The effect of heather burning on the transfer of radiocaesium to smoke and the solubility of radiocaesium associated with different types of heather ash

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) dominates large tracts of the United Kingdom and fire is used as a management tool to encourage new growth. Heather contaminated with radiocaesium from the Chernobyl accident was burnt under controlled conditions giving a ‘hot’ (660 °C) and ‘cool’ (550 °C) fire. Losses of up to 40% of the radiocaesium activity were recorded in the smoke and subsequent leaching experiments, using artificial rainwater, demonstrated that a further 20% of the activity could be mobilised in a short period. The implications of using heather burning as a management tool are considered.