Impact of 134Cs and 137Cs from the Chernobyl reactor accident on the Spanish Mediterranean marine environment

Molero, J.; Sanchez-Cabeza, Joan-Albert; Merino, J.; Mitchell, P.I.; Vidal‐Quadras, A.

doi:10.1016/s0265-931x(98)00067-8

Cited by 24 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…The 137 Cs flux from global fallout varies according to latitude. In the study area, located at 41º N, the impact of the Chernobyl accident appears to be negligible although some Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium was detected in the air around Valencia (Ferrero et al, 1987) and on the Mediterranean coast (Molero et al, 1999).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Gaspar

Izquierdo

Walling

et al. 2013

CATENA

101

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Increasing risk of soil loss as a result of climate change, has generated a need for reliable information on erosion rates at different temporal scales. Use of the fallout radionuclides 137 Cs, 210 Pb ex and 7 Be as tracers of sediment mobilisation and redistribution makes it possible to obtain estimates of soil redistribution rates within both undisturbed and cultivated landscapes over a range of timescales. Mediterranean landscapes are characterized by a great diversity of physiography and land use, and as a consequence erosion and deposition patterns are highly variable spatially. To document such spatial variability, a slope transect located in the subhumid Pre-pyrenean mountains (NE Spain) was selected to use 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex to assess medium-and longer-term soil redistribution rates. A total of 23 sectioned soil cores spaced 50 m apart were collected along the slope transect, where 7 Be had been previously used to document soil redistribution resulting from an individual storm event. The inventories of both radionuclides varied markedly, between 409 and 6080 Bq m-2 for 137 Cs, and between 0 and 6734 Bq m-2 for 210 Pb ex. Estimates of soil redistribution, derived from the 137 Cs depth profiles, using appropriate conversion models, show that erosion rates along 2 the transect vary between 2.6 and 31.9 Mg ha-1 year-1 , and that sedimentation rates vary between 0.2 and 24.5 Mg ha-1 year-1. The highest soil losses occur in cultivated fields, within the midslope zone of the transect, while the highest deposition rates are found in tilled fields within the lower part of the transect. Erosion rates from 210 Pb ex varied widely between 0.1 and 83.7 Mg ha-1 year-1 on the lower slope, whereas sedimentation rates ranged between 0.8 and 110 Mg ha-1 year-1 also at the bottom slope. The spatial distribution of the radionuclides along the transect reflects the effects of different land use and slope gradient on water erosion. The results obtained confirm the potential for using 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex measurements for assessing soil redistribution on slopes in the Mediterranean environment over different temporal scales.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Gaspar

Izquierdo

Walling

et al. 2013

CATENA

101

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“…Although both regions of interest are at similar latitude (41°N) it must borne in mind that, though the impact of the Chernobyl accident was small, it may have been different in each area. For example, Ferrero and coworkers (39) showed a clear increase of 137 Cs in air over Valencia (eastern Spain) and Chernobyl radiocesium was also observed on the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean Sea (40).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Calibration of Erosion Radiotracers (²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs): Atmospheric Fluxes to Soils (Northern Spain)

Sanchez-Cabeza

García-Talavera

Costa

et al. 2007

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Inventories of radionuclides commonly used to study environmental processes, especially in erosion research, were determined in soil cores from two distant river basins in northern Spain. Results showed that 210Pb atmospheric fluxes correlate very well with mean annual rainfall across the region, and this is also the case for 137Cs inventories but only on the basin scale. Therefore we suggest that 210Pb is a better candidate as a radiotracer for soil erosion studies. In this region, the equation 210Pb flux (Bq m(-2) yr(-1)) = (0.19 +/- 0.02) x rainfall (mm yr(-1)) - (24 +/- 17) can be used as a calibration to estimate input 210Pb fluxes, a key parameter in soil erosion studies and models, when mean annual rainfall is known.

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“…Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile is a sea plant widely distributed all over the Mediterranean basin. Its longevity (it may live for more than 50 years), the fact that its growth persists over different seasonal cycles, and its characteristic of accumulat ing different types of pollutants, e.g., metals ( − ), radionuclides ( , ), and organochlorines, make this marine phanerogam an excellent candidate to monitor the coastal environmental conditions (). It is known that Posidonia oceanica grows in dense meadows that live close to the coasts and extend down to 30−40 m deep, depending on water conditions such as turbidity, temperature, and salinity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Posidonia oceanica as a Historical Monitor Device of Lead Concentration in Marine Environment

Tranchina

Miccichè

Bartolotta

et al. 2005

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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We show that Posidonia oceanica is able to reliably monitor the variability of environmental lead (Pb). We analyze lead concentration measured in the scales and rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica collected in seven sites along the coasts of the Sicily island and subsequently fractioned them according to a lepidochronological analysis. We measure lead concentration in Posidonia oceanica tissues by using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. We compare the measured lead concentration with the estimated lead emission in air due to the gasoline sold and used for combustion in car engines in Sicily. By computation of the Pearson cross-correlation coefficient, we show that lead concentration, which is measured in the scales of Posidonia oceanica, is statistically correlated to lead emission in air and reflects the level of lead pollution in the coastal marine environment.

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Impact of 134Cs and 137Cs from the Chernobyl reactor accident on the Spanish Mediterranean marine environment

Cited by 24 publications

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Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Regional Calibration of Erosion Radiotracers (²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs): Atmospheric Fluxes to Soils (Northern Spain)

Posidonia oceanica as a Historical Monitor Device of Lead Concentration in Marine Environment

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Impact of 134Cs and 137Cs from the Chernobyl reactor accident on the Spanish Mediterranean marine environment

Cited by 24 publications

References 0 publications

Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Using 137Cs and 210Pbex to assess soil redistribution on slopes at different temporal scales

Regional Calibration of Erosion Radiotracers (210Pb and 137Cs): Atmospheric Fluxes to Soils (Northern Spain)

Posidonia oceanica as a Historical Monitor Device of Lead Concentration in Marine Environment

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Regional Calibration of Erosion Radiotracers (²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs): Atmospheric Fluxes to Soils (Northern Spain)