Wild plant species in bio-indication of radioactive-contaminated sites around Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear power plant in the Slovak Republic

In a long-term study of contaminated soil around Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear power plant (NPP), 24 species of local flora were used to show impact of serious accidents from 1976 to 1977. The 19-km-long banks of the Jaslovské Bohunice NPP wastewater recipient have been identified as contaminated by 137Cs. In total, more than 67,000 m2 of riverbanks have been found as being contaminated at levels exceeding 1 Bq 137Cs g−1 of soil. Used phytotoxic and cytogenetic “in situ” tests were extended by analyses of pollen grains. Although the dose of some samples of radioactive soil was relatively high (322 kBq kg−1) no significant impact on the biological level of tested wild plant species was observed.