Abstract

A field study on the transfer of primordial radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and fallout radionuclides ²¹⁰Po in different plant species in tropical forest of western Ghats environment, India, is presented. The Top storey, Short storey, Shrubs and Epiphytic plant species were sampled and concentration of these radionuclides in plant and soil were measured by employing a gamma ray spectrometer and an alpha counter. The soil-plant concentration ratio shows the variation of radionuclide accumulation in different species while a wild plant Elaeocarpus oblongus and epiphytic plants indicated preferential uptake of these radionuclides. The dust particles dust trapped in the root system of epiphytic plants could be used as bioindicator to monitor fallout radionuclides in the Western Ghats. The concentration of ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in leaves depends on the age of the leaves

Key words: Western Ghats, primordial radionuclides, concentration ratio,Elaeocarpus oblongus, bioindicator.