Radioactivity in ground water, stream water and lake water

Danish groundwater and stream and lake water is sampled on an annual basis (March/April) from a range of localities, and analysed for contents of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs. The concentrations of radiocaesium and radiostrontium have in all Danish freshwater bodies decreased markedly since the atmospheric nuclear tests stopped. ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in stream and lake water are significantly higher than current ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in precipitation, whereas the opposite is the case for ¹³⁷Cs. This shows that overall, sediments currently release ⁹⁰Sr and adsorb ¹³⁷Cs. ⁹⁰Sr concentrations are measured by beta counting, after sample volume reduction and removal of all other beta emitters, since beta counting is not radionuclide-specific. ¹³⁷Cs is more conveniently measured in a gamma spectrometer, following volume reduction.

	Sr-90 in groundwater, 1961-2007.
	Cs-137 in stream water, 1986-2009
	Sr-90 in stream water, 1971-2007
	Cs-137 in lake water, 1986-2009
	Sr-90 in lake water, 1971-2007

Page updated by 25.08.2009

Kasper Grann Andersson
Senior Scientist
Radiation Research (NUK)
Dir tel+45 46774173