Persistence of 137Cs in the litter layers of forest soil horizons of Mount IDA/Kazdagi, Turkey

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity Vol. 139; pp. 125 - 134
• Main Authors: Karadeniz, Özlem, Karakurt, Hidayet, Çakır, Rukiye, Çoban, Fatih, Büyükok, Emir, Akal, Cüneyt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Cesium Radioisotopes - analysis; Cs-137; Forest; Forests; Radiological mapping; Soil - chemistry; Soil horizon; Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Turkey; Forest; Soil horizon; Cs-137; Radiological mapping
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.10.004

In 2010–2012, an extensive study was performed in forest sites of Mount IDA (Kazdagi)/Edremit 26 years after the Chernobyl accident. The 137Cs activity concentrations were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry in the forest soil layers (OL, OF + OH and A horizons) separately. Based on 341 surface soil samples and 118 soil profiles, activity concentrations of 137Cs in OL horizons varied between 0.25 ± 0.14 and 70 ± 1 Bq kg−1, while the ranges of 137Cs activity concentrations in OF + OH and A horizons were 13 ± 1–555 ± 3 Bq kg−1 and 2 ± 1–253 ± 2 Bq kg−1, respectively. Cesium-137 deposition in the study area was estimated to be in the range of 1–39 kBq m−2 and a linear relationship between the deposition of 137Cs and the altitude was observed. The distributions of 137Cs activities in OL, OF + OH and A horizons throughout the region were mapped in detail. The highest 137Cs activities were found in OF + OH horizons, with markedly lower 137Cs activity in mineral horizons of soil profiles. It is observed that 137Cs content of humus layer increases with the thickness of the humus layer for coniferous forest sites. The 137Cs activity concentrations were higher than the recommended screening limits (150 Bq kg−1) at some of the investigated areas. The current activity concentration of top soil layers indicates that over many years since the initial deposition, 137Cs activity is keeping still high in the organic horizons.
•137Cs activity levels in the forested areas at the Mount IDA/Kazdagi were obtained.•Maps of 137Cs activities in the OL, OF+OH and A horizons were represented.•Activity concentrations of 137Cs in organic horizons varied from 13 to 555 Bq kg−1.•Deposited 137Cs is still present in the surface layers of the forest soils.