The Fractal Characteristic Of Plant Root System And It’s Influence On Uranium Distribution In Plant From Tailings

Uranium tailings is a potential long-term radioactive sources, which is a storage sites of low-level radioactive waste from uranium ore. Environmental management of tailings is a serious problem to all countries. Plant ecological restoration has become a hot topic, because the phytoremediation is of great significance in improving the ecological environment of tailings. Therefore the interaction of radioactive contaminants and plants also get more attention. The research about the relationship between uranium concentration and fractal dimension of plant roots can provide guidance for the environmental risk assessment of the phytoremediation.This paper mainly study the plant which come from tailings and analyzed the plant root fractal characteristics. In addition to this paper explored the relationship between plant weight, length and fractal dimension. Through studying the fractal characteristic of plant root system and it’s influence on uranium distribution in plant from tailings, we can find a suitable plant which is good at adsorbing uranium element.The main result is as follows:(1) The fractal dimension of Lemongrass vary between 1.3305 to 1.5214. The fractal dimension of Conyza vary between 1.25787 to 1.42802. The fractal dimension of Cyperusiria vary between 1.44350 to 1.45141. These plants both have typical fractal characteristics. The fractal dimension have effect on the weight and the length of plant roots. The higher the fractal dimension is, the higher the data of plant roots’ weight and length will be.(2) Through comparing the uranium concentration in plant which is growth up in tailing or in tailings surroundings, we can find that the uranium concentration in tailings was significantly higher than in tailings surroundings. The results illustrated that the environment of tailings surroundings get less pollution from tailings. Through analyzing the relationship between the fractal dimension and the uranium content of Lemongrass and Conyza, we can find that the uranium concentration is growth with root fractal dimension. The higher plant roots dimension, the more uranium accumulated in plants.(3) Through comparing the uranium concentration of the different part in plants, we can find that plant roots’ uranium concentrations are significantly higher than stems and leaves, and even some plants roots’ uranium concentration is a hundred times than other parts of plan. The ability of plant roots enriched uranium is higher than other parts. The uranium concentration of Cyperusiria is the highest, so it has advantages in uranium adsorption.