Artificial radionuclides in aquatic plants of the Yenisei River in the area affected by effluents of a Russian plutonium complex
In: Aquatic Ecology. Springer: Dordrecht; London; Boston. ISSN 1386-2588; e-ISSN 1573-5125, more
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| Keywords |
Accumulation
Chemical elements > Metals > Transuranic elements > Actinides > Plutonium
Flora > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic plants
Isotopes > Chromium isotopes
Isotopes > Cobalt isotopes
Isotopes > Europium isotopes
Isotopes > Manganese isotopes
Isotopes > Zinc isotopes
Pollutants > Radioactive pollutants
Wastes > Effluents
Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw. [WoRMS]; Potamogeton lucens
Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Yenisey R.
Fresh water |
| Author keywords |
aquatic plants; concentration factor; gamma-radionuclides; isotopes ofplutonium |
| Abstract |
The Yenisei River, one of the largest rivers in the world, is contaminated with artificial radionuclides released by one of the Russian nuclear plants, which produces weapons-grade plutonium and has been in operation for many years. The aim of the study that was conducted between 1997 and 2002 was to investigate accumulation of artificial radionuclides by aquatic plants of the Yenisei River. The aquatic plants sampled were: Potamogeton lucens (shining weed) and Fontinalis antipyretica (water moss). The γ-spectrometric analysis of the samples of aquatic plants for artificial radionuclides has revealed a wide spectrum of long-lived and short-lived radionuclides. Artificial radionuclides such as 51Cr, 54Mn, 58Co, 60Co, 65Zn, 137Cs, and 152Eu were found in aquatic plants collected both near the plutonium complex and 194 km downstream in the river. The radiochemical analysis of aquatic plants revealed strontium and isotopes of plutonium. Fontinalis antipyretica had very high concentration factors of the principal radionuclides: 14220, 3110 and 500 of 51Cr, 46Sc and 239Np, respectively. |
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