The importance of recording physical and chemical variables simultaneously with remote radiological surveillance of aquatic systems: a perspective for environmental modelling

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity 2004, Vol.72 (1), p.145-152
• Main Authors: Abril, J.M., El-Mrabet, R., Barros, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; Continental surface waters; Dispersion model; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Electric Conductivity; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geologic Sediments; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Models, Theoretical; Natural water pollution; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Radionuclide uptake; Risk Assessment; SPM; Temperature; Uptake kinetics; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/S0265-931X(03)00196-6

Modern nuclear metrological tools allow the remote surveillance of the radiological status of the aquatic systems, providing an important advance in the protection of the environment. Nevertheless, the significance of the radiological data could be highly improved through simultaneous recording of physical and chemical variables that govern the behaviour and bioavailability of radionuclides in these aquatic systems. This work reviews some of these variables from the point of view of the environmental modelling. The amount, nature and dynamics of the suspended loads and bottom sediments strongly influence the behaviour of particle-reactive radionuclides. The kinetics of this process has a very fast component, as it is shown from our recent studies with 241Am, 239Pu and 133Ba in several aquatic systems from southern Spain. Changes in pH, temperature and in the electrical conductivity are influencing the uptake kinetics and the final partitioning of the radioactivity. Water currents govern the radionuclide transport and dispersion. These points are illustrated with modelling exercises in the scenarios of the Suez Canal (Egypt) and the Härsvatten Lake (Sweden).