The absorption of atmospheric radionuclides by soybean plants was experimentally studied using a radioactive multitracer consisting of radionuclides of Sc, Mn, Co, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Eu, Gd, Yb, Hf, Re, and Ir. The soybean plants were cultivated in soil under no-rain conditions in a box containing air in which multitracer-absorbed cellulose particles were dispersed. The soil was covered with plastic film. After about one-month cultivation, the plants were harvested and washed with dilute HCl solution. The leaves, stems, and beans were subjected to γ-ray measurement. The radionuclides of As, Se, and Re were accumulated in the leaves, and those of Co, Se, and Rb were accumulated in the beans. Among them Se was accumulated to a large extent in the leaves and in the beans. Small amounts of the radionuclides of Co, Se, Rb and Re were found in the roots. Little absorption of these radionuclides into the soil occurred. These results indicate that various radionuclides in the atmosphere were absorbed through the soybean leaves and then transported to the seeds. These findings must be taken into consideration for a complete understanding of the system of uptake of radionuclides by the soybean plant.

The metabolism of phenanthrene was studied both in cell suspension cultures of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and soybean (Glycine max), and in intact plants of the water mossFontinalis antipyretica. Metabolism in cell suspension cultures strongly differed between the monocotyle and the dicotyle plant. Only small amounts oftrans-phenanthrene-9,10-dihydrodiole and phenanthrene-9,10-dione were detectable in the wheat culture. Soybean cultures, in contrast demonstrated a strong turnover resulting in a 75% reduction of the initial phenanthrene concentration. Metabolites were phenanthrene-9,10-dione, not further characterized polar metabolites and bound residues. Intact plants ofFontinalis antipyretica metabolized only small amounts of phenanthrene. Data obtained from cell cultures did not provide information for the metabolic potential in intact plants. Therefore standardized tests with model systems like suspension cultures lead to inadequate assessment of the ecological risk of certain xenobiotics.