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Radionuclides in algae from Swedish coastal waters for over half a century

Mattsson, Sören LU ; Eriksson Stenström, Kristina LU ; Pédehontaa-Hiaa, Guillaume LU orcid ; Bernhardsson, Christian LU orcid ; Jönsson, Mattias LU ; López-Gutiérrez, José Maria ; Lérida-Toro, Victoria and Chamizo Calvo, Elena (2025) In Radiation Protection Dosimetry 201(13-14). p.974-994
Abstract
Samples of Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus have been regularly collected at Särdal (56.76 N, 12.63E) on the Swedish west coast since 1967, for most of the time, every two months. In 2020, sampling of Fucus spp. was extended to 44 other locations along the Swedish west, south, and east coast for comparison with Särdal data. At seven of these locations, water samples and extra samples of Fucus spp. were also taken for 3H analysis. Measurements have been performed by gamma spectrometry, or by radiochemical separation followed by low background beta measurements, alpha spectrometry or accelerator mass spectrometry. Time variations of the measured concentrations of various radionuclides (3H, 14C, 60Co, 99Tc, 129I, 131I, 134Cs, 137Cs, 236U,... (More)
Samples of Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus have been regularly collected at Särdal (56.76 N, 12.63E) on the Swedish west coast since 1967, for most of the time, every two months. In 2020, sampling of Fucus spp. was extended to 44 other locations along the Swedish west, south, and east coast for comparison with Särdal data. At seven of these locations, water samples and extra samples of Fucus spp. were also taken for 3H analysis. Measurements have been performed by gamma spectrometry, or by radiochemical separation followed by low background beta measurements, alpha spectrometry or accelerator mass spectrometry. Time variations of the measured concentrations of various radionuclides (3H, 14C, 60Co, 99Tc, 129I, 131I, 134Cs, 137Cs, 236U, 238U, 239Pu, and 240Pu) are reported. The concentrations have been correlated with emissions from the nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities at Sellafield (UK) and La Hague (France). Contributions from the nuclear power plants in Ringhals and Barsebäck have also been identified, as has fallout from Chernobyl still stored mainly in the sediments and water of the Baltic Sea. In recent decades, studies have shown increasing levels of 129I and 236U and decreases in 137Cs, 99Tc, and 239 + 240Pu concentrations over time. The 14C analyses show an impact of anthropogenic 14C from activities other than atmospheric nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s and 1960s. The considerable variation in the concentration of different radionuclides over time and along the coasts warrants further studies to determine the possible origin of these radionuclides and to map background data in the event of future releases. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
environmental radioactivity, seaweed, algae, radionuclides, heavy metals, marine environment
in
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
volume
201
issue
13-14
pages
21 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:40875269
  • scopus:105014604612
ISSN
0144-8420
DOI
10.1093/rpd/ncaf070
project
Historiska och nutida kol-14 utsläpp från svenska kärnkraftverk till marinmiljö
Marine 14C levels around the Swedish coast
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24aac69b-a342-43d7-9122-ab121cfe6869
date added to LUP
2025-09-10 14:45:58
date last changed
2025-10-14 11:19:09
@article{24aac69b-a342-43d7-9122-ab121cfe6869,
  abstract     = {{Samples of Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus have been regularly collected at Särdal (56.76 N, 12.63E) on the Swedish west coast since 1967, for most of the time, every two months. In 2020, sampling of Fucus spp. was extended to 44 other locations along the Swedish west, south, and east coast for comparison with Särdal data. At seven of these locations, water samples and extra samples of Fucus spp. were also taken for 3H analysis. Measurements have been performed by gamma spectrometry, or by radiochemical separation followed by low background beta measurements, alpha spectrometry or accelerator mass spectrometry. Time variations of the measured concentrations of various radionuclides (3H, 14C, 60Co, 99Tc, 129I, 131I, 134Cs, 137Cs, 236U, 238U, 239Pu, and 240Pu) are reported. The concentrations have been correlated with emissions from the nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities at Sellafield (UK) and La Hague (France). Contributions from the nuclear power plants in Ringhals and Barsebäck have also been identified, as has fallout from Chernobyl still stored mainly in the sediments and water of the Baltic Sea. In recent decades, studies have shown increasing levels of 129I and 236U and decreases in 137Cs, 99Tc, and 239 + 240Pu concentrations over time. The 14C analyses show an impact of anthropogenic 14C from activities other than atmospheric nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s and 1960s. The considerable variation in the concentration of different radionuclides over time and along the coasts warrants further studies to determine the possible origin of these radionuclides and to map background data in the event of future releases.}},
  author       = {{Mattsson, Sören and Eriksson Stenström, Kristina and Pédehontaa-Hiaa, Guillaume and Bernhardsson, Christian and Jönsson, Mattias and López-Gutiérrez, José Maria and Lérida-Toro, Victoria and Chamizo Calvo, Elena}},
  issn         = {{0144-8420}},
  keywords     = {{environmental radioactivity; seaweed; algae; radionuclides; heavy metals; marine environment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{13-14}},
  pages        = {{974--994}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Radiation Protection Dosimetry}},
  title        = {{Radionuclides in algae from Swedish coastal waters for over half a century}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/227382522/ncaf070.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/rpd/ncaf070}},
  volume       = {{201}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}