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40K, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and 137Cs relationships and behaviour in sedimentary rocks and sediments of a karstic coastal area (Kaštela Bay, Croatia) and related rocks and sediments’ differentiation

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Abstract

Natural (40K, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides in consolidated sedimentary rocks (limestones s.l. and marls) and unconsolidated sediments (stream sediments and soils) of the Kaštela Bay (Adriatic Sea, Croatia) coastal area were studied. Kaštela Bay is a typical karstic environment and it is under strong anthropogenic influence due to industrialisation and urbanisation. Relationships between radionuclides, their behaviour in different types of samples and possible influencing factors were studied. Radionuclides were also studied in relation to selected metals (Al, K, Ca, Fe, Ti, Mn, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Pb and As) and distribution in limestones s.l., marls, stream sediments and soils. Radionuclides’ massic activities were determined by gamma-spectrometry and metal mass fractions were measured by EDXRF technique. Relationships were studied using statistical tools (principal component analysis, factor analysis). It was found that stream sediments were more similar to source rocks (limestones s.l. and marl) than to soils in terms of natural radionuclides’ activities. 40K and 232Th in consolidated rocks were preferentially bound to alumosilicates and associated with the majority of studied metals. However, this was not the case with 226Ra and 238U, which did not show any preferences regarding binding to mineral components or associating with metals. On the other hand, all four natural radionuclides presented the same behaviour in unconsolidated sediments, i.e. they were all preferentially bound to alumosilicates and associated with the majority of metals. 137Cs did not associate with any of the metals or other radionuclides in sediments. The statistical approach applied in this study revealed differences in radionuclides’ relationships and behaviour in a karstic environment and implied possible influencing processes or factors. This approach can be applied in other types of environments as well to study preferential radionuclides’ binding to certain mineral components that influences radionuclides’ mobility and transport to other environmental compartments.

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Data Availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The laboratory work was performed in the Laboratory for Radioecology and the article was prepared in the Laboratory for Low-Level Radioactivities, both at the Ruđer Bošković Institute.

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports of the Republic of Croatia through the ‘Radionuclides and trace elements in environmental systems’ project (project number 098-0982934-2713). The funding source had no involvement in the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the article or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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  1. Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić, Višnja Oreščanin & Delko Barišić

  2. OREŠČANIN Ltd., Ante Jakšića 30, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Višnja Oreščanin

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  1. Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić
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ILM—conceptualisation, methodology, sampling, data collection and analysis, interpretation of data, preparation and writing of the article; VO—data analysis, interpretation of data; DB—conceptualisation, methodology, sampling. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić.

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Lovrenčić Mikelić, I., Oreščanin, V. & Barišić, D. 40K, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and 137Cs relationships and behaviour in sedimentary rocks and sediments of a karstic coastal area (Kaštela Bay, Croatia) and related rocks and sediments’ differentiation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 51497–51510 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14240-7

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