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Natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in karstic coastal area (Kaštela Bay, Adriatic Sea, Croatia) exposed to anthropogenic activities: distribution, sources, and influencing factors

  • Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić EMAIL logo and Delko Barišić
Published/Copyright: November 16, 2022
Radiochimica Acta
From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 111 Issue 2

Abstract

40K, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U, and 137Cs massic activities were determined by gamma-spectrometry in limestones, marls, stream sediments, and soils of Kaštela Bay (Adriatic Sea, Croatia) coastal area. Their distribution, sources and potential influencing factors were studied. The lowest 40K, 226Ra, 232Th, and 238U massic activities were determined in limestones and the highest in soils, with the following median values, respectively: 7.2, 14, 0.8, and 5.3 Bq/kg in limestones and 518, 72, 71, and 31 Bq/kg in soils. All four radionuclides were of natural origin and reflected background values of the karstic area influenced by flysch/marl and terra rossa soil. Local TENORM disposal site did not influence the study area, but it will be needed to study its potential influence on marine sediments. Strong disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U was found in limestones s.l. and soils, but not in marls and only moderately in stream sediments. This implies that limestones are more susceptible to selective 238U leaching than marls, and soils more than stream sediments. 137Cs was the only radionuclide of anthropogenic origin, with a global source only. It was detected in stream sediments and soils with median values of 5.4 and 31 Bq/kg, respectively. 137Cs distribution was more heterogeneous in stream sediments than in soils, but soils generally presented higher activities. Soil is considered the most important reservoir of 137Cs and its potential source.

Keywords: karst; limestones; marl; soil; stream sediment
Corresponding author: Ivanka Lovrenčić Mikelić, Laboratory for Low-Level Radioactivities, Division of Experimental Physics, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia, E-mail:

Funding source: Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports of the Republic of Croatia

Award Identifier / Grant number: 098-0982934-2713

Acknowledgements

Gamma-spectrometry measurements were performed in the Laboratory for Radioecology of the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) and the article was prepared in the Laboratory for Low-Level Radioactivities of the RBI.

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: The work presented here was financially supported by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports of the Republic of Croatia through the “Radionuclides and trace elements in environmental systems” project (project number 098-0982934-2713).

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Received: 2022-05-11
Accepted: 2022-10-27
Published Online: 2022-11-16
Published in Print: 2023-02-23

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Papers
  3. Cross sections and calculated yields of some radionuclides of yttrium, strontium and rubidium formed in proton-induced reactions on enriched strontium-86: possibility of production of 85gSr, 83Rb and 82mRb in no-carrier-added form
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  9. Natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in karstic coastal area (Kaštela Bay, Adriatic Sea, Croatia) exposed to anthropogenic activities: distribution, sources, and influencing factors
https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2022-0045
Keywords for this article
karst; limestones; marl; soil; stream sediment

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Papers
  3. Cross sections and calculated yields of some radionuclides of yttrium, strontium and rubidium formed in proton-induced reactions on enriched strontium-86: possibility of production of 85gSr, 83Rb and 82mRb in no-carrier-added form
  4. Kaolinite/thiourea-formaldehyde composite for efficient U(VI) sorption from commercial phosphoric acid
  5. Soya bean derived activated carbon as an efficient adsorbent for capture of valuable heavy metals from waste aqueous solution
  6. Synthesis and characterization of graphene oxide/alginate and application of central composite design in the adsorption of Th(IV) on the nanobiocomposites
  7. Characterization of toothpastes for fluorine and other elements by INAA and ICP-OES
  8. Evaluation of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer reinforced with Bi and TiO2 nanopowders for gamma and neutron shielding
  9. Natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in karstic coastal area (Kaštela Bay, Adriatic Sea, Croatia) exposed to anthropogenic activities: distribution, sources, and influencing factors
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