Retention and phytoavailability of radioniobium in soils

Radioniobium is present in long-lived nuclear waste as a result of the activation of zirconium pellets associated with the nuclear fuel. The behaviour of niobium (Nb) in the environment and especially its fate in the soil–plant system has not been thoroughly investigated so far. In safety assessment of French long-lived nuclear waste disposal, data concerning the mobility and the bioavailability of Nb in soils are needed as well as general trends of its fate in the specific environment around the site of French underground research laboratory. Therefore, we investigated the mobility of 95Nb in three different soils typical of the area of north-eastern France and its uptake by two plants, rye grass (Lolium perenne L.) and winter wheat (Triticum æstivum L.). Soil:solution distribution of 95Nb was observed in 1:10 batch experiments with deionized water for a 3-day period. Results showed that Kd values were high (in the order of 103 L kg−1) and were still significantly increasing after 3 days. A mathematical model, fitted to describe the decrease of the radioactivity after 3 days, is proposed to calculate sorption ratios—SR—(rather than Kd values as equilibrium was not reached) over longer periods. Soil-to-plant concentration ratios (CR) were measured in shoots and roots of the two plants after cultivation on two soils spiked with 95Nb (406 kBq kg−1). Soil-to-root dry weight CR were high (0.30–1.52) and could probably be due to efficient uptake into the roots. However, no transfer of Nb to plant shoots was detected in any of the soils. Nb is thus a rather immobile element in soils and its transfer to plants seems limited to underground parts. It would therefore tend to accumulate in surface horizons of soils in case of long-term continuous surface release.