Radiocesium (137 Cs) accumulation by fish within a legacy reactor cooling canal system on the Savannah River Site

Environment International
Christina M FulghumA Lawrence Bryan

Abstract

The aquatic cooling canal system associated with a nuclear reactor built in the early 1950s received accidental releases of radiocesium (137Cs) from the reactor between 1954 and 1964, resulting in the dispersion of ~8.2 × 1012 Bq of 137Cs into the associated canals and ponds. The primary purpose of this study was to document concentrations of 137Cs in littoral zone fish currently occupying components of the cooling canal system, 3 canals and 2 impoundments, to determine how concentrations varied among these various components. Secondarily, we examined for potential influence of weirs within the canal system on concentrations in fish as well as the potential relationship between fish species and body size and on 137Cs concentrations in fish. We collected samples of sediment, biofilm, and fish from each component of the R-Reactor cooling system and compared 137Cs among sites and species in individual sites. Concentrations of 137Cs in sediments, biofilms and mosquitofish varied significantly among sampling areas with higher concentrations in RCAN1, a canal segment that was the closest to the reactor and received reactor effluent for a longer period than other components. Comparisons among other components of the cooling system, an...Continue Reading

References

Aug 13, 2002·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·J T SmithO V Voitsekhovitch
Dec 15, 2010·Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine·Alan C Elliott, Linda S Hynan

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Citations

Apr 15, 2020·Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·Shuangying YuA Lawrence Bryan
Nov 22, 2019·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·David L Haskins, Albert L Bryan
Feb 4, 2022·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Marty Kyle BrownTracey D Tuberville

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