; Radioactive pollution; Radioactivity; Radioisotopes; Radionuclide kinetics; Radium isotopes; Radium radioisotopes; Soil; Soil adsorption; Soil amendment; Soil chemistry; Soil investigations; Soil management; Soil properties; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil types; Soils; Studies; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Workers; γ Radiation
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-017-3398-1

We present a study on the radioactivity of selected Croatian agricultural soils that vary considerably with respect to geological background; physical, chemical, and biological characteristics; soil type; land use; and soil management. Our investigation is focused on the main naturally occurring radionuclides ( 40 K, 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 235 U) and 137 Cs as the most threatening long-lived anthropogenic radionuclide. We find that the radioactivity level is not influenced by the application of different soil amendments, at least in moderate quantities, and that no effect of soil management can be detected as well. In contrast, geological and location-specific properties influence radionuclide content in soil, especially regarding the naturally occurring ones. Moreover, physical and chemical soil properties such as texture and soil adsorption complex, respectively, seem to be the main factors regarding fixation of 137 Cs in soil. Calculated dose rates for external exposure to the gamma radiation originating from soil have been found to be generally low, except for two locations where they are higher but not at a level that would lead to health problems for workers on the field.