3H Concentrations Research Articles

Chemical and isotopic investigations (δ18O, δ2H, 3H, 87Sr/86Sr) to define groundwater processes occurring in a deep-seated landslide in flysch

Deep-seated landslides are complex systems. In many cases, multidisciplinary studies are necessary to unravel the key hydrological features that can influence their evolution in space and time. The deep-seated Berceto landslide, in the northern Apennines of Italy, has been investigated in order to define the origin and geochemical evolution of groundwater (GW), to identify the slope system hydrological boundary, and to highlight the GW flow paths, transit time and transfer modalities inside the landslide body. This research is based on a multidisciplinary approach that involves monitoring GW levels, obtaining analyses of water chemistry and stable and unstable isotopes (δ18O-δ2H, 3H, 87Sr/86Sr), performing soil leaching tests, geochemical modelling (PHREEQC), and principal component analysis (PCA). The results of δ18O-δ2H and 87Sr/86Sr analyses show that the source of GW recharge in the Berceto landslide is local rainwater, and external contributions from a local stream can be excluded. In the landslide body, two GW hydrotypes (Ca-HCO3 and Na-HCO3) are identified, and the results of PHREEQC and PCA confirm that the chemical features of the GW depend on water–rock interaction processes occurring inside the landslide. The 3H content suggests a recent origin for GW and appears to highlight mixing between shallow and deep GW aliquots. The 3H content and GW levels data confirm that shallow GW is mainly controlled by a mass transfer mechanism. The 3H analyses with GW levels also indicate that only deep GW is controlled by a pressure transfer mechanism, and this mechanism is likely the main influence on the landslide kinematics.

Tritium concentration in ambient air around Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant

Tritium (3H) is one of the important long-lived radioisotopes in the gaseous effluent from nuclear power plants. In this article, we present the results of 3H monitoring in ambient air samples around the Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant, on the West Coast of India. Air samples were collected by moisture condensation method and the 3H concentration was determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. The 3H concentration in the 2.3–15 km zone of the power plant varied in the range of <0.04–6.64 Bq m−3 with a median of 0.67 Bq m−3. The samples collected from the 2.3–5 km zone of the power plant exhibit marginally higher concentration when compared to the 5–10 km and 10–15 km zones, which is as expected. The values observed in the present study for Kaiga region are similar to those reported from other nuclear power plants, both within India and other parts of the world.

Direct tritium emissions to the ocean from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident

In this work we report tritium concentrations determined in seawater samples collected offshore of Fukushima in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, immediately after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1-NPP) accident. We found surface seawater to have high concentrations of tritium (3H) and cesium-137 (137Cs) with respect to the concentrations expected for the investigated region. Tritium concentrations were up to six times the pre-accident level. However, these concentrations were found to be relatively low compared to those of 137Cs and 129I. This is most likely because of the very low production ratio of tritium to 137Cs in the F1-NPP, and the inherently high background concentration of tritium in these environmental waters (mainly ascribed to global fallout from nuclear weapons tests conducted during the 1960s). The tritium distribution in surface seawater showed higher concentrations close to the shore and lower concentrations offshore. Higher tritium concentration areas had spread both northward and southward from the F1-NPP along the coast, indicating that large amounts of tritium were carried by coastal currents. A positive correlation was found to exist between 3H and 137Cs concentrations in the seawater. The calculated 3H/137Cs ratio was similar to the production ratio of these isotopes reported for the broken reactors in the F1-NPP, which indicates that both radionuclides might have originated from the F1-NPP. Direct emission of tritium to the ocean from the F1-NPP was estimated to be approximately 0.05 PBq immediately after the accident, which is much smaller than the total inventory in the environment.

Kinetics of 3H, 90Sr and 137Cs content changes in hydrosphere in the Vltava River system (Czech Republic)

The paper presents results and interpretation of long-term monitoring of occurrence and behaviour of radioisotopes 3H, 90Sr, and 137Cs in the vicinity of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. 3H, 90Sr, and 137Cs originate predominantly from residual contamination due to atmospheric nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl disaster in the last century. Monitoring of radionuclides comprised surface waters, river sediments, aquatic plants, and fish. This enables an up-to-date appraisal of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant impact on the hydrosphere in all indicators at standard power plant operation, as well as at critical situations. The time and spatial variability of these radionuclide concentrations were monitored in the hydrosphere at in- and out-flow of the Orlík Water Reservoir. The basic evaluated radioecological characteristics can be used in assessing the long-term kinetics of decline and behaviour of radionuclides and their potential release into the environment. A very slow decline in 3H concentration at unaffected sites was observed. At sites downstream from the power plant the 3H concentrations were significantly higher, an evident impact of the power plant operation. A decline in 90Sr and 137Cs concentrations was observed in all the monitored indicators. Also, the characteristic effective and ecological half-lives were evaluated.

Characterising alluvial aquifers in a remote ephemeral catchment (Flinders River, Queensland) using a direct push tracer approach

The availability of reliable water supplies is a key factor limiting development in northern Australia. However, characterising groundwater resources in this remote part of Australia is challenging due to a lack of existing infrastructure and data. Here, direct push technology (DPT) was used to characterise shallow alluvial aquifers at two locations in the semiarid Flinders River catchment. DPT was used to evaluate the saturated thickness of the aquifer and estimate recharge rates by sampling for environmental tracers in groundwater (major ions, 2H, 18O, 3H and 14C). The alluvium at Fifteen Mile Reserve and Glendalough Station consisted of a mixture of permeable coarse sandy and gravely sediments and less permeable clays and silts. The alluvium was relatively thin (i.e. < 20 m) and, at the time of the investigation, was only partially saturated. Tritium (3H) concentrations in groundwater was ∼1 Tritium Unit (TU), corresponding to a mean residence time for groundwater of about 12 years. The lack of an evaporation signal for the 2H and 18O of groundwater suggests rapid localised recharge from overbank flood events as the primary recharge mechanism. Using the chloride mass balance technique (CMB) and lumped parameter models to interpret patterns in 3H in the aquifer, the mean annual recharge rate varied between 21 and 240 mm/yr. Whilst this recharge rate is relatively high for a semiarid climate, the alluvium is thin and heterogeneous hosting numerous alluvial aquifers with varied connectivity and limited storage capacity. Combining DPT and environmental tracers is a cost-effective strategy to characterise shallow groundwater resources in unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers in remote data sparse areas.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER CHARACTER OVER 25 YEARS OF OBSERVATION AT MATSUMOTO TUNNEL, MATSUMOTO CITY, JAPAN

Over 25 years, approximately 11 million m3 of water inflow in the Matsumoto tunnel at thenorth of Matsumoto city was drained. Water inflow in the tunnel during tunnel construction varied from 1 to8 m3 per minute decreasing to 1 to 0.6 m3 per minute between 1993 and 1995. At present, inflow maintains arate of 0.6 m3 per minute. Currently, it remains at 0.6 T.U. (Tritium Unit) and the age of water in flowing intothe tunnel has been estimated to be over 30 years old from initial 3H concentration for surface water whichvaried from 4 to 10 T.U. As oxygen stable isotope values and HCO3- concentration of water inflow in thetunnel were uniform for 25 years, the source of water inflow in the tunnel is not thought to have changed.Roughly 14 to 39 million m3 water was still stored in rocks above the tunnel in the plateau from 10 %porosity measured by rock sample. When only 3 million m3 groundwater, less than one tenth of porositycoincided with effective porosity (0.48 %) or specific yield (0.6 to 1.2 %) was drained, groundwater leveldecreased widely. Drained water after over 25 years of tunnel construction was derived from unsaturatedsmall pore water excluding main pores or cracks. Therefore, total pore volume was used for slowgroundwater migration (flow velocity is 3 to 7 m per year). Cracks or main pores connecting with manypores were important for fast groundwater migration (flow velocity is over 100 m per year).

Relationship of groundwater geochemistry and flow to volcanic stratigraphy in basaltic aquifers affected by magmatic CO2, Jeju Island, Korea

Groundwater from pristine volcanic rock aquifers on dormant Jeju Island, Korea, was investigated to identify sources and geochemical processes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and related solutes along with characteristics of groundwater flow using a multi-isotope approach. δ18O, δ2H, and 3H of groundwater indicated the water is of meteoric origin, and is mainly derived from recent recharge, except Na-rich mineral water which has a significant contribution of 3H-free old water. 87Sr/86Sr of dissolved Sr suggests that solutes in groundwater were mainly derived from old alkali basalt in the lower part of lava flows. δ13CCO2(g) calculated using δ13CDIC and measured hydrogeochemical parameters indicated that (1) biogenic soil CO2 is a dominant source of DIC in low mineralized water, (2) CO2-rich water had mostly mantle-derived magmatic CO2, and (3) mineral water contained both biogenic and magmatic CO2. δ13CCO2(g) in mineral water was affected by precipitation of calcite, which complicated the estimation of the contribution of CO2 sources to DIC. Concentrations of mobile elements were mainly controlled by the amount of magmatic CO2 and groundwater residence time. δ13CCO2(g) and 3H content were used to distinguish four types of groundwater with different spatial patterns of occurrence in relation to the volcanic stratigraphy of Jeju Island. Groundwater types I and II are low mineralized water with lower levels of DIC from biogenic CO2, composed of either recent recharge (<40years, type I) or older water with negligible 3H (>60years, type II). Type III is Mg-rich mineral water with significant recent recharge while type IV is Na-rich mineral water with older residence time. Types III and IV had somewhat elevated levels of DIC (up to 7.6mM) with mixed signatures of magmatic and biogenic CO2, while CO2-rich water (a subset of type III) had DIC up to 100mM with signatures of mantle-derived magmatic CO2. Groundwater in the eastern area of Jeju Island is mostly type I, which can be attributed to a lack of both low-permeability rocks and recent volcanic rocks in that area. Types III and IV were found in the western area where the latest volcanic rocks are distributed. In the southwestern area, type III is associated with permeable basaltic aquifers with a contribution of magmatic CO2 and type IV is from the younger lava flows dissected by older massive trachytic rocks and shallower hydrovolcanic tuffs, which led to the higher degree of mineralization. A conceptual model is proposed to integrate the chemical and isotopic constraints of groundwater with volcanic stratigraphy and suggest the processes that generated groundwater types with different residence times and chemical compositions. This study may contribute to understanding the processes of groundwater flow and mineralization in volcanic aquifers affected by deep-source CO2 and variable residence time of groundwater in both dormant and active volcanic areas.

Radioactivity of seawater nearby Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station

The radioactivity of seawater nearby Daya Bay NPPs was introduced in this paper. The average annual concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs ranged from 0.55∼2.38 and 0.81∼4.68 Bq·m-3 respectively during 1993∼2015. The average annual concentration range of 3H is 0.8∼7 Bq·L-1. The concentration range of 14C is 7.6—8.6 Bq·m-3, and the concentration of 3H and 14C is higher than that of the reference location or the background, but with no cumulative effect. The concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in seawater have no obvious relationship with the nuclear liquid effluent discharging. The average concentrations of 238U and 232Th were 24.6±10.6 and 18.1±7.5 Bq·m-3 respectively during 2000∼2008.

Groundwater residence time in basement aquifers of the Ochi-Narkwa Basin in the Central Region of Ghana

Groundwaters from basement aquifers in the Ochi-Narkwa basin of the Central Region together with rain and surface waters have been analysed for stable isotopes (δ18O, δ2H and δ13C) and radioisotopes (3H and 14C) to determine sources of recharge, groundwater residence time and flow path. The mechanism of recharge to the groundwaters is by direct infiltration of past local rainfall of mean isotopic composition δ18O = −3.8‰ V-SMOW and δ2H = −18‰ V-SMOW. Tritium in the groundwaters ranged from 0.05 ± 0.07 to 4.75 ± 0.16 TU. Tritium data revealed that 85% of the groundwater samples were of modern recharge or young waters. The 14C content of the groundwaters ranged between 9.50 pMC in borehole CR2-50 at Ekumfi Asokwa to 113.56 pMC in borehole CR3-26 at Onyaadze. Evaluation of 3H and 14C data distinguished three groups of water namely (1) waters characterised by high 3H and high 14C depicting modern recharge, (2) waters showing a mixture of young and old water due to fractures and (3) waters showing low 3H and low 14C contents referred to as very old waters and include borehole CR2-50 at Ekumfi Asokwa. The estimated age or residence time of this older water is 19,459 years BP based on uncorrected age. The major flow direction is northwest-southeast. The dominant months contributing to recharge in the study area were February, March, April, May, June, August, September and October. Groundwater residence times in the basement aquifers of the Ochi-Narkwa basin showed that groundwater abstraction is sustainable and requires that the recharge areas are protected from contamination.

Wheat starch carbamate: Production, molecular characterization, and film forming properties

Wheat starch carbamates of different degrees of substitution were produced in laboratory experiments and for the first time their film forming performance were investigated. The carbamation reaction between urea and starch was investigated using a factorial design. Long reaction time, 2h, and high urea content, 10 and 25%, resulted in a high degree of substitution, 0.07 and 0.15, respectively. These starch carbamates were assumed to be cross-linked and showed best film forming properties resulting in continuous and firm films. Furthermore, a high degree of carbamate substitution favored a decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg) in cast films. The addition of acid as a catalyst for carbamation of starch produced inconsistent results and mainly lead to degradation of starch molecules that caused brittle films. FTIR and 13C NMR analyses confirmed the covalent bonding between urea and starch in starch carbamates. In a final step, production of starch carbamates was successfully scaled up. A potential industrial use of these starches is as oxygen barrier in multilayer food packaging.

A potential groundwater aquifer for palaeoclimate reconstruction: Turonian aquifer, Tadla basin, Morocco

We undertook an environmental isotope investigation of groundwater from the Turonian Aquifer of Tadla Basin in Morocco in order to confirm that this aquifer could be a potential site for palaeoclimate reconstruction. The collected groundwater samples were examined for stable oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotope ratio, as well as noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe), 14C and 3H concentration. The measured stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope values show that the Turonian aquifer has two recharge areas, one with a heavier isotopic signature from the unconfined aquifer in the northern region (the area of Boujad), while the other is characterised by lighter isotopic composition in the north-eastern to the south-western part of the basin (to the North from Kasba Tadla). The calculated noble-gas solubility temperatures of the confined part of the aquifer are 2 °C higher than the recent mean annual air temperature (19 °C). Radiocarbon ages obtained from running different versions of Ingerson-Pearson models indicated that the recharge of this water occurred during the Holocene. We conclude that the Turonian aquifer might be a potential place for Late-Pleistocene palaeoclimate reconstruction if the research area were extended in the direct of flow path towards the western part of the basin and towards the foothills of the Phosphates Plateau.

Caracterizando a interação entre aguas subterrâneas e superficiais no aquífero cárstico de Fangshan, Pequim (China)

Correct understanding of groundwater/surface-water (GW–SW) interaction in karst systems is of greatest importance for managing the water resources. A typical karst region, Fangshan in northern China, was selected as a case study. Groundwater levels and hydrochemistry analyses, together with isotope data based on hydrogeological field investigations, were used to assess the GW–SW interaction. Chemistry data reveal that water type and the concentration of cations in the groundwater are consistent with those of the surface water. Stable isotope ratios of all samples are close to the local meteoric water line, and the 3H concentrations of surface water and groundwater samples are close to that of rainfall, so isotopes also confirm that karst groundwater is recharged by rainfall. Cross-correlation analysis reveals that rainfall leads to a rise in groundwater level with a lag time of 2 months and groundwater exploitation leads to a fall within 1 month. Spectral analysis also reveals that groundwater level, groundwater exploitation and rainfall have significantly similar response periods, indicating their possible inter-relationship. Furthermore, a multiple nonlinear regression model indicates that groundwater level can be negatively correlated with groundwater exploitation, and positively correlated with rainfall. The overall results revealed that groundwater level has a close correlation with groundwater exploitation and rainfall, and they are indicative of a close hydraulic connection and interaction between surface water and groundwater in this karst system.

The VATO project: An original methodology to study the transfer of tritium as HT and HTO in grassland ecosystem

Tritium (3H) is mainly released into the environment by nuclear power plants, military nuclear facilities and nuclear reprocessing plants. The construction of new nuclear facilities in the world as well as the evolution of nuclear fuel management might lead to an increase of 3H discharges from the nuclear industry. The VATO project was set up by IRSN (Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire) and EDF (Electricité de France) to reduce the uncertainties in the knowledge about transfers of 3H from an atmospheric source (currently releasing HT and HTO) to a grassland ecosystem. A fully instrumented technical platform with specifically designed materials was set up downwind of the AREVA NC La Hague reprocessing plant (Northwest of the France). This study, started in 2013, was conducted in four main steps to provide an hourly data set of 3H concentrations in the environment, adequate to develop and/or validate transfer models. It consisted first in characterizing the physico-chemical forms of 3H present in the air around the plant. Then, 3H transfer kinetics to grass were quantified regarding contributions from various compartments of the environment. For this purpose, an original experimental procedure was provided to take account for biases due to rehydration of freeze-dried samples for the determination of OBT activity concentrations in biological samples. In a third step, the 3H concentrations measured in the air and in rainwater were reconstructed at hourly intervals. Finally, a data processing technique was used to determine the biological half-lives of OBT in grass.

The Tritiated Water Skin Barrier Integrity Test: Considerations for Acceptance Criteria with and Without 14C-Octanol.

A study was designed to assess barrier integrity simultaneously using separate compounds (probes) for polar and non-polar pathways through the skin, 3H2O and 14C-octanol, respectively; and to determine whether the two probe approach could better define barrier integrity. A 5-min dose of water containing 3H2O and 14C -octanol was applied to ex vivo human skin mounted in Franz diffusion cells. The receptor solution was sampled at 30min, analyzed for 3H and 14C content, and the correlation between water and octanol absorption was determined by statistical tests suitable for non-normally distributed data. This study was conducted on skin from 37 donors with from 3 to 30 replicate skin sections per donor (a total of 426 sections). The correlation between 3H2O and 14C-octanol absorption was low (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.3485). The 3H2O absorption cutoff used in this study to select for a normal skin barrier rejected some sections in which 14C-octanol absorption was within normal limits and accepted others in which 14C-octanol absorption was abnormally high. The converse was true for 3H2O absorption when the 14C-octanol-based cutoff was used. The results of the 3H2O test or of similar tests that primarily assess the permeability of polar pathways through the skin may not necessarily provide information relevant to the absorption of highly lipophilic compounds. Octanol, or another molecule that more closely matches the physicochemical attributes of the test compound, may characterize properties of the skin barrier that are more relevant to compounds of low water solubility.

Radioecological investigation of 3H, 14C, and 129I in natural waters from Fuhrberger Feld catchment, Northern Germany

Ongoing radionuclide releases from nuclear facilities, e.g. from reprocessing plants, but also from nuclear reactors require monitoring of the environment. Particularly drinking water reservoirs are prone to possible radionuclide accumulation fostering the need for routine surveillance. In this work, we investigated tritium (3H), radiocarbon (14C), and iodine-129 (129I) activity levels in natural aquatic samples at the water protection area of Fuhrberger Feld near Hannover city, Northern Germany. For that aim, a low-level liquid scintillation counting (LSC) technique was used to measure 3H in the water samples based on a distillation process after alkaline permanganate treatment. Isotopic ratios for both 14C and 129I were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) after chemical separation and purification of the samples. Mean 3H levels in precipitation (8.8 ± 3.4 TU) were found to be comparable to its levels in precipitation data in Germany. Rivers and small streams revealed similar mean 3H value (11.0 ± 3.3 TU) as in lake water (10.6 ± 3.4 TU). Variations in 3H concentrations in groundwater samples were observed and discussed. 14C levels in all groundwater samples were below the atmospheric natural level of 100 pMC indicating no anthropogenic input of radiocarbon. The 129I/127I isotopic ratios in all investigated water samples were in the order of 10−8 to 10−7, which is significantly higher than the pre-nuclear natural equilibrium isotopic ratio (∼1.5 × 10−12). In strong contrast to all other regional groundwaters, the Fuhrberger Feld groundwater has much higher values of 129I concentration and 129I/127I isotopic ratio close to the ones of surface water. The overall annual effective dose via ingestion for all nuclides in the investigated groundwater remains substantially below the reference dose level of 0.1 mSv a−1.

Effects of Source and Concentration on Relative Oral Bioavailability of Benzo(a)pyrene from Soil.

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of soil composition, PAH concentration, and source material type on PAH bioavailability using an approach capable of measuring uptake at low, environmentally relevant PAH concentrations (down to 1 ppm). Contaminated soil samples were constructed using PAHs from three source materials-solvent, soot, and fuel oil-to which 3H-benzo(a)pyrene (3H-BaP; total BaP concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 ppm) was added in a mixture of PAHs. The soils were weathered for 8 weeks using weekly wet-dry cycles. Each soil was administered as a single dose to rats, and blood samples were taken over 6 days. Relative oral bioavailability (RBA) of the BaP from soil was estimated by comparing the area under the curve (AUC) for 3H concentration versus time in blood with the AUC observed from the same PAH mixture dosed in a food matrix. The extent to which BaP RBA was diminished in soil versus food varied among the source materials, but little or no difference was observed among the soil types examined unless carbon amendments were added. These results suggest that the type of PAH source material can have a strong influence on PAH oral bioavailability.

A Comparison Between Measured Concentration of 3H in Kalpakkam Environment with Predicted Atmospheric Dispersion Model.

The field measurements of 3H in the form of HTO present in air moisture carried out around Madras Atomic Power Station were compared with predicted values using atmospheric dispersion modeling. Air 3H samples were collected from different sectors at the site boundary of the operating reactors for the period of 2 y and compared with Gaussian Plume model. The predictions were comparable with the measured value. The slight variation observed between the two methods is attributed to the uncertainty involved in the measurement of air 3H concentration and in the measurement of site-specific meteorological parameters. The radiation dose imparted to members of public due to the levels observed is well within station technical specification limit for 3H.

A compact tritium enrichment unit for large sample volumes with automated re-filling and higher enrichment factor

Tritium (3H) in natural waters is a powerful tracer of hydrological processes, but its low concentrations require electrolytic enrichment before precise measurements can be made with a liquid scintillation counter. Here, we describe a newly developed, compact tritium enrichment unit which can be used to enrich up to 2L of a water sample. This allows a high enrichment factor (>100) for measuring low 3H contents of <0.05TU. The TEU uses a small cell (250mL) with automated re-filling and a CO2 bubbling technique to neutralize the high alkalinity of enriched samples. The enriched residual sample is retrieved from the cell under vacuum by cryogenic distillation at −20°C and the tritium enrichment factor for each sample is accurately determined by measuring pre- and post- enrichment 2H concentrations with laser spectrometry.

Spatial and seasonal variability of groundwater hydrochemistry in the Senegal North Littoral aquifer using multivariate approach

The Senegal North littoral aquifer bears considerable groundwater resources that face both natural and anthropogenic constraints due to proximity of the ocean and numerous socio-economic activities in this semi-arid region. The present study aims to understand spatial and seasonal hydrochemistry variability of this groundwater. Chemical data were analyzed with statistics methods such as Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Classification Analysis to classify water types and to decipher geochemical processes. A set of 32 wells was repeatedly sampled in four campaigns between 2010 and 2012 and chemically analyzed in addition to rainwater samples. Results exhibited five water types viz Ca–SO4, Na–Cl/SO4, mixed-Cl/SO4, mixed-HCO3/Cl and Ca–HCO3 geographically discriminated in the study region. The last two water types dominate; they occur mostly in the central and eastern part of the aquifer. Whereas the first two highly mineralized classes occur in the narrow coastal strip zone. Natural processes such as dissolution of evaporite minerals (gypsum, halite), carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite), exchange reaction in addition to anthropogenic sulphate (from mining industry) and nitrate (from agriculture) inputs are the likely dominant processes that control the water chemistry. Chemical changes proceed according to seasonal variability as infiltrating waters reach the water table. The mean global mineralization which is higher in October in post-rainy season (818 µs/cm) and lower in February in the mid of dry season (640 µs/cm) suggests dilution process through delayed recharge. The environmental isotope (δ18O, δ2H, 3H) measurements further revealed that groundwater in the system is relatively well-mixed as shown by the measured range of values. However, deviation from the rainwater signature indicates combined effect of evaporation processes which may occur at the top surface and in the unsaturated zone during infiltration and also mixing with anthropogenic contribution to the aquifer. Tritium contents in the system compared to those of rainwater confirm differences in infiltration rates where the northern central zone with low 3H contents suggests water prior to thermonuclear bumb test era between 1952 and 1953.

Radioactivity in the Kuwait marine environment — Baseline measurements and review

The Arabian Gulf region is moving towards a nuclear energy option with the first nuclear power plant now operational in Bushehr, Iran, and others soon to be constructed in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. Radiological safety is becoming a prime concern in the region. This study compiles available data and presents recent radionuclide data for the northern Gulf waters, considered as pre-nuclear which will be a valuable dataset for future monitoring work in this region. Radionuclide monitoring in the marine environment is a matter of prime concern for Kuwait, and an assessment of the potential impact of radionuclides requires the establishment and regular updating of baseline levels of artificial and natural radionuclides in various environmental compartments. Here we present baseline measurements for 210Po, 210Pb, 137Cs, 90Sr, and 3H in Kuwait waters. The seawater concentration of 3H, 210Po, 210Pb, 137Cs, and 90Sr vary between 130–146, 0.48–0.68, 0.75–0.89, 1.25–1.38 and 0.57–0.78mBqL−1, respectively. The 40K concentration in seawater varies between 8.9–9.3BqL−1. The concentration of 40K, total 210Pb, 137Cs, 90Sr, 226Ra, 228Ra, 238U, 235U, 234U, 239+240Pu and 238Pu were determined in sediments and range, respectively, between 353–445, 23.6–44.3, 1.0–3.1, 4.8–5.29, 17.3–20.5, 15–16.4, 28.7–31.4, 1.26–1.30, 29.7–30.0, 0.045–0.21 and 0.028–0.03Bqkg−1 dry weight. Since, radionuclides are concentrated in marine biota, a large number of marine biota samples covering several trophic levels, from microalgae to sharks, were analyzed. The whole fish concentration of 40K, 226Ra, 224Ra, 228Ra, 137Cs, 210Po and 90Sr range between 230–447, 0.7–7.3, <0.5–6.6, <0.5–15.80, <0.17, 0.88–4.26 and 1.86–5.34Bqkg−1 dry weight, respectively. 210Po was found to be highly concentrated in several marine organisms with the highest 210Po concentration found in Marica marmorata (193.5–215.6Bqkg−1 dry weight). 210Po in most dissected fish samples shows increasing concentrations in the following order: edible tissue, gills, digestive system, liver and fecal matter. Fish fecal pellets had 210Po concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than the seawater, fish muscle, and the fishes' ingested food. The high 210Po concentration in fish fecal matter, suggest that the bulk of 210Po content in fish was eventually excreted back into the environment as fecal pellets. In most fish high concentrations were noted in liver, with the highest 210Po concentration recorded in shark liver (126.2–141.5Bqkg−1 wet). Moreover, 210Po concentration in the soft tissue of molluscs (10.36–215.60Bqkg−1 dry weight) was far higher than that in fish muscle (0.05–7.49Bqkg−1 wet weight). A seasonal drop in 210Po concentration in seawater was observed to vary with the abundance of phytoplankton and macroalgae due possibly to biological dilution. 137Cs concentration in all the fish sampled was below the detection limit, and the concentration in seawater was also low; hence such low levels provide an opportunity to use this radionuclide as an indicator for any future radiocesium releases in this region.