Determination of Cs-137 activities in surface sediments and derived sediment accumulation rates in Thessaloniki Gulf, Greece

作者：Tsabaris C^*; Kapsimalis V; Eleftheriou G; Laubenstein M; Kaberi H; Plastino W

来源：Environmental Earth Sciences, 2012, 67(3): 833-843.

DOI：10.1007/s12665-012-1530-5

• Sedimentation rate
• Cs-137
• Pb-210
• Thessaloniki Gulf
• Northwestern Aegean Sea

Surficial and core samples collected from the eastern Thessaloniki Gulf, located in the NW Aegean Sea, were analyzed for their sedimentation rate and inventories of Cs-137 and Pb-210. The study of the spatial radionuclide dispersion in the specific region is essential for the assessment of marine pollution levels. The sedimentation rates were calculated from the vertical distribution of Cs-137 and excess Pb-210 in the sediment cores. The spatial distribution of Cs-137 was studied with respect to sediment characteristics such as the grain size of the sample and the organic carbon content. The activity concentrations were measured by means of gamma ray spectrometry using HPGe detector for Cs-137 and gross alpha counting using alpha counter for Pb-210. The average sedimentation rate along the sediment cores is characterized by a consistent pattern and varies from 0.18 +/- A 0.02 to 0.22 +/- A 0.03 cm year(-1). The Cs-137 inventories varied from 205 +/- A 15 to 602 +/- A 39 Bq m(-2), while the Pb-210 inventories of the studied cores exhibited average value of 140 +/- A 9 Bq m(-2). Elevated Cs-137 activities were observed compared to certain Mediterranean marine areas; however, they were lower than the reported values in the Black Sea.

• 出版日期2012-10