Skip to main content
Log in

A field study of physico-chemical states of artificial radionuclides in seawater

  • Original
  • Published:
Journal of Oceanography Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The physico-chemical states of artificial radionuclides,90Sr,137Cs and144Ce in seawater were investigated by radiochemical analysis of filtered and unfiltered seawater. The difference of radionuclide concentrations between unfiltered and filtered seawaters was defined as the “particulate form” radioisotope and its “particle ratio” was discussed.

Practically no particulate90Sr, greater than 0.22Μ in size, was observed in both coastal and open seawaters, but some of137Cs seemed to be insoluble in some circumstances, especially in coastal waters. A considerable amount of144Ce was found to be particulate.

An estimation of the radionuclides in particulate form was made for Kashima-nada seawaters collected in 1970 to 1972, and it was shown that the possible occurrence of particulate radionuclides, greater than 0.22Μ in size, were 1% or less for90Sr and 6% for137Cs. In the coastal water, 80 % of144Ce were seemed to be in particulate form, but in the open seawater only a few%. The influences of suspended materials to137Cs and144Ce concentration levels in seawater were not negligible and further investigations are desirable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Duursma, E. K. (1973): Specific activity of radionuclides sorbed by marine sediments in relation to the stable element composition. Radioactive Contamination of the Marine Environment. IAEA, 57–70.

  • Freiling, E. C. andN. E. Ballou (1962): Nature of nuclear debris in sea water. Nature,195, 1283–1287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greendale, A. E. and N. E.Ballou (1954): Physical state of fission product elements following their vaporization in distilled water and sea water. AEC, USNRDL,436, 28 pp.

  • Miyake, Y. and H.Tsubota (1963): Estimation of direct contribution of meteoric waters to river waters by means of fallout radiocesium and radiostrontium. Radioisotopes in Hydrology, IAEA, 425–431.

  • Nagaya, Y., M. Shiozaki andY. Seto (1965): Some fallout radionuclides in deep waters around Japan. J. Radiat. Res.,6, 23–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagaya, Y. andM. Saiki (1967): Accumulation of radionuclides in some coastal sediment of Japan (I). Fallout radionuclides in some coastal sediments in 1964–1965. J. Radiat. Res.,8, 37–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagaya, Y. andK. Nakamura (1970): A study of the vertical transport of Sr-90 and Cs-137 in the surface waters of the seas around Japan. J. Radiat. Res.,11, 32–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagaya, Y., K. Nakamura andM. Saiki (1971): Strontium concentrations and strontium-chlorinity ratios in sea water of the North Pacific and adjacent seas of Japan. J. Oceanog. Soc. Japan.27, 20–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noshkin, V. E. and V. T.Bowen (1973): Concentration and distributions of long-lived fallout radionuclide in open ocean sediments. Radioactive Contamination of the Marine Environment, IAEA, 671–686.

  • Osterberg, C., A. G. Carey andH. Curl (1963): Acceleration of sinking rates of radionuclides in the ocean. Nature,200, 1277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piro, A., M.,Bernhard, M.Branica and M.Verzi (1973): Incomplete exchange reaction between radioactive ionic zinc and stable natural zinc in sea water. Radioactive Contamination of the Marine Environment, IAEA, 29–44.

  • Strelow, F. W., C. J. Liebenberg andF. von S. Toerien (1968): Quantitative separation of alkali metals by cation exchange chromatography with BIO-REX 40 resin. Anal. Chim. Acta,43, 465–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugihara, T. T. and V. T.Bowen (1962): Radioactive rare earths from fallout for study of particulate movement in tne sea. Radioisotopes in the physical sciences and industry, IAEA, 57–65.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nagaya, Y., Nakamura, K. A field study of physico-chemical states of artificial radionuclides in seawater. Journal of the Oceanographical Society of Japan 30, 179–184 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02111069

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02111069

Keywords

Navigation