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Radionuclide activities and elemental concentrations in sediments from a polluted marine environment (Saronikos Gulf-Greece)

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Abstract

The levels and depth distributions of the natural radionuclides 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 40K and the man-made 137Cs were analyzed by γ-ray spectrometry, while the concentrations of 26 chemical elements were measured by INAA in sediment samples collected from the organic mud layer that covers the Keratsini–Psitalia strait, Saronikos gulf (Greece). The average activity concentration values of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were lower when compared, whereas that of 238U was comparable to the average Greek and world values. The elemental contamination of the sediments was estimated on the basis of the calculated EF values. The results revealed high EF values of As, Br, Cr, Ni, Sb, Se, Zn ranging from 160 for Br to 10 for Cr, whose main sources are probable related to contaminated sewage outfall from the area of Athens and the Piraeus Harbour.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physical, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504, Patras, Greece

    Helen Papaefthymiou

  2. Laboratory of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography, Department of Geology, University of Patras, 26504, Patras, Greece

    Anastasia Gkaragkouni, George Papatheodorou & Maria Geraga

Authors
  1. Helen Papaefthymiou
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  2. Anastasia Gkaragkouni
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  3. George Papatheodorou
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  4. Maria Geraga
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Correspondence to Helen Papaefthymiou.

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Papaefthymiou, H., Gkaragkouni, A., Papatheodorou, G. et al. Radionuclide activities and elemental concentrations in sediments from a polluted marine environment (Saronikos Gulf-Greece). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 314, 1841–1852 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5600-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5600-8

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