Role of mineralogical structure of sediments in accumulation of radionuclides and trace elements

Abstract

Similar distributions for 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 210Po, 238,239,240Pu, 137Cs and trace elements were obtained in sediment samples collected along the Romanian sector of the Danube River and the Black Sea coast during 1994. The radionuclide and trace element accumulation in the investigated samples is discussed with respect to their geochemical behavior and the mineralogical structure of the samples. The latter, investigated by X-ray diffraction and cation exchange capacity of the same samples, proves to be an important factor in the selection of sampling sites for monitoring the pollution of river basins and the sea.