Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Measuring Fluxes of Mineral Nutrients and Toxicants in Plants with Radioactive Tracers
Published on: August 22, 2014
14C content in vegetation in the vicinities of Brazilian nuclear power reactors
Cíntia Melazo Dias1, Roberto Ventura Santos, Kristina Stenström
1National Commission of Nuclear Energy, Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil. cintia@cnen.gov.br <cintia@cnen.gov.br>
Abstract:
(14)C specific activities were measured in grass samples collected around Brazilian nuclear power reactors. The specific activity values varied between 227 and 299 Bq/kg C. Except for two samples which showed (14)C specific activities 22% above background values, half of the samples showed background specific activities, and the other half had a (14)C excess of 1-18%. The highest specific activities were found close to the nuclear power plants and along the main wind directions (NE and NNE). The activity values were found to decrease with increasing distance from the reactors. The unexpectedly high (14)C excess values found in two samples were related to the local topography, which favors (14)C accumulation and limits the dispersion of the plume. The results indicate a clear (14)C anthropogenic signal within 5 km around the nuclear power plants which is most prominent along northeastwards, the prevailing wind direction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...
Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating
Nuclear Transmutation
Biological Effects of Radiation
Nuclear Binding Energy
Nuclear Fission

