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Sorption and release of radiocaesium from particulate matter of the Baltic coastal zone

  • The Baltic, a Stressed System
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Abstract

Laboratory expriments have demonstrated that radiocaesium can be released in different proportions from Baltic sediments, depending on the type and origin of sediment, contact time and solid-to-liquid phase ratio. Rapidly accumulating sediments in areas affected by river discharge have much higher percentage of exchangeable radiocaesium than slowly accumulating marine sediments. The latter have been shown to {uptake radiocaesium from overlying sea water at high suspended loads. Pronounced radiocaesium gradients at sediment-water interface in Gda\'nsk Bay can be explained by either diffusion from pore water or desorption from sediment particles uprised by waves and/or bottom currents, or a combination of both. Desorption is likely to decrease with age of the sediment.

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Knapińska-Skiba, D., Bojanowski, R. & Radecki, Z. Sorption and release of radiocaesium from particulate matter of the Baltic coastal zone. Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology 28, 413–419 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334211

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