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Iodine-131: A potential short-lived, wastewater-specific particle tracer in an urbanized estuarine system

Environmental Science and Technology, ISSN: 0013-936X, Vol: 42, Issue: 15, Page: 5435-5440
2008
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Article Description

The short-lived, fission-produced radioisotope, I (t = 8.04 days), was detected in wastewater, surficial sediment, and suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples collected from New York Harbor (NYH) between 2001 and 2002. Iodine-131 is used as a radiopharmaceutical for medical imaging, diagnostics, and treatments for conditions of the thyroid. It is introduced into the municipal waste stream by medical facilities and patients and is subsequently released into the estuary via wastewater effluent. Measured I activities in surface sediments were correlated with those of Be (t = 53.2 days), a naturally occurring radioisotope that is widely used to quantify particle dynamics, sediment focusing, and short-term sediment deposition and accumulation in aquatic systems. Surficial sediment I activities were also compared with measured trace metal (Cu, Pb) and organic carbon (OC) concentrations which can be linked to wastewater inputs. These preliminary results from NYH introduce I as a potentially valuable source-specific, short-lived biogeochemical tracer (timescales <1 month) for particles, sediments, and wastewater-sourced contaminants in urbanized aquatic systems. © 2008 American Chemical Society.

Bibliographic Details

Smith, Joseph P; Oktay, Sarah I; Kada, John; Olsen, Curtis R

American Chemical Society (ACS)

Chemistry; Environmental Science

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