title: Vertical distribution and inventories of (239+240)Pu and mercury in Sagua la Grande estuary, Cuba.
abstract: The vertical activity distribution and inventories of (239+240)Pu profile and Hg were determined in Sagua la Grande estuary, Cuba. The shape of the (239+240)Pu profile in the core column resembled very closely the history of atmospheric nuclear weapons' testing, and the maximum deposition in 1963 was recorded in the sediment core history. The (239+240)Pu activity concentrations in the surface layer sediments varied from 0.163 to 0.611 mBq g(-1). The inventory of (239+240)Pu was 42 ± 5.6 Bq m(-2), a value close to that expected from direct global fallout. Using the (239+240)Pu as a chronomarker the mass sedimentation rate in the area for the last 60 years was calculated, reaching values of 0.173 g cm(-2) y(-1). The mercury profile reflects the history of anthropogenic pollution in the estuary and perfectly describes the operation of the mercury-cell chlor-alkali plant, for production of NaOH, which began operations in 1980. The inventory of Hg was 2.42 ± 0.19 μg cm(-2). These results contribute to the scarce regional database for pollutants and anthropogenic radionuclides in the Caribbean marine environment, particularly in relation to (239+240)Pu.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos, AP 5. Ciudad Nuclear, CP 59350 Cienfuegos, Cuba. carlos@ceac.cu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alonso-Hernández
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin-Perez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gasco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz-Asencio
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bolanos-Álvarez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez-Batista
mesh_terms: D003462:Cuba; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D011005:Plutonium; D008628:Mercury