The radiochemical contamination (²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U) of zone around phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland)

University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, Sobieskiego 18, Gdańsk, Poland

^a aborylo@chem.univ.gda.pl

Abstract

The aim of this work was the determination of the impact of phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland) for radiological protection of zone around waste heap. The activity of ²¹⁰Po, ²³⁴U, and ²³⁸U were measured using an alpha spectrometer. The values of uranium and polonium concentration in water with immediate area of waste heap are considerably higher than in the waters of the Martwa Wisła river. The values of activity ratio ²³⁴U/²³⁸U are approximately about one in the phosphogypsum (0.97±0.05) and in the water of retention reservoir and pumping station (0.92±0.01 and 0.99±0.08), while in the water from the Martwa Wisła river they are slightly higher than one (1.03±0.07 and 1.17±0.06). In the analyzed plants species the highest amounts of polonium and uranium were found in ruderal plants samples as well as hygrophilous plant samples. The more amounts of ²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U radionuclides were accumulated mainly in the roots of the analyzed plant species. The significant source of polonium and uranium in the natural environment is dry and wet atmospheric fallout in the immediate vicinity of phosphogypsum waste heap and the transfer via root for distant areas. The general conclusion of realized study is higher influence of phosphogypsum on radioactive contamination of environmental zone around heap waste in Wiślinka (northern Poland).