Research - Basic physical science research

Up- take of uranuim and potasium radioisotopes by water hyacinth, eichonia crasppes from Lake Victoria. Anguma K. S and Ilukor, J ( RIP)

Abstract

We report the up take of potassium 40 and Uranium-238 radioisotopes by water hyacinth sampled from the shores of Lake Victoria around Ggaba area. The study was aimed determining the bioaccumulation of two isotopes by water hyacinth collected from the lake environment. Water hyacinth was sampled monthly for a period of six months in 1997. The samples were visually classified into young and mature categories. The roots petioles and leaves were separated by cutting, dried and ground to powder form and analyzed for two radioisotopes using the Gamma Ray Spectrometer. Potassium activity was found highest in petioles 2570.59 Bq/kg and 2206.52Bq/kg in mature and young plants respectively. However in mature plants and young plants the activity values were lower with 423.84Bq/kg and 641.93Bq/kg respectively. The activity values in the roots were intermediate to those in the roots and petioles. On the hand, uranium-238 activity was found highest in the roots 28.01Bq/kg and 42.11Bq in mature and young roots respectively, while its activity was found least in the leaves 16.19Bq/kg and 19.76Bq/kg in mature and young petioles were intermediate to those in the roots and leaves. Therefore, water hyacinth bioaccumulates measurable levels of the two radioisotopes investigated.
Key words: Radioisotopes, Uranium-238, potassium-40, water hyacinth. 

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