Soil cover of the north-eastern part of the Chernokhora Mts. (Ukraine)

Soil cover in the investigated area of the Chernokhora Mts. is characterized by shallow soil profile containing a lot of unweathering crumbs of sandstone and specific character of organic matter. It is a result of very hard bedrock (especially sandstones), intensive morfphogenetic processes and very humid and cold climate. Under beech and spruce forests Dystric Cambisols and Cambic Leptosols prevail. In subalpine and alpine areas Umbric Leptosols, Lithic Leptosols and Dystric Regosols occur. The Pulmonario- Alnetum viridis vegetation occur on Hapli-Eutric Gleysols enriched by waters migrating among rocks

Sorption of 137Cs^{137}Cs and Pb on sediment samples from a drinking water reservoir

This study focused on 137Cs and Pb accumulation in sediments from the Dobczyce Reservoir in southern Poland. Elements’ spatial distribution as well as their distribution in sediment core samples were analyzed. The conditions of cesium and lead desorption were also investigated. The distribution coefficient for 137Cs (KCs) was obtained using a radiometric determination in combination with static ion-exchange chromatography. Determination of the distribution coefficient for Pb (KPb) was performed by means of atomic absorption spectrometry (electrothermal technique). The experiments were carried out considering various concentrations of potassium and calcium ions (from 5·10-3 to 10-5 mol·dm-3 by addition of KNO3 and Ca(NO3)2, respectively). It was found that: a) spatial distribution of anthropogenic 137Cs and Pb in the sediments of the Dobczyce Reservoir results mainly from hydrological conditions of the sedimentation process and, on the other hand, from the sorptive properties of the deposited material b) in the case of 137Cs sorption, a pronounced competitive effect was noted for K ions; much less effect was found for Ca. On the contrary, in the case of lead such a competitive effect was visible for Ca, much less for K. The conditions of 137Cs desorption from the sediments caused by K and Ca ions present in water were estimated

Lithic Leptosols in the subalpine and alpine meadows (poloninas) in the Bieszczady Mts and Chornokhora Mts (Eastern Carpathians)

Characteristics of the Bieszczady Mts. and Chornokhora Mts. soils at the primary stadium of development (Lithic Leptosols) has been described. These soils are very shallow formations with profile consisting of a few centimetre of 0fh mor/moder type organic matter horizon situated directly on the weathered rock (R) or on the thick-grained regolith. The organic matter is in the primary stadium of humification, its reaction is very acidic (pH 3,5-4,0) and the fulvic acids prevail within the humus substance fractions. In some cases ratio 1:1 between fulvic and humic acids can be observed

Concentrations of 137Cs^{137}Cs, 40K^{40}K radionuclides and some heavy metals in soil samples of Chochołowska Valley from Tatra National Park

This paper presents the results of determination of artificial $^{137}Cs$ and natural $^{40}K$ activity concentrations and some heavy metals in soil samples from the region of one of the main valleys of Tatra National Park (Chochołowska). Our investigation concentrated on $^{137}Cs$ and heavy metal levels in mountain soil taken from Chochołowska Valley, which revealed great variability in their concentration. The results show considerably small amounts of radionuclides $^{137}Cs$ and $^{40}K$ in the soils. Larger amounts of those elements can be found in the organic surface horizons of the soils. The evaluation of the content of those elements must be based on the bulk density analysis of the soil