Distribution of radiocaesium in an Austrian forest stand

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on caesium accumulation and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle of Sorghum halepense

“…Environmental pollution by radiocaesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs) results from nuclear installations and above-ground testing of thermo-nuclear weapons, thereby the soil becomes the world major reservoir 1,2 . Due to the low mobility of radiocaesium in soils, this radio-pollutant mainly accumulates in the topsoil 3 ; as a consequence, one of the principal routes for radiocaesium entry into the food chain is by means of soil-to-plant 4 , becoming a serious hazard for human health 5,6 .…”

Cs-137 distribution in forest floor and surface soil layers from two mountainous regions in Bulgaria

“…It also participates in the augmentation of the total radioactivity received by the population. In the cycle of Cs-137 the soil system together with the vegetation constitute the most important reservoir of this pollutant (Strebl et al, 1999;McGee et al, 2000).…”

Recent trends and explanation for airborne137Cs activity level increases in France

“…Another consequence of the spreading and redistribution of radionuclides from biomass burnings is the relative depletion of the radionuclide amounts in the emission area [5]. Among recent studies aimed at the 137 Cs distribution in various parts of the forest ecosystem, more than 70% and up to 99% of the 137 Cs is concentrated in the forest litter and upper mineral and/or organic layers of the soil [12,13]. The remainder part, only few per-cents of the 137 Cs inventory, is stored in the living biomass [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…Among recent studies aimed at the 137 Cs distribution in various parts of the forest ecosystem, more than 70% and up to 99% of the 137 Cs is concentrated in the forest litter and upper mineral and/or organic layers of the soil [12,13]. The remainder part, only few per-cents of the 137 Cs inventory, is stored in the living biomass [8][9][10][11][12][13]. Nevertheless it was demonstrated that wood burning for domestic or collective purposes and release of smokes through fireplaces can also explain increases of airborne 137 Cs levels [14].…”