Radioactivity in vegetables

⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs contents in vegetables have been measured annually over more than four decades. Until 1991, the sampling programme covered a range of zones over Denmark . However, since 1992, these samples have only been collected in Roskilde. Contamination levels have in general declined since the large atmospheric nuclear tests ended in 1963. Since the early 1980’s, ⁹⁰Sr levels in potatoes have typically declined with an effective half-life of 15-20 years. The radiocaesium deposition after the Chernobyl accident (1986) was sufficient to result in a clear increase in the ¹³⁷Cs contamination level - particularly in apples. The direct deposition of radionuclides on a mature plant generally gives much higher crop contamination levels than does root uptake from radionuclide deposition on the soil. It should be noted that the radionuclide uptake from soil to vegetables varies considerably according to species. Also the soil type and fertilising status are important parameters influencing plant uptake in general.

	Strontium-90 in potatoes collected in 1959-2008
	Caesium-137 in potatoes collected in 1963-2008
	Strontium-90 in white cabbage collected in 1960-2008
	Caesium-137 in white cabbage collected in 1963-2008
	Strontium-90 in apples collected in 1960-2008
	Caesium-137 in apples collected in 1963-2008
	Strontium-90 in carrots collected in 1960-2008
	Caesium-137 in carrots collected in 1963-2008

Page updated by 25.08.2009

Kasper Grann Andersson
Senior Scientist
Radiation Research (NUK)
Dir tel+45 46774173