Mechanization in agriculture & Conserving of the resources
Vol. 68 (2024), Issue 3, pg(s) 97-99

CONSERVING OF THE RESOURCES

Migration ability and bioaccumulation of 152Eu from Calcaric Chernozem soil to peppermint (Mentha Piperita L.) and its transfer to tincture and tea

  • 1 University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract

Europium is widely used in industry and improper waste management in its recycling can cause environmental pollution. 152Eu is obtained as a result of neutron activation of the control rods of nuclear reactors and may enter the soils after nuclear accident. The distribution of 152Eu in the environment and its transfer through the food chain can threaten the human health through its beta and gamma radiation. Therefore, knowledge of the geochemical forms of Eu and its transfer from soil to plants is important for the risk assessment in case of environmental pollution. The paper presents the results of a model study on the mobile geochemical forms and bioaccumulation of 152Eu from chernozem soil to peppermint (Mentha Piperita L.). Peppermint plant was planted in a pot with Calcaric Chernozem soil, taken from the 0-10 cm surface layer. Aqueous solution of 152EuCl3 was spiked in the soil, simulating radioactive contamination. The peppermint was grown during 8 months and samples of the soil and peppermint stems and leaves were taken at the 5th and 8th month after the radioactive contamination. The transfer factors (TFs) soil-to-plant were determined. The water-soluble, exchangeable and bound to humic and fulvic acids forms of 152Eu were studied after the 1st, 5th and 8th month after the contamination. The transfer of 152Eu from the mint leaves to tea and tincture was examined. The results showed higher TFs for the soil-leaves than soil-stems system. More than 40% of 152Eu, accumulated in the dry leaves was found to be extracted in the tea, while no radioactive europium was found in mint tincture.

Keywords

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