Concentration of radionuclides in fresh water fish downstream of Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant

Technical Report · Thu Dec 27 04:00:00 EST 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5491982· OSTI ID:5491982

Noshkin, V E; Eagle, R J; Dawson, J M; Brunk, J L; Wong, X M

Fish were collected for radionuclide analysis over a 5-month period in 1984 from creeks downstream of the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Plant, which has been discharging quantities of some fission and activation products to the waterway since 1981. Among the fish, the bluegill was selected for intensive study because it is very territorial and the radionuclide concentrations detected should be representative of the levels in the local environment at the downstream locations sampled. Among the gamma-emitting radionuclides routinely released, only /sup 134/Cs and /sup 137/Cs were detected in the edible flesh of fish. Concentrations in the flesh of fish decreased with distance from the plant. The relationship between concentration and distance was determined to be exponential. Exponential equations were generated to estimate concentrations in fish at downstream locations where no site-specific information was available. Mean concentrations of /sup 137/Cs in bluegill collected during April, May, July and August from specific downstream stations were not significantly different in spite of the release of 131 mCi to the creeks between April and August. The concentrations in fish are not responding to changes in water concentrations brought about by plant discharges. Diet appears to be a more significant factor than size or weight or water concentration in regulating body burdens of /sup 137/Cs in these fish.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5491982
• Report Number(s): UCID-20295; ON: DE86011005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520302* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560172 -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Animals-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISHES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POWER REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RANCHO SECO-1 REACTOR
RANCHO SECO-2 REACTOR
REACTORS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES