Neutron activation analysis studies of marine biological species and related marine sediments

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:4054571

Guinn, V P; Di Casa, M; de Goeij, J J.M.; Young, D R; Vogt, J R; Meyer, W ^[1]

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1. eds.

To assess the effects, if any, of elemental pollution of the Pacific Ocean from the major Southern California sewage outfalls, samples of ocean sediments were obtained and specimens of Dover Sole were caught in a number of locations. Liver tissue samples from Dover Sole specimens were analyzed for 12 elements and sediment samples for 4 elements. Although a number of the elements were highly concentrated in the surface sediments in the heavily-polluted areas, the Dover Sole showed no evidence of picking up any of the 12 elements from these polluted sediments. Sediment profiles, versus depth, (0-34 cm) were also determined for As, Sb, Se, and Hg. Stemming partly from the results of the NSF Baseline Study, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) became interested in a more intensive multi-element study of marine biological species and ocean sediments off the coast of Southern California. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects, if any, of a number of selected elements of interest being discharged into the Pacific Ocean from the principal sewage outfalls in the Southern California (Los Angeles) area upon marine biological species. The 12 elements selected for study were Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, and Hg. Since a number of these elements were not amenable to purely instrumental NAA measurements, a suitable post-irradiation radiochemical separation procedure was devised, thoroughly tested, and then applied to 39 samples of liver tissue from specimens of Dover Sole caught in non-polluted, slightly-polluted, fairly-polluted, and heavily-polluted areas along the coast. A number of surface sediment samples from these same locations were also analyzed, by both instrumental and radiochemical NAA. In the following sections, the samples analyzed are cited, the procedures developed and employed are described, the results obtained are presented, and the conclusions reached are discussed.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Irvine; Missouri Univ., Columbia (USA). Coll. of Engineering
• NSA Number: NSA-33-023323
• OSTI ID: 4054571
• Report Number(s): CONF-740701--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*ANTIMONY-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*ARSENIC-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*CADMIUM-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*CHROMIUM-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*COBALT-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*COPPER-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*FISHES-- CONTAMINATION
*IRON-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*LIVER-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*MERCURY-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*MOLYBDENUM-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*PACIFIC OCEAN-- POLLUTION
*SCANDIUM-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*SELENIUM-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*SILVER-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
*ZINC-- ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
520200* --Environmental Sciences
Aquatic--Chemicals Monitoring & Transport
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
LIQUID WASTES
N40110 --Chemistry--Analytical & Separations Chemistry--Activation & Nuclear Reaction Procedures
N44700* --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Chemical Effluents
SEDIMENTS