137Cs content in European blueberry (Vaccinium Myrtillus L.) in forests of Ukrainian Polissia in different periods after the accident at ChNPP

Abstract

It has been established that intensive penetration of 137Cs both into the above-ground part of phytomass and blueberry is continuing at present. The transition coefficients of 137Cs (m2kg-110-3) in the above-ground part of European blueberry (17 - 53) are significantly higher than in berries (4 - 8). The decrease of the levels of 137Cs radioactive contamination in above-ground phytomass and European blueberry during the observation period was revealed. 137Cs specific activity in European blueberry decreased by 3.7 - 8.3 times, and the same indicator in the above-ground part of the phytomass decreased by 8.2 - 19.2 times during 1991 - 2016. The upper 0 - 10 cm layer of soil mineral part of moist subrory contains 69.9 % of the radionuclide total activity in soil. The highest value of this indicator was observed in 0 - 2 cm soil layer – 28.4 ± 2.0 %. The highest 137Cs specific activity was observed in the decomposed part of the forest litter and the upper 0-2 cm layer of the humus-eluvial horizon.

Keywords

• radionuclides
• European blueberry
• berries
• above-ground phytomass
• soil radiation contamination
• specific ac-tivity of radionuclides
• soddy-podzolic soils.