Sources and vertical distribution of 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am in peat profiles from southwest Spitsbergen

Łokas, Edyta; Mietelski, Jerzy W.; Ketterer, Michael E.; Kleszcz, Krzysztof; Wachniew, Przemysław; Michalska, S.; Miecznik, Magdalena

doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.10.027

Cited by 42 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…All soil profiles show activity concentrations and inventories typical of raised marine terraces covered by dry tundra in the western part of Spitsbergen (Łokas et al, 2014, 2017aAMAP, 2015;Dowdall et al, 2003;Gwynn et al, 2004;Hardy et al, 1973). Retention of airborne radionuclides in tundra soils is facilitated by the presence of a well-developed organic horizon.…”

Section: Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Activity ratios of 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu, 239+240 Pu/ 137 Cs 241 Am/ 239+240 Pu, and 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom are commonly used to identify and distinguish between global (stratospheric) and regional (tropospheric) sources of these radionuclides (Oughton et al, 2004;Hirose and Povinec, 2015;Łokas et al, 2013, 2016, 2017b).…”

Section: The Source Of Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination

et al. 2019

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Abstract. A survey of airborne radioactive isotopes (137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am, and 210Pb) and trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Al) in tundra soils and cryoconite hole material sampled from several locations in the Kaffiøyra region of Spitsbergen revealed significant variability in spatial concentration. Lithogenic radionuclides (230Th, 232Th, 234U, 238U) show less variability than the airborne radionuclides because their activity concentrations are controlled by mixing of local material derived from different types of bedrock. Activity ratios of the artificial radionuclides in most cryoconite samples differ from global fallout signatures. The contribution of radionuclides from additional and more specific sources might be enhanced by non-continuous exposure of cryoconite to atmospheric deposition. We assumed that the main source of Pu, which was detected only in cryoconite samples, is derived from nuclear tests and non-exploded weapons-grade material. Approximately one-third of the total observed Pu activity concentration is 238Pu, most likely originating from the SNAP9A satellite re-entry, which was powered by a 238Pu thermoelectric generator. In samples from Waldemarbreen the influence of glacial local morphology on the capability of cryoconite for trapping and accumulating airborne radionuclides is apparent. Local glacial morphology plays an important role in determining the accumulation of airborne pollutants. Trace metal concentrations in soils were typical or slightly higher than concentrations characteristic for the natural background; the 206Pb∕207Pb signature was also close to the natural ratio of the parent rocks. Conversely, trace metal concentrations in cryoconite samples (Pb and Cd) were higher than in soil samples and exceeded natural values. Cryoconite is an effective monitor of the spread of artificial radionuclides and heavy metals in their surrounding environment.

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Section: Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: The Source Of Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination

et al. 2019

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“…Due to the scarcity of observations, the sources of radionuclides and their deposition fluxes to soils are not well constrained for the Arctic. For Svalbard, data on anthropogenic radionuclide contents in the terrestrial environment can be found only in the synthetic reports (AMAP 1997 , 2004 ) or in few case studies conducted on tundra soils and peats in the Ny-Ålesund and Hornsund areas (Reszka and Szczypa 1991 ; Dowdall et al 2003 , 2005a , b , c ; Gwynn et al 2004a , b ; Łokas et al 2013 a). Even, less is known about the distribution of radionuclides in the areas deglaciated since the Little Ice Age, which are an important element of the present day landscape of Svalbard (Rachlewicz et al 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources and pathways of artificial radionuclides to soils at a High Arctic site

Łokas

Bartmiński

Wachniew

et al. 2014

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Activity concentrations, inventories and activity ratios of 137Cs, 238Pu, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am in soil profiles were surveyed in the dry tundra and the adjoining proglacial zones of glaciers at a High Arctic site on Svalbard. Vertical profiles of radionuclide activities were determined in up to 14-cm-thick soil sequences. Additionally, soil properties (pH, organic matter, texture, mineral composition and sorption capacity) were analyzed. Results obtained in this study revealed a large range of activity concentrations and inventories of the fallout radionuclides from the undetectable to the uncommonly high levels (inventories of 30,900 ± 940, 47 ± 6, 886 ± 80 and 296 ± 19 Bq/m2 for 137Cs, 238Pu, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am, respectively) found in two profiles from the proglacial zone. Concentration of these initially airborne radionuclides in the proglacial zone soils is related to their accumulation in cryoconites that have a large ability to concentrate trace metals. The cryoconites develop on the surface of glaciers, and the material they accumulate is deposited on land surface after the glaciers retreat. The radionuclide inventories in the tundra soils, which effectively retain radionuclides due to high organic matter contents, were comparable to the global fallout deposition for this region of the world. The 238Pu/239 + 240Pu activity ratios for tundra soils suggested global fallout as the dominant source of Pu. The 238Pu/239 + 240Pu and 239 + 240Pu/137Cs activity ratios in the proglacial soils pointed to possible contributions of these radionuclides from other, unidentified sources.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-014-3163-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Separation of plutonium from the 8M HNO 3 solution was carried out using Dowex-1x8 anion exchange resin. The plutonium was removed from the anion-exchange column with a 0.1 M HF -0.1 M HCl solution, after eluting thorium with 10 M HCl (Mróz et al, 2017;Łokas et al, 2013;Mietelski et al, 2008b). The plutonium alpha sources were prepared with the NdF 3 microcoprecipitation method (Sill, 1987;Rao and Cooper, 1995).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of <sup>239,240</sup> Pu, <sup>137</sup>Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

Ciszewski

Łokas

2019

Geochronometria

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The periodical nature of overbank sediment accumulation makes their detailed dating much more difficult than dating sediments in water reservoirs. To improve the commonly used dating with 137Cs, we combined this method with Pu isotopes and heavy metals in order to date sediments of the Chechło River (southern Poland), which was polluted by a lead-zinc mine. We analyzed 137Cs, Pu isotopes and heavy metal concentrations in three profiles of overbank sediments and in two profiles of subsidence basins in the lower river reach. The results indicate a lower accuracy and higher uncertainty of the overbank than the dating of reservoir sediments. The application of plutonium isotopes provided very important information validating caesium peaks or providing the principal information regarding horizons dated with heavy metals. The obtained dates give the earliest possible age of particular horizons with the actual sediment deposition delayed by several to a dozen years. This investigation shows that using plutonium radioisotopes can be a useful tool for dating, particularly of the youngest overbank sediments where numerous sedimentation gaps cause uncertainties in the application of other methods, e.g. radiocaesium and heavy metals.

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Sources and vertical distribution of 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am in peat profiles from southwest Spitsbergen

Cited by 42 publications

References 47 publications

Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination

Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination

Sources and pathways of artificial radionuclides to soils at a High Arctic site

Application of <sup>239,240</sup> Pu, <sup>137</sup>Cs and heavy metals for dating of river sediments

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