Substratum influences uptake of radium-226 by plants.

Radium-226, an alpha emitter with half-life 1600 years, is ubiquitous in natural environments. Present in rocks and soils, it is also absorbed by vegetation. The efficiency of Ra uptake by plants from the soil is important to assess for the study of heavy metals uptake by plants, monitoring of radioactive pollution, and the biogeochemical cycle of radium in the Critical Zone.