长江中下游湖泊沉积速率的测定及环境意义——以洪湖、巢湖、太湖为例

对长江中下游洪湖、巢湖和太湖沉积物采用210Pb和137Cs相结合的方法测定沉积速率。洪湖钻孔中210Pbex随深度的增加没有呈现指数衰减分布,因此获得的平均沉积速率并不可靠;而根据137Cs蓄积峰计算得出洪湖钻孔在1963~1986年沉积速率最大,这可能是因为当时大规模开垦导致湖区周围水土流失,大量的侵蚀物质被带入湖中,从而导致沉积速率上升。对巢湖钻孔用210Pb法和137Cs得到的沉积速率具有可比性,研究发现20世纪70年代以来随着深度的减少,巢湖钻孔中沉积通量在增加,说明巢湖流域内水土流失逐步加重,可能与土地开发、植被破坏等人为活动有关。对太湖钻孔利用137Cs 1963年对应的蓄积峰进行校正,采用210Pb计年的CRS模式获得不同时段的沉积速率发现在80年代末尾沉积物堆积通量最高,达到0.6 g·cm-2·a-1。两种计年方法的结合有助于认识沉积速率的变化情况。     

(210)Pb and composition data of near-surface sediments and interstitial waters evidencing anthropogenic inputs in Amazon River mouth, Macapá, Brazil

Activity profiles of excess ²¹⁰Pb determined in three sediment cores from Amazon River mouth, Macapá city, Brazil, provided the evaluation of sedimentation rates, contributing to a better knowledge of the hydrological conditions in the site that is the capital of Amapá State and is drained by the waters of the huge Amazon River. Chemical data were also determined in the sediments, allowing identify signatures coupled to anthropogenic inputs held in the past in Amapá State. Significant direct relationships between LOI (loss on ignition) and organic matter were found for all sediments profiles. Silica was found to be inversely related to organic matter in the three profiles; its decrease accompanied an increase on the specific surface of the sediments. This relationship was confirmed by a great number of inverse significant correlations among silica and oxides Na₂O, K₂O, CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, P₂O₅, Fe₂O₃ and MnO. It was possible to identify the role of organic matter on adsorption of several oxides in the core sediments profiles. Apparent sediment mass accumulation rates corresponding to values between 450 and 2510 mg cm⁻² yr⁻¹ were obtained, and are compatible with the results of others studies. The ²¹⁰Pb activities in one sampling point suggested the occurrence of anthropogenic inputs related to the initial period of the mining activities conducted in Serra do Navio, Amapá State, for the commercialization of Mn ores. This was reinforced by the abrupt fluctuations in chemical data obtained for the sediments and composition of the interstitial waters occurring there. The Atlantic hurricane activity also appeared to affect the sedimentation rates in the area, as two different values were recorded in each profile.     

Increase of 210Po levels in human semen fluid after mussel ingestion

Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) radioactive concentrations were determined in human semen fluid of vasectomized non-smoker volunteers. The ²¹⁰Po levels ranged from 0.10 to 0.39 mBq g⁻¹ (mean: 0.23 ± 0.08 mBq g⁻¹). This value decreased to 0.10 ± 0.02 mBq g⁻¹ (range from 0.07 to 0.13 mBq g⁻¹) after two weeks of a controlled diet, excluding fish and seafood. Then, volunteers ate during a single meal 200 g of the cooked mussel Perna perna L., and ²¹⁰Po levels were determined again, during ten days, in semen fluid samples collected every morning. Volunteers continued with the controlled diet and maintained sexual abstinence through the period of the experiment. A 300% increase of ²¹⁰Po level was observed the day following mussel consumption, with a later reduction, such that the level returned to near baseline by day 4.     

Using ²¹⁰Pb measurements to estimate sedimentation rates on river floodplains

Growing interest in the dynamics of floodplain evolution and the important role of overbank sedimentation on river floodplains as a sediment sink has focused attention on the need to document contemporary and recent rates of overbank sedimentation. The potential for using the fallout radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and excess ²¹⁰Pb to estimate medium-term (10-10² years) sedimentation rates on river floodplains has attracted increasing attention. Most studies that have successfully used fallout radionuclides for this purpose have focused on the use of ¹³⁷Cs. However, the use of excess ²¹⁰Pb potentially offers a number of advantages over ¹³⁷Cs measurements. Most existing investigations that have used excess ²¹⁰Pb measurements to document sedimentation rates have, however, focused on lakes rather than floodplains and the transfer of the approach, and particularly the models used to estimate the sedimentation rate, to river floodplains involves a number of uncertainties, which require further attention. This contribution reports the results of an investigation of overbank sedimentation rates on the floodplains of several UK rivers. Sediment cores were collected from seven floodplain sites representative of different environmental conditions and located in different areas of England and Wales. Measurements of excess ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs were made on these cores. The ²¹⁰Pb measurements have been used to estimate sedimentation rates and the results obtained by using different models have been compared. The ¹³⁷Cs measurements have also been used to provide an essentially independent time marker for validation purposes. In using the ²¹⁰Pb measurements, particular attention was directed to the problem of obtaining reliable estimates of the supported and excess or unsupported components of the total ²¹⁰Pb activity of sediment samples. Although there was a reasonable degree of consistency between the estimates of sedimentation rate provided by the ¹³⁷Cs and excess ²¹⁰Pb measurements, some differences existed and the various models used to interpret excess ²¹⁰Pb measurements could produce different results. By using the ¹³⁷Cs measurements to provide independent validation of the estimates of sedimentation rate provided by the different models used with the excess ²¹⁰Pb measurement it was shown that the CICCS and Composite CRS models appeared to generally provide the best results.     

Transfer factors of Polonium from soil to parsley and mint

Transfer factors of ²¹⁰Po from soil to parsley and mint have been determined. Artificial polonium isotope (²⁰⁸Po) was used as a tracer to determine transfer factor of Po from soil to plant in pot experiments. Two plant growing systems were used for this study namely, an outdoor system and a sheltered system by a polyethylene tent. ²⁰⁸Po and ²¹⁰Po were determined in soil and different parts of the studied plants (stem and leaf), using alpha spectroscopy. The results have shown that there was a clear uptake of ²⁰⁸Po by roots to leaves and stems of both plants. Higher values of transfer factors using the ²¹⁰Po activity concentrations than the ²⁰⁸Po activity concentration were observed. Transfer factors of ²¹⁰Po from soil to parsley varied between 20 × 10⁻² and 50 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻³ and 67 × 10⁻³ in mint, while ²⁰⁸Po transfer factors varied between 4 × 10⁻² and 12 × 10⁻² for parsley and 10 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻² in mint. Transfer factors of Po were higher in those plants grown in the sheltered system than in the open system; about 75% of Po was transferred from atmosphere to parsley parts using the two systems. Ratios of transferred Po from soil to mint stem and leaf in the sheltered system were higher by 2 times from those in the open system.     

Levels and transfer of Po and Pb in Nordic terrestrial ecosystems

Recent developments regarding environmental impact assessment methodologies for radioactivity have precipitated the need for information on levels of naturally occurring radionuclides within and transfer to wild flora and fauna. The objectives of this study were therefore to determine activity concentrations of the main dose forming radionuclides ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in biota from terrestrial ecosystems thus providing insight into the behaviour of these radioisotopes. Samples of soil, plants and animals were collected at Dovrefjell, Central Norway and Olkiluoto, Finland. Soil profiles from Dovrefjell exhibited an approximately exponential fall in ²¹⁰Pb activity concentrations from elevated levels in humus/surface soils to “supported” levels at depth. Activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po in fauna (invertebrates, mammals, birds) ranged between 2 and 123 Bq kg⁻¹ d.w. and in plants and lichens between 20 and 138 Bq kg⁻¹ d.w. The results showed that soil humus is an important reservoir for ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb and that fauna in close contact with this media may also exhibit elevated levels of ²¹⁰Po. Concentration ratios appear to have limited applicability with regards to prediction of activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po in invertebrates and vertebrates. Biokinetic models may provide a tool to explore in a more mechanistic way the behaviour of ²¹⁰Po in this system.     

西藏羊卓雍错沉积物沉积速率的测定

利用~(210)Pb和~(137)Cs测定了西藏羊卓雍错湖泊沉积物的沉积速率。结果表明,羊卓雍错湖心和北部湖区沉积柱中的~(137)Cs都只有一个蓄积峰。假定对应的时标为1963年,据此得出的沉积物累积率分别为0. 014 5 g/(cm~2·a)和0. 025 2g/(cm~2·a),对应的年均沉积速率分别为0. 041 cm/a和0. 068 cm/a;而~(210)Pb的结果显示,羊卓雍错湖心和北部湖区的沉积物累积率分别为0. 014 6 g/(cm~2·a)和0. 014 7 g/(cm~2·a),对应的年均沉积速率分别为0. 040 cm/a和0. 041 cm/a。~(210)Pb和~(137)Cs的定年结果在北部湖区的定年结果差别较大,很可能是由于湖水在北部湖区的渗漏,导致沉积物中Cs的纵向迁移造成的。     

Radon from uranium mill tailings: A source of significant radiation hazard?

Calculations regarding the long-term hazards to health from the radioactive gas radon which emanates from the tailings of milled uranium ores are presented here. The absolute and relative risks to the population from mill tailings, as well as technical solutions to the problem of disposal methods which would eliminate or minimize lung cancer risk, are discussed. Since the emission of radon from tailings will occur thousands of years after the projected benefits from nuclear-fission power have been obtained, the problem of present and future hazard from mill tailings calls for increased regulatory consideration.Now at Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C. 20036     

Mercury levels in sediments of central Mediterranean Sea: a 150+ year record from box-cores recovered in the Strait of Sicily

To evaluate the degree of anthropogenic mercury pollution, Hg contents have been measured for box-core sediments sampled along three nearshore–offshore transects in the Strait of Sicily and well constrained for their mineralogy, bulk geochemistry and TOC%. Hg values are generally low (from 15 to 70 μg kg⁻¹); however, depth profiles clearly display upcore rising concentrations (up to 202 μg kg⁻¹ near the SE Sicily coast) that are attributed to anthropogenic load. Based on ²¹⁰Pb chronology, these trends are more dramatic across the last 20–30 years. Geogenic influence is thought to explain some anomalies related to volcanic emission and geothermal activity. Combined effects due to eastward flowing of the Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) and sea bottom morphology drove major anthropogenic accumulation.     

不同营养湖泊沉积物中210Pbex和营养盐垂向分布特征及相关性分析

对比分析了两个不同营养湖泊抚仙湖和滇池湖中心部位沉积物柱芯放射性核素210Pbex和营养盐(TOC、TN和TP)的垂向分布特征,探讨了两个湖泊不同湖区沉积物柱芯中210Pbex与营养盐(TOC、TN和TP)之间的相关关系.结果表明,两个湖泊沉积物柱芯中210Pbex和营养盐各个指标的垂向分布存在差异,总体上滇池沉积物柱芯中210Pbex的波动变化幅度略高于抚仙湖.滇池表层沉积物中210Pbex较为紊乱的分布特征与人类活动影响下的沉积物中Pb的物理化学迁移有关.沉积物中营养盐各个指标的变化则与特定历史时期不同强度的自然演化和人类活动双重因素影响密切相关.放射性核素210Pbex和营养盐各个指标之间的相关关系与两个湖泊或同一湖泊不同湖区的营养水平高低有关,其变化关系为富营养化湖泊滇池>贫营养湖泊抚仙湖,抚仙湖北岸>南岸.就单个营养盐指标与210Pbex之间的相关关系而言,TOC最强,TP次之,TN最弱.