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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).

The objective of this study was determination of the polonium (210Po), uranium (234U and 238U) radionuclides and trace metals (Pb, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Hg) concentrations in mosses samples from Sobieszewo Island near the phosphogypsum waste dump in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The obtained results revealed that the concentrations of 210Po, 234U, and 238U in the two analyzed kinds of mosses: Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum scoparium were similar. Among the analyzed trace metals the highest concentration in mosses was recorded for iron, while the lowest for nickel, cadmium and mercury. The obtained studies showed that the sources of polonium and uranium isotopes, as well as trace metals in analyzed mosses are air city contaminations transported from Gdańsk and from existing in the vicinity the phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (near Gdańsk).

The aim of this work was determination of trace metals (Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu and Fe) in different plants collected in the vicinity of phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The concentrations of trace metals were determined by two methods: AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry) and OES-ICP (atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma). Enhanced levels of iron were observed in all the analyzed samples. This fact can be explained by the higher content of iron in the groundwaters of Žuławy Wiślane, where concentration of iron was 60 mg/l. The trace metals concentrations in plant samples from phosphogypsum waste heap recorded in this study are generally higher than in control sites. In this study the relationship is shown between atmospheric trace metals deposition and elevated trace metals element concentrations in plants and topsoils, especially in the vicinity of phoshpogypsum waste heap.