Uranium in sediments, mussels (Mytilus sp.) and seawater of the Krka river estuary

Carbon materials for extraction of uranium from seawater

With the rapid growth of population and industrialization, the energy crisis and environmental pollution as two main difficulties urgently need to be solved nowadays. The development and utilization of nuclear energy is of great significance for solving energy support, national security and environmental protection. As the raw material of nuclear energy, a lot of uranium in seawater provide a guarantee for the sustainable and green development of nuclear power plants. Recently, various new carbon-based materials (e.g., carbon nanofibers, multiwalled carbon nanotube, graphene) have been attracted widely intense interest in extraction of uranium from seawater due to large specific surface area, excellent acid-base resistance, high adsorption performance, environmental friendly and low cost. Thus, the systematic reviews concerning the extraction of uranium from seawater on various carbon-based materials were highly desirable. In this review, the extraction methods of uranium from seawater, including electrochemical, photocatalytic and adsorption methods are briefly introduced. Then the application and mechanism of four generation carbon-based materials on the extraction of uranium from seawater are systematically reviewed in details. Finally, the current challenges and future trends of uranium extraction from seawaters are proposed. This review provides the guideline for designing carbon-based materials with high adsorption capacity and exceptional selectivity for U(VI) extraction from seawater.

The fate of the main naturally occurring radionuclides in mussels (Mytilus edulis) and their radiological impact on human beings

A comprehensive study was made on the activity concentrations, concentration factors, and radiation exposure impact of the main naturally occurring radionuclides in blue mussels collected in the Mediterranean Sea. The results showed that the concentrations of the measured radionuclides were site-specific and all detectable in gram-size samples of the soft tissues of the mussels, especially, some activity concentrations can reach as high as 16.8-102 Bq kg^-1 for ²¹⁰Po, 16.7-66.8 Bq kg^-1 for ⁴⁰K and 0.602-3.21 Bq kg^-1 for ²¹⁰Pb. The obtained mean concentration factors in the soft tissues of the mussel samples are 6.30 ± 2.40 for ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U, 4.68 ± 1.73 for ²³⁵U, (2.72 ± 1.73) × 10⁴ for ²³²Th and ²³⁰Th, 480 ± 265 for ²²⁸Th, 33.3 ± 13.3 for ²²⁶Ra, 100 ± 52 for ²²⁴Ra and 29.0 ± 14.7 for ²²⁸Ra, (1.22 ± 0.72) × 10⁴ for ²¹⁰Po, 517 ± 280 for ²¹⁰Pb and 2.57 ± 0.80 for ⁴⁰K. The estimated mean committed effective doses of ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²³²Th, ²³⁰Th, ²²⁸Th, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁸Ra, ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb and ⁴⁰K to an adult due to mussel ingestion are 0.073 ± 0.027, 0.089 ± 0.035, 0.0030 ± 0.0011, 0.128 ± 0.098, 0.117 ± 0.081, 0.056 ± 0.031, 0.145 ± 0.058, 0.0487 ± 0.0250, 0.395 ± 0.200, 352 ± 209, 6.00 ± 3.25 and 1.74 ± 0.54 μSv a^-1, respectively. Among the elements or nuclides, ²¹⁰Po is the dominant dose contributor which contributes 96.9% of total dose fraction, and the relative dose contribution is in the order of ²¹⁰Po > ²¹⁰Pb > ⁴⁰K > radium ≥ thorium ≥ uranium.

Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as a bio-indicator species in radioactivity monitoring of Eastern Adriatic coastal waters

Croatian Adriatic coastal waters are systematically monitored within the Mediterranean Mussel Watch Project using mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as a bio-indicator species. The study includes determination of naturally occurring ((7)Be, (40)K, (232)Th, (226)Ra and (238)U), as well as anthropogenic (137)Cs radionuclides. Activity concentrations in dry weight of mussels' soft tissue along the Croatian Adriatic coast are presented, with spatial and seasonal variations given and discussed. Samples were collected in spring and autumn for the period between 2009 and 2013. Radionuclides were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Activity concentrations of (7)Be were the highest in spring periods, especially in the areas with significant fresh water discharges. Activity concentrations of (40)K did not vary significantly with season or location. (137)Cs activities were low, while (232)Th, (226)Ra and (238)U activities were mostly below the detection limit of performed gamma-spectrometric measurement.

Assessing element distribution and speciation in a stream at abandoned Pb-Zn mining site by combining classical, in-situ DGT and modelling approaches

The distribution and speciation of elements along a stream subjected to neutralised acid mine drainage (NAMD) effluent waters (Mátra Mountain, Hungary; Toka stream) were studied by a multi-methodological approach: dissolved and particulate fractions of elements were determined by HR-ICPMS, whereas speciation was carried out by DGT, supported by speciation modelling performed by Visual MINTEQ. Before the NAMD discharge, the Toka is considered as a pristine stream, with averages of dissolved concentrations of elements lower than world averages. A considerable increase of element concentrations caused by effluent water inflow is followed by a sharp or gradual concentration decrease. A large difference between total and dissolved concentrations was found for Fe, Al, Pb, Cu, Zn and As in effluent water and at the first downstream site, with high correlation factors between elements in particulate fraction, indicating their common behaviour, governed by the formation of ferri(hydr)oxides (co)precipitates. In-situ speciation by the DGT technique revealed that Zn, Cd, Ni, Co, Mn and U were predominantly present as a labile, potentially bioavailable fraction (>90%). The formation of strong complexes with dissolved organic matter (DOM) resulted in a relatively low DGT-labile concentration of Cu (42%), while low DGT-labile concentrations of Fe (5%) and Pb (12%) were presumably caused by their existence in colloidal (particulate) fraction which is not accessible to DGT. Except for Fe and Pb, a very good agreement between DGT-labile concentrations and those predicted by the applied speciation model was obtained, with an average correlation factor of 0.96. This study showed that the in-situ DGT technique in combination with model-predicted speciation and classical analysis of samples could provide a reasonable set of data for the assessment of the water quality status (WQS), as well as for the more general study of overall behaviour of the elements in natural waters subjected to high element loads.

Anthropogenic and authigenic uranium in marine sediments of the central Gulf of California adjacent to the Santa Rosalía mining region

To investigate the causes of uranium (U) enrichment in marine sediments in the eastern sector of the Gulf of California, surface sediments and sediment cores were collected adjacent to the Santa Rosalía copper mining region in the Baja California peninsula. Three coastal sediment cores were found to display high concentrations of U (from 54.2 ± 7.3 mg kg(-1) to 110 ± 13 mg kg(-1)) exceeding those found in the deeper cores (1.36 ± 0.26 mg kg(-1) in the Guaymas Basin to 9.31 ± 3.03 mg kg(-1) in the SR63 core from the suboxic zone). The contribution of non-lithogenic U (estimated using scandium to normalize) to the total U content in sediments of three coastal cores varied from 97.2 ± 0.4 % to 98.82 % versus 49.8 ± 3 % (Guaymas Basin) to 84.2 ± 8.2 % (SR62 core) in the deeper cores. The U content record in a lead-210 ((210)Pb)-dated core had two peaks (in 1923 and 1967) corresponding to the history of ancient mining and smelting activities in Santa Rosalía.

Origin and transport of (238)U and (226)Ra in riverine, estuarine and marine sediments of the Krka River, Croatia

Spatial distribution of (238)U and (226)Ra activities in sediment columns along the Krka River and estuary, were studied using gamma spectrometry. Markedly different (238)U and (226)Ra activities between riverine, estuarine and marine sediments were observed. Distribution of these radionuclides, as well as their anthropogenic and natural origin, was evaluated by activity measurements, taking into account sedimentation rates estimated by (137)Cs distribution in sediment columns. Naturally present (238)U and (226)Ra activities were highest in riverine and lowest in marine sediments. (238)U and (226)Ra activities in historic riverine sediments revealed anthropogenic influence from town of Knin, which diminished for 15-20% in 1990s due to warfare that caused stop of industrial, agricultural and transport activities. Drainage of the flysch material naturally elevates (238)U and (226)Ra activities in the vicinity of its inflow in the upper part of estuary. (238)U and (226)Ra from the phosphate ore discharge in the port of Sibenik did not spread further in estuary, which was also confirmed by (238)U and (226)Ra activities detected in Mytilus sp. mussels' tissue.

Spatial distribution of trace metals in the Krka River, Croatia: an example of the self-purification

The spatial distribution of dissolved and total trace metals (Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu) in the Krka River (partly located in the Krka National Park) has been studied using a "clean" sampling, handling and analysis technique. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) with a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) has been used for trace metal analysis. The Krka River has been divided into the upper and lower flow region with respect to the metals concentration and main physico-chemical parameters. A significant increase in trace metal concentration as the result of the untreated waste water discharge downstream of Knin Town has been registered in the upper flow region. Due to a specific characteristic of the Krka, the so-called self-purification process, a decrease in the elevated trace metals concentration from the water column takes place at numerous small lakes formed by tufa barriers (at the end of the upper flow region). The clean groundwater input at the beginning of the lower flow region additionally contributes to the observed decrease in trace metals concentration in the Krka, maintaining them at a very low level in the remaining region of fresh-water flow. The determined median total concentrations were zinc 120-7400 ng l(-1), cadmium 3-8 ng l(-1), lead 11-250 ng l(-1) and copper 110-440 ng l(-1). Karst rivers, such as the Krka River, with extremely low natural concentrations of trace metals are highly sensitive to the anthropogenic influence. Therefore, such aquatic systems require implementation of strict protection regimes in the entire catchments area.