Anthropogenic <sup>129</sup>I in seawaters along the north-central part of the English Channel: Levels and tracer applications

Peng He; Zheng Yang; Hongying Pang; Ala Aldahan; Xiaolin Hou; Göran Possnert; Xiangjun Pei; Yi Huang

doi:10.1007/s13131-022-2040-2

Volume 41 Issue 11

Nov. 2022

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Peng He, Zheng Yang, Hongying Pang, Ala Aldahan, Xiaolin Hou, Göran Possnert, Xiangjun Pei, Yi Huang. Anthropogenic 129I in seawaters along the north-central part of the English Channel: Levels and tracer applications[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2022, 41(11): 73-80. doi: 10.1007/s13131-022-2040-2

Citation:

Peng He, Zheng Yang, Hongying Pang, Ala Aldahan, Xiaolin Hou, Göran Possnert, Xiangjun Pei, Yi Huang. Anthropogenic ¹²⁹I in seawaters along the north-central part of the English Channel: Levels and tracer applications[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2022, 41(11): 73-80. doi: 10.1007/s13131-022-2040-2

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Anthropogenic ¹²⁹I in seawaters along the north-central part of the English Channel: Levels and tracer applications

doi: 10.1007/s13131-022-2040-2

Peng He^{1, 2, 3},
Zheng Yang²,
Hongying Pang²,
Ala Aldahan⁴,
Xiaolin Hou^{5, 6},
Göran Possnert⁷,
Xiangjun Pei^{1, 2},
Yi Huang^{1, 2
,
,}

1.
State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
2.
School of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
3.
Sichuan Vanadium & Titanium Industry Development Research Center, Panzhihua 617000, China
4.
Department of Geosciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
5.
Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (Risø Campus), Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
6.
State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an 710061, China
7.
Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75120, Sweden

Funds: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No. 41603122; the Everest Scientific Research Program of Chengdu University of Technology under contract Nos 2020ZF11405 and 2021ZF11419; the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection under contract No. SKLGP2019K013; the Open Fund of Sichuan Vanadium & Titanium Industry Development Research Center under contract No. 2020VTCY-Z-01; the Fund of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province under contract No. 2021JDTD0013; the Foundation for Young Backbone Teachers of Chengdu University of Technology, 2022.

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: whsps@hotmail.com
Received Date: 2021-09-11
Accepted Date: 2022-03-18

Available Online: 2022-10-09

Publish Date: 2022-11-01

Abstract

Abstract

The English Channel (the Channel) represents a major sink and transport pathway of anthropogenic radioactive ¹²⁹I. Despite this important role, data concerning the distribution of ¹²⁹I in seawater of the Channel are scarce, and most of existing data are restricted to the eastern part of the Channel. The advection and dispersion of ¹²⁹I from the French coast toward the central and further the English coast, especially in the Channel west of Cap de La Hague, are not fully investigated. We present results of iodine isotopes (¹²⁷I and ¹²⁹I) analyses of surface water samples collected along the central English Channel in October, 2010. The data show high ¹²⁹I concentrations between Dover Strait and La Hague, followed by a dramatic drop towards the Celtic Sea and reveal the dispersal of ¹²⁹I towards central and northern part of the Channel. Our observation also implies that the entire British coast is contaminated by ¹²⁹I. ¹²⁹I levels in the westernmost English Channel, close to the English coast, may reflect combined influences from La Hague and Sellafield. Evolution of ¹²⁹I between 2005 and 2010 suggests a strong link to temporal marine discharges from La Hague plant. The discharges from the nuclear reprocessing facility have continued since 2010 and thus an ecological evaluation of ¹²⁹I radioactive hazards in the environment of the Channel may be needed.
- ¹²⁹I,
- seawater,
- iodine isotopes,
- English Channel

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References(35)

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