Uptake and Distribution of Natural 238U, 232Th, and 40K Radionuclides in Olive Trees Grown in Hausha Area, Jordan
Publication: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25, Issue 4
Abstract
This study focused on determining the concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in olive trees components grown in an area with natural radionuclides (Hausha, Jordan), and in the corresponding soil samples via gamma-ray spectroscopy (GRS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). In addition, the transfer factors (TFs) and the effects of selected soil properties on the uptake of these radionuclides were explored. Results indicated that the mean activity concentration of 238U in soil samples is 33.26 Bq/kg while no 238U was detected in any plant part. For 40K, the mean activity concentration in soil samples is 486.30 Bq/kg, in olive fruits reached a value of 577.77 Bq/kg and in olive oil is 17 Bq/kg. As for 232Th, in soil is 33.04 Bq/kg, in olive fruits is 4.30 Bq/kg, and was not detected in olive oil. The concentration of 232Th in olive fruits exceeded the recommended limiting value of 0.5 × 10−3 Bq/kg and no given reference value for 40K exists. Moreover, the soil organic matter content and alkalinity influenced the uptake of these radionuclides.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the deanship of scientific research at Jordan University of Science and Technology for funding the work through the research group project No. 497-2019.
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Published In
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25 • Issue 4 • October 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 15, 2020
Accepted: Mar 16, 2021
Published online: May 31, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Oct 31, 2021
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