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Chernobyl radionuclides in a Black Sea sediment trap
K O Buesseler1, H D Livingston, S Honjo
1Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts 02543.
Nature
|October 4, 1987
Summary
Chernobyl radionuclides, including cesium-137, were released into the environment. Measurements in the Black Sea show these isotopes can trace ocean processes, with cerium scavenging faster than ruthenium and cesium.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Radiochemistry
- Oceanography
Background:
- The Chernobyl disaster released significant radioactive materials into the atmosphere.
- Radionuclides from Chernobyl offer a unique opportunity to study environmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present initial measurements of Chernobyl-derived radionuclides in the Black Sea.
- To assess the use of these radionuclides as tracers for physical and biogeochemical processes.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of a time-series sediment trap at 1,071 m depth in the southern Black Sea.
- Collection of samples from June to September 1986.
- Measurement of specific activities of 137Cs, 144Ce, and 106Ru in sediment trap samples.
Main Results:
- Specific activities of 137Cs, 144Ce, and 106Ru were measured (0.5-2, 4-12, and 6-13 Bq g-1, respectively).
- Radionuclide activities were independent of particle flux.
- Relative scavenging rates were determined: Cerium > Ruthenium > Cesium.
Conclusions:
- Chernobyl-derived radionuclides can serve as effective transient tracers in marine environments.
- The differential scavenging rates provide insights into particle-reactive transport in the Black Sea.
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