Biomaterial Database

Elevated levels of radium-226 and radium-228 in marine sediments of the Norwegian Trench ("Norskrenna") and Skagerrak. 2012

M Dowdall, and Aivo Lepland

Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, P.O. Box 55, N-1332 Østerås, Norway. mark.dowdall@nrpa.no

Oil and gas extraction activities discharge waters bearing radium isotopes which may potentially be transported to locations distant from the discharge point. Sediment cores from the Norwegian Trench and Skagerrak, potential sinks for North Sea discharges, were analyzed for the contents of these isotopes. All cores were such that data could be obtained from periods prior to and during extensive operations in the North Sea. Results indicate elevated levels of radium isotopes in upper sedimentary layers when compared to data for the Baltic Sea and Kattegat. Although diagenetic processes involving manganese cycling may be responsible for these enrichments, the data support previous work indicating a possible influence of North Sea discharges on sediments of the area. The results highlight the need for further work on elaborating background levels of these isotopes in the North Sea and related areas such that possible impacts of these discharges can be properly evaluated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009659	North Sea	An arm of the Atlantic Ocean extending between Europe on the south and east, Great Britain on the west.
D011883	Radium	A radioactive element of the alkaline earth series of metals. It has the atomic symbol Ra and atomic number 88. Radium is the product of the disintegration of URANIUM and is present in pitchblende and all ores containing uranium. It is used clinically as a source of beta and gamma-rays in radiotherapy, particularly BRACHYTHERAPY.
D004784	Environmental Monitoring	The monitoring of the level of toxins, chemical pollutants, microbial contaminants, or other harmful substances in the environment (soil, air, and water), workplace, or in the bodies of people and animals present in that environment.	Monitoring, Environmental,Environmental Surveillance,Surveillance, Environmental
D012623	Seawater	The salinated water of OCEANS AND SEAS that provides habitat for marine organisms.	Sea Water,Sea Waters,Seawaters,Water, Sea,Waters, Sea
D014875	Water Pollutants, Radioactive	Pollutants, present in water or bodies of water, which exhibit radioactivity.	Pollutants, Radioactive Water,Radioactive Water Pollutants
D059392	Petroleum Pollution	Release of oil into the environment usually due to human activity.	Oil Pollution,Oil Spills,Oil Pollutions,Oil Spill,Petroleum Pollutions,Pollution, Oil,Pollution, Petroleum,Pollutions, Oil,Pollutions, Petroleum,Spill, Oil,Spills, Oil
D019015	Geologic Sediments	A mass of organic or inorganic solid fragmented material, or the solid fragment itself, that comes from the weathering of rock and is carried by, suspended in, or dropped by air, water, or ice. It refers also to a mass that is accumulated by any other natural agent and that forms in layers on the earth's surface, such as sand, gravel, silt, mud, fill, or loess. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed, p1689)	Marine Oil Snow,Sediments, Geologic,Sediments, Marine,Geologic Sediment,Marine Snow,Sediment, Geologic,Marine Oil Snows,Marine Sediment,Marine Sediments,Oil Snow, Marine,Sediment, Marine,Snow, Marine Oil
D019652	Extraction and Processing Industry	The industry concerned with the removal of raw materials from the Earth's crust and with their conversion into refined products.