Anthrosols and radioactivity

Hello Soil Taxonomy Forum (Phorum). I was watching a BBC report on the recovery of the vegetation and wildlife of the Chernobyl area, some 30 years after the accident. There were several scientists there measuring radioactivity in the soils and sediments, and apparently (according to the BBC report), the scientists think that in the not too distant future it may be possible to allow people to return to some of the adjacent areas. That made me wonder about Anthrosols, and whether there is a level (Suborder, Great Group etc.) that considers this type of human alteration to soils. If not that, perhaps some type of a diagnostic horizon might be useful, as determined by type and intensity of radioactivity in the soil.

Apart from the above situation, there are publications about the elevated radioactivty within the fly ash that is produced from coal burning power plants, which would then be deposited over soils in the vicinity.

Just curious about this. Thanks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2019 10:51AM by Neal Stolpe.