Estimation of Physicochemical Parameters and Vertical Migration of Atmospheric Radionuclides in a Raised Peat Bog in the Arctic Zone of Russia

• Published in: Applied Sciences
• Main Authors: Evgeny Yakovlev, Alexander Orlov, Alina Kudryavtseva, Sergey Zykov
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022
• Subjects: peat core; physicochemical parameters; radionuclides; atmospheric fallout; European Subarctic of Russia; Technology; T; Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); TA1-2040; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Physics; QC1-999; Chemistry; QD1-999; Arctic; Subarctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/app122110870; https://doaj.org/article/7911b8f3129e4bc99c47c58f59df6773

The article presents the results of a study of activity levels and features of the vertical distribution of 210 Pb, 137 Cs, 234 U, 238 U and their relationship with the physicochemical parameters of peat deposits. Analysis of the data showed that the vertical distribution of 137 Cs and 210 Pb was related to the content of water-soluble salts, the water saturation of the deposit, and the values of Eh (oxidation–reduction potential) and rH (relative humidity), which indicates a complex geochemical barrier at a depth of 20 cm in the peat core. The 210 Pb dating of the peat core, carried out according to the CF model using the Monte Carlo method (to improve the dating accuracy), showed that the above horizon corresponded to 1963, which is consistent with the data of the 137 Cs reference horizon and in terms of several physicochemical parameters (in particular, ash content) also corresponds to the age of 1963, which confirms the correctness and adequacy of the chosen peat core dating model. The peak of anthropogenic radionuclides in peat deposits correlates with a particular major event in the history of radioactive fallout, the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963, providing a benchmark for geochronological research. The obtained results of the linear accumulation rate, the mass accumulation rate of the peat deposit, and the value of the atmospheric flux of 210 Pb are congruent with the data on the peatlands of Northern Europe and the data obtained by earlier analysts of the Subarctic region of European Russia.