title: Polonium-210 accumulates in a lake receiving coal mine discharges-anthropogenic or natural?
abstract: Coal is an integral part of global energy production; however, coal mining is associated with numerous environmental health impacts. It is well documented that coal-mine waste can contaminate the environment with naturally-occurring radionuclides from the uranium-238 (238U) decay series. However, the behavior of the final radionuclide in the238U-series, i.e., polonium-210 (210Po) arising from coal-mine waste-water discharge is largely unexplored. Here, results of a year-long (2014-2015) field study, in which the concentrations of210Po in sediments and surface water of a lake that receives coal-mine waste-water discharge in West Virginia are presented. Initial measurements identified levels of210Po in the lake sediments that were in excess of that which could be attributed to ambient U-series parent radionuclides; and were indicative of discharge site contamination of the lake ecosystem. However, control sediment obtained from a similar lake system in Iowa (an area with no coal mining or unconventional drilling) suggests that the levels of210Po in the lake are a natural phenomenon; and are likely unrelated to waste-water treatment discharges. Elevated levels of210Po have been reported in lake bottom sediments previously, yet very little information is available on the radioecological implications of210Po accumulation in lake bottom sediments. The findings of this study suggest that (Monthly Energy Review, 2016) the natural accumulation and retention of210Po in lake sediments may be a greater than previously considered (Chadwick et al., 2013) careful selection of control sites is important to prevent the inappropriate attribution of elevated levels of NORM in lake bottom ecosystems to industrial sources; and (Van Hook, 1979) further investigation of the source-terms and potential impacts on elevated210Po in lake-sediment ecosystems is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Chemistry Building, 251 North Capitol Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: andrew-w-nelson@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Chemistry Building, 251 North Capitol Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: eric-eitrheim@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Eitrheim
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Chemistry Building, 251 North Capitol Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: andrew-knight@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory, Research Park, State Hygienic Laboratory 2490, Crosspark Road, Coralville, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: dustin-may@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, 100 CPHB, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: michael-wichman@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Chemistry Building, 251 North Capitol Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: tori-forbes@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: T Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Chemistry Building, 251 North Capitol Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory, Research Park, State Hygienic Laboratory 2490, Crosspark Road, Coralville, IA 52242, United States; Departments of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Free Radical and Radiation Biology Program, University of Iowa, ML B180 FRRB, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Electronic address: michael-schultz@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D003032:Coal Mining; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011059:Polonium / Q000032:analysis*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D011059:Polonium
keywords: Coal; Lake; Lead-210; NORM; Polonium-210