Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination
A survey of airborne radioactive isotopes ( 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am, and 210 Pb) and trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Al) in tundra soils and cryoconite hole material sampled from several locations in the Kaffiøyra region of Spitsbergen revealed significant variability in spatial concent...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc74692 2023-05-15T15:13:11+02:00 Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination Łokas, Edyta Zaborska, Agata Sobota, Ireneusz Gaca, Paweł Milton, J. Andrew Kocurek, Paweł Cwanek, Anna 2019-07-29 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/13/2075/2019/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/13/2075/2019/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2019 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 2020-07-20T16:22:44Z A survey of airborne radioactive isotopes ( 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am, and 210 Pb) and trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Al) in tundra soils and cryoconite hole material sampled from several locations in the Kaffiøyra region of Spitsbergen revealed significant variability in spatial concentration. Lithogenic radionuclides ( 230 Th, 232 Th, 234 U, 238 U) show less variability than the airborne radionuclides because their activity concentrations are controlled by mixing of local material derived from different types of bedrock. Activity ratios of the artificial radionuclides in most cryoconite samples differ from global fallout signatures. The contribution of radionuclides from additional and more specific sources might be enhanced by non-continuous exposure of cryoconite to atmospheric deposition. We assumed that the main source of Pu, which was detected only in cryoconite samples, is derived from nuclear tests and non-exploded weapons-grade material. Approximately one-third of the total observed Pu activity concentration is 238 Pu, most likely originating from the SNAP9A satellite re-entry, which was powered by a 238 Pu thermoelectric generator. In samples from Waldemarbreen the influence of glacial local morphology on the capability of cryoconite for trapping and accumulating airborne radionuclides is apparent. Local glacial morphology plays an important role in determining the accumulation of airborne pollutants. Trace metal concentrations in soils were typical or slightly higher than concentrations characteristic for the natural background; the 206 Pb∕ 207 Pb signature was also close to the natural ratio of the parent rocks. Conversely, trace metal concentrations in cryoconite samples (Pb and Cd) were higher than in soil samples and exceeded natural values. Cryoconite is an effective monitor of the spread of artificial radionuclides and heavy metals in their surrounding environment. Text Arctic Tundra Spitsbergen Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Arctic Kaffiøyra ENVELOPE(12.002,12.002,78.627,78.627) Waldemarbreen ENVELOPE(12.104,12.104,78.677,78.677) The Cryosphere 13 7 2075 2086 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
A survey of airborne radioactive isotopes ( 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am, and 210 Pb) and trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Al) in tundra soils and cryoconite hole material sampled from several locations in the Kaffiøyra region of Spitsbergen revealed significant variability in spatial concentration. Lithogenic radionuclides ( 230 Th, 232 Th, 234 U, 238 U) show less variability than the airborne radionuclides because their activity concentrations are controlled by mixing of local material derived from different types of bedrock. Activity ratios of the artificial radionuclides in most cryoconite samples differ from global fallout signatures. The contribution of radionuclides from additional and more specific sources might be enhanced by non-continuous exposure of cryoconite to atmospheric deposition. We assumed that the main source of Pu, which was detected only in cryoconite samples, is derived from nuclear tests and non-exploded weapons-grade material. Approximately one-third of the total observed Pu activity concentration is 238 Pu, most likely originating from the SNAP9A satellite re-entry, which was powered by a 238 Pu thermoelectric generator. In samples from Waldemarbreen the influence of glacial local morphology on the capability of cryoconite for trapping and accumulating airborne radionuclides is apparent. Local glacial morphology plays an important role in determining the accumulation of airborne pollutants. Trace metal concentrations in soils were typical or slightly higher than concentrations characteristic for the natural background; the 206 Pb∕ 207 Pb signature was also close to the natural ratio of the parent rocks. Conversely, trace metal concentrations in cryoconite samples (Pb and Cd) were higher than in soil samples and exceeded natural values. Cryoconite is an effective monitor of the spread of artificial radionuclides and heavy metals in their surrounding environment. |
format |
Text |
author |
Łokas, Edyta Zaborska, Agata Sobota, Ireneusz Gaca, Paweł Milton, J. Andrew Kocurek, Paweł Cwanek, Anna |
spellingShingle |
Łokas, Edyta Zaborska, Agata Sobota, Ireneusz Gaca, Paweł Milton, J. Andrew Kocurek, Paweł Cwanek, Anna Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
author_facet |
Łokas, Edyta Zaborska, Agata Sobota, Ireneusz Gaca, Paweł Milton, J. Andrew Kocurek, Paweł Cwanek, Anna |
author_sort |
Łokas, Edyta |
title |
Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
title_short |
Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
title_full |
Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
title_fullStr |
Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
title_full_unstemmed |
Airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high Arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
title_sort |
airborne radionuclides and heavy metals in high arctic terrestrial environment as the indicators of sources and transfers of contamination |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/13/2075/2019/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(12.002,12.002,78.627,78.627) ENVELOPE(12.104,12.104,78.677,78.677) |
geographic |
Arctic Kaffiøyra Waldemarbreen |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Kaffiøyra Waldemarbreen |
genre |
Arctic Tundra Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic Tundra Spitsbergen |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/13/2075/2019/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2075-2019 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
2075 |
op_container_end_page |
2086 |
_version_ |
1766343777552695296 |