Distribución espacial de radionucleídos en sedimentos marinos de Bahía Culebra y el Golfo de Nicoya, Pacífico, Costa Rica
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Fecha
2008-12-01
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artículo original
Autores
Lizano Rodríguez, Omar Gerardo
Loría Meneses, Luis Guillermo
Alfaro Martínez, Eric J.
Badilla Figueroa, Mauricio
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Los radionucleídos naturales y artificiales de los sedimentos marinos fueron estudiados en Bahía de Culebra y en el Golfo de Nicoya, ambos en la costa Pacífica de Costa Rica. Muestreos en un humedal y en una isla oceánica, fueron usados como sitios de referencia. La concentración de los elementos radiactivos originados durante la formación de nuestro planeta disminuye en los bloques continentales viejos. Dado que una isla oceánica es de formación más joven, se espera encontrar altas concentraciones de estas sustancias, como muestran los resultados de este estudio. Los ámbitos de estos elementos son considerados normales según los informes globales. Algunos, como el Potasio-40, parecieran tener una contribución antropogénica en el Golfo de Nicoya, posiblemente relacionada a las actividades que se desarrollan en sus cuencas hidrográficas adyacentes. En todos los sitios de muestreo, la concentración del elemento artificial Cesio-137 se ha detectado dentro de ámbitos normales y sus valores son muy similares a los medidos en la costa y en el interior del país en estudios anteriores.
Ten natural and artificial radionuclides (K40,Cs137, Bi212, Pb212, Bi214, Pb214, Ra226, Ac228, Pa234, U235) in marine sediments were studied in Culebra Bay and the Gulf of Nicoya, both on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. A freshwater marsh and an offshore island (Coco Island) were used as reference sites. The concentration of radioactive elements from the time of Earth’s formation diminishes in older conti-nental blocks. Higher concentrations are expected in the offshore island, as found in this study. The range of values of these elements are considered normal according to global reports. Some of them, like Potassium 40, seem to have an anthropogenic contribution in the Gulf of Nicoya, possibly related to the activities developed in the adjacent hydrographic basins. In all sampled sites, the artificial element Cesium-137 has been detected within normal ranges and values are very similar to those measured in the coast and in the interior of Costa Rica in previous studies.
Ten natural and artificial radionuclides (K40,Cs137, Bi212, Pb212, Bi214, Pb214, Ra226, Ac228, Pa234, U235) in marine sediments were studied in Culebra Bay and the Gulf of Nicoya, both on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. A freshwater marsh and an offshore island (Coco Island) were used as reference sites. The concentration of radioactive elements from the time of Earth’s formation diminishes in older conti-nental blocks. Higher concentrations are expected in the offshore island, as found in this study. The range of values of these elements are considered normal according to global reports. Some of them, like Potassium 40, seem to have an anthropogenic contribution in the Gulf of Nicoya, possibly related to the activities developed in the adjacent hydrographic basins. In all sampled sites, the artificial element Cesium-137 has been detected within normal ranges and values are very similar to those measured in the coast and in the interior of Costa Rica in previous studies.
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Palabras clave
Costa Rica, Radionucleídos, Bahía Culebra, Golfo de Nicoya, Isla del Coco, Sedimentos marinos, Radionuclides, Culebra Bay, Gulf of Nicoya, Cocos Island, Marine sediments