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Accumulation of 60Co and 134Cs in Lake Whitefish in a Canadian Shield Lake

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Abstract

Radionuclides were added to the anaerobic hypolimnion of a Canadian Shield lake during the summer of 1989 to simulate nuclear fuel waste leakage into the bottom waters of a lake with deep groundwater flow. Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) were sampled in mid-October each year from 1989 to 1994, except for 1992, to determine the concentration of 60and 134Cs in their tissues. The radionuclides remained in the hypolimnion until lake mixing in the autumn. Subsequently, there was more loss of 60than134Cs from the water. After one year, 4% of the60Co and 15% of the 134Cs remained in the water. This decreased to about 0.4% of the 60and 0.6% of the 134Cs in the water after five years. Little 60and 134Cs were present in lake whitefish the first autumn following the radionuclide addition. In fish, the highest concentrations were recorded in October, 1990, after which concentrations gradually decreased. Cobalt-60 concentrations were lower than 134Cs concentrations, probably because 60has a high affinity for organic particles and was not available for uptake. The relatively high 134Cs concentrations in fish reflects its tendency to remain in the water and its continued availability to biota. Both 60and 134Cs concentrations were high in the soft tissues. Co-60 was mainly distributed in the flesh, gut, gill, kidney, and liver, whereas134Cs was mainly distributed in the flesh. The occurrence of relatively high 134Cs concentrations in lake whitefish five years after their addition to the lake, long after 134Cs concentrations are no longer detectable in lake water, attests to the continued persistence of this contaminant in aquatic biota.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Whiteshell Laboratories, Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0, Canada (author for correspondence, fax

    G. A. Bird & W. J. Schwartz

  2. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N6, Canada

    K. H. Mills

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  1. G. A. Bird
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  2. K. H. Mills
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  3. W. J. Schwartz
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Bird, G.A., Mills, K.H. & Schwartz, W.J. Accumulation of 60Co and 134Cs in Lake Whitefish in a Canadian Shield Lake. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 114, 303–322 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005146015822

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