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Anthropogenic radionuclides in the water column and a sediment core from the Alboran Sea: application to radiometric dating and reconstruction of historical water column radionuclide concentrations

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Abstract

Global fallout is the main source of anthropogenic radionuclides in the Mediterranean Sea. This work presents 137Cs, 239+240Pu and 241Am concentrations in the water column in the southwest Alboran Sea, which was sampled in December 1999. A sediment core was taken at 800 m depth in the area (35°47′ N, 04°48′ W). 210Pb, 226Ra, 137Cs and 239+240Pu specific activities were measured at multiple depths in the core for dating purposes. 137Cs and 239+240Pu profiles did not show defined peaks that could be used as time markers, and they extended up to depths for which the 210Pb-based constant rate of supply (CRS) dating model provided inconsistent dates. These profiles can be useful to test dating models, understood as particular solutions of a general advection–diffusion problem, if the time series of radionuclide inputs into the sediment is provided. Thus, historical records of depth-averaged 137Cs and 239+240Pu concentrations in water, and their corresponding fluxes into the sediment, were reconstructed. A simple water-column model was used for this purpose, involving atmospheric fallout, measured distribution coefficient (k d) values, and a first-estimate of sedimentation rates. A dating model of constant mixing with constant sedimentation rate was applied successfully to three independent records (unsupported 210Pb, 137Cs and 239+240Pu), and provided the objective determination of mixing parameters and mass sedimentation rate. These results provide some insight into the fate of atmospheric inputs to this marine environment and, particularly, into the contribution from the Chernobyl accident.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by IAEA under the Regional Project RAF/7/004. The authors acknowledge the support provided by IAEA-Marine Environment Laboratory of Monaco for the sampling cruise. They also thank colleagues from INRH for their assistance during sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre National de l’Energie des Sciences et des Techniques Nucléaires, B.P. 1382, 10001, Rabat, Morocco

    A. Laissaoui, M. Benmansour, N. Ziad & M. Ibn Majah

  2. Dpto. Física Aplicada I, EUITA, University of Seville, Carretera de Utrera km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain

    J. M. Abril

  3. Instituto Geociencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile

    S. Mulsow

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  1. A. Laissaoui
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  2. M. Benmansour
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  3. N. Ziad
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  4. M. Ibn Majah
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  5. J. M. Abril
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  6. S. Mulsow
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Correspondence to A. Laissaoui.

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Laissaoui, A., Benmansour, M., Ziad, N. et al. Anthropogenic radionuclides in the water column and a sediment core from the Alboran Sea: application to radiometric dating and reconstruction of historical water column radionuclide concentrations. J Paleolimnol 40, 823–833 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-008-9201-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-008-9201-y

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