Biogeochemistry of transuranic elements in Bikini Atoll lagoon. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5074197

Schell, W R; Nevissi, A; Meyers, J M

The distribution of transuranic and other radionuclides in the marine environment at Bikini Atoll was studied to better understand the biogeochemical cycling of radionuclides produced during testing of some 23 nuclear and thermonuclear devices between 1946 and 1958. The radionuclides are primarily associated with the coralline sediments. However, the highest radionuclide concentrations are not found at the detonation craters but with the fine particles which have been washed out of the craters in the reef by the currents and deposited downstream. The transuranic elements are distributed widely in sediments over the northwest quadrant of the atoll suggesting that this area serves as a settling basin for particles. The transuranic elements associated with these sediment particles do not remain fixed but are remobilized and distributed asymmetrically in the water column throughout the lagoon. The physico-chemical states of plutonium, measured using dialysis and sorption techniques include approx. 15% colloidal and varying amounts in the soluble and particulate fractions depending on sample location. Uptake of these physicochemical states is extensive on plankton with distribution coefficients measured at Bikini between water and plankton of 10/sup 4/ - 10/sup 6/. The uptake of plutonium in higher organisms decreases with trophic level and low concentrations (approx. .001 pCi/g for /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu) are found in the edible muscle of fish. The half-time for cleansing the reef of contaminant radionuclides has been estimated near the Bravo Crater using measurements made on the viscera of mullet.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., Seattle (USA). Lab. of Radiation Ecology
• DOE Contract Number: AT06-76EV70018
• OSTI ID: 5074197
• Report Number(s): RLO-2225-T18-22; ON: DE82021989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520302* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIKINI
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CLEANING
DECONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPLOSIONS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUNCTIONS
GEOCHEMISTRY
ISLANDS
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
MARSHALL ISLANDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MICRONESIA
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
OCEANIA
PLANKTON
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SEDIMENTS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS