Radioactivity of soil in Croatia II: Cs, K, and absorbed dose rate.

We took samples of uncultivated soil from the surface layer (0-10 cm) at 138 sites from all over Croatia and measured their radionuclide activity concentrations with high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. This second part of our report brings the results on K and Cs to complement those on the Th and U decay chains addressed in the first part. Together they give the most complete picture of radioactivity of Croatian soil so far.

Radioactivity of soil in Croatia I: naturally occurring decay chains.

The assessment of environmental radioactivity much relies on radionuclide content in soil. This stems from the significant contribution of soil to both external and internal exposure to ionising radiation via direct emission of gamma radiation and soil-to-plant radionuclide transfer, respectively. This motivated us to carry out a systematic research on the radioactivity of soil in Croatia to obtain relevant data that can be used as a basis for understanding the related effects of geomorphological, biogeographical, and climatological properties of the environment.

Baseline radioecological data for the soil and selected bioindicator organisms in the temperate forest of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia.

The aim of this study was to provide baseline radioecological data for the temperate forest ecosystem in Plitvice Lakes National Park. Emphasis was placed on the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides since there is an acknowledged lack of data for these radionuclides in non-accident conditions in wildlife, even for bioindicator organisms. Activity concentrations of U, Ra, Pb, Th, K, Cs, and Cs were measured by gamma spectrometry in soil and bioindicators: earthworms, conifer needles, mosses, and lichens.