HR: 0830h
AN: H51C-1084    [PDF]
TI: Cs-137 Distribution and Retention in Savannah, Georgia (USA) Estuarine, Marsh and Riverine Environments
AU: * Pyrtle, A J
EM: apyrtle@marine.usf.edu
AF: University of South Florida College of Marine Science, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 United States
AU: Wilborn, U S
EM: uwilborn@marine.usf.edu
AF: University of South Florida College of Marine Science, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 United States
AU: Ingall, E D
EM: ingall@eas.gatech.edu
AF: Georgia Institute of Technology School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340 United States
AU: Grantham, M
EM: grantham@eas.gatech.edu
AF: Georgia Institute of Technology School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340 United States
AU: Elliott, W C
EM: geowce@panther.gsu.edu
AF: Georgia State University Department of Geology, 340 Kell Hall, Atlanta, GA 30302 United States
AB: The Savannah River drainage basin spans parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia (USA). For those radionuclides that are not permanently sequestered at their introduction sites, the aquatic system often becomes the major mechanism by which the radionuclides are transported. Riverine, marsh and estuarine sediments were examined in order to identify processes affecting the distribution of Cs-137 and excess Pb-210 in the Savannah area. Results indicate that Cs-137 activities range from below detection limits to 3.42 dpm/g. Radiogeochemistry patterns suggest that in the marsh, steady-state particle mixing and burial processes primarily controls downcore particulate Cs-137 distribution, whereas in the local riverine and estuarine environments, non-steady state processes govern post-depositional Cs-137 distribution. In addition to physical processes, clay mineralogy and grain-size differences may also influence the Cs-137 retention ability of the Savannah area aquatic sediments. This research is apart of a larger on-going investigation of Savannah area aquatic radiogeochemistry.
DE: 1815 Erosion and sedimentation
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
DE: 1899 General or miscellaneous
DE: 4235 Estuarine processes
DE: 4860 Radioactivity and radioisotopes
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting