Spatial Distribution of Uranium and Radium in the Sediments, Musels (Mytilus sp.), and Sea Water in Port of Sibenik

This article reports on a study undertaken to assess the response of the aquatic environment (sediment, seawater and mussels Mytilus sp.) to uranium and radium activity and concentration following the decrease of phosphate discharges from a technologically improved transshipment terminal, located at the Croatian Adriatic coast in the port of Sibenik. The highest uranium and radium activities were found in the sediment sample collected from the sampling site closest to the terminal. The authors conclude that since the transshipment terminal in the port of Sibenik was modernized in the 1980s, the discharges of the phosphate ore into the seawater was drastically reduced and, consequently, uranium concentration levels in the seawater decreased. The enhanced uranium and radium activity levels are found only in the sediment near operational docks, and in the mussels which live on these docks. Mussels sampled below the operational dock showed levels of uranium activities several times higher than in the consumable mussels a few kilometers upstream and downstream, while activities of radium are uniform. These enhanced uranium levels in mussels near the operational docks are present due to the diminished, but constant, input of phosphate particles from the docks into the estuarine environment and from the dissolving of uranium from the sediment. Uranium concentration levels in the seawater samples are consistent with values for unpolluted environments.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03535320
• Authors:
  • Cukrov, Neven
  • Cuculic, Vlado
  • Barisic, Delko
  • Mlakar, Marina
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 89-93
• Serial:
  • Promet Traffic-Traffico
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: University of Zagreb
  • ISSN: 0353-5320

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Estuaries; Phosphates; Seawater; Sediments; Uranium; Water pollution
• Identifier Terms: Port of Sibenik (Croatia)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Mussels; Mytilus sp.; Radium
• Geographic Terms: Krka River (Croatia)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01031813
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 5 2006 7:48AM