title: Changing patterns of radionuclide distribution in Irish Sea subtidal sediments.
abstract: This paper presents new data on the distribution of long-lived radionuclides in Irish Sea subtidal sediments, contaminated as a result of the BNFL Sellafield discharges. The results from different sampling campaigns in 1999 have been combined to assess the extent of radionuclide mobility relative to earlier surveys, in both the eastern and western Irish Sea areas, and to investigate changes in radionuclide distribution over time. The results appear to confirm the trend of continuing re-distribution and transfer of contamination away from the English coast. West of the Isle of Man, radionuclide concentrations and inventories have remained more or less constant. The inventory of radionuclides in sandy sediments in the eastern Irish Sea is still under-represented by current sampling, but could be improved by deeper and more extensive vibrocoring.
authors.affiliation: British Geological Survey (BGS), Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK. dgj@bgs.ac.uk
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.forename: Ciara A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Antoni E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Milodowski
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: G John
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000576:Americium / Q000032:analysis; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D007494:Ireland; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014867:Water; D014872:Water Movements; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D014878:Water Pollution, Radioactive
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D014867:Water; D011005:Plutonium; D000576:Americium