137Cs, 134Cs and 90Sr in the coastal Syrian mountains after the Chernobyl accident

The activity concentrations of 137Cs, 134Cs and 90Sr were determined in surface soil samples from several sites in the coastal mountains in Syria. These radionuclides were also determined in some plant samples of Lycopodium cernuum L. growing on trees on these sites. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides in the soils at the top of the mountains were higher than those on the slopes. At one of the sites, the activity concentrations of 137Cs, 134Cs and 90Sr were 4933, 139 and 194 Bq/kg dry weight, respectively, the 137Cs concentration corresponding to about 400 times that on the slope. The difference in the activity concentrations between the tops and the slopes of the mountains could be attributed to the direct contact between the Chernobyl radioactive clouds and the tops of these mountains. The activity concentrations of these radionuclides in some Lycopodium cernuum L. plant samples were 4535, 114 and 133 Bq/kg dry weight, respectively.