Radiocesium (137Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site
Abstract
The aquatic cooling canal system associated with a nuclear reactor built in the early 1950s received accidental releases of radiocesium () from the reactor between 1954 and 1964, resulting in the dispersion of ~8.2 × 12 Bq of 137Cs into the associated canals and ponds. The primary purpose of this study was to document concentrations of 137Cs in littoral zone fish currently occupying components of the cooling canal system, 3 canals and 2 impoundments, to determine how concentrations varied among these various components. Secondarily, we examined for potential influence of weirs within the canal system on concentrations in fish as well as the potential relationship between fish species and body size and on 137Cs concentrations in fish. We collected samples of sediment, biofilm, and fish from each component of the R-Reactor cooling system and compared 137Cs among sites and species in individual sites. Concentrations of 137Cs in sediments, biofilms and mosquitofish varied significantly among sampling areas with higher concentrations in RCAN1, a canal segment that was the closest to the reactor and received reactor effluent for a longer period than other components. Comparisons among other components of the cooling system, and species comparisons relative to presumed trophic positions and fishmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1547713
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1614640
- Grant/Contract Number:
- EM0004391
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Environment International
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Environment International Journal Volume: 126 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0160-4120
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; 137Cs; Radiocesium; Fish; Reactor cooling canals; Bioaccumulation
Citation Formats
Fulghum, Christina M., DiBona, Elizabeth R., Leaphart, James C., Korotasz, Alexis M., Beasley, James C., and Bryan, A. Lawrence. Radiocesium (137Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.039.
Fulghum, Christina M., DiBona, Elizabeth R., Leaphart, James C., Korotasz, Alexis M., Beasley, James C., & Bryan, A. Lawrence. Radiocesium (137Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.039
Fulghum, Christina M., DiBona, Elizabeth R., Leaphart, James C., Korotasz, Alexis M., Beasley, James C., and Bryan, A. Lawrence. Wed .
"Radiocesium (137Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.039.
@article{osti_1547713,
title = {Radiocesium (137Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site},
author = {Fulghum, Christina M. and DiBona, Elizabeth R. and Leaphart, James C. and Korotasz, Alexis M. and Beasley, James C. and Bryan, A. Lawrence},
abstractNote = {The aquatic cooling canal system associated with a nuclear reactor built in the early 1950s received accidental releases of radiocesium () from the reactor between 1954 and 1964, resulting in the dispersion of ~8.2 × 12 Bq of 137Cs into the associated canals and ponds. The primary purpose of this study was to document concentrations of 137Cs in littoral zone fish currently occupying components of the cooling canal system, 3 canals and 2 impoundments, to determine how concentrations varied among these various components. Secondarily, we examined for potential influence of weirs within the canal system on concentrations in fish as well as the potential relationship between fish species and body size and on 137Cs concentrations in fish. We collected samples of sediment, biofilm, and fish from each component of the R-Reactor cooling system and compared 137Cs among sites and species in individual sites. Concentrations of 137Cs in sediments, biofilms and mosquitofish varied significantly among sampling areas with higher concentrations in RCAN1, a canal segment that was the closest to the reactor and received reactor effluent for a longer period than other components. Comparisons among other components of the cooling system, and species comparisons relative to presumed trophic positions and fish length were not consistent. However, littoral zone fish in the cooling canal system continue to bioaccumulate 137Cs >50 years after the original releases of contamination.},
doi = {10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.039},
journal = {Environment International},
number = C,
volume = 126,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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