Distribution of mercury, cesium-137, and plutonium in an intermittent stream at Los Alamos
This paper summarizes the results of a study on the distribution of Hg, /sup 137/CS, /sup 238/Pu, and /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu in channel sediments and adjacent bank soils in an intermittent stream used for treated liquid effluent disposal since 1963. Concentrations of the three radionuclides and Hg in stream bank soils were comparable to adjacent channel sediments demonstrating that the stream bank serves as a deposition site for chemicals released to the channel. This finding has important implications on the long-term behavior of effluent contaminants since other studies at Los Alamos have shown that the vegetated stream banks retard downstream movement of chemicals bound to soils and provide a pathway for transport of these materials to biota. Concentrations of the radionuclides and mercury were more uniformly distributed with distance and depth in the channel sediments than in the bank soils.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5953328
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 9:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CESIUM 137
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
MERCURY
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
LIQUID WASTES
LOS ALAMOS
SEDIMENTS
SOILS
STREAMS
WASTE DISPOSAL
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SOUTHWEST REGION
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
520301* - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510301 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Soil- (-1987)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)