The simulation of long-range transport of ¹³⁷Cs from East Asia to Japan in 2002 and 2006

To evaluate the quantities of ¹³⁷Cs from past nuclear tests being transported to and deposited in Japan by naturally-occurring phenomena, the authors developed long-range transport models for ¹³⁷Cs considering Asian dust. The simulation using these models backed the observed recent increase of ¹³⁷Cs deposition along the coast of the Sea of Japan in early spring. For the sake of public safety, it is vital to ascertain whether an increase of radioactive deposition is caused by natural phenomena or a nuclear accident. The observations in recent years have suggested that dust and soil containing ¹³⁷Cs is transported from the regions around Inner Mongolia to Japan by the wind. In this paper, using observation data from the early spring of 2002 and 2006, the authors have found good agreement between the simulations and the measurements. The simulations reproduced the entrainment of ¹³⁷Cs and subsequent transport to Japan caused by strong winds associated with low pressure areas around the Inner Mongolian grasslands. The most likely cause of high-level ¹³⁷Cs deposition over northern Japan during March 2002 was ¹³⁷Cs associated with particles transported at low-altitude (1 km) and subjected to precipitation on the 22nd to 24th.     

Short- and long-term patterns of ¹³⁷Cs in fish and other aquatic organisms of small forest lakes in southern Finland since the Chernobyl accident

We summarize the patterns of ¹³⁷Cs activity concentrations and transfer into fish and other biota in four small forest lakes in southern Finland during a twenty-year period following the Chernobyl accident in April 1986. The results from summer 1986 showed fastest accumulation of ¹³⁷Cs into planktivorous fishes, i.e. along the shortest food chains. Since 1987, the highest annual mean values of ¹³⁷Cs have been recorded in fish occupying the highest trophic levels, for perch (Perca fluviatilis) 13,600 Bq/kg (ww) and for pike (Esox lucius) 20,700 Bq/kg (ww). At the same time, activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in crustacean zooplankton and Asellus aquaticus have ranged between 1000 and 19,500 Bq/kg (dw). In 2006, 5-28% of the 1987 ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration levels were still present in perch and pike. Since 1989 their ¹³⁷Cs activity concentrations in oligohumic seepage lakes have remained significantly higher than in polyhumic drainage lakes due to the increased transfer of ¹³⁷Cs into fish in the seepage lakes with lower electrolyte concentrations, longer water retention times and lower sedimentation rate.     

Local to regional emission sources affecting mercury fluxes to New York lakes

Lake-sediment records across the Northern Hemisphere show increases in atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) over the last 150 years. Most of the previous studies have examined remote lakes affected by the global atmospheric Hg reservoir. In this study, we present Hg flux records from lakes in an urban/suburban setting of central New York affected also by local and regional emissions. Sediment cores were collected from the Otisco and Skaneateles lakes from the Finger Lakes region, Cross Lake, a hypereutrophic lake on the Seneca River, and Glacial Lake, a small seepage lake with a watershed that corresponds with the lake area. Sediment accumulation rates and dates were established by ²¹⁰Pb. The pre-anthropogenic regional atmospheric Hg flux was estimated to be 3.0 μg m⁻² yr⁻¹ from Glacial Lake, which receives exclusively direct atmospheric deposition. Mercury fluxes peaked during 1971–2001, and were 3 to more than 30 times greater than pre-industrial deposition. Land use change and urbanization in the Otisco and Cross watersheds during the last century likely enhanced sediment loads and Hg fluxes to the lakes. Skaneateles and Glacial lakes have low sediment accumulation rates, and thus are excellent indicators for atmospheric Hg deposition. In these lakes, we found strong correlations with emission records for the Great Lakes region that markedly increased in the early 1900s, and peaked during WWII and in the early 1970s. Declines in modern Hg fluxes are generally evident in the core records. However, the decrease in sediment Hg flux at Glacial Lake was interrupted and has increased since the early 1990s probably due to the operation of new local emission sources. Assuming the global Hg reservoir tripled since the pre-industrial period, the contribution of local and regional emission sources to central New York lakes was estimated to about 80% of the total atmospheric Hg deposition.     

末次冰期以来青州黄土光释光测年及其对古气候的指示

黄河下游湿润-半湿润地区的鲁中黄土-古土壤沉积,是记录东亚季风气候变化的良好载体。山东青州邵庄黄土剖面粗颗粒石英(63—90 μm)光释光年代和磁化率、粒度、色度以及主量元素测试结果表明：(1)邵庄黄土末次冰期以来((51.3±2.5)—(8.1±1.1) ka)沉积连续;(2)与粒度、磁化率和色度指标相比,化学蚀变指数能够更灵敏地反映冰期-间冰期沉积旋回;(3)粒度结果表明“古土壤”层中值粒径(16.9—24.6 μm)明显高于下伏黄土层中值粒径(11.8—22.7 μm),主要是因为近源沉积在总的沉积通量中所占比例在冰期-间冰期尺度上的变化;(4)灰黑色“古土壤”层底界年龄为(19.1±1.6) ka,明显老于黄土高原全新世古土壤层底界年代(约10—11 ka),其既包含全新世沉积的加积型土壤,也包含下伏末次冰期黄土层基础上受风化、淋溶形成的非加积型土壤。虽然研究区的“古土壤”包含非加积型土壤,记录了间冰期风化成壤过程,但依然能够反映冰期-间冰期气候旋回,是东亚乃至全球气候变化的产物。     

大渡河石广东古滑坡堰塞湖沉积物光释光年代研究

堰塞是重要的极端地表过程之一,往往会造成灾难性的后果,对古堰塞湖的研究有助于对区域堰塞风险的认识。本文以青藏高原东缘大渡河上游石广东古滑坡堰塞湖为研究对象,地质证据显示该古堰塞湖的堵江高坝高约23 m,堵江滑坡的体积约1.6×10~7 m~3,堰塞湖的最小蓄水量为2.0×10~7 m~3。并选取两个湖相沉积剖面,采用单片再生法(single aliquot regeneration,SAR)与标准生长曲线法(standard growth curve,SGC)相结合的方法,测定了7个样品的光释光(optically stimulated luminescence,OSL)年龄,测年结果表明堰塞湖形成于距今约3.0 ka,结束于1.6 ka,即全新世晚期。初步推测堵江的古滑坡体可能由于地震诱发。     

Behavior of 137Cs in soils of transitional bogs

Specific features of ¹³⁷Cs accumulation, transformation, and migration in humus-peaty and peaty-gley soils of transitional bogs are discussed with reference to the southwestern part of the Russian Federation, which was most heavily contaminated after the Chernobyl accident. The influence of physicochemical soil properties and concentrations of typomorphic elements on these processes is characterized. It is concluded that bog soils accumulate ¹³⁷Cs in the form of hardly movable compounds and, as a consequence, transitional bogs are transformed into critical ecosystems.     

Compromise ultrasound dating policy in maternal serum screening for Down syndrome

Routine ultrasound biometry is the method of choice for gestational dating when screening for Down syndrome. However, it is costly and an alternative policy is to restrict ultrasound to women most likely to have menstrual dating errors. This was evaluated by statistical modelling with parameters from 14 274 women screened between January 1997 and July 2001 using free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (free β-hCG), α-fetoprotein (AFP) and unconjugated estriol (uE₃). A total of 12 711 (89%) women had both ultrasound and menstrual gestations, but in 4101 (29%) women either the last menstrual period (LMP) was uncertain or a pill-withdrawal period, or there were irregular or abnormal length cycles. The LMP was not entered in the test request form for a further 1404 (9.8%) women. Routine ultrasound dating yielded a predicted detection rate higher than for menstrual dating by 3.9–7.1%, depending on the marker combination and cut-off. The false-positive rate was reduced by 0.2–1.1%. Selectively scanning the 39% with unreliable dates increased detection by 2.6–4.6%, and reduced the false-positive rate by 0.04–0.6%. Some centres only use the ultrasound estimate of gestation when it differs from the menstrual estimate by more than 7 days. Such a rule reduces the gain in detection rate to 2.5–4.6% for routine ultrasound and 1.7–3.1% with the compromise policy; the false-positive rate reductions are 0.06–0.6% and 0.0–0.3%, respectively. We conclude that if routine ultrasound is not financially and practically feasible, the compromise policy yields a clinically important improvement in screening performance compared to menstrual dating. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global Radioactive Contamination Background in Terrestrial Ecosystems 13 Years after the Chernobyl Accident

The contents of ¹³⁷Cs in the soil, plant, and animal samples collected in the ecosystems of protected areas from the White Sea to the Black Sea in 1999 slightly differ from those in the period between 1980 and 1984. As a result of global fallout after the Chernobyl accident, the content of radioactive cesium in the soil has increased only on the territory of the Biological Station of Moscow State University at the White Sea, whereas that in the litter and plants has increased in virtually all areas studied. The isotope content in animals is actually equal to that recorded between 1980 and 1984. The mobility of ¹³⁷Cs in the soil–plant link has increased, which may be due to fallout after the accident. The duration of a complete radionuclide cycle in ecosystems decreases from 10 half-life periods in northern regions to 2.5 half-life periods in the southern regions. The Chernobyl disaster has caused no significant changes in the global radioactive background in the European part of the Russian Federation.     

Comprehensive evaluation of heavy metal contamination of sediment in Lake Dianchi by using modified AHP method and 137Cs dating

Through the use of general sampling and measurement by ¹³⁷ Cs dating, problems regarding the absence of monitoring data can easily be resolved. Further, weighted values need to be determined while Environment Quality Comprehensive Index (EQCI) is commonly used as applied in environmental quality comprehensive evaluation. In order to overcome the subjectivity in determining weights, the modified Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was designed. The modified AHP method involved the following key procedures: First, the parameters y _i1 and y _i2 were calculated based on the monitoring data; second, the factors were put in order according to the symbol and value of y _i1 and y _i2; third, the continuous odd integers, which represented the importance of factors, were given to factors according to their seating order; and, fourth, the factor weights were determined from the pair-wise comparison matrix calculated by the ratio of the given odd integers. Therefore, the weights were completely based on the monitoring data. In the present study, the comprehensive quality of sediments in five sections of Lake Dianchi were evaluated and the results indicated that the current contamination of sediments in each lake section is much more serious than at any other time in history. __________ Translated from Environmental Science, 2006, 27(8): 1531–1536 [译自: 环境科学]