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The sources of high airborne radioactivity in cryoconite holes from the Caucasus (Georgia)

The sources of high airborne radioactivity in cryoconite holes from the Caucasus (Georgia)
The sources of high airborne radioactivity in cryoconite holes from the Caucasus (Georgia)

Cryoconite granules are mixtures of mineral particles, organic substances and organisms on the surface of glaciers where they decrease the ice albedo and are responsible for formation of water-filled holes. The contaminants are effectively trapped in the cryoconite granules and stay there for many years. This study evaluates the contamination level of artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite holes from Adishi glacier (Georgia) and identifies the sources of contamination based on activity or mass ratios among artificial radionuclides. Results revealed high activity concentrations of fallout radionuclides reaching 4900 Bq/kg, 2.5 Bq/kg, 107 Bq/kg and 68 Bq/kg for 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am, respectively. The main source of Pu is global fallout, but the low 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios also indicated local tropospheric source of 239Pu, probably from the Kapustin Yar nuclear test site. Also, high activity ratios of 241Am/239+240Pu could originate from Kapustin Yar. The natural radionuclides originate from the surrounding rocks and were measured to control the environmental processes. 210Pb in cryoconite granules comes predominantly from the atmospheric deposition, and its activity concentrations reach high values up to 12000 Bq/kg.

2045-2322
Łokas, Edyta
029668d2-9da2-4aab-afe1-93df8c2e3943
Zawierucha, Krzysztof
07797f26-cff9-4eb3-93fc-c05672dc7972
Cwanek, Anna
07b1c53d-1dd6-4aee-8072-70af29583768
Szufa, Katarzyna
b9b92f38-d4e6-43d0-9e1f-3c20202c90da
Gaca, Paweł
3d23473d-db81-436a-a12d-ad707db4abc8
Mietelski, Jerzy W.
bbfd3aba-e8d7-4763-80d7-07176c464b19
Tomankiewicz, Ewa
5714195e-9d7a-4abd-a1fc-a61c4e97cba4
Łokas, Edyta
029668d2-9da2-4aab-afe1-93df8c2e3943
Zawierucha, Krzysztof
07797f26-cff9-4eb3-93fc-c05672dc7972
Cwanek, Anna
07b1c53d-1dd6-4aee-8072-70af29583768
Szufa, Katarzyna
b9b92f38-d4e6-43d0-9e1f-3c20202c90da
Gaca, Paweł
3d23473d-db81-436a-a12d-ad707db4abc8
Mietelski, Jerzy W.
bbfd3aba-e8d7-4763-80d7-07176c464b19
Tomankiewicz, Ewa
5714195e-9d7a-4abd-a1fc-a61c4e97cba4

Łokas, Edyta, Zawierucha, Krzysztof, Cwanek, Anna, Szufa, Katarzyna, Gaca, Paweł, Mietelski, Jerzy W. and Tomankiewicz, Ewa (2018) The sources of high airborne radioactivity in cryoconite holes from the Caucasus (Georgia). Scientific Reports, 8 (1), [10802]. (doi:10.1038/s41598-018-29076-4).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Cryoconite granules are mixtures of mineral particles, organic substances and organisms on the surface of glaciers where they decrease the ice albedo and are responsible for formation of water-filled holes. The contaminants are effectively trapped in the cryoconite granules and stay there for many years. This study evaluates the contamination level of artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite holes from Adishi glacier (Georgia) and identifies the sources of contamination based on activity or mass ratios among artificial radionuclides. Results revealed high activity concentrations of fallout radionuclides reaching 4900 Bq/kg, 2.5 Bq/kg, 107 Bq/kg and 68 Bq/kg for 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am, respectively. The main source of Pu is global fallout, but the low 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios also indicated local tropospheric source of 239Pu, probably from the Kapustin Yar nuclear test site. Also, high activity ratios of 241Am/239+240Pu could originate from Kapustin Yar. The natural radionuclides originate from the surrounding rocks and were measured to control the environmental processes. 210Pb in cryoconite granules comes predominantly from the atmospheric deposition, and its activity concentrations reach high values up to 12000 Bq/kg.

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Accepted/In Press date: 2 July 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 July 2018
Published date: 1 December 2018

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 422691
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/422691
ISSN: 2045-2322
PURE UUID: f03e9502-dbd0-4238-ab66-7059d7d668e0

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Date deposited: 31 Jul 2018 16:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 21:05

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Contributors

Author: Edyta Łokas
Author: Krzysztof Zawierucha
Author: Anna Cwanek
Author: Katarzyna Szufa
Author: Paweł Gaca
Author: Jerzy W. Mietelski
Author: Ewa Tomankiewicz

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