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Distribution of 137Cs, 40K, 232Th and 238U in coastal marine sediments of Margarita Island, Venezuela

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Abstract

This work presents the results of 137Cs, 40K, 232Th and 238U concentration (Bq kg−1) values in coastal marine sediments collected from 38 sites along the coastline of the island of Margarita, Venezuela. The purpose was to determine baseline values for these radionuclides in surface marine sediments and to detect if there were any anomalously high concentration values. Only three of the 38 sediments analyzed had measurable values above the detection limit of 0.9 Bq kg−1 for 137Cs and the highest only being 1.4 Bq kg−1. While, the concentration (Bq kg−1) ranges for the primordial radionuclides, 40K, 232Th and 238U were as follows: 12.2–211.7, <1.5–9.8 and <4.4–20.7, respectively. These concentration ranges for the primordial radionuclides can be considered as baseline values for surface marine sediments for areas that are considered not polluted by man or contaminated by nature. Finally, the concentration range of 137Cs can also be employed as baseline values, which only seem to have been the result of the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the past.

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Acknowledgements

The authors like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their participation in the field work: Gustavo Cordovez, Jhonny Gonzales and Carlos Cordoves, all retired personnel of IVIC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas-IVIC, Apartado, 20632, Caracas, Venezuela

    J. J. LaBrecque, P. R. Cordoves, K. Perez & J. A. Alfonso

  2. Universidad de Oriente, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela

    M. A. Cordoves

  3. Universidad Simon Bolivar, P.O. 89000, Caracas, Venezuela

    D. Palacios

  4. Centro de Química, 8424 NW 56th Street, CCS-00204, Miami, FL, 3166, USA

    J. J. LaBrecque

Authors
  1. J. J. LaBrecque
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  2. P. R. Cordoves
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  3. M. A. Cordoves
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  4. K. Perez
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  5. D. Palacios
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  6. J. A. Alfonso
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Correspondence to J. J. LaBrecque.

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LaBrecque, J.J., Cordoves, P.R., Cordoves, M.A. et al. Distribution of 137Cs, 40K, 232Th and 238U in coastal marine sediments of Margarita Island, Venezuela. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 283, 669–674 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0434-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0434-7

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