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VULNERABILITY OF HEADWATER CATCHMENT RESOURCES TO INCIDENCES OF 210PB EXCESS AND 137CS RADIONUCLIDE FALLOUT
Citation:
SIDLE, W. C. VULNERABILITY OF HEADWATER CATCHMENT RESOURCES TO INCIDENCES OF 210PB EXCESS AND 137CS RADIONUCLIDE FALLOUT . P. E. LaMoreaux (ed.), ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 10.1007/s00254-0:1, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
to present information
Description:
Recent identification of elevated excess 210Pb (≤302.6 mBq L-1) and 137Cs (≤ 111.3 mBq L-1) activity in drinking water wells up to 20 m depth indicates some transport of airborne radionuclide fallout beyond soils in the Shaker Village catchment, Maine. Estimated airborne mass loading 210Pbex fluxes of about 0.9 mBq m-3, canvass this headwater catchment and may be sufficient to pose risks to unprotected shallow wells. Inventories of 210Pbex and 137Cs in pond sediments indicate maximum median activities of 94.3 mBq g-1 and 40.0 mBq g-1, respectively. Calculated 210Pbex fluxes in the catchment soils range from 0.62-0.78 Bq cm-2 yr-1 and yield a mean residence time of near 140 yr. Measured 137Cs activity up to 51.1 mBq g-1 occurs in sediments at least to 5 m depth. Assumed particle transport in groundwater with apparent 85Kr ages less than 5 years BP (2005) may explain the correlation between these particle-reactive radionuclides and elevated activity in some drinking water wells.
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VULNERABILITY OF HEADWATER CATCHMENT RESOURCES TO INCIDENCES OF 210PB EXCESS AND 137CS RADIONUCLIDE FALLOUT