137Cs distribution in tropical fruit trees after soil contamination

Gamma-ray spectra from guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica) and avocado (Persea americana) trees were measured. These tropical fruit trees were planted at one site that was contaminated by 137Cs due to a radiological accident occurred in the city of Goiânia, Brazil, in 1987. The 137Cs concentrations in fruit, leaves, twigs, stems, and roots were measured in order to determine its distribution in tropical fruit trees. Binary diagrams of the 137Cs radial distribution in the main trunk are presented. Comparisons with longitudinal and radial distributions of 40K for these trees are also shown. The 137Cs concentration is higher in fruit, leaves and bark than in the inner parts of the plant (main trunk and stems) and neither symmetrical nor homogeneous behavior of the 137Cs radial distribution is observed.