Title
Characterization of radionuclides in the marine sediments of Orca Seamount, Admiralty Bay, and Mackellar Cove
Other title
Caracterización de radionúclidos en los sedimentos marinos del monte submarino Orca, bahía Almirantazgo y ensenada Mackellar
Date Issued
01 January 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Publisher(s)
INVEMAR
Abstract
Contamination by radioactive elements and their transfer through the trophic chain can have harmful effects on ecosystems and human health, therefore its continuous monitoring is important. The present study aimed to characterize the concentration of radionuclides of natural and anthropogenic origin in marine sediments from three areas in the northwest of Antarctica, Orca Seamount, Admiralty Bay and Mackellar Inlet, in order to evaluate possible risk levels, sources and transportation routes. Measurements were made using a high-resolution Canberra spectrometer and methodological precision and accuracy was assessed by analyzing reference materials certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), SOIL-6 and Moss SOIL-447. The results showed a low concentration of 137Cs activity in the marine sediments, decreasing towards the deep zone, validating the atmospheric pathway as the main transport route for this radionuclide of anthropic origin. The activity concentration of radionuclides of natural origin 226Ra and 40K, confirm the volcanic origin of the region, corroborating the geological evolution stages of the sector, and the changes in the source of material to the mantle. The calculated radiation hazard indexes showed that current activity concentrations of radioactive elements do not pose a health risk. It is important in the future to improve the understanding of the relationship between hydrothermalism in the area and the activity concentration of radionuclides of natural origin.
Start page
109
End page
128
Volume
50
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ingeniería marina, naves
Física nuclear
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85109481544
Source
Boletin de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras
ISSN of the container
01229761
Sponsor(s)
Special thanks to the BAP Carrasco crew and researchers from the second expedition of the Antar XXVI campaign (2018 - 2019) for their support on board in the collection of the samples for this study. Similarly, to the Directorate of Limits Sovereignty and Antarctic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru, for the logistical and financial support to participate in the expedition. As well as Invemar for the financial support of the researcher Constanza Ricaurte-Villota. Finally, the authors thank the researcher Oswaldo Coca Domínguez for his collaboration in the cartographic component and the Universidad Científica del Sur for the delivery of samples from the Mackellar Inlet.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Instituto Peruano de Energía Nuclear
Scopus