Global Analysis of the Riverine Transport of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs

Abstract

Atmospheric nuclear weapons explosions and large-scale nuclear accidents may contaminate large areas of land with the long-lived radionuclides 137Cs and 90Sr. The mobility and bioavailability of these radionuclides in the environment is dependent primarily on soil characteristics and changes significantly over time after fallout (1-4). Radioisotope concentrations in different rivers and at different times after fallout vary over 2-3 orders of magnitude. Many previous studies have concentrated on the interactions of radiocesium and radiostrontium with various environmental components, but there are currently no operative models fortheirtransport over large spatial areas. We collected time-series measurements of 90Sr and 137Cs in 25 major European and Asian rivers and (using digital data sets with global coverage) determined characteristics of each of the rivers' catchments. This work has established, for the first time, a quantitative link between riverine transport of these radioisotopes and catchment and soil characteristics at a global scale. A generalized predictive model accounting for time changes in river concentrations and variation in catchment characteristics is developed. This can be used to predict the long-term riverine transport of these radiologically important radionuclides following any large-scale nuclear incident in North America, Europe, or (European and Asian) Russia.

Quantifying sediment transport across an undisturbed prairie landscape using cesium-137 and high resolution topography

“…Although 137 Cs can move in soils in both particulate and dissolved form (Tyler and Heal, 2000), soils and sediments with low organic matter and significant clay content generally have low dissolved 137 Cs losses (Lomenick and Tamura, 1965;Seaman et al, 2001;Smith et al, 2004). Konza soils have clay contents on the order of 20% to 30%, and organic matter concentrations of b 10% (Dell et al, 2005;Dodds et al, 1996;Macpherson and Sophocleous, 2004), thus 137 Cs should be relatively immobile at this site.…”

Review and assessment of models for predicting the migration of radionuclides through rivers

“…The assessed models, AQUASCOPE (Smith et al, 2002), MOIRA-MARTE (Monte, 2001), RIVTOX (Zheleznyak et al, 1992), CASTEAUR (Duchesne et al, 2003), RIPARIA (Lepicard, 2001), AQUASTAR (Smith et al, 2003a(Smith et al, , 2003b, U.U. (Ha˚kanson, 2003) and their main features are listed in Table 1.…”

A new general dynamic model predicting radionuclide concentrations and fluxes in coastal areas from readily accessible driving variables

“…However, in the context of aquatic radioecology, it is easy to conclude that much more effort has been focused on lakes (see, e.g., BIOMOVS, 1991;Davis, 1999;Davis et al, 1999;IAEA, 2000;Smith et al, 2002) and rivers (see, e.g., Zheleznyak et al, 1992;1997;Monte, 1997;1998;Smith et al, 2004) than on coastal areas. In fact, it is very difficult to find the data necessary to test coastal models, although a new project, EMRAS, initiated by IAEA in September 2003, is intended to compile available data on radionuclide contamination, radionuclide concentrations in water, sediments and biota and the necessary co-variables related to the characteristics of coastal areas, to achieve a proper scenario description needed for model tests and comparative studies.…”