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Stefanelli R, Beccia MR, Solari PL, Suhard D, Pagnotta S, Jeanson A, Mullot JU, Vernier F, Moulin C, Monfort M, Aupiais J, Den Auwer C. Uranium contamination of bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis, speciation and localization. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118877. [PMID: 38609067 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Uranium is a natural radioelement (also a model for heavier actinides), but may be released through anthropogenic activities. In order to assess its environmental impact in a given ecosystem, such as the marine system, it is essential to understand its distribution and speciation, and also to quantify its bioaccumulation. Our objective was to improve our understanding of the transfer and accumulation of uranium in marine biota with mussels taken here as sentinel species because of their sedentary nature and ability to filter seawater. We report here on the investigation of uranium accumulation, speciation, and localization in Mytilus galloprovincialis using a combination of several analytical (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, ICP-MS), spectroscopic (X ray Absorption Spectroscopy, XAS, Time Resolved Laser Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy, TRLIFS), and imaging (Transmission Electron Microscopy, TEM, μ-XAS, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, SIMS) techniques. Two cohorts of mussels from the Toulon Naval Base and the Villefranche-sur-Mer location were studied. The measurement of uranium Concentration Factor (CF) values show a clear trend in the organs of M. galloprovincialis: hepatopancreas ≫ gill > body ≥ mantle > foot. Although CF values for the entire mussel are comparable for TNB and VFM, hepatopancreas values show a significant increase in those from Toulon versus Villefranche-sur-Mer. Two organs of interest were selected for further spectroscopic investigations: the byssus and the hepatopancreas. In both cases, U(VI) (uranyl) is accumulated in a diffuse pattern, most probably linked to protein complexing functions, with the absence of a condensed phase. While such speciation studies on marine organisms can be challenging, they are an essential step for deciphering the impact of metallic radionuclides on the marine biota in the case of accidental release. Following our assumptions on uranyl speciation in both byssus and hepatopancreas, further steps will include the inventory and identification of the proteins or metabolites involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Stefanelli
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France; CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, France
| | - Maria Rosa Beccia
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Pier Lorenzo Solari
- Synchrotron Soleil, L'Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - David Suhard
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRSI, Fontenay-aux-Roses 92260, France
| | - Sophie Pagnotta
- Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Commun de Microscopie Appliquée, 06108 Nice France
| | - Aurélie Jeanson
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France
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Migaszewski ZM, Gałuszka A, Migaszewski A. Legacy of anthropogenic activity recorded in sediments by microtechnofossils and chemical markers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172800. [PMID: 38679086 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
This overview presents comparison of common microtechnofossils with other geochemical markers that may have the great potential to be the anthropogenic signatures for recent and future sediment strata. The novel man-made products encompass spherical and spheroidal fly-ash particulates, microplastics, synthetic crystals, and more recently examined glass microspheres. Due to their low specific gravity and small size varying from a tiny fraction of millimeter to approximately 5 mm, microtechnofossils may be transported over a long distance from their primary or secondary sources by water and wind. Of these technogenic materials, among the most resistant to physical and chemical degradation are glass microbeads, and additionally synthetic crystals and some types of fly-ash particulates derived mostly from coal/oil combustion, metal ore smelting operations and cement/lime manufacturing. Nonetheless, synthetic glass microspheres have found exponentially growing applications as reflective ingredients in traffic-related paints and building facades, as well as in a variety of applications mostly as low-density fillers of many materials. In contrast to anthropogenic fly-ash and microplastic particles, glass microspheres resemble in many respects common detrital quartz grains. Moreover, like quartz, they are resistant to depositional and diagenetic processes, which is a prerequisite for future geologic archives preserving anthropogenic signals. These and other characteristics make glass microspheres a more widely used product in various fields thus assigning them to a new emerging and globally spreading chronostratigraphic marker of human-impacted sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdzisław M Migaszewski
- Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, 7 Uniwersytecka St., 25-406 Kielce, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Gałuszka
- Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, 7 Uniwersytecka St., 25-406 Kielce, Poland
| | - Andrzej Migaszewski
- Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Geomatics and Renewable Energy, Kielce University of Technology, 7 Domaszowska St., 25-314 Kielce, Poland
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Abe M, Seko N, Hoshina H, Wada S, Yamasaki S, Sueki K, Sakaguchi A. Simple and convenient preconcentration procedure for the isotopic analysis of uranium in seawater. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2024; 16:2478-2488. [PMID: 38606568 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01381b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The demand for monitoring anthropogenic U isotopes, 236U and 233U, in seawater will continue to increase due to radioecological issues and the need for tools for environmental dynamics research. In response to this growing demand, herein, a novel and simple method was developed for the collection of U isotopes in seawater, both in the laboratory and field, using a fabric-like amidoxime adsorbent. The results from the adsorption studies showed that the optimum conditions for processing seawater in a glass beaker were as follows: seawater pH 4, amidoxime adsorbent 0.20 mmol per 500 g seawater and an adsorption time of 9 hours. Alternatively, when using a closed polyethylene container in experiments on-board a ship and using the same ratio of adsorbent to seawater as in the beaker experiment in the laboratory, the optimum conditions were as follows: seawater pH 8 and an adsorption time of 24 hours. Under the above-mentioned conditions, more than 95% of the U underwent adsorption in both the beaker and the polyethylene container experiments. In the case of analyte desorption, more than 80% of U in seawater was recovered using 2-3 mol dm-3 HCl or HNO3 as the eluent. Thus, it was concluded that the amidoxime adsorbent can serve as a simple and effective pre-concentration method for the ultra-trace monitoring of U isotopes in seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minami Abe
- Institute of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Noriaki Seko
- Takasaki Institute for Advanced Quantum Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Hoshina
- Takasaki Institute for Advanced Quantum Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan
| | - Shigeki Wada
- Institute of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamasaki
- Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Keisuke Sueki
- Institute of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
- Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Aya Sakaguchi
- Institute of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
- Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
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Qiao J, Andersson K, Nielsen S. Half-century trends of radioactivity in fish from Danish areas of the North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123681. [PMID: 38428789 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
This work reports comprehensive time-series datasets over the past 50 years for natural (210Po) and anthropogenic (134Cs and 137Cs) radionuclides in three fish species (cod, herring and plaice) from Danish marine areas covering the North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. Impact from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, radioactive discharges from the European nuclear reprocessing plants and release from Chernobyl accident are clearly detected in the fish samples. While 210Po concentrations in each fish species demonstrated comparable levels across the three regions without notable temporal trends, significantly higher median 210Po concentration was observed in the lower trophic level fish, namely herring and plaice, compared to cod. In contrast, 137Cs concentrations in all three species steadily decrease over time after the Chernobyl-attributed peaks in late 1980s in the entire study area, whereas 137Cs always demonstrated higher concentrations in cod than herring and plaice. Our calculated concentration factors (CFs) for 137Cs in this work indicate that the mean CFs for 137Cs over the past 50 years are significantly different across the three species, following the order of cod < herring < plaice. Based on the time-series data, ecological half-lives (Teco) of 137Cs in fish from Danish marine areas were estimated to evaluate the long-term impact of anthropogenic radioactive contamination in different regions. Our results indicate no significant difference in Teco across different fish species, whereas the weighted mean Teco for fish in the Baltic Sea (29.3 ± 3.9 y) is significantly longer than those of the North Sea (9.8 ± 0.9 y) and Kattegat (11.7 ± 1.2 y), reflecting the strong 'memory effect' of the Baltic Sea due to its slow water renewal. However, the dose assessment demonstrates that the contribution of the natural radionuclide 210Po to ingestion dose from fish consumption is 1-2 order of magnitude higher compared to that of 137Cs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Kasper Andersson
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Sven Nielsen
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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Wang S, Wang J, Tian Y, Wang J. Uranium removal in groundwater by Priestia sp. isolated from uranium-contaminated mining soil. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 351:141204. [PMID: 38237778 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Priestia sp. WW1 was isolated from a uranium-contaminated mining soil and identified. The uranium removal characteristics and mechanism of Priestia sp. WW1 were investigated. The results showed that the removal efficiency of uranium decreased with the increase of initial uranium concentration. When the uranium initial concentration was 5 mg/L, the uranium removal efficiency achieved 92.1%. The increase of temperature could promote the uranium removal. Carbon source could affect the removal rate of uranium, which was the fastest when the methanol was used as carbon source. The solution pH had significant effect on the uranium removal efficiency, which reached the maximum under solution pH 5.0. The experimental results and FTIR as well as XPS demonstrated that Priestia sp. WW1 could remove uranium via both adsorption and reduction. The common chloride ions, sulfate ions, Mn(II) and Cu(II) enhanced the uranium removal, while Fe(III) depressed the uranium removal. The Priestia sp. WW1 could effectively remove the uranium in the actual mining groundwater, and the increase of initial biomass could improve the removal efficiency of uranium in the actual mining groundwater. This study provided a promising bacterium for uranium remediation in the groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizong Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Jiazhuo Wang
- China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, Beijing, 100044, PR China
| | - Yu Tian
- Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China.
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Qiao J, Cao Y, Varttic VP, Steier P. Stratigraphic records and inventories of anthropogenic 233U and 236U in Baltic Sea sediments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:166402. [PMID: 37598960 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Yiyao Cao
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 310051 Hangzhou, China
| | - Vesa-Pekka Varttic
- Measurements and Environmental Monitoring, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Finland
| | - Peter Steier
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics - Isotope Research, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Takahashi H, Sakaguchi A, Hain K, Wiederin A, Kuwae M, Steier P, Takaku Y, Yamasaki S, Sueki K. Reconstructing the chronology of the natural and anthropogenic uranium isotopic signals in a marin sediment core from beppu bay, Japan. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14153. [PMID: 37025796 PMCID: PMC10070371 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The long-lived U isotopes, 233U and 236U, have been used increasingly in recent years as marine circulation tracers and for identifying sources of uranium contamination in the environment. The sedimentation histories of these two U isotopes in combination with natural 238U were reconstructed for an anoxic sediment core collected from Beppu Bay, Japan, in the western North Pacific Ocean showing good time resolution (less than 2.6 y/sample). The 233U/236U atom ratio showed a prominent peak of (3.20 ± 0.30) × 10-2 around 1957 which can be attributed to the input from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests including thermonuclear tests conducting in the Equatorial Pacific. The integrated 233U/236U ratio of (1.64 ± 0.08) × 10-2 for the sediment was found to be in relatively good agreement with the representative ratio published for global fallout (∼1.4 × 10-2). A prominent increase in the authigenic ratio of 233U/238Ua,s in the leached fraction (1.39 ± 0.11 × 10-11) and the bulk digestion (1.36 ± 0.10 × 10-11) was also observed around 1957. This reflects the input supply of 233U to the seawater which is known to have a relatively constant 238U content. The authigenic 236U/238Ua,s ratio (0.18 ± 0.02 × 10-9) obtained for 1921 increased from the early 1950's to a maximum of (6.59 ± 0.60) × 10-9 around 1962. The variation in this ratio represents well the introduction history of U into the surface environment without site-specific U contamination and the time profile is also consistent with the 137Cs signature. This work thus provides a benchmark for the long-term use of the isotopic U composition as an input parameter for seawater circulation tracers and as a chronological marker for anoxic sediments and sedimentary rocks. Especially the 233U/236U ratio may serve as a key-marker for the new geological age Anthropocene.
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Lin M, She J, Murawski J, Hou X, Qiao J. Long-term environmental risks of the Baltic Sea's "memory effect" revealed by ocean modeling and observation of reprocessing-derived radiotracers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130144. [PMID: 36242956 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Although previous research indicated that the Baltic Sea has a strong "memory effect" for trapping pollutants/nutrients, the associated environmental risks are not well understood due to the knowledge gaps in the long-term hydrodynamics-driven exchange of pollutants/nutrients between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. In this work, we exploited 99Tc and 129I released from the two European nuclear reprocessing plants as oceanic tracers and pollutant proxies, and performed a five-decade hindcast simulation to quantitatively estimate the fluxes and timescales of marine transport of pollutants/nutrients in the North-Baltic Sea. Modeling results underline two potential environmental risks of the Baltic Sea's "memory effect": (1) ∼26 years of environmental half-life for any existing water-soluble pollutants/nutrients in the Baltic Sea driven by its hydrodynamics; (2) the Baltic Sea as a pollutant reservoir continuously exporting 3 % of contaminations per year to the downstream areas after any pollution event. Our findings provide fundamental knowledge for understanding the long-term hydrodynamics-driven pollutant/nutrient transport in the North-Baltic Sea, facilitating the future regional management of the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu Lin
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Research and Development, Danish Meteorological Institute, DK-2100 København, Denmark
| | - Jun She
- Department of Research and Development, Danish Meteorological Institute, DK-2100 København, Denmark
| | - Jens Murawski
- Department of Research and Development, Danish Meteorological Institute, DK-2100 København, Denmark
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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Zhang L, Levy I, Vassileva E. Determination of uranium isotopes in marine sediments and seawaters by SF ICP-MS after rapid chemical separation using TK200 resin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:44671-44683. [PMID: 36696061 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25513-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This work provided a novel analytical procedure for rapid and precise uranium isotopic determination in marine sediment and seawater, using a new type of extraction resin, TK200 resin, in combination with microwave digestion (for marine sediments), Fe(OH)3 co-precipitation (for seawater), and single collector sector field-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF ICP-MS) measurement. The removal ability of TK200 extraction chromatography for the interfering elements (IEs) Hg, Pb, Th, Pt, Tl, and the matrix rare earth elements (REEs) was carefully investigated. High decontamination factors (DFs) were obtained for IEs and REEs. Accurate quantification of uranium isotope ratios was accomplished based on a "double-cycle" ICP-MS measurement method. The analytical method was optimized and validated with isotopic standards (IRMM-187), matrix-containing certified reference marine sediments (IAEA-384, IAEA-385, and IAEA-412), and seawater reference material (IAEA-443). A stable chemical recovery of ~ 90% was obtained for both types of marine environmental samples, and the method showed great efficiency with a total analytical time of less than 6 h. The proposed procedure was validated following ISO/IEC 17025 guidelines. The important factors affecting the isotope ratio results (instrument background, procedural blank, memory effects, peak tailing, mass discrimination, dead time, and hydride interferences) were considered in the estimation of combined uncertainties. This work provides an alternative way for the determination of trace uranium isotope ratios and can be applied in the emergency monitoring of nuclear accidents and marine environmental analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zhang
- International Atomic Energy Agency, Marine Environment Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
- Institute of Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China.
| | - Isabelle Levy
- International Atomic Energy Agency, Marine Environment Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Emilia Vassileva
- International Atomic Energy Agency, Marine Environment Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
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Lin G, Qiao J, Steier P, Danielsen M, Guðnason K, Joensen HP, Stedmon CA. Tracing Atlantic water transit time in the subarctic and Arctic Atlantic using 99Tc- 233U- 236U. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158276. [PMID: 36029821 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The pathway and transport time of Atlantic water passing northern Europe can be traced via anthropogenic radioisotopes released from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels at Sellafield (SF) and La Hague (LH). These reprocessing derived radioisotopes, with extremely low natural background, are source specific and unique fingerprints for Atlantic water. This study explores a new approach using 99Tc-233U-236U tracer to estimate the transit time of Atlantic water in the coast of Greenland. We isolate the reprocessing plants (RP) signal of 236U (236URP) by incorporating 233U measurements and combine this with 99Tc which solely originates from RP, to estimate the transit time of Atlantic water circulating from Sellafield to the coast of Greenland-Iceland-Faroe Islands. Both being conservative radioisotopes, the temporal variation of 99Tc/236URP ratio in Atlantic water is only influenced by their historic discharges from RP, thus 99Tc/236URP can potentially be a robust tracer to track the transport of Atlantic water in the North Atlantic-Arctic region. Based on our observation data of 99Tc-233U-236U in seawater and the proposed 99Tc/236URP tracer approach, Atlantic water transit times were estimated to be 16-22, 25 and 25 years in the coast of Greenland, Iceland and Faroe Island, respectively. Our estimates from northeast Greenland coastal waters agree with earlier results (17-22 years). Therefore, this work provides an independent approach to estimate Atlantic water transit time with which to compare estimates from ocean modelling and other radiotracer approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Lin
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Peter Steier
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Colin A Stedmon
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Yoshida A, Shikimori J, Ohno T, Ijichi Y, Fukami Y, Sakata M, Hirata T. Historical changes of 236U/ 238U and 235U/ 238U isotopic ratios in Tokyo Bay from the 1960s to the 2000s. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 255:107011. [PMID: 36137359 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We examine the historical changes of 236U/238U and 235U/238U in a sediment core collected in Tokyo Bay and elucidate the anthropogenic sources of uranium in the 1960s-2000s. Uranium-236 was detected in samples deposited in the 1960s-2000s, and the 236U/238U ratio of the sediment core shows peak values in the 1970s. The 235U/238U isotopic ratios in samples deposited in the early 1960s are almost identical to that of natural uranium, implying that the 236U might have originated from global fallout. A decrease in 235U/238U was observed in the late 1960s-2000s, suggesting that depleted uranium from nuclear fuel reprocessing increased the 236U/238U ratios in the sediment. The 236U/238U values in sediments from the 1980s-2000s were lower than those in the 1970s but considerably higher than those in the 1960s, suggesting that the main source of depleted uranium still remains around Tokyo Bay. Our results demonstrated that the depleted uranium released in the 1970s should be considered as an important end-member when using uranium isotopic ratios as environmental tracers in closed aquatic environments around industrial cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Yoshida
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Mejiro 1-5-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan
| | - Junko Shikimori
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Mejiro 1-5-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ohno
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Mejiro 1-5-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan.
| | - Yuta Ijichi
- Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Fukami
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Mejiro 1-5-1, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8588, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sakata
- Graduate Program in Environmental Health Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Takafumi Hirata
- Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Wallner G, Uguz H, Kern M, Jirsa F, Hain K. Retrospective determination of fallout radionuclides and 236U/ 238U, 233U/ 236U and 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios on air filters from Vienna and Salzburg, Austria. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 255:107030. [PMID: 36191507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
137Cs and 241Pu (via 241Am) concentrations were measured γ-spectrometrically on air filters from the early 1960s (mainly from 1964-66) from Vienna, Austria, and an alpine station in Salzburg, Austria. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was used to determine 240Pu/239Pu, 236U/238U and 233U/236U atom ratios as well as 236U, 239Pu and 240Pu atom concentrations. The maximum 236U/238U atom ratio of these unique undisturbed global fallout samples was (1.19 ± 0.31) × 10-5 in spring 1964. The 233U/236U atom ratios were found within (0.15-0.49) × 10-2 and indicate that the weapons tests of the early 1960s can be excluded as 233U source. The 236U/239Pu atom ratios were calculated in the range of 0.22-0.48.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Wallner
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 42, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - H Uguz
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 42, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - M Kern
- Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 17, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - F Jirsa
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 42, A-1090, Vienna, Austria; University of Johannesburg, Department of Zoology, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
| | - K Hain
- Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 17, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
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13
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Qiao J, Heldal HE, Steier P. Understanding source terms of anthropogenic uranium in the Arctic Ocean - First 236U and 233U dataset in Barents Sea sediments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157503. [PMID: 35872206 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This work reports the first dataset of 236U and 233U in sediment cores taken from the Barents Sea, with the aim to better understand the source terms of anthropogenic uranium in the Arctic region. Concentrations of 236U and 233U along with 137Cs, and 233U/236U atomic ratio were measured in six sediment profiles. The cumulative areal inventories of 236U and 233U obtained in this work are (3.50-12.7) × 1011 atom/m2 and (4.92-21.2) × 109 atom/m2, with averages values of (8.08 ± 2.93) × 1011 atom/m2 and (1.08 ± 0.56) × 1010 atom/m2, respectively. The total quantities of 236U and 233U deposited in the Barents Sea bottom sediments were estimated to be 507 ± 184 g and 7 ± 3 g, respectively, which are negligible compared to the total direct deposition of 236U (6000 g) and 233U (40-90 g) from global fallout in the Barents Sea. The integrated atomic ratios of 233U/236U ranging in (0.98-1.57) × 10-2 reflect the predominant global fallout signal of 236U in the Barents Sea sediments and the highest reactor-236U contribution accounts for 30 ± 14 % among the six sediment cores. The reactor-236U input in the Barents Sea sediments is most likely transported from the European reprocessing plants rather than related to any local radioactive contamination. These results provide better understanding on the source term of anthropogenic 236U in the Barents Sea, prompt the oceanic tracer application of 236U for studying the dynamics of the Atlantic-Arctic Ocean and associated climate changes. The 236U-233U benchmarked age-depth profiles seem to match reasonably well with the reported input function history of radioactive contamination in the Barents Sea, indicating the high potential of anthropogenic 236U-233U pair as a useful tool for sediment dating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Hilde Elise Heldal
- Department of Contaminants and Biohazards, Institute of Marine Research, P.O.Box 1870 Nordnes, NO-5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Peter Steier
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics - Isotope Research, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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14
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Morereau A, Jaegler H, Hain K, Steier P, Golser R, Beaumais A, Lepage H, Eyrolle F, Grosbois C, Cazala C, Gourgiotis A. Deciphering sources of U contamination using isotope ratio signatures in the Loire River sediments: Exploring the relevance of 233U/ 236U and stable Pb isotope ratios. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:135658. [PMID: 35835235 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A broad range of contaminants has been recorded in sediments of the Loire River over the last century. Among a variety of anthropogenic activities of this nuclearized watershed, extraction of uranium and associated activities during more than 50 years as well as operation of several nuclear power plants led to industrial discharges, which could persist for decades in sedimentary archives of the Loire River. Highlighting and identifying the origin of radionuclides that transited during the last decades and were recorded in the sediments is challenging due to i) the low concentrations which are often close or below the detection limits of routine environmental surveys and ii) the mixing of different sources. The determination of the sources of anthropogenic radioactivity was performed using multi-isotopic fingerprints (236U/238U, 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb) and the newly developed 233U/236U tracer. For the first time 233U/236U data in a well-dated river sediment core in the French river Loire are reported here. Results highlight potential sources of contamination among which a clear signature of anthropogenic inputs related to two accidents of a former NUGG NPP that occurred in 1969 and 1980. The 233U and 236U isotopes were measured by recent high performance analytical methods due to their ultra-trace levels in the samples and show a negligible radiological impact on health and on the environment. The determination of mining activities by the use of stable Pb isotopes is still challenging probably owing to the limited dissemination of the Pb-bearing material marked by the U-ore signature downstream to the former U mines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Morereau
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Hugo Jaegler
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Karin Hain
- Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 17, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Steier
- Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 17, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robin Golser
- Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 17, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aurélien Beaumais
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Hugo Lepage
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Frédérique Eyrolle
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Cécile Grosbois
- Université de Tours, EA 6293 Géohydrosystèmes Continentaux (GéHCO), Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, Cedex, France
| | - Charlotte Cazala
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Alkiviadis Gourgiotis
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, SEDRE/LELI, BP 3, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France.
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15
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Lin M, Qiao J, Hou X, Steier P, Golser R, Schmidt M, Dellwig O, Hansson M, Bäck Ö, Vartti VP, Stedmon C, She J, Murawski J, Aldahan A, Schmied SAK. Anthropogenic 236U and 233U in the Baltic Sea: Distributions, source terms, and budgets. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 210:117987. [PMID: 34954368 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Baltic Sea receives substantial amounts of hazardous substances and nutrients, which accumulate for decades and persistently impair the Baltic ecosystems. With long half-lives and high solubility, anthropogenic uranium isotopes (236U and 233U) are ideal tracers to depict the ocean dynamics in the Baltic Sea and the associated impacts on the fates of contaminants. However, their applications in the Baltic Sea are hampered by the inadequate source-term information. This study reports the first three-dimensional distributions of 236U and 233U in the Baltic Sea (2018-2019) and the first long-term hindcast simulation for reprocessing-derived 236U dispersion in the North-Baltic Sea (1971-2018). Using 233U/236U fingerprints, we distinguish 236U from the nuclear weapon testing and civil nuclear industries, which have comparable contributions (142 ± 13 and 174 ± 40 g) to the 236U inventory in modern Baltic seawater. Budget calculations for 236U inputs since the 1950s indicate that, the major 236U sources in the Baltic Sea are the atmospheric fallouts (∼1.35 kg) and discharges from nuclear reprocessing plants (> 211 g), and there is a continuous sink of 236U to the anoxic sediments (589 ± 43 g). Our findings also indicate that the limited water renewal endows the Baltic Sea a strong "memory effect" retaining aged 236U signals, and the previously unknown 236U in the Baltic Sea is likely attributed to the retention of the mid-1990s' discharges from the nuclear reprocessing plants. Our preliminary results demonstrate the power of 236U-129I dual-tracer in investigating water-mass mixing and estimating water age in the Baltic Sea, and this work provides fundamental knowledge for future 236U tracer studies in the Baltic Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu Lin
- Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU Risø Campus, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU Risø Campus, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark.
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU Risø Campus, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Peter Steier
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, Vienna A-1090, Austria
| | - Robin Golser
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, Isotope Physics, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, Vienna A-1090, Austria
| | - Martin Schmidt
- Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), Rostock 18119, Germany
| | - Olaf Dellwig
- Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), Rostock 18119, Germany
| | - Martin Hansson
- Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Göteborg SE-426 71, Sweden
| | - Örjan Bäck
- Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Göteborg SE-426 71, Sweden
| | - Vesa-Pekka Vartti
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Helsinki 00880, Finland
| | - Colin Stedmon
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Lyngby Campus, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Jun She
- Department of Research and Development, Danish Meteorological Institute, København DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Jens Murawski
- Department of Research and Development, Danish Meteorological Institute, København DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Ala Aldahan
- Department of Geosciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Stefanie A K Schmied
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany (BSH), Hamburg 22589, Germany
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16
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Marine sediment analysis – A review of advanced approaches and practices focused on contaminants. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1209:339640. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.339640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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17
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Qiao J, Ransby D, Steier P. Deciphering anthropogenic uranium sources in the equatorial northwest Pacific margin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150482. [PMID: 34844331 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This work reports the first high-resolution deposition records of anthropogenic uranium (236U and 233U) in a sediment core taken at the continental slope of the Philippine Sea off Mindanao Island in the equatorial northwest Pacific Ocean. Two notable peaks were observed in both profiles of 236U and 233U concentrations, with a narrower peak in 1951-1957 corresponding to close-in Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) signal, and a broader peak in 1960s-1980s corresponding to the global fallout from nuclear weapons testing. 236U and 233U areal cumulative inventories in the studied sediment core are (2.79 ± 0.20) ∙ 1012 atom ∙ m-2 and (3.12 ± 0.41) ∙ 1010 atom ∙ m-2, respectively, about 20-30% of reported 233U and 236U inventories from the direct global fallout deposition. The overall 233U/236U atomic ratios obtained in this work vary within (0.3-3.5) ∙ 10-2, with an integrated 233U/236U atomic ratio of (1.12 ± 0.17) ∙ 10-2. The contribution from global fallout and close-in PPG fallout to 236U in the sediment core is estimated to be about 69% and 31%, respectively. We believe the main driving process for anthropogenic uranium deposition in the Philippine sediment is continuous scavenging of dissolved 236U from the surface seawater by sinking particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Daniela Ransby
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Peter Steier
- VERA Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, Isotope Research, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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