Transfer and bioaccumulation of 210Po from soil to water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forrsk.) in Vietnam

The water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forrsk.) is a common vegetable and a part of the staple diet in Vietnam. It has a well-known tendency for the high absorption of lead, including the radioactive isotope Pb-210. Pb-210 day to Po-210, which is one of the most toxic radioactive isotopes when ingested. Currently, there are few data available on the activity concentration or transfer parameters of water spinach grown in Vietnam. To provide this data, in this study, the Po-210 activity concentrations in the soil, water and the roots, stems, and leaves of two types of spinach (grown in soil flooded with water and grown in normal soil) in Hanoi, Vietnam were determined by alpha spectrometry. The order of activity concentrations for water spinach grown in unflooded was C-stem < C-leaf < C-root, while for flooded C-stem approximate to C-root < C-leaf. The transfer factors followed a similar pattern.

Automated summary

Water spinach, a common vegetable in Vietnam, is known for its high absorption of lead, including the toxic radioactive isotope Pb-210. Research found differences in activity concentrations and transfer factors of water spinach grown in different environments, indicating the need for further study on the effects of growing conditions on pollutant uptake.