Transport of plutonium in surface and sub-surface waters from the Arctic shelf to the North Pole via the Lomonosov Ridge

Vintró, Luis León; McMahon, CA; Mitchell, P.I.; Josefsson, Dan; Holm, E.; Roos, Per

doi:10.1016/s0265-931x(01)00097-2

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This implies that ionic strengths larger than 0.0289 M (critical deposition concentration, CDC) would no longer promote increase in colloidal Pu deposition. Although numerous studies limited to highly controlled conditions proved the fact that the colloids such as polystyrene latex and bacteria (Jewett et al, 1995;Walker et al, 2004;Shen et al, 2007;Magal et al, 2011) could exhibit a fast deposition rate k fast , colloidassociated Pu k fast is the first time observed in the present study.…”

Section: Experimentally Determined Deposition Rate Coefficient and Comentioning

confidence: 58%

“…The fast deposition, which occurs in the absence of repulsive barrier between colloids and immobile matrix surfaces, is an indication for colloid collision that succeeds in attachment onto the matrix surfaces (its rate coefficient is then given by k fast ). Thus, the retention of colloids would not further increase, although ionic strength was increased, which was experimentally demonstrated by using model colloids under saturated conditions, such as polystyrene latex and bacteria (Jewett et al, 1995;Walker et al, 2004;Shen et al, 2007;Magal et al, 2011). This seems to be inconsistent with the observed results of colloidal radionuclides and heavy metals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Pu and Am isotopes) in aquifers, which have high radiotoxicity but low solubility, were considered immobile due to their high affinity for solid surfaces. Yet, there is an increasing body of evidence to demonstrate that the existence of naturally occurring colloids may enhance their transport in the geosphere (Kersting et al, 1999;Santschi et al, 2002;Vintró et al, 2002;Eyrolle and Charmasson, 2004;Novikov et al, 2006;Whicker and Ibrahim, 2006;Gudelis et al, 2010). By comparison, relatively few studies on transport of colloid-associated contaminants especially Pu were carried out under unsaturated conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Colloid-associated plutonium transport in the vadose zone sediments at Lop Nor

Xie

Wang

et al. 2013

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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Section: Experimentally Determined Deposition Rate Coefficient and Comentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Colloid-associated plutonium transport in the vadose zone sediments at Lop Nor

Xie

Wang

et al. 2013

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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“…Sediment mixing may facilitate re-mobilization of contaminants and their re-introduction to sediment pore waters and subsequently the water column (Thibodeaux & Bierman, 2003) and may induce changes of chemical form from less bioavailable to more. Thus, bottom sediments that have been a sink for contaminants for the last century may now become sources of them (Vintró et al, 2002).…”

Section: Fate Of Inorganic Pollutants In the Arctic Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources, fate and distribution of inorganic contaminants in the Svalbard area, representative of a typical Arctic critical environment–a review

Rudnicka-Kępa

Zaborska

2021

Environ Monit Assess

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Global environmental changes not only contribute to the modification of global pollution transport pathways but can also alter contaminant fate within the Arctic. Recent reports underline the importance of secondary sources of pollution, e.g. melting glaciers, thawing permafrost or increased riverine run-off. This article reviews reports on the European Arctic–we concentrate on the Svalbard region–and environmental contamination by inorganic pollutants (heavy metals and artificial radionuclides), including their transport pathways, their fate in the Arctic environment and the concentrations of individual elements in the ecosystem. This review presents in detail the secondary contaminant sources and tries to identify knowledge gaps, as well as indicate needs for further research. Concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides in Svalbard have been studied, in various environmental elements since the beginning of the twentieth century. In the last 5 years, the highest concentrations of Cd (13 mg kg−1) and As (28 mg kg−1) were recorded for organic-rich soils, while levels of Pb (99 mg kg−1), Hg (1 mg kg−1), Zn (496 mg kg−1) and Cu (688 mg kg−1) were recorded for marine sediments. Increased heavy metal concentrations were also recorded in some flora and fauna species. For radionuclides in the last 5 years, the highest concentrations of 137Cs (4500 Bq kg−1), 238Pu (2 Bq kg−1) and 239 + 240Pu (43 Bq kg−1) were recorded for cryoconites, and the highest concentration of 241Am (570 Bq kg−1) was recorded in surface sediments. However, no contamination of flora and fauna with radionuclides was observed.

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“…It was found that the 239 Pu profile had three peaks caused by nuclear weapon tests after 1950s and therewith high Pu concentrations. Transport and behaviour of Pu fallout in surface waters were also studied 15 – 17 . They derived that the main source of Pu in surface waters in the northern hemisphere is the global fallout originating from the nuclear weapons test in the 1950s and 1960s.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scavenged 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Am from snowfalls in the atmosphere settling on Mt. Zugspitze in 2014, 2015 and 2016

Gückel

Shinonaga

Christl

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Concentrations of 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Am, and atomic ratio of 240Pu/239Pu in freshly fallen snow on Mt. Zugspitze collected in 2014, 2015 and 2016 were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). For the sub-femtogram (10−15 g) - level of Pu and Am analysis, a chemical separation procedure combined with AMS was improved and an excellent overall efficiency of about 10−4 was achieved. The concentration of 239Pu ranges from 75 ± 13 ag/kg to 2823 ± 84 ag/kg, of 240Pu from 20.6 ± 5.2 to 601 ± 21 ag/kg, and of 241Am was found in the range of 16.7 ± 5.0–218.8 ± 8.9 ag/kg. Atomic ratios of 240Pu/239Pu for most samples are comparable to the fallout in middle Europe. One exceptional sample shows a higher Pu concentration. High airborne dust concentration, wind directions, high Cs concentrations and the activity ratio of 239+240Pu/137Cs lead to the conclusion that the sample was influenced by Pu in Saharan dust transported to Mt. Zugspitze.

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Transport of plutonium in surface and sub-surface waters from the Arctic shelf to the North Pole via the Lomonosov Ridge

Cited by 10 publications

References 33 publications

Colloid-associated plutonium transport in the vadose zone sediments at Lop Nor

Colloid-associated plutonium transport in the vadose zone sediments at Lop Nor

Sources, fate and distribution of inorganic contaminants in the Svalbard area, representative of a typical Arctic critical environment–a review

Scavenged 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Am from snowfalls in the atmosphere settling on Mt. Zugspitze in 2014, 2015 and 2016

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