The oceanic geochemistry of artificial radionuclides: The SEEP Project. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10115313· OSTI ID:10115313

Radionuclides have been and continue to be introduced to the marine environment in various ways. The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the 1960s resulting in global fallout has been the major contributor of artificial radionuclides to the environment. Nuclear power plants have produced a large quantity of radioactive wastes which are presently being stored on land. The United States, amongst other countries (e.g., England, France, Japan), was seriously investigating the possibility of disposing of these radioactive wastes in the ocean. Clearly it is important to study and to understand the oceanographic behavior of radioactive substances. The DOE sponsored SEEP (Shelf Edge Exchange Processes) research; discussed here, is a detailed study into the biogeochemistry of radionuclides in the shelf and slope environment. The questions asked by this research (see below) pertain directly to problems arising from the introduction of radionuclides into the oceans from energy-related industries (e.g. nuclear power plants, waste disposal).

• Research Organization: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-85ER60358
• OSTI ID: 10115313
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60358-T1; ON: DE92005587
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: [1991]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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PLUTONIUM 239
FALLOUT DEPOSITS
SEDIMENT-WATER INTERFACES
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540330
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT