Metabolised Tritium and Radiocarbon in Lichens and Their Use as Biomonitors |
| |
| Authors: | Olivier Daillant David Boilley Martin Gerzabek Justin Porstendörfer Roland Tesch |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Observatoire Mycologique, Néronde, F. 71 250, Mazille, France;(2) Association pour le Contrôle de la Radioactivité dans l Ouest (ACRO), 138 rue de lEglise, F. 14 200, Herouville-Saint-Clair, France;(3) Universität für Bodenkultur and Forschungszentrum Seibersdorf, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria;(4) Central Isotope Laboratory, University of Göttingen, Burckhardtweg 2, D. 37 077, Göttingen, Germany;(5) Forschungszentrum Seibersdorf, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria |
| |
| Abstract: | Lichens are now well known for their potential as bio-indicators of environmental pollution, but less is known about their suitability as quantitative biomonitors for atmospheric emissions of tritium (mainly as tritiated water, HTO) and radiocarbon (as 14CO2) from nuclear facilities, although both radionuclides could result in non-trivial individual or collective radiation doses due to their high environmental mobility and their long half-lives. 3H and 14C are fixed in lichens mainly by the photosynthesis of the algal partner and then stored in the organic molecules of both alga and fungus. They have the advantage of allowing the monitoring of atmospheric water vapour without interference of soil water or soil organic substances as long as soil-inhabiting species are avoided. Lichens were collected in the surroundings of (military and civil) nuclear facilities, in areas away from any direct source of contamination and some were transplanted from a contaminated area to a non-contaminated one. The influence of the nuclear facilities can be clearly traced, sometimes in a spectacular way and the first results of analyses after transplants give a base for estimating the effective half-life of 3H in lichens. |
| |
| Keywords: | biomonitoring lichens photosynthesis radiocarbon tritium |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
