Some radioactive-elements in the coastal sediments of the Mediterranean Sea.
The radioactivities of (234+235)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs were measured in the coastal sediments of the western Mediterranean Sea between Alexandria and Salloum, Egypt. The recorded activities of the natural radionuclides were within the range of those measured worldwide. The highest activities of (234+235)U and (40)K (166.5 ± 7.7; 365.8 ± 2.3 Bq kg(-1) dry weight) were measured at Sidi Krir station while El-Max station recorded the highest (232)Th activity (22.7 ± 0.6 Bq kg(-1) dry weight) indicating that these radionuclides may accumulate in ionic and particulate forms from the drainage systems of the fertiliser, petrochemical and paper industries and from agricultural drains and also as the drifted particulates from longshore currents and accretion processes. The lowest (234+235)U activities were recorded at Salloum and the lowest (232)Th and (40)K activities were recorded at El-Hammam, indicating that the accretion process is more active in the eastern Mediterranean. Salloum recorded the highest activity levels for (137)Cs (7.9 ± 0.4 Bq kg(-1) dry weight) showing significant increases of the artificial (137)Cs westwards that may be indicative of to the anthropogenic sources from the northern Mediterranean.
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt. mahmoud_rady@yahoo.com
Mahmoud A
MA
Radi Dar
Abeer A
AA
El-Saharty
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004534:Egypt; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium