Natural and artificial radionuclides in moss samples from the region of Northern Greece

Abstract

Terrestrial mosses obtain most of their nutrients directly from precipitation and dry deposition, and they can be used for monitoring of airborne radionuclide depositions. Ninetyfive samples of Hypnum Cupressiforme were collected in Northern Greece during the end of summer 2016. After the preparation, mosses were measured in a low-background HPGe detector with relative efficiency 32%. The activity concentrations of 7 Be ranged from 69 to 1280 Bq kg-1, and the concentrations of 137Cs ranged from 0 to 425 Bq kg-1. The concentrations of 210Pb were between 147 and 1920 Bq kg-1 and for 40K were between 120 and 750 Bq kg-1. Differences have been observed in the activity concentrations between the mosses collected from ground surface, rocks, branches and near roots. Finally, no correlation between the concentrations of 7 Be and 210Pb has been found.

Mahovine svoje nutrijente direktno dobijaju iz padavina i suvom depozicijom i mogu se koristiti za monitoring depozicije radionuklida iz vazduha. Devedesetpet uzoraka mahovina (Hypnum Cupressiforme) je sakupljeno u regionu Severne Grčke tokom kraja leta 2016. godine. Posle pripreme, mahovine su merene na niskofonskom HPGe detektoru relativne efikasnosti 32%. Izmerene koncentracije aktivnosti 7 Be su bile od 69 do 1280 Bq kg-1, aktivnosti 137Cs od 0 do 425 Bq kg-1, aktivnosti 210Pb od 147 do 1920 Bq kg-1 , a 40K od 120 do 750 Bq kg-1. Primećene su razlike u koncentracijama aktivnosti radionuklida u mahovinama koje su sakupljene sa zemlje, kamena, grana stabala i blizu korena stabla. Između 7 Be i 210Pb nije pronađena nikakva korelacija.