Chapter 6 Radioactivity in lakes and rivers (original) (raw)

Elsevier eBooks, 2003

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes radioactivity in lakes and rivers. Lakes and rivers are extremely complex. Every aquatic system is unique. This chapter illustrates that, quantitative models are essential to predict, guide assessment and direct intervention. The chapter explores that, a decade ago ecosystem models has been rightly regarded with suspicion. Then, many lake models predicted, example, concentrations of toxins in fish within a factor of 10. Today, lake models can predict such targets along with one can measure, within a factor of 0.25 to 0.5. One reason for this is, in fact, the Chernobyl accident. Large quantities of 137 Cs were then released as a pulse. The predictive power of a model is not governed by the strength of the model's strongest part, but by the weakness of its weakest part. In the future, it would be very interesting to find general equations for the settling velocity for different categories of carrier particles, like humic matter, detritus and clays. In the future, it is interesting to find better general equations for one of the most fundamental model components, the particulate fraction, and for key substances in lakes and rivers. This value regulates the fraction of X in particulate form, which by definition is the only fraction that can settle out, and the dissolved form. This value is important not only for abiotic transport routes; it also regulates benthic and pelagic pathways.

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