Investigation of the dependence of the distribution of tritium on the vegetative organs of agricultural plants on the mechanism of its intake

«Radiation and Risk», 2025, vol. 34, No. 1, pp.137-149

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2025-34-1-137-149

Authors

Mikhailov A.V. – Jun. Researcher. Contacts: 1, Kievskoe shosse, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249035. Tel.: +7 (915) 645-17-00; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Lukashenko S.N. – Chief Researcher, D. Sc., Biol
Tomson A.V. – Head of Lab., C. Sc., Tech
Edomskaya M.A. – Head of Lab., C. Sc., Biol. NRC “Kurchatov Institute” – RIRAE.
Synzynys B.I. – Prof., D. Sc., Biol. IATE MEPhI.
¹ Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Obninsk
²Obninsk Institute for National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Obninsk

Abstract

Tritium is one of the main radionuclides in the emissions of nuclear power plants during their regular operation. Given the pace of development of the nuclear energy industry, the amount of tritium in the environment will increase. The purpose of this work was to study the concentration levels and the dependence of the distribution of tritium in various vegetative organs of plants on the mechanism of its intake. Conclusions are drawn that in order to correctly assess the content of tritium in plants, it is necessary to take into account the presence of two ways of its intake, which are equally significant: root and aerial. The arithmetic mean of the coefficients L, reflecting in fact the proportion of soil moisture that entered the plant by root from its total amount, for all organs of all plants during soil cultivation is 0.43. The arithmetic mean of the coefficients R, reflecting the proportion of water supplied to the plant by the aerial route, for all plant organs of all species, both during hydroponic and soil cultivation, is 0.50. Such a high value of the R coefficient confirms the fact that a significant part of the water entering the plant is supplied by the aerial route. The concentration of tritium of free water (TFWT) in parts of the same plants, both with the aerial and with the root mechanism of tritium intake, differ significantly from each other. The arithmetic mean of the coefficients M, which are the ratio of the concentration of TFWT in the leaves to the concentration of TFWT in the stems of plants of the same species, for all plants with a root intake of tritium is 0.71, and with an aerial intake of tritium – 2.4. A difference in the absorption of tritium by different plant species has been revealed. With a steady intake of tritium, its concentrations in cucumber and tomato leaves differ by 1.5 times, and in stems by 1.2 times; with an aerial mechanism, the difference in tritium concentration reaches 2.6 times. It is noted that there is no dependence of the supply of tritium to plants on soil moisture.

Key words
tritium, plant, aerial intake, root intake, tritium distribution, radiobiology, environmental health.

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