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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.

210 Po and 210 Pb occur naturally and are the most radiotoxic isotopes of the uranium (U) decay chain. Samples of Boletus edulis and related mushroom species, including B. pinophilus , B. reticulatus , B. luridus and B. impolitus , collected from Poland and Belarus were investigated for the activity concentrations of these isotopes and also for their potential health risk through adult human consumption. The results showed that spatially, the occurrence of 210 Po and 210 Po was heterogeneous, with activities varying from 0.91 to 4.47 Bq∙kg -1 dry biomass and from 0.82 to 5.82 Bq∙kg -1 db, respectively. Caps and stipes of the fruiting bodies showed similar levels of contamination. Consumption of boletes foraged in Poland could result in exposure to a combined radiation dose of 10 µSv∙kg -1 db from both isotopes. This dose is not significant compared to the total annual effective radiation dose of 210 Po and 210 Pb (54-471 µSv∙kg -1 ) from all sources, suggesting that these mushrooms are comparatively safe for human consumption.

This pioneering study aimed to determine the activity concentrations of 210 Po, 210 Pb and uranium ( 234 U, 235 U, 238 U) radionuclides in fruit bodies of wild bolete Boletus bainiugan Dentinger and to estimate its edible safety, which may give scientific evidence for the consumption of this species. The analyses were performed using alpha spectrometer after digestion, exchange resins separation and deposition. Measurement data were analysed and interpolation maps reflecting 210 Po, 210 Pb and uranium ( 234 U, 235 U, 238 U) geographical distribution in Yunnan province (China) were presented. In addition, from the perspective of food safety, the possible related effective radiation dose to mushrooms consumers were estimated. The results indicated that 210 Po, 210 Pb and uranium ( 234 U, 235 U, 238 U) radionuclides contents in B. bainiugan were significantly different with respect to geographical distribution, and their possible intake in a part of the region was considerably higher. A very interesting observation was done according to the values of 235 U/ 238 U activity ratio indicating the occurrence of uranium faction from the global fallout of nuclear weapon tests., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The activity concentrations and distribution of 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am, and 210 Pb was determined by the analysis of six sediment cores from the Baltic Sea and Kattegat. The chronology of the sediment cores has been used to evaluate the origin and time trend of the radionuclide sources in these sediments. The sediment cores were dated with a 210 Pb model and the results were validated with fallout peaks, assumed to originate from the global nuclear weapons testing and the Chernobyl accident. Source identification, using the isotopic and radionuclide activity ratios, showed that the Chernobyl accident is the main source of 137 Cs in the Baltic Sea; for 239+240 Pu and 241 Am the dominant source was shown to be fallout from nuclear weapons tests. For 238 Pu and 241 Am the Chernobyl accident had a significant impact on the direct fallout into the Baltic Proper, with up to a 65% contribution in the sediment slices dated to 1986. In these sediment slices the maximum activity ratios of 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu and 241 Am/ 239+240 Pu were 0.314 ± 0.008 and 1.29 ± 0.06, respectively. The ratios clearly deviate from the corresponding ratios for global nuclear weapons fallout (around 0.028 and 0.54, respectively). Calculated inventories were 63-175 Bq·m -2 for 239+240 Pu, 2.8-7.8 for 238 Pu Bq·m -2 and 0.92-44.4 kBq·m -2 for 137 Cs. Different fallout patterns for 137 Cs and plutonium isotopes from the Chernobyl accident were confirmed through depth profiles analyses. The maximum inventory of 137 Cs was observed in the Bothnian Sea, while Chernobyl-derived plutonium was found to be mostly present in Northern Baltic Proper. The radionuclides distribution in the depth profiles shows how contaminated water affects the sediment as it passes sampling stations according to the current circulation pattern in the Baltic Sea. Additionally, the effect of increased activity concentrations from of river discharges in the most contaminated area in the Bothnian Sea was observed., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Presented are results of a study on accumulation of naturally occurring 210 Po and 210 Pb in ecological and conventional farming food products in Poland: fruits, vegetables and cereals. The main idea behind this research was to determine the activity concentrations of 210 Po and 210 Pb in ecological and commercial food as well as calculate and compare the effective dose (radiation) connected to different origin of analyzed food products consumption. The studies showed the majority of all compared food samples contained similar 210 Po and 210 Pb activities and statistically, the consumption of organic and commercial food would give similar annual effective dose., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this work was to determine the uranium concentration ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U) and values of the activity ratio (234)U/(238)U in soil samples collected near phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland). On the basis of the studies it was found that the values of the (234)U/(238)U activity ratio in the analyzed soils collected in the vicinity of phosphogypsum dump in Wiślinka are in most cases close to one and indicate the phosphogypsum origin of the analyzed nuclides. The obtained results of uranium concentrations are however much lower than in previous years before closing of the phosphogypsum stockpile. After this process and covering the phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka with sewage sludge, phosphogypsum particles are successfully immobilized. In the light of the results the use of phosphate fertilizers seems to be a major problem. Prolonged and heavy rains can cause leaching accumulated uranium isotopes in the phosphogypsum stockpile, which will be washed into the Martwa Wisła and on the fields in the immediate vicinity of this storage., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)