In this work we present the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 40K, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and 7Be in mosses. One hundred and sixty-seven moss samples were collected between 2001 and 2012 from the territory of the Sokobanja, Banja Josanica and Gamzigradska Banja spas. They were classified into 23 species. The activity concentrations (Bq/kg) in moss from Sokobanja spa were: 40K 25-427; 226Ra 0.3-36; 232Th 1.0-37; 238U 0.4-28 and 7Be 29-210; from Banja Josanica spa they were: 40K 90-242; 226Ra 2.4-11.7; 232Th 2.0-12.7; 238U 1.6-11.3 and 7Be 142-212; Gamzigradska Banja spa: 40K 95-351; 226Ra 8.0-21; 232Th 5.1-19; 238U 6.7-18 and 7Be 20-144. The activity concentrations of dominant natural radionuclides (potassium, radium, thorium and uranium) in the moss samples were within the usual ranges for the territory of Serbia. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 43009]

No abstract

In this work 137Cs and 40K radionuclide concentrations in moss collected at NP Djerdap in the period from 1996 to 2009 are presented. Values of the substrate-moss transfer factor for 137Cs and 40K were calculated. The effective and biological half-life of 137Cs in Homalothecium sericeum moss collected in the period from 1996 to 2008 on the archeological locality of Lepenski Vir was also calculated

The paper presents the results of radionuclides determination in moss (Homolothecium sp., Hypnum Cupressiforme sp., and Brachythecium sp.) and lichen (Cladonia sp.) sampled in the region of Eastern Serbia during 1996-2010. The activities in moss are in the range of 100-500 Bq/kg d. w. for 40K, and 5-50 Bq/kg d. w. for 226Ra and 232Th, while the “soil-to-moss” transfer factors are 0.45 for 40K, 3 for 226Ra, and 0.3 for 232Th. The spatial distribution of the 137Cs activities is highly non-uniform; some values reach 500 Bq/kg d. w., with less than 10% of the samples, mainly the ones taken prior to 2000, with the activity above 1000 Bq/kg d. w. The variations in the content of natural radionuclides among the moss species are not significant. The frequency pattern of the activities of natural radionuclides in lichen is similar to the one in moss, but the activities in lichen are to some extent lower. The mean activity of 137Cs in lichen is below 400 Bq/kg d. w. The mean activities of 7Be in moss and lichen sampled in 2006 and 2008 are in the range of 41-122 Bq/kg d. w., with pronounced variations between the sampling sites

Desorption of metals K, Al, Ca, Mg, Fe, Ba, Zn, Mn, Cu and Sr from Cetraria islandica (L.) with solutions whose composition was similar to that of acid rain, was investigated. Desorption of metals from the lichen was performed by five successive desorption processes. Solution mixtures containing H2SO4, HNO3 and H2SO4-HNO3 were used for desorption. Each solution had three different pH values: 4.61, 5.15 and 5.75, so that the desorptions were performed with nine different solutions successively five times, always using the same solution volume. The investigated metals can be divided into two groups. One group was comprised of K, Ca and Mg, which were desorbed in each of the five desorption processes at all pH values used. The second group included Al, Fe, Zn, Ba, Mn and Sr; these were not desorbed in each individual desorption and not at all pH values, whereas Cu was not desorbed at all under any circumstances. Using the logarithmic dependence of the metal content as a function of the desorption number, it was found that potassium builds two types of links and is connected with weaker links in lichen. Potassium is completely desorbed, 80% in the first desorption, and then gradually in the following desorptions. Other metals are linked with one weaker link (desorption 1-38%) and with one very strong link (desorption below the metal detection limit). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III43009 i br. ON 172019]