Determination of concentration factors for Cs-137 and Ra-226 in the mullet species Chelon labrosus (Mugilidae) from the South Adriatic Sea

Concentration factors for Cs-137 and Ra-226 transfer from seawater, and dried sediment or mud with detritus, have been determined for whole, fresh weight, Chelon labrosus individuals and selected organs. Cesium was detected in 5 of 22 fish individuals, and its activity ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 Bq kg⁻¹. Radium was detected in all fish, and ranged from 0.4 to 2.1 Bq kg⁻¹, with an arithmetic mean of 1.0 Bq kg⁻¹. In regards to fish organs, cesium activity concentration was highest in muscles (maximum - 3.7 Bq kg⁻¹), while radium was highest in skeletons (maximum - 25 Bq kg⁻¹). Among cesium concentration factors, those for muscles were the highest (from seawater - an average of 47, from sediment - an average of 3.3, from mud with detritus - an average of 0.8). Radium concentration factors were the highest for skeleton (from seawater - an average of 130, from sediment - an average of 1.8, from mud with detritus - an average of 1.5). Additionally, annual intake of cesium and radium by human adults consuming muscles of this fish species has been estimated to provide, in aggregate, an effective dose of about 4.1 μSv y⁻¹.     

Fukushima fallout in Northwest German environmental media

Traces of short- and long-lived fallout isotopes (¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs) were found in environmental samples collected in Northwest Germany (rain water, river sediment, soil, grass and cow milk) from March to May 2011, following the radioactivity releases after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. The measured concentrations are consistent with reported concentrations in air, amount of rainfall and expected values applying simple radioecological models. The [¹³⁴Cs]/[¹³⁷Cs] ratio reported for air (about 1) allows for discrimination between “recent” and “old” ¹³⁷Cs. Expected ¹³⁶Cs values fell below the detection limits of the instrumentation, despite large sample masses and long counting times.     

RESERVOIR SEDIMENTATION RATES LINKED TO LONG-TERM CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL LANI) USE1

ABSTRACT: Long-term land use and reservoir sedimentation were quantified and linked in a small agricultural reservoir-watershed system without having historical data. Land use was determined from a time sequence of aerial photographs, and reservoir sedimentation was determined from cores with ¹³⁷Cs dating techniques. They were linked by relating sediment deposition to potential sediment production which was determined by the Universal Soil Loss Equation and by SCS estimates for gullied land. Sediment cores were collected from Tecumseh Lake, a 55-ha reservoir with a 1,189-ha agricultural watershed, constructed in 1934 in central Oklahoma. Reservoir sediment deposition decreased from an average of 5,933 Mg/yr from 1934 to 1954, to 3,179 Mg/yr from 1954 to 1962, and finally to 1,017 Mg/yr from 1962 to 1987. Potential sediment production decreased from an average of 29,892 to 11,122 and then to 3,589 Mg/yr for the same time periods as above, respectively. Reductions in deposition and sediment production corresponded to reductions in cultivated and abandoned cropland which became perennial pasture. Together, cultivated and abandoned cropland accounted for 59 percent of the watershed in 1937, 24 percent in 1954, and 10 percent in 1962. Roadway erosion, stream bank erosion, stored stream channel sediment, and long-term precipitation were considered, but none seemed to play a significant role in changing sediment deposition rates. Instead, the dominant factor was the conversion of fields to perennial pastures. The effect of conservation measures on reservoir sedimentation can now be quantified for many reservoirs where historical data is not available.     

A simplified approach to modelling underground migration of radionuclides from contaminated river sediments

Accidental releases of waste water from the first Czechoslovak nuclear power plant, A1, caused contamination of sediments of the Dudváh river, flowing into the Vah river, in Slovakia. Rather high concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr (2150Bq dm⁻³ and 215Bq dm⁻³, respectively) were found in bottom sediments of a former channel of the re-engineered river body at a distance of about 250 m from a village, Siladice, with water-supply wells. In order to assess the possibility of contamination of the wells, underground migration of both radionuclides from the contaminated area was simulated using an original layered convection-diffusion model. K_d values determined in laboratory experiments were used. The analysis of the hydrological situation in the area reveals that the critical condition is a dominant horizontal groundwater flow near the water table in the direction from the Váh bank to Siladice, in the periods when the contaminated body lies under the water table. The simulation calculated under conservative conditions showed that the contamination of water-supply wells would not exceed permissible concentration limits.     

水利工程对南四湖现代沉积速率的影响

利用放射性同位素(137Cs、210Pb)测年法计算山东省南四湖的沉积速率,采用高纯锗γ谱仪(美国EG&G ORTEC公司)对南四湖上级湖、下级湖的沉积岩柱(DS2和WS2)样品进行137Cs、210Pb放射性活度测试,分析水利工程建设对湖泊沉积影响的程度与后果. 结果表明:上级湖、下级湖137Cs总蓄积量之比为9.7,说明在二级坝水利工程影响下,流域内侵蚀泥沙及其所吸附的137Cs主要沉积于上级湖;137Cs在湖泊沉积物中的剖面分布与137Cs大气沉降时序的分布模式相背离,故137Cs蓄积峰不具备时标意义. 利用210Pb计年的CRS(恒定补给速率)模式分析2个沉积岩柱不同质量深度所对应的年代,结果显示,150多年来南四湖上级湖、下级湖的沉积速率不稳定,以1960年为界划分为两大时段:沉积岩柱底部所对应的年代至1960年,上级湖、下级湖沉积速率平均值分别为0.069、0.160 g/(cm2·a);1960—2010年,二者沉积速率平均值分别为0.218、0.072 g/(cm2·a). 可见,二级坝水利工程对南四湖沉积速率产生了重要影响,210Pb计年的CRS模式分析结果可靠.      

三江源区东西样带土壤侵蚀的

运用137Cs和210Pb_ex联合示踪技术,考察青藏高原三江源区东西样带137Cs和210Pb_ex面积浓度的背景值和变化特征,以及东西样带土壤侵蚀速率、分布特征和主要影响因素. 结果表明:①青藏高原三江源区东西样带137Cs和210Pb_ex面积浓度背景值分别为453～1 714和2 612～7 377 Bq/m2,137Cs和210Pb_ex背景值从西向东样带随海拔高度的变化差异明显.137Cs(x)和210Pb_ex(y)面积浓度的背景值区域分布呈显著线性相关,相关性关系式为y3.587　2x+1　463.4,R20.951　7.②长江源区沱沱河137Cs的示踪结果表明,以沱沱河为中心的长江源区是典型的风蚀区,年侵蚀速率2.5 t/(hm2·a),该区是青藏高原重要的沙尘暴源区之一.③黄河源区玛多典型坡面137Cs和210Pb_ex的示踪结果表明,近40年来,玛多畜牧业为主的人类活动造成的土壤扰动比自然因素的影响大.④玛沁东倾沟乡和军牧场的比较研究结果表明,玛沁东倾沟乡高山草甸的水土保持效果较好,而玛沁军牧场的畜牧业活动造成了地表土壤的强烈扰动.⑤玛沁军功镇典型水蚀地貌土壤剖面137Cs和210Pb_ex的结果表明,20世纪50—60年代,该区的极端暴雨事件导致了严重的水土流失,土壤剖面中出现137Cs和210Pb_ex的空白区. 植被破坏导致玛沁军功镇出现了严重水蚀,净侵蚀速率为8.0 t/(hm2·a).⑥近40年来,随着人类活动的加剧和全球气候变暖,导致青藏高原三江源区出现了沙尘暴的传输源地.      

田湾核电站周边土壤及植物中137Cs含量调查及人群内辐射风险评价

为了调查田湾核电站运行后土壤环境中核素137Cs放射性水平的变化及评估其对当地居民的健康风险,采用现场采样测定的方法,分析了田湾核电站装料2年后周边土壤及植物中137Cs的放射性水平,并与运行前的本底调查结果进行了比较,同时利用放射性核素对人群内辐射风险评价模型结合田湾地区居民饮食情况对人群辐射风险进行了评估.结果表明,核电站运行2年后周边土壤中137Cs的放射性水平与运行前相比总体上没有明显变化,但个别村镇点位的137Cs放射性水平升高;核电站周边植物中137Cs的放射性水平均远低于我国相关国家标准(GB14882-1994)和运行前的本底值;田湾地区高公岛居民核素137Cs的年总摄入量为18.62Bq·a-1,远低于我国国标成人限值(GB14882-1994).通过摄入137Cs引起的人群内辐射总致癌风险较低,为1.51×10-7a-1,其中超过50%的风险来源于摄入鱼类海产品.     

青海共和盆地降尘观测与137Cs测定的初步结果

通过对1998～1999年共和盆地的降尘观测和尘样的¹³⁷Cs分析,测定了降尘速率及其月分配;对尘源进行了¹³⁷Cs示踪,并从理论上估算出降尘产生的¹³⁷Cs再分配,对沉积速率的计算模型进行了讨论.作为采用¹³⁷Cs法研究沙尘暴降尘的一次尝试,这些初步结果对沙尘暴测定及其强度评估等方面研究有一定的借鉴作用.     

滇池沉积物磷负荷估算

采集了滇池100多个沉积物柱样,并借助GIS对滇池作了分区;分段测试每个柱样的全磷(TP)含量及各区代表性柱样的¹³⁷Cs含量,利用¹³⁷Cs定年法确定0～5cm,5～10cm,10～15cm深度区间对应的时段是1986～2003年,1963～1986年,1954～1963年.在此基础上估算滇池不同区域与泥沙沉积量对应的TP沉积通量和总量.结果表明,近50年,全湖TP年均蓄积量为780t,表层15cm沉积物中TP累积量为3.89×104t.沉积物中磷蓄积已成为滇池水体磷的重要内部来源.     

Partitioning of Cs-137 Between Sediment and Water From the Black Sea

As part of a joint USA/USSR Environmental Agreement to determine the distribution and concentration of Chernobyl radioactivity in the northwest Black Sea area, the sediment from eight stations was collected and analyzed to assess the ability of this material to adsorb radiocaesium. Batch tests were conducted in which Cs-137 tracer was added to mixtures of sediment and bottom water, with contact solutions ranging from 85 Bq ml^-1 to 1,760 Bq ml^-1. This work was done in an argon atmosphere at 9.5°C, which is the average temperature of the sediment. Isotherms were linear for all cores and distribution ratios (R_D) calculated from the slopes of the isotherms ranged from 660 to 1,660 ml g^-1. These isotherms fit a simplified Freundlich isotherm. Correlations of R_D to a number of sediment parameters describing texture and mineralogy were determined. A close relationship was observed between R_D for caesium and the percentage of illite contained in the samples.