Environmental fate of radiocesium in biota inhabiting a contaminated ecosystem on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site

Leaphart, James C.; Korotasz, Alexis M.; Bryan, Albert L.; Beasley, James C.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106321

Environmental fate of radiocesium in biota inhabiting a contaminated ecosystem on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site

Journal Article · Fri Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106321· OSTI ID:1848963

Leaphart, James C. ^[1]; Korotasz, Alexis M. ^[2]; Bryan, Albert L. ^[2]; Beasley, James C. ^[3]

Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL); Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

Although biomagnification of radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs) has been reported in food webs, most previous research has been limited to select trophic linkages. Few studies have included a comprehensive survey of fauna associated with aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial habitats within a single study framework. The objectives of this study were to advance our understanding of the dynamics of ¹³⁷Cs accumulation within food webs by quantifying ¹³⁷Cs activity across a wide range of biota found within a contaminated canal, as well as test the hypothesis that life-stage and body size influence ¹³⁷Cs bioaccumulation in select herpetofauna. With extensive sampling across multiple taxa collected from a contaminated canal system and associated floodplain on the Savannah River Site, we assessed ¹³⁷Cs activity and stable nitrogen isotopes for both aquatic organisms that were restricted to the contaminated effluent canal, and semi-aquatic organisms able to move freely between the contaminated canal and the adjacent uncontaminated terrestrial habitat. We found ¹³⁷Cs activity to be highly variable among species, with evidence for and against biomagnification in semi-aquatic and aquatic organisms, respectively. Furthermore, ¹³⁷Cs activity decreased with life stage and body size in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), despite post-metamorphic bullfrogs having a more carnivorous diet compared to tadpoles, while cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) retained similar ¹³⁷Cs activity regardless of their age and size. While evidence of biomagnification has been observed in some contaminated systems, results of our study suggest the extent to which ¹³⁷Cs biomagnifies within food webs is context-dependent and likely influenced by a suite of biotic and abiotic factors. Further, our data indicate sampling of a broad suite of species and environmental attributes are needed to elucidate the fate and dynamics of anthropogenic pollutants within contaminated ecosystems.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)

Grant/Contract Number:: EM0004391

OSTI ID:: 1848963

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1777561

Journal Information:: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity Journal Issue: C Vol. 222; ISSN 0265-931X

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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