Organic soil as a radionuclide sink in a High Arctic environment

Dowdall, M.; Gwynn, Justin P.; Moran, C.; Davids, Corine; O’Dea, John; Lind, B.

doi:10.1007/s10967-005-0895-2

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The radionuclide activity concentrations in the tundra profiles CAL4 and CAL8–CAL11 are comparable with the values reported for other Svalbard tundra soils (Dowdall et al 2005b ; Gwynn et al 2004a , b ), while considerably higher activity concentrations of 137 Cs, 239 + 240 Pu and 241 Am (up to 305, 7.96 and 2.71 Bq/kg, respectively) were found in the profiles CAL6 and CAL7 collected from the proglacial zone of the Scott glacier. Similarly high values were observed on Svalbard in the organic layers of soils (Dowdall et al 2005b ) and in peats (Łokas et al 2013 a), but for such organic-rich and low-density deposits, the activity concentrations translate into the whole-profile radionuclide inventories that do not exceed the estimates of atmospheric fluxes for Svalbard (Łokas et al 2013 a). The 137 Cs inventories in the profiles CAL4 and CAL8–CAL12 (Table 1 ) are lower than the deposition fluxes (2.2 kBq/m 2 ) reported for Svalbard (Hallstadius et al 1982 ; Gwynn et al 2004a , b ) and lower than the soil column inventory of 1.6 kBq/m 2 provided for the Kongsfjord area by Gwynn et al ( 2004b ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…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%

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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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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

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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“…This result may support the idea that 137 Cs in soil is greatly affected by the presence of colloidal components and (micro) biological activity, thus SOM in soil [16]. Similar results were obtained in a high Arctic environment, in which soil organic components constitute a significant sink for 137 Cs as well as other radionuclides [17]. Not only SOM but mineral components like micaceous clay minerals also retain 137 Cs within a soil horizon [1].…”

Section: Depth Distribution Profiles Of 137 Cssupporting

confidence: 79%

Tracing depositional consequences of environmental radionuclides (137Cs and 210Pb) in Slovenian forest soils

et al. 2011

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Depth distribution profiles of environmental radionuclides (137Cs and 210Pb) have been investigated in soil to elucidate the underlying environment of semi-natural temperate deciduous and/or coniferous forest soils in Slovenia (Žirovski vrh, Idrija, Kočevski Rog, Pohorie, Gorišnica and Rakitna). Surface enrichment of both nuclides was observed at all the sites investigated in this study, suggesting that the soils had undergone little natural or anthropogenic disturbance for at least the last several decades. Apparent annual burial rates of 137Cs (0.1–0.2 cm y−−1) were estimated to be about 1.3 times higher than those of 210Pb at individual sites of different lithology, which suggests strong affinity of 210Pb to soil organic matter. Variability of the vertical distribution profiles of these nuclides depends not only on “in situ” pedology but also on geographical and meteorological conditions, especially precipitation and wind direction.

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“…During the period 2000-2002, in the area of Kongsfjorden (western Spitsbergen), studies were conducted on the activity of radionuclides accumulated in the soil and bird excrement [47], as well as in a separated surface soil layer [48]. It was determined that the activity concentration of certain radionuclides accumulated in bird excrement, including artificial Cs-137 and natural K-40, are higher than those found in the surface soil layers which result in the increase of surface activity in birds' habitat areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Origin of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides Accumulated in the Soil and Biota Samples Collected in Svalbard, Near Longyearbyen

Kłos

Ziembik

Rajfur

et al. 2017

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

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Heavy metals and radioactive compounds are potentially hazardous substances for plants, animals and humans in the Arctic. A good knowledge of the spatial variation of these substances in soil and primary producers, and their sources, is therefore essential. In the samples of lichen Thamnolia vermicularis, Salix polaris and Cassiope tetragona, and the soil samples collected in 2014 in Svalbard near Longyearbyen, the concentrations of the following heavy metals were determined: Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg, as well as the activity concentrations of the following: K-40, Cs-137, Pb-210, Pb-212, Bi-212, Bi-214, Pb-214, Ac-228, Th-231 and U-235 in the soil samples. The differences in the concentrations of the analytes accumulated in the different plant species and soil were studied using statistical methods. Sea aerosol was indicated as the source of Pb, Hg, Cs-137, Pb-210 and Th-231 in the studied area. A relatively high concentration of nickel was determined in the biota samples collected near Longyearbyen, compared to other areas of Svalbard. It was supposed that nickel may be released into the atmosphere as a consequence of the local coal mining around Longyearbyen.

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Organic soil as a radionuclide sink in a High Arctic environment

Cited by 23 publications

References 3 publications

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

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

Tracing depositional consequences of environmental radionuclides (137Cs and 210Pb) in Slovenian forest soils

The Origin of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides Accumulated in the Soil and Biota Samples Collected in Svalbard, Near Longyearbyen

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