Distribution of natural and artificial radionuclides in chernozem soil/crop system from stationary experiments

The present paper focuses on the determination of radiological characteristics of cultivated chernozem soil and crops from long-term field experiments, taking into account the importance of distribution and transfer of radionuclides in the soil-plant system, especially in agricultural cropland. The investigation was performed on the experimental fields where maize, winter wheat, and rapeseed were cultivated. Analysis of radioactivity included determination of the gross alpha and beta activity as a screening method, as well as the activities of the following radionuclides: natural ( 210 Pb, 235 U, 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 7 Be) and artificial ( 90 Sr and 137 Cs). The activities of natural and artificial ( 137 Cs) radionuclides were determined by gamma spectrometry, while the artificial radionuclide 90 Sr was determined by a radiochemical analytical method. Based on the obtained results for the specific activity of 40 K, 137 Cs, and 90 Sr, accumulation factors for these radionuclides were calculated in order to estimate transfer of radionuclides from soil to crops. The results of performed analyses showed that there is no increase of radioactivity that could endanger the food production through the grown crops.