Translocation and depuration of Cs-137 in tea plants

Translocation and percent distribution of Cs-137 in different parts of the tea plant have been investigated from the foliar absorption and root uptake in Chernobyl contaminated soil during 1987-1994. The results showed that the transfer of the radionuclide from soil to the plant occured only in the roots during this long period, On the other hand, the present data confirmed that the new leaves of the plant directly accumulated Cs-137 from the stem in growing seasons after translocation into the stem from leaves during the Chernobyl accident. The natural depuration rate of Cs-137 in the stem part of tea plant is estimated as on effective half-life 1750 days.