Anthropogenic ²³⁶U in Danish Seawater

Author(s)

Jixin Qiao, Peter Steier, Sven Nielsen, Xiaolin Hou, Per Roos, Robin Golser

Abstract

This work focuses on the occurrence of

²³⁶U in seawater along Danish coasts, which is the sole water-exchange region between the North Sea-Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. Seawater collected in 2013 and 2014 were analyzed for

²³⁶U (as well as

²³⁸U and

¹³⁷Cs). Our results indicate that

²³⁶U concentrations in Danish seawater are distributed within a relatively narrow range of (3.6-8.2) × 10

⁷ atom/L and, to a certain extent, independent of salinity.

²³⁶U/

²³⁸U atomic ratios in Danish seawater are more than 4 times higher than the estimated global fallout value of 1× 10

^-9. The levels of

²³⁶U/

²³⁸U atomic ratios obtained are comparable to those reported for the open North Sea and much higher than several other open oceans worldwide. This indicates that besides the global fallout input, the discharges from the two major European nuclear reprocessing plants are dominating sources of

²³⁶U in Danish seawater. However, unexpectedly high

²³⁶U/

²³⁸U ratios as well as high

²³⁶U concentrations were observed at low-salinity locations of the Baltic Sea. While this feature might be interpreted as a clue for another significant

²³⁶U input in the Baltic Sea, it may also be caused by the complexity of water currents or slow turnover rate.

Organisation(s)

Isotope Physics

External organisation(s)

Technical University of Denmark (DTU)

Journal

Environmental Science & Technology

Volume

51

Pages

6867-6876

No. of pages

10

ISSN

0013-936X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b00504

Publication date

06-2017

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103014 Nuclear physics, 105904 Environmental research

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/2640e155-1f4f-40a7-859c-14412150d567