Strontium: Radionuclides

Abstract

Strontium has several radioactive isotopes, with 90 Sr being the most important in the environment. This radionuclide dispersed worldwide as a consequence of the atmospheric nuclear weapon tests in the 1960s, and is locally enhanced owing to the accidents involving radioactive material. 90 Sr is a pure β‐emitter and it may be detected by several detection techniques (gas‐flow proportional, liquid scintillation, Cerenkov counting, and ICP‐MS), after an appropriate radiochemical separation. The environmental behavior of radiostrontium is governed by its chemical similarities to calcium. It is usually associated with the mobile and bioavailable fractions in soils, and with the low MW fraction in aquatic ecosystems. The potential human exposure to radiostrontium is mainly due to the ingestion of food, milk and cereals being the two major sources. This exposure can be reduced to some extent by the addition of calcium fertilizers to minimize the soil‐to‐plant transfer of radiostrontium, and by increasing cattle calcium intake to decrease the 90 Sr content in milk.

Biogeochemical Controls on Strontium Fate at the Sediment–Water Interface of Two Groundwater-Fed Wetlands with Contrasting Hydrologic Regimes

“…The swamp had lower porewater concentrations of total Fe, <13 mg/L, and total Mn, <0.7 mg/L, than the marsh with up to 52 and 7 mg/L of total Fe and total Mn, respectively (Figure 1). Consistent with these ranges, the swamp also had higher SO 4 2− concentrations, up to 2.7 mg/L, than the marsh, <1.2 mg/ L. These differences between the swamp and the marsh are typical of lower concentrations of reduced species in the porewater of environments with fluctuating water tables. 41 In both the swamp and the marsh, the concentrations of the redoxsensitive species showed a peak near or below the sediment− water interface.…”

“…Strontium is a widely distributed alkaline earth metal whose mobility is controlled by incorporation into minerals and adsorption onto organic and inorganic compounds. The isotope 90 Sr is a toxic radiochemical with a half-life of 28.8 years − that is only produced by nuclear fuel irradiation . Due to its high mobility, it quickly enters groundwater resources through infiltration of contaminated water , or the leaching of wastes, ,, where nuclear facilities such as reactors or waste management areas are present .…”

“…The isotope 90 Sr is a toxic radiochemical with a half-life of 28.8 years − that is only produced by nuclear fuel irradiation . Due to its high mobility, it quickly enters groundwater resources through infiltration of contaminated water , or the leaching of wastes, ,, where nuclear facilities such as reactors or waste management areas are present . Despite stricter environmental and security regulations, the expected increase in the world’s total nuclear electricity production by 2050 could result in more sites being contaminated with 90 Sr. At such sites, many groundwater-fed wetlands are present, thus becoming a pathway of 90 Sr to surface water.…”