Alpha-Particle Radioactivity Of Hot Particles From The Esk Estuary

Transuranium radionuclides (Pu, Am and Cm) present in effluents discharged into the north-east Irish Sea by British Nuclear Fuels Limited, Windscale, Cumbria, UK, are found in sediment and biota of the Esk estuary ~10 km to the south. The site of the present investigation was at Newbiggin and the materials examined were suspended particulate debris samples at the sea surface, bottom sediments and some forms of biota collected in September 1977. It is shown here that hot particles (defined as small volumes of material emitting a particles recorded in a dielectric detector as dense clusters of tracks from a common origin) found in the estuary are likely to be original effluent debris derived from the processing of Magnox uranium fuel elements and not formed in situ as a result of natural processes common to the estuary.

Simulating The Impact Of Technological-Change On Dissolved Cadmium Distribution In The Severn Estuary

An estuarine model is described which computes the dispersive and advective properties of the Severn Estuary. It was calibrated and validated using 50 measured salinity distributions and then used to predict the magnitude and sitings of the major inputs of dissolved cadmium levels throughout the estuary. The results provided an impetus for implementing tighter controls on effluents and for improving estimates of cadmium discharges from industrial sources. The model has also been used to investigate the sensitivity of the estuarine system to changes in dispersion; by considering large reductions in the dispersion coefficients it is hoped that the results might be indicative of the environmental consequences following the construction of a tidal power generating scheme.