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RETRACTED ARTICLE: Release, deposition and elimination of radiocesium (137Cs) in the terrestrial environment

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This article was retracted on 01 March 2016

Abstract

Radionuclide contamination in terrestrial ecosystems has reached a dangerous level. The major artificial radionuclide present in the environment is 137Cs, which is released as a result of weapon production related to atomic projects, accidental explosions of nuclear power plants and other sources, such as reactors, evaporation ponds, liquid storage tanks, and burial grounds. The release of potentially hazardous radionuclides (radiocesium) in recent years has provided the opportunity to conduct multidisciplinary studies on their fate and transport. Radiocesium’s high fission yield and ease of detection made it a prime candidate for early radio-ecological investigations. The facility setting provides a diverse background for the improved understanding of various factors that contribute toward the fate and transfer of radionuclides in the terrestrial ecosystem. In this review, we summarize the significant environmental radiocesium transfer factors to determine the damaging effects of radiocesium on terrestrial ecosystem. It has been found that 137Cs can trace the transport of other radionuclides that have a high affinity for binding to soil particles (silts and clays). Possible remedial methods are also discussed for contaminated terrestrial systems. This review will serve as a guideline for future studies of the fate and transport of 137Cs in terrestrial environments in the wake of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 2011.

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Acknowledgments

This research is supported by High Impact Research MoE Grant UM.C/625/1/HIR/MoE/SC/04 from the Ministry of Education Malaysia. Thanks also for the support by UMRG (RG257-13AFR) and FRGS (FP038-2013B).

Conflict of interest

The authors certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf & Ayesha Masood Khan

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Mushtaq Ahmad

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Shatirah Akib

  4. Department of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled S. Balkhair

  5. Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Nor Kartini Abu Bakar

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  1. Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf
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  2. Ayesha Masood Khan
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  3. Mushtaq Ahmad
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  4. Shatirah Akib
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  5. Khaled S. Balkhair
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Correspondence to Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf.

Additional information

This article has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief. After a thorough investigation carried out according to the Committee on Publication Ethics guidelines, we have strong reason to believe that the peer review process was compromised.

An erratum to this article can be found online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10653-016-9811-7.

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Ashraf, M.A., Khan, A.M., Ahmad, M. et al. RETRACTED ARTICLE: Release, deposition and elimination of radiocesium (137Cs) in the terrestrial environment. Environ Geochem Health 36, 1165–1190 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9620-9

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