Influence of time, temperature, pH and inhibitors on bioaccumulation of radiocaesium - 137Cs by lichen Hypogymnia physodes

Caesium bioaccumulation experiments were carried out at 4 to 60°C using natural samples of the lichen Hypogymnia physodes. Thalli were incubated in 2.5 mi mol.l 1 CsCl solutions labelled with 137CsCl for up to 24 h at pH values from 2 to 10. Bioaccumulation of Cs+ ions in the first phase of the lichen-CsCl solution interaction is rapid, neither pH, nor temperature dependent within the range 4 to 60°C and observed also with the lichen biomass thermally inactivated at 60°C or chemically by formaldehyde. The second phase of 137Cs bioaccumulation is time, temperature and pH dependent and is inhibited by formaldehyde and thermal inactivation. The process at the initial concentration C0 = 2.5 ěmol.l 1 CsCl and 20°C reached equilibrium within 12 hours. It can be described by the first order reaction kinetics equation: log [Ct] = 1.89 - 0.00153 t, R = 0.950. Maximal values of Cs-bioaccumulation were observed at 20°C with minimum at 4°C and 40°C and at pH 4 5 with minimum at pH 2 and pH 6. Low caesium efflux values from lichen thalli by water and 0.1 mol.l 1 neutral salts at 20°C and 24 h equilibrium were observed. Efflux characterized by distribution coefficients D = [Cs]solution/[Cs]biomass at biomass/solution ratio 1:25 (w/v, wet wt.), decreases in the order: Li+- 78 × 10 3 >NH4 + = K+ 15 × 10 3 > Cs+ = Na+ 11 × 10 3. Low extractability of caesium from lichen by water and salt solutions can explain long persistent times of radiocaesium contamination sorbed by lichens, observed by many authors in caesiumcontaminated forest and mountain regions. Hypothesis of the role of the lichen secondary metabolites as caesium binders is discussed.