title: Do site-specific radiocarbon measurements reflect localized distributions of 14C in biota inhabiting a wetland with point contamination sources?
abstract: Duke Swamp is a wetland ecosystem that receives (14)C via a groundwater pathway originating from a waste management area on Atomic Energy Canada Limited's Chalk River Laboratories site. This groundwater reaches the surface of the swamp, resulting in relatively high (14)C levels over an area of 146 m(2). The objective of this study was to quantify (14)C concentrations in flora and fauna inhabiting areas of Duke Swamp over the gradient of (14)C activity concentrations in moss to determine whether (14)C specific activities in receptor biota reflect the localized nature of the groundwater source in the swamp. Representative receptor plants and animals, and corresponding air and soil samples were collected at six sites in Duke Swamp with (14)C specific activities in air that ranged from 1140 to 45,900 Bq/kg C. In general, it was found that specific activities of (14)C in biota tissues reflected those measured in environmental media collected from the same sampling site. The findings demonstrate that mosses could be used in monitoring programs to ensure protection of biota in areas with elevated (14)C, negating the need to capture and euthanize higher organisms.
authors.affiliation: Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Environment and Forestry, #125 - 15 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 2X8, Canada. Electronic address: tamara.yankovich@src.sk.ca.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yankovich
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: King-Sharp
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Benz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: R W D
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Killey
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Beresford
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D058448:Biota; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Carbon-14; Environmental monitoring; Radionuclide; Specific activity; Wetland