The radiochemical contamination (²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U) of zone around phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland).

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. These studies are very important for the estimation of natural alpha radionuclides contents in the vicinity of phosphogypsum waste heap and for environmental pollution assessment of this area. The process of bioaccumulation of radionuclides in interior plants parts prove to examine their origin sources, too. The activity of (210)Po, (234)U, and (238)U 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 (234)U/(238)U 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 (between 51 ± 1 and 89 ± 1 for (210)Po; between 36 ± 3 and 68 ± 3 for (238)U) as well as hygrophilous plant samples (18 ± 1 and 84 ± 3; 42 ± 2 and 130 ± 4, respectively for (210)Po and (238)U). The more amounts of (210)Po and (238)U radionuclides were accumulated mainly in the roots of plant species in comparison to green parts. The general conclusion of realized study is higher influence of phosphogypsum on radioactive contamination of environmental zone around heap waste in Wiślinka (northern Poland).