TITLE:
Radioactive Contamination Factor (RCF) Obtained by Comparing Contaminant Radioactivity (137Cs) with Natural Radioactivity (40K) in Marine Sediments Taken up from Mexican Sea Waters
AUTHORS:
Manuel Navarrete, Miguel A. Zúñiga, Guillermo Espinosa, José I. Golzarri
KEYWORDS:
Radioactive, Contamination, Factor, Sea, Sediments
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology,
Vol.4 No.3,
July
30,
2014
ABSTRACT: Radioactive contamination
at planet scale started in 1945 when the first nuclear taste was performed in
Alamo Gordo, New Mexico, followed by two war actions in Japan, a second test in
Bikini, and more than 2000 tests were performed all over the world by different
countries since then on. In this context, 10 main accidents in power and
research nuclear reactors seem to be negligible in the general radioactive
contamination at planet scale, which can be measured by comparing radioactivity
of fission product 137Cs with that of natural 40K, both
detected from marine sediments taken up at different places and depth. This
paper shows 9 results obtained from Gulf of Mexico samples and one from Pacific
North ocean, confirming the fact that this simple method works well enough to
keep watching the process of radioactive contamination on earth, whatever may
be the cause, to prove if it remains constant for a time, by equilibrium
between contamination and decaying of 137Cs, it is decreasing at
same rate than 137Cs radioactive decaying, or by the contrary, it is
growing up and approaching at some extent the natural radioactivity from 40K.