Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nonlinear transfer of elements from soil to plants: impact on radioecological modeling

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In radioecology, transfer of radionuclides from soil to plants is typically described by a concentration ratio (CR), which assumes linearity of transfer with soil concentration. Nonlinear uptake is evidenced in many studies, but it is unclear how it should be taken into account in radioecological modeling. In this study, a conventional CR-based linear model, a nonlinear model derived from observed uptake into plants, and a new simple model based on the observation that nonlinear uptake leads to a practically constant concentration in plant tissues are compared. The three models were used to predict transfer of 234U, 59Ni and 210Pb into spruce needles. The predictions of the nonlinear and the new model were essentially similar. In contrast, plant radionuclide concentration was underestimated by the linear model when the total element concentration in soil was relatively low, but within the range commonly observed in nature. It is concluded that the linear modeling could easily be replaced by a new approach that more realistically reflects the true processes involved in the uptake of elements into plants. The new modeling approach does not increase the complexity of modeling in comparison with CR-based linear models, and data needed for model parameters (element concentrations) are widely available.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Calmon P, Thiry Y, Zibold G, Rantavaara A, Fesenko S (2009) Transfer parameter values in temperate forest ecosystem: a review. J Environ Radioact 100:757–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook CM, Sgardelis SP, Pantis JD, Lanaras T (1994) Concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu in Taraxacum ssp. in relation to urban pollution. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 53:204–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehlken S, Kirchner G (2002) Environmental processes affecting plant root uptake of radioactive trace elements and variability of transfer factor data: a review. J Environ Radioact 58:97–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han FX, Su Y, Monts DL, Waggoner CA, Plodinec MJ (2006) Binding, distribution, and plant uptake of mercury in a soil from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. Sci Total Environ 368:753–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higley KA, Bytwerk DP (2007) Generic approach to transfer. J Environ Radioact 98:4–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard BJ, Beresford NA, Copplestone D, Telleria D, Pröhl G, Fesenko S, Jeffree RA, Yankovich TL, Brown JE, Higley K, Johansen MP, Mulye H, Vandenhove H, Gashchak S, Wood MD, Takata H, Andersson P, Dale P, Ryan J, Bollhöfer A, Doering C, Barnett CL, Wells C (2013) The IAEA handbook of radionuclide transfer to wildlife. J Environ Radioact 121:55–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) (2014) Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer to wildlife. IAEA Technical Report Series No. 479. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna

  • IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) (2010) Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer in terrestrial and freshwater environments. Technical Report Series No. 472. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna

  • Jones SR, Patton D, Coppelstone D, Norris S, O’Sullivan P (2003) Generic performance assessment for a deep repository for low and intermediate level waste in the UK—a case study in assessing radiological impacts on the natural environment. J Environ Radiact 66(1–2):89–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (2011) Trace elements in soils and plants, 4th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, p 520

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch-Steindl H, Pröhl G (2001) Considerations on the behaviour of long-lived radionuclides in soil. Radiat Environ Biophys 40:93–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krauss M, Wilcke W, Kobza J, Zech W (2002) Predicting heavy metal transfer from soil to plant: potential use of Freundlich-type function. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 165:3–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir I (1918) The adsorption of gases on plane surfaces of glass, mica and platinum. J Am Chem Soc 40(9):1361–1403. doi:10.1021/ja02242a004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marschner H (1995) Mineral nutrition of higher plants, 2nd edn. Academic Press Limited, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Aguirre A, García-Orellana I, García-León M (1997) Transfer of natural radionuclides from soils to plants in a marsh enhanced by the operation of non-nuclear industries. J Environ Radioact 35:149–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGee EJ, Johanson KJ, Keatinge MJ, Synnott HJ, Colgan PA (1996) An evaluation of ratio systems in radioecological studies. Health Phys 70:215–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morton LS, Evans CV, Estes GO (2002) Natural uranium and thorium distributions in podzolized soils and native blueberry. J Environ Qual 31:155–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palm V (1994) A model for sorption, flux and plant uptake of cadmium in a soil profile: model structure and sensitivity analysis. Water Air Soil Poll 77:169–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer C, Guerinot ML (2009) A question of balance: facing the challenges of Cu, Fe and Zn homeostasis. Nat Chem Biol 5(5):333–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redjala T, Sterckeman T, Skiker S, Echevarria G (2010) Contribution of apoplast and symplast to short term nickel uptake by maize and Leptpplax emarginata roots. Environ Exp Bot 68:99–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reimann C, Koller F, Frengstad B, Kashulina G, Niskavaara H, Englmeier P (2001) Comparison of the elements composition in several plant species and their substrate from a 1,50,000-km2 area in Northern Europe. Sci Total Environ 278:87–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez PB, Tome FV, Lozano JC, Fernández MAP (2010) Transfer of 238U, 230Th, 226Ra, and 210Pb from soils to tree and shrub species in a Mediterranean area. Appl Radiat Isot 68:1154–1159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríquez PB, Tomé FV, Lozano JC (2002) About the assumption of linearity in soil-to-plant transfer factors for uranium and thorium isotopes and 226Ra. Sci Total Environ 284:167–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roivainen P, Makkonen S, Holopainen T, Juutilainen J (2011a) Soil-to-plant transfer of uranium and its distribution between plant parts in four boreal species. Boreal Environ Res 16:158–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Roivainen P, Makkonen S, Holopainen T, Juutilainen J (2011b) Transfer of elements relevant to radioactive waste from soil to five boreal plant species. Chemosphere 83:385–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salbu B, Lind OC, Skipperud L (2004) Radionuclide speciation and its relevance in environmental impact assessments. J Environ Radioact 74:233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salminen R, Gregorauskiené V (2000) Considerations regarding the definition of a geochemical baseline of elements in the surficial materials in areas differing in basic ecology. Appl Geochem 15:647–653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salminen R (ed) (2005) Geochemical Atlas of Europe. Part I: Background information, methodology and maps. Espoo: Geological Survey of Finland. http://www.gtk.fi/publ/foregsatlas. Last visited in 8 July 2015

  • Sheppard SC, Evenden WG (1992) Bioavailability indices for uranium: effect of concentration in eleven soils. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 23:117–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard MI, Sheppard SC (1985) The plant concentration ratio concept as applied to natural U. Health Phys 48:494–500

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard SC, Sheppard MI, Ilin M, Thompson P (2005) Soil-to-plant transfer of uranium series radionuclides in natural and contaminated settings. Radioprotect 40:253–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon SL, Ibrahim SA (1987) The plant/soil concentration ratio for calcium, radium, lead and polonium: evidence for non-linearity with reference to substrate concentration. J Environ Radioact 5:123–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timberley MH, Brooks RP, Peterson PJ (1970) The significance of essential and non-essential trance elements in plants relation to biochemical prospecting. J Appl Ecol 7:429–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuovinen TS, Roivainen P, Makkonen S, Kolehmainen M, Holopainen T, Juutilainen J (2011) Soil-to-plant transfer of elements is not linear: results for five elements relevant to radioactive waste in five boreal forest species. Sci Total Environ 410:191–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuovinen TS, Saengkul C, Ylipieti J, Solatie D, Juutilainen J (2013) Transfer of 137Cs from water to fish is not linear in two northern lakes. Hydrobiol 700:131–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vera Tomé F, Rodríguez MPB, Lozano JC (2003) Soil-to-plant transfer factors for natural radionuclides and stable elements in a Mediterranean area. J Environ Radioact 65:161–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaylah-Abanuz G, Tüysüz N (2009) Heavy metal contaminations of soils and tea plants in the eastern Black sea region, NE Turkey. Environ Earth Sci 59:131–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the Finnish Research Programme on Nuclear Waste Management (KYT2014 programme).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Tiina S. Tuovinen, Mikko Kolehmainen, Päivi Roivainen, Timo Kumlin, Sari Makkonen, Toini Holopainen & Jukka Juutilainen

Authors
  1. Tiina S. Tuovinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mikko Kolehmainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Päivi Roivainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Timo Kumlin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sari Makkonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Toini Holopainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jukka Juutilainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tiina S. Tuovinen.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or vertebrate animals performed by any of the authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tuovinen, T.S., Kolehmainen, M., Roivainen, P. et al. Nonlinear transfer of elements from soil to plants: impact on radioecological modeling. Radiat Environ Biophys 55, 393–400 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-016-0655-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-016-0655-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation