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Depositional characteristics of 7Be and 210Pb in Kuwaiti dust

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Abstract

Dust fallout fluxes of 210Pb and 7Be were measured in Kuwait during October 2009–August 2011. The annual average depositional fluxes of 210Pb and 7Be were 134 and 422 Bq m−2, respectively. The temporal variations of both radionuclides showed a maximum deposition during April of 2010 and 2011. A strong linear relationship between 7Be and 210Pb was found. The average dust depositional rate was about 50 mg m−2 h−1 with a maximum of 460 mg m−2 h−1, while the extreme value of 664 mg m−2 h−1 was recorded in March 2011 when a massive dust storm hit Kuwait. The 210Pb deposition has a strong correlation with dust deposition because of its terrestrial abundance. Whereas the 7Be a radionuclide shows a weaker correlation with dust deposition.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been funded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) under the Grant EC063C (Grant No. 2008-1401-01). The authors would like to thank Dr. N. Al-Mutairi (Director General of KISR) for his encouragement and support. Special thanks go to Dr. S. Uddin, the Senior Researcher at KISR for his valuable comments and discussion. Also, thanks are extended to the technical staff of the radioecology laboratory in conducting experimental work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy and Building Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait

    A. Aba & A. Ismaeel

  2. Environmental and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait

    A. M. Al-Dousari

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  1. A. Aba
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  2. A. M. Al-Dousari
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  3. A. Ismaeel
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Correspondence to A. Aba.

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Aba, A., Al-Dousari, A.M. & Ismaeel, A. Depositional characteristics of 7Be and 210Pb in Kuwaiti dust. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 15–23 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4129-y

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