Plutonium, lead-210, and carbon isotopes in the Savannah estuary: riverborne versus marine sources

The sources of plutonium and lead-210 associated with particulate matter in the Savannah estuary, Ga., were investigated. The results suggested that inputs from oceanic sources greatly exceeded inputs from river-borne or drainage-basin sources as far as 30 km upstream. The principal mechanisms for r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 1989-12, Vol.23 (12), p.1475-1481
Main Authors: Olsen, Curtis R, Thein, Myint, Larsen, Ingvar L, Lowry, Philip D, Mulholland, Patrick J, Cutshall, Norman H, Byrd, James T, Windom, Herbert L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Exact sciences and technology
Natural water pollution
Pollution
Seawaters, estuaries
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:The sources of plutonium and lead-210 associated with particulate matter in the Savannah estuary, Ga., were investigated. The results suggested that inputs from oceanic sources greatly exceeded inputs from river-borne or drainage-basin sources as far as 30 km upstream. The principal mechanisms for removing dissolved plutonium and lead-210 from sea water and concentrating these radionuclides in estuarine areas was resuspension of sediment in dynamic coastal areas, sorption on fine particles, and landward transport of particulate matter along the bottom. These findings implications for the disposal of chemically reactive substances in coastal waters. There are 38 references.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es00070a004