- Biological And Hydrographical Consequences Of Pollution
- Published:
Fission-product radionuclides in sediments from the north-east irish sea
Spaltprodukt-Radionuklide in Sedimenten der nordöstlichen Irischen See
Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen volume 17, pages 280–290 (1968)
Kurzfassung
Als Teil einer Untersuchung über die Verbreitung von radioaktivem Abwasser, das von der radiochemischen Aufarbeitungsanlage in Windscale stammt, wurden Messungen der Gamma-Dosisleistung auf Schlickböden in Ästuaren vorgenommen. Es zeigte sich, daß die Dosisleistungen hier mindestens um eine Größenordnung höher sind als die, welche auf reinem Sandboden gemessen wurden. Oberflächensedimente, die hinsichtlich ihrer Radioaktivität untersucht wurden, enthalten als wichtigste Radionuklide die Spaltprodukte95Zr +95Nb,106Ru,144Ce und137Cs. Die Konzentrationen der einzelnen Radionuklide stehen in Beziehung zur Abwassermenge. Probebohrungen in Sedimenten zeigten, daß sich die Konzentration der Radioaktivität exponentiell mit der Tiefe ändert. Der Anreicherungsfaktor von95Zr +95Nb,106Ru in Oberflächensedimenten von Ästuaren beträgt ungefähr 1,5 × 104, für137Cs dagegen 1,0 × 103. Die Konzentrationen von95Zr +95Nb,106Ru und144Ce in Oberflächensedimenten sind abhängig vom Abstand der Abwassereinleitung bei Windscale.
Summary
1. Gamma radiation dose-rates over mud-flat areas are shown to be at least ten times those measured over sandy beaches.
2. Analysis of the surface sediment layer in an estuarine area 6 miles from the Windscale effluent pipeline shows the major gamma-emitting radionuclides to be95Zr,95Nb and106Rh.
3. Core sampling has indicated that the radioactivity concentration in silt decreases exponentially with depth from the surface layer.
4. It is shown that the gamma dose-rate above silt banks is largely accounted for by the concentration of95Zr/95Nb in the surface silt layer. The residual gamma dose is probably accounted for by106Ru/106Rh distributed beneath the surface layer.
5. The accumulation factors of95Zr +95Nb and106Ru in the surface silt layer are approximately 1.5×104.
6. The relationship of radioactivity concentration in surface silt to distance from the effluent pipeline can be described by a simple power function of distance.
Literature cited
Beck, H. L., 1966. Environmental gamma radiation from deposited fission products, 1960 to 1964.Hlth Phys. 12, 313–322.
Dunster, H. J., 1957. An anthology of health physics data. 3rd ed. H.M.S.O., London. (U.K.A.E.A. Report R. & D.B. [W] TN-58.)
—— &Wix, L. F. U., 1964. Environmental monitoring associated with the discharge of low activity radioactive waste from Windscale Works to the Irish Sea.Hlth Phys. 10, 353–362.
Howells, H., 1966. Discharges of low-activity, radioactive effluent from the Windscale Works into the Irish Sea.In: Disposal of radioactive wastes into seas, oceans and surface waters. I.A.E.A. Symposium, Vienna, 16–20 May 1966. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 769–785.
I.C.R.P., 1966. Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (Adopted Sept. 17, 1965). Pergamon Press, Oxford. (I.C.R.P. Publication 9.)
Longley, H. &Templeton, W. L., 1965. Marine environmental monitoring in the vicinity of Windscale.In: Radiological monitoring of the environment. Ed. by B. C. Godbold & J. K. Jones. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 219–247.
Lowton, R. J., Martin, J. H. &Talbot, J. W., 1966. Dilution, dispersion and sedimentation in some British estuaries.In: Disposal of radioactive wastes into seas, oceans and surface waters. I.A.E.A. Symposium, Vienna, 16–20 May 1966. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 189–206.
Preston, A. &Jefferies, D. F., 1967. The assessment of the principal public radiation exposure from, and the resulting control of, discharges of aqueous radioactive waste from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority factory at Windscale, Cumberland.Hlth Phys. 13, 477–485.
Templeton, W. L. &Preston, A., 1966. Transport and distribution of radioactive effluents in coastal and estuarine waters of the United Kingdom.In: Disposal of radioactive wastes into seas, oceans and surface waters. I.A.E.A. Symposium, Vienna, 16–20 May 1966. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 267–289.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jefferies, D.F. Fission-product radionuclides in sediments from the north-east irish sea. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 17, 280–290 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611230
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611230