Radioecology study to benefit tropical nations

A Northern Territory radioecology study being conducted by ANSTO will substantially improve environmental risk assessments in tropical nations across the world.

The study of radioactive traces from soil into sorghum and mung bean crops, which is entering its final phase, is part of an international collaborative research program initiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

"It is expected that some countries in the tropics will utilise nuclear energy in the next few decades, so key information to improve environmental risk assessments is vital," said ANSTO's John Twining. "Because similar soils predominate right across the tropics, other countries will be able to use our Australian data to help predict the impacts of any potential environmental releases.

"Until this study was undertaken there was virtually no relevant information on the behaviour of radionuclides in tropical Australian soils and crops as research has been restricted largely to the temperate regions," Mr Twining said.

"This study has shown that most radioisotopes in this tropical environment behave in a similar fashion to those studied in temperate regions and crops, although some are showing higher than expected bioaccumulation.

"The soil-to-plant transfer is also declining each year as the radioactivity binds more strongly to the soil. Soil penetration has been slow with most activity only reaching a few centimetres from the surface of the soil."

Mr Twining said the study was ending because the level of radioactivity had decayed to such low concentrations that it is now almost undetectable.

Item provided courtesy of ANSTO