Journal article
Twenty-five-year study of radionuclides in the Susquehanna river via periphyton biomonitors
Health physics (1958), v 92(1)
Jan 2007
PMID: 17164593
Abstract
This 25-y study monitored aquatic and terrestrial gamma-ray-emitting radionuclide levels near a nuclear power plant. It is the only known, long-term environmental survey of its kind. It was conducted neither by a utility owner, nor by a government agency, but rather by a private, environmental research institution. Compared to dozens of other flora and fauna, periphyton was found to be the best indicator to biomonitor the Susquehanna River, which runs near PPL Susquehanna's nuclear plant. Sampling began in 1979 before the first plant start-up and continued for the next 24 years. Monitoring began two months after the Three Mile Island accident of 28 March 1979 and includes Three Mile Island area measurements. Ongoing measurements detected fallout from Chernobyl in 1986, as well as I not released from PPL Susquehanna. Although this paper concentrates on radionuclides found in periphyton, the scope of the entire environmental program includes a wide variety of aquatic and land-based plants, animals, and inorganic matter. Other species and matter studied were fish, mussels, snails, crayfish, insects, humus, mushrooms, lichens, squirrels, deer, cabbage, tomatoes, coarse and flocculated sediment, and more. Results show periphyton works well for detection of radionuclide activity, even in concentrations less than 100 Bq kg (picocuries per gram amounts). Data indicate that PPL Susquehanna's radionuclide releases have had no known environmental or human health impact.
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Details
- Title
- Twenty-five-year study of radionuclides in the Susquehanna river via periphyton biomonitors
- Creators
- Ruth Patrick - Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel UniversityJohn PalmsDanielle KreegerCharles Harris
- Publication Details
- Health physics (1958), v 92(1)
- Publisher
- Lippincott
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000242864000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-33845706691
- Other Identifier
- 991019174605204721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Nuclear Science & Technology
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging