Chlorine 36 dry deposition on lettuce and maize crops.

Chlorine is a mineral nutrient which, in a certain amount in the form of chloride, is essential for plant development. However, the atmosphere-plant transfer of its radioactive isotope, chlorine-36, is still poorly understood. In this study, dry deposition of Cl on lettuce and maize was determined experimentally.

First measurements of chlorine 36 (Cl) wet deposition fluxes in the vicinity of Orano La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant in France.

Chlorine 36 (Cl) is a radionuclide of natural and anthropogenic origin, mainly used as a tracer in geochemical studies. Owing to analytical constraints and its low environmental levels, knowledge of Cl behavior in the environment is still very limited. In this study, we use environmental measurements to report for the first time the wet deposition fluxes of Cl downwind an anthropogenic source, the Orano nuclear reprocessing plant, which chronically emits Cl into the environment.

First quantitative constraints on chlorine 36 dry deposition velocities on grassland: Comparing measurements and modelling results.

Once released into the atmosphere, radionuclide dry deposition represents a major transfer process. It can be accurately characterized by its deposition velocity. However, this parameter is poorly constrained for most radionuclides, including chlorine 36.