Radionuclide Bioconcentration Factors and Sediment Partition Coefficients in Arctic Seas Subject to Contamination from Dumped Nuclear Wastes

Fisher, Nicholas S.; Fowler, Scott W.; Boisson, Florence; Carroll, JoLynn; Rissanen, K; Salbu, Britt; Сазыкина, Т. Г.; Sjoeblom, K.L.

doi:10.1021/es9812195

Cited by 57 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Our measurements of the bioconcentration factor of radiocesium in the phytoplankton were similar to previous studies (range of 10 to 100; IAEA 1985, Fisher et al 1999, indicating that little Cs was available to phytoplankton. Such a low BCF was generally considered to be due to the high competing K + concentration in the ambient seawater, although our preliminary study indicated that the bioconcentration factor determined at a much lower K + concentration did not affect radiocesium BCF in the algal cells.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…For example, the Cs concentration in piscivorous fishes was found to be greater than its concentration in planktivorous and benthivorous fishes, implying a possibility of biomagnification at the top trophic level (Forseth et al 1991, Rowan & Rasmussen 1994, Kasamatsu & Ishikawa 1997. The bioconcentration factor of Cs in seabirds from Arctic regions was also higher than the bioconcentration in invertebrates and seaweeds, although there was a considerable variation of bioconcentration factors within each taxonomic group (Fisher et al 1999). Thus, based on available evidence (Watras & Bloom 1992), Cs and Hg are the only trace elements which show biomagnification at the top level of food chain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The bioconcentration factor of Cs in marine phytoplankton was 10 to 120 (Thomann 1981, and this study). The partitioning coefficient of Cs in sediment was however much higher (1000 to 3000, IAEA 1985, Fisher et al 1999. We therefore employed a range of 10 to 1000 Kd (or BCF) in our modeling analysis.…”

Section: Modeling the Trophic Transfer Of Radiocesium In Mussels And mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the bioconcentration factor of Cs in marine phytoplankton, the primarily food source for marine bivalves, is extremely low, food ingestion can be a significant source for the overall Cs uptake in marine bivalves if the uptake rate of Cs from the dissolved phase is low. Furthermore, Cs can be appreciably concentrated in marine sediment, with a typical partition coefficient in the range of 1000 to 3000 (Fisher et al 1999). Sediment-bound Cs may be a potential source for Cs accumulation in suspension-feeding bivalves if the sediment is resuspended and ingested by bivalves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling radiocesium bioaccumulation in a marine food chain

Wang

Cai²,

Yu³

et al. 2000

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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We measured the transfer of radiocesium in a marine food chain from phytoplankton to bivalves and finally to a predatory gastropod (Babylonia formosae habei). The assimilation efficiency (AE) of radiocesium in both green mussels (Perna viridis) and the gastropods feeding on different diets was measured by a pulse-chase feeding radiotracer technique. The AEs of 137 Cs in the green mussels ranged between 0.4 and 10%, and were the lowest for mussels feeding on natural sediment. The bioconcentration factor of 137 Cs ranged between 10 and 120 l kg -1 for 2 different phytoplankton species (diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and green alga Chlorella autotrophica). The AEs of 137 Cs in the predatory gastropods were 44 to 58% of those feeding on mussels and clams (Ruditapes philippinarum). The efflux rate constant of . Using a simple kinetic model, we showed that the majority of 137 Cs in the mussels was due to uptake from the dissolved phase primarily because 137 Cs is not particle-reactive. Uptake due to ingestion of particulate materials contributed little to the overall 137 Cs accumulation in the mussels, except when the resuspended sediment constituted a major food source for mussels. In contrast, dietary ingestion (trophic transfer) can be an important source for radiocesium accumulation in the predatory gastropod because of its efficient assimilation. Our modeling results indicated that the trophic transfer factor was <1 in both bivalves and gastropods. Consequently, 137 Cs was not biomagnified during its transfer to filter-feeding bivalves and predatory gastropods. This was primarily due to the high turnover rate of radiocesium in both bivalves and gastropods, even though the AE of radiocesium in the predators was high. However, the trophic transfer factor tended to increase with increasing trophic level, and a factor close to 1 may be reached when ingestion of the animals is high.KEY WORDS: Radiocesium · Trophic transfer · Mussels · Gastropods · Exposure pathway Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Modeling the Trophic Transfer Of Radiocesium In Mussels And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling radiocesium bioaccumulation in a marine food chain

Wang

Cai²,

Yu³

et al. 2000

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…For example, CFs of 137 Cs in various brown macroalgae varied up to 100 % and in mollusks up to 67 % in a study following radioactive waste disposal in Arctic seas (Fisher et al, 1999). The variation of CF values of 137 Cs in green mussels -Perna viridis -has been also related to body size, water pumping rate, and salinity (Ke et al, 2000).…”

Section: Cesium In Macroalgae and Musselsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural and Fukushima-derived radioactivity in macroalgae and mussels along the Japanese shoreline

et al. 2013

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Following the failure of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture in March 2011, peer-reviewed publications describing radioactivity levels in organisms inhabiting coastal environments are scarce. This paper reports on elevated levels of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs in macroalgae and mussels (up to ~ 800 Bq kg⁻¹ dry wt.) in June 2011. Cs concentrations in biota sampled in early June 2011 were higher in areas south of Fukushima than sampled in the last third of the month north of Fukushima. Activity concentrations from ^134+137Cs in organisms south of Fukushima were comparable to or lower than those from the naturally occurring ⁴⁰K in the same samples. While ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po concentrations were generally lower than these other radionuclides, ²¹⁰Po as an α-emitter is more significant from a radiological viewpoint than γ-emitters as it can inflict greater biological damage. By applying known bioconcentration factors of Cs in biota, measured biota concentrations of Cs were also used to estimate Cs concentrations in coastal seawater to be in the range of 10²–10³ Bq m⁻³. These estimates show that, 3 months after the accident and maximal release of radioactive Cs, levels of Cs persisted in coastal waters, although at levels that were two orders of magnitude lower than at the time of release. These June coastal seawater Cs levels were four orders of magnitude above Cs concentrations off Japan prior to the Fukushima disaster

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Arctic Ocean: Radionuclides

Zaborska¹,

Carroll²

2005

Encyclopedia of Inorganic Chemistry

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This article presents an overview of the major sources, transport pathways, and fate of anthropogenic radionuclides in the Arctic marine environment. The dominant anthropogenic radionuclides present in Arctic seawater, sediments, and marine biota are cesium‐137 ( 137 Cs), plutonium‐239 ( 239 Pu), plutonium‐240 ( 240 Pu), technetium‐99 ( 99 Tc), and strontium‐90 ( 90 Sr). Major sources contributing to the inventory of radionuclides in the Arctic Ocean and surrounding shelf seas include atmospheric fallout, European nuclear reprocessing facilities, the Chernobyl accident, and discharges from major Arctic rivers. Anthropogenic radionuclides from these sources are supplied to and redistributed within the Arctic Ocean via atmospheric, sea ice, currents, sediment, and river transport pathways. With the exception of a few locations, e.g., the underwater nuclear test site at Chernaya Bay, sediment, seawater, and biota activity concentrations in the Arctic are today very low, posing negligible biological and human‐health risks. However, the rate of warming of the Arctic is three times faster than other parts of the globe, raising the prospect of significant reorganization of system properties and processes with consequent changes to both the sources and fate of radionuclides in the Arctic in the decades to come.

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Radionuclide Bioconcentration Factors and Sediment Partition Coefficients in Arctic Seas Subject to Contamination from Dumped Nuclear Wastes

Cited by 57 publications

References 11 publications

Modeling radiocesium bioaccumulation in a marine food chain

Modeling radiocesium bioaccumulation in a marine food chain

Natural and Fukushima-derived radioactivity in macroalgae and mussels along the Japanese shoreline

Arctic Ocean: Radionuclides

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