Long-lived γ-Ray Emitting Nuclide Silver-108m found in Pacific Marine Organisms and used for Dating

Folsom, T.R.; Grismore, R.; Young, D. R.

doi:10.1038/227941a0

Cited by 23 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Analyses of 110m Ag/ 108m Ag activity ratios in these Pacific biological specimens relative to the timing of atmospheric nuclear tests indicate that most environmental 108m Ag was produced during weapons tests. It resulted from neutron reactions acting on silver impurities in the natural uranium cladding or the steel structural materials surrounding the fission/fusion devices and on natural silver in electronic circuitry associated with the devices (Folsom et al, 1970;Grismore et al, 1972). The activities of 108m Ag that we report here are within the range reported for a number of marine biological samples analyzed by Grismore et al (1972).…”

Section: G − B (T)(q)(y)(e)supporting

confidence: 66%

Radionuclide Contaminant Burdens in Arctic Marine Mammals Harvested During Subsistence Hunting

Cooper¹,

Larsen²,

O’Hara³

et al. 2000

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. We conducted gamma spectrometric analyses on more than 200 arctic marine mammal tissue samples. These samples were primarily provided by subsistence hunters from northern Alaska, with a smaller number of samples from the Resolute region in Canada. The majority of samples (>90%) had detectable levels of the anthropogenic radionuclide 137 Cs, with a mean level observed in all samples of 0.67 Bq kg -1 dry weight ± 0.81 (SD). Converted to wet weight, the mean was 0.21 Bq kg -1 ± 0.19 SD. The median activity observed was 0.45 Bq kg -1 dry weight (0.18 Bq kg -1 wet weight) with a range from detection limits to 6.7 Bq kg -1 dry weight (1.1 Bq kg -1 wet weight). These findings confirm expectations that current anthropogenic gamma emitter burdens in marine mammals used in the North American Arctic as subsistence food resources are well below activities that would normally merit public health concern (~1000 Bq kg -1 wet weight). Some differences among species and tissues were observed. Beluga tissues had slightly higher mean burdens of 137 Cs overall, and epidermis and muscle tissues in bowhead and beluga whales typically had higher burdens than other tissues analyzed. Low levels of the neutron activation product 108m Ag (half-life 418 yr.), probably bioaccumulated from bomb fallout sources, were observed in 16 of 17 beluga livers analyzed, but were not found in any other tissues of beluga or in any other species sampled. A subset of 39 samples of various tissues was analyzed for the alpha and beta emitters 239,240 Pu and 90 Sr. Plutonium levels were near the threshold of detectability (~0.1 Bq kg -1 dry weight) in 6 of the 39 samples; all other samples had no detectable plutonium. A detectable level of Ag has not been previously reported in any marine mammal livers, all of our analytical measurements indicate that only very low levels of anthropogenic radioactivity are associated with marine mammals harvested and consumed in the North American Arctic. Ag (demi-vie 418 années), dont la bioaccumulation est probablement due à des retombées de bombes atomiques, mais on n'en a observé aucune trace dans les autres tissus du bélouga ou de toute autre espèce échantillonnée. On a analysé un sous-ensemble de 39 échantillons provenant de tissus divers pour savoir s'ils contenaient des émetteurs alpha et bêta 239,240

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Section: G − B (T)(q)(y)(e)supporting

confidence: 66%

Radionuclide Contaminant Burdens in Arctic Marine Mammals Harvested During Subsistence Hunting

Cooper¹,

Larsen²,

O’Hara³

et al. 2000

ARCTIC

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“…Usefulness of silver-108m (ti'2 = 127 yr) as a ta S f°r ocean study has been stressed elsewhere [10,11], Figure 2 shows trends that suggest that silver may either be supported "by the biosphere or exist as an otherwise suspended species in the ocean for many years. The apparent half-time of residence (A1/2) is about 7 years.…”

Section: Silver-108m and Silver-llqm Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retention of Fall-Out Constituents in Upper Layers of the Pacific Ocean as Estimated From Studies of a Tuna Population.

Hodge¹,

Folsom²,

Young³

1973

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“…topancreas des Cephalopodes, Crustaces et Teleosteens (Folsom & Young, 1965;Folsom et al, 1970;Beasley & Held, 1971). I1 en est de m~me pour l'argent stable (Tabl.…”

Section: Discussion Et Conclusionunclassified

“…dlectronucl6aires et des usines de traitement des combustibles irradiEs a EtE signalEe par plusieurs auteurs (Seymour, 1963;Folsom & Young, 1965;Preston et al, 1968;Folsom et al, 1970;Beasley & Held, 1971;Grismore et al, 1972;Fukai & Murray, 1974;Scheidhauer et al, 1974).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Modalités de la contamination d'une chaine trophique marine benthique par l'argent 110 m

Amiard

1978

Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters

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110mAg contamination mechanisms in a marine benthic food chain. 3. Influence of the mode of contamination upon the distribution of the radionuclide. The distribution of alOnlAg was stndied in various invertebrates of a marine benthic food chain as a consequence of the immersion in contaminated seawater and/or ingestion of radioactive food. The studies on II~ distribution were carried out at the end of the experimental contamination (when equilibrium was rea&ed) and during the slow stage of elimination. APcer contamination via the surrounding water, uptake of ll0mAg occurs mainly in external organs: shells (34 ~ and mantle (16 ~ of the bivalve ScrobicuIaria plana, exoskeleton (40 ~ and gills (38 ~ of the crab Carcinus rnaenas. On the contrary, contamination via food is responsible for a considerable accumuiation of 11OrnAg in the digestive glands of S. plana (75 ~ and C. maenas (56 ~ Moulting plays an important role in the decontamination of crabs following immersion in radioactive seawater owing to the strong contamination of the exuviae. The elimination of ll0mAg from the different organs of the animals examined depends upon the mode of contamination: it is generally fast in external organs and slow in the digestive gland. Radiation doses for molluscs and crustaceans were calculated following experimental contaminations by water and food. A significant contamination of external organs is responsible for a radiation dose (in the centre of the test animals) weaker than that instigated by the accumulation of 110mAg in the digestive gland. Thus, with regard to contamination, the ambient water is important; but, from the point of view of irradiation, radioactive food is generally more important.

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Long-lived γ-Ray Emitting Nuclide Silver-108m found in Pacific Marine Organisms and used for Dating

Cited by 23 publications

References 6 publications

Radionuclide Contaminant Burdens in Arctic Marine Mammals Harvested During Subsistence Hunting

Radionuclide Contaminant Burdens in Arctic Marine Mammals Harvested During Subsistence Hunting

Retention of Fall-Out Constituents in Upper Layers of the Pacific Ocean as Estimated From Studies of a Tuna Population.

Modalités de la contamination d'une chaine trophique marine benthique par l'argent 110 m

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