3 ms·
There is evidence some plants are better suited to certain heavy isotopes. Sunflowers, for example, were shown to draw cesium into their stalks [1]. The contami
by erichurkman 13y ago
There is evidence some plants are better suited to certain heavy isotopes. Sunflowers, for example, were shown to draw cesium into their stalks [1]. The contaminated stalks would then be gathered and destroyed in a controlled manner to extract the radioactive ash.
However, in the case of Fukushima, the millions of sunflowers grown after the disaster started didn't seem to do much at all. [2]
[1] http://www.ecaa.ntu.edu.tw/weifang/cea/sunflowers.htm http://www.ecaa.ntu.edu.tw/weifang/cea/sunflowers.htm
[2] http://www.care2.com/causes/sunflowers-fail-in-nuclear-decontamination-japanese-public-rejecting-nuclear-energy.html http://www.care2.com/causes/sunflowers-fail-in-nuclear-decon...
- greenpresident 13y agoJust in case it wasn't clear: It's this phenomenon that made the sunflower an international icon of the anti-nuclear movement.
- jrlocke 13y agoPlants don't help when we choose to incorporate their radiation into our bodies: Tobacco pulls radioactive polonium-210 from the soil and air[0]. It has been found to accumulate in the lungs and continue to emit alpha-particles. [0] http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2008/08/29/radioactive-polonium-in-cigarette-smoke/ http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2008/08/29/radioacti...
- mapt 13y agoIs there any indication why?