The leaching of natural radionuclides from the material of a uranium mill tailing at Crossen/Saxony was investigated using eight columns (20 cm diameter, 50 cm height). Six columns were irrigated in the laboratory by synthetic rainwater of pH 6, 3 and 2, two columns were exposed outdoor to natural meteorological conditions. In the effluent of the columns, the concentrations of the radionuclides were measured periodically. With exception of the initial phase after installation of the columns (ca. 0.4 y), the leaching rates of radionuclides decreased slowly within the observation period of 4.5 years. Due to the buffering capacity of the tailings material, acidifying the irrigation water of the laboratory columns did not effect the effluent concentrations of the radionuclides. However, significant differences were observed between laboratory and outdoor columns: outdoor, the concentration of
Uptake of uranium, thorium, radium and potassium by four kinds of dominant plants grown in uranium mill tailing soils from the southern part of China
