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11. Specific patterns of 137Cs, 60Co, and 54Mn
accumulation by macrophytes and bottom sediments
Danutė Marčiulionienėa, Jonas Mažeikab, Ričardas Paškauskasc & Olga Jefanovaa
a Radioisotope Research Laboratory, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany,
Akademijos Street 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
b Radioisotope Research Laboratory, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Geology and
Geography, T. Ševčenkos Street 13, LT-03223 Vilnius, Lithuania
c Laboratory of Radioecology, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany, Akademijos
Street 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
Published online: 03 Jul 2014.
To cite this article: Danutė Marčiulionienė, Jonas Mažeika, Ričardas Paškauskas & Olga Jefanova (2014) 11. Specific
patterns of 137Cs, 60Co, and 54Mn accumulation by macrophytes and bottom sediments, Zoology and Ecology, 24:2,
168-176, DOI: 10.1080/21658005.2014.925234
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2014.925234
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11. Specific patterns of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn accumulation by macrophytes and bottom
sediments
DanutėMarčiulionienė
a
*, Jonas Mažeika
b
,Ričardas Paškauskas
c
and Olga Jefanova
a
a
Radioisotope Research Laboratory, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany, Akademijos Street 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania;
b
Radioisotope Research Laboratory, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Geology and Geography, T. Ševčenkos Street 13, LT-03223
Vilnius, Lithuania;
c
Laboratory of Radioecology, Nature Research Centre, Institute of Botany, Akademijos Street 2, LT-08412 Vilnius,
Lithuania
(Received 21 February 2014; accepted 9 May 2014)
The data of long-term radioecological investigations conducted in the cooling water basin (Lake Drūkšiai) of the Ignalina
Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) are overviewed. The levels of specific activity of artificial radionuclides (
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn) in macrophytes and bottom sediments were identified in the samples collected from four monitoring stations in
Lake Drūkšiai, from the channel of industrial storm water discharge (ISW-1,2), and from the cooling water channel of
the INPP. The activity levels of artificial radionuclides in the lake and in the channel ISW-1,2 in a three-year period
before and two-year period after the shutdown of the INPP were compared. The effects of heated water and chemical
substances disposed with radionuclides from the INPP into Lake Drūkšiai on accumulation of radionuclides by macro-
phytes before the shutdown of the INPP were evaluated.
Apžvelgiami ilgalaikiai radioekologiniai tyrimai, atlikti Ignalinos atominės elektrinėsaušintuve (Drūkšiųežere).
Mėginiuose, paimtuose išketuriųDrūkšiųežero monitoringo stočių, pramoninės-lietaus kanalizacijos vandens išleidimo
kanalo ir elektrinėsaušinimo vandens kanalo, makrofituose ir dugno nuosėdose nustatyti
137
Cs,
60
Co ir
54
Mn
radionuklidųspecifinio aktyvumo lygiai. Palyginti jųaktyvumo lygiai ežere ir pramoninės-lietaus kanalizacijos vandens
išleidimo kanale per tris metus priešatominės elektrinėsuždarymąir dviejųmetųlaikotarpiu po elektrinėsuždarymo.
Įvertintas elektrinėssušildyto vandens ir kartu su radionuklidais įežerąišleistųcheminiųmedžiagųpoveikis radionuklidų
kaupimuisi makrofituose priešelektrinėsuždarymą.
Keywords: cesium-137; cobalt-60; manganese-54; macrophytes; bottom sediments; Ignalina NPP
The nuclear power plants (NPPs) and their environment
in the routine operation mode and in the decommission-
ing stage represent important objects for radioecological
studies. The cooling basins of NPPs as aquatic ecosys-
tems are under a continuous impact of radionuclide dis-
charge and have a higher anthropogenic pressure
compared to terrestrial ecosystems (Marčiulionienėet al.
1992; Trapeznikov et al. 2007).
The evaluation of the barrier role of aquatic ecosys-
tems with regard to the transfer of radioactive substances
is one of the main issues of radioecology of freshwater
ecosystems (Trapeznikov et al. 2007). The solution of
this issue requires data on accumulation of radionuclides
by bottom sediments and aquatic plants, in particular by
the species distinguished by a large biomass and high
accumulation capacity.
The macrophytes stand out among other ecological
groups of aquatic plants for the elevated capacity to
accumulate radionuclides (Trapeznikov et al. 2007). The
strong capacity of accumulation is predetermined by the
evidence that macrophytes are fully or partly submerged
in the water. Macrophytes represent the first stage in the
food chain of the aquatic ecosystem and usually accumu-
late radionuclides directly from the water. They play an
important role in radionuclide migration in freshwater
bodies (Van der Stricht and Kirchmann 2001). After get-
ting into an aquatic system, radionuclides are diluted by
a large water volume and are not only accumulated by
macrophytes but also settle on the bottom. Therefore, the
water itself is the least informative component of the
hydroecosystem for determining its contamination with
radionuclides.
By establishing barrier zones in aquatic ecosystems to
inhibit migration of radionuclides, an important role may
be played by littoral aquatic plants which form thick over-
growths in the littoral part of the water body and are able
to accumulate radionuclides from the water and from the
bottom sediments through a well-developed root system
(Marciulioniene, Montvydiene, and Paskauskas 2011).
In the cooling water basins of NPPs, radionuclide
migration may be affected by different anthropogenic
factors as, for example, higher water temperature or vari-
ous chemical substances getting into the water together
with radionuclides. It has been determined that at water
temperature reaching up to 28 °C, the accumulation of
60
Co by aquatic plants increases by 1.7–4.7 times. The
factor of temperature is less important for accumulation
peculiarities of
137
Cs (Trapeznikov et al. 2007).
*Corresponding author. Email: radeko@ar.fi.lt
© 2014 Nature Research Centre
Zoology and Ecology, 2014
Vol. 24, No. 2, 168–176, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2014.925234
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While analyzing the radioecological features of cool-
ing water basins of NPPs, the most relevant tasks are
(Aleksakhin and Prister 2008; Evseeva et al. 2008;
Harrison and Knezovich 2001; Trapeznikov et al. 2007):
(1) Evaluation of accumulation, migration, and dis-
persion of radionuclides in biotic and abiotic
components of cooling water basin ecosystems
and evaluation of probable effects of anthropo-
genic environmental factors, such as heated water
and chemical substances discharged together with
radionuclides, on these processes;
(2) Evaluation of barrier zones in the cooling water
basin ecosystems with regard to radionuclide
migration;
(3) Determination of the possibility of natural self-
cleaning processes in the system of the cooling
water basin; and
(4) Evaluation of radionuclide migration through the
food chain into hydrobionts of a higher trophic
level.
This work is an attempt to generalize the long-term data
of radioecological investigations conducted in the cool-
ing water basin (Lake Drūkšiai) of the Ignalina NPP
(INPP) during the operation of two reactor units
(1988–2004), after the shutdown of the first reactor unit
(2005–2009), and after the shutdown of the second reac-
tor unit (2010–2011). The levels of specific activity of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn in macrophytes and in bottom
sediments were determined in samples collected from
four monitoring stations in Lake Drūkšiai, from the
channel of industrial storm water and process water dis-
charge ISW-1,2, and from the cooling water channel
(CW) of the INPP. The activity levels of these radionuc-
lides in the lake and in the channel ISW-1,2 in a three-
year time span before and in a two-year time span after
the shutdown of the INPP were compared. The effects of
heated water and chemical substances disposed with ra-
dionuclides from the INPP into Lake Drūkšiai on accu-
mulation of radionuclides by macrophytes before the
shutdown of the INPP were assessed. Also, the role of
aquatic plants in the process of self-cleaning of the eco-
system from radionuclides and creating of the barrier
zones to migration of radionuclides was determined.
Object and methods
The INPP is situated near Lake Drūkšiai, which is in the
northeastern part of Lithuania and is used as a cooling
water basin of the plant. The hydrographical parameters
of the lake are: length 14.3 km, width 5.3 km, occupied
area 49 km
2
, maximal depth 31 m, and average depth
8 m (Jurgelevičienė, Lasinskas, and Tautvydas 1983).
The first reactor unit of the INPP was put into operation
in 1983 and the second in 1987. The first unit was shut
down in January of 2005 and the second in December of
2009.
Radionuclides may enter the cooling basin by these
ways: (1) with atmospheric precipitation, (2) by transfer
from the surface of the terrestrial ecosystem, (3) with
groundwater flow, and (4) with drainage water flow from
the INPP site.
The samples of macrophytes and bottom sediments
for radionuclide investigations were collected once a year
in July–August before the shutdown (2007–2009) and
after the shutdown (2010–2011) of the second reactor
unit. The sampling was done from four monitoring sta-
tions of Lake Drūkšiai located at different distances from
the INPP objects and from the channel of industrial
storm water and process water discharge ISW-1,2
(Figure 11.1). Also the sediments and the roots of aqua-
tic plants were sampled from channel ISW-1,2 and from
the CW of the INPP before the shutdown of the second
reactor unit.
For measuring radionuclides in the natural environ-
ment and samples traced by radionuclides in laboratory
conditions, the samples of macrophytes, the root system
of littoral aquatic plants, and bottom sediments were pre-
pared following the standard radioecological methods
(Marčiulionienėet al. 1992; Trapeznikov et al. 2007).
The specific activity of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn in the
collected samples was measured by gamma spectrometry
at the Lithuanian Radiation Protection Centre and at the
Lithuanian Nature Research Centre. For this purpose
were used semiconductor γ-spectrometers and standard
methods (Gudelis et al. 2000).
During the laboratory experiments, the test organisms
Nitellopsis obtusa (Marčiulionienė2012) were used for
analysis of the influence of channel ISW-1,2 of the INPP
and other anthropogenic factors on accumulation of
radionuclides by macrophytes.
Figure 11.1. Scheme of Lake Drūkšiai with sites for
macrophyte and bottom sediment sample collection. ISW-1,2 –
channel of industrial storm water and process water discharge;
CW –cooling water channel; 1, 4, 6, 7 –monitoring stations.
Zoology and Ecology 169
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Results and discussion
The long-term data on the specific activity levels of
radionuclides in the macrophytes of Lake Drūkšiai evi-
dence that the highest levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn
activity in macrophytes occurred in 1988–1994, i.e.
before the shutdown of the first reactor unit of the INPP
(Figures 11.2 and 11.3). High values of
60
Co and
54
Mn
specific activity in macrophytes were determined in
channel ISW-1,2 and in the zone attributed to the intake
of drainage waters in Lake Drūkšiai (monitoring station
7). Beginning with 1995, the radionuclide activity levels
in the macrophytes of Lake Drūkšiai and drainage water
channels were gradually decreasing (Figures 11.2 and
11.3). From 1996, the activity levels of
137
Cs in fish
were also decreasing (Figure 11.3). In 1995, the activity
levels of
60
Co and
54
Mn in fish did not exceed 1 Bq/kg
of fresh weight, and from 1997 they reduced below the
detection limit values. In 1989–1996, the mean activity
levels of
137
Cs in bottom sediments were up to
250 Bq/kg of dry mass and the mean activity levels of
60
Co and
54
Mn were up to 50 Bq/kg (Figure 11.2). Three
years before the shutdown of the INPP (2007–2009), the
activity levels of
137
Cs in bottom sediments of Lake
Drūkšiai were lower than in 1989–1996. Yet the decrease
of radionuclide content in bottom sediments was less
pronounced than in macrophytes and fish (Figure 11.3).
This is presumably related with the fact that bottom sedi-
ments represent a depository environment for this radio-
nuclide. After the shutdown of the INPP, bottom
sediments could act as a secondary source of contamina-
tion with
137
Cs in case of the changed environmental
stage of Lake Drūkšiai.
Three years before the shutdown of the INPP
(2007–2009), the highest activity levels of
137
Cs in
Lake Drūkšiai were determined in macrophytes
Ceratophyllum demersum of the monitoring station 7
Figure 11.2. Decrease of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn specific activities (Bq/kg, d.w.) in macrophytes Myriophyllum spicatum from the
INPP channels (CW –cooling water channel, ISW-1,2 –channel of industrial storm water and process water discharge) and from
Lake Drūkšiai (monitoring stations 1, 6, 7) in 1990–2007.
170 D. Marčiulionienėet al.
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(in the zone of drainage water discharge from channel
ISW-1,2) and in macrophytes Cladophora sp. of the
monitoring station 1 (Table 11.1). In other species of
macrophytes from stations 1 and 6, the activity levels
of
137
Cs were considerably lower. In the monitoring sta-
tion 4, the activity levels of
137
Cs in macrophytes were
changing negligibly during the observation period. The
highest activity levels of
60
Co and
54
Mn in macrophytes
were also identified in the monitoring station 7 (in the
zone of drainage water discharge from the channel
ISW-1,2). Meanwhile, in other monitoring stations, the
activity levels of these radionuclides were below the
detection limit values.
In 2007, the activity levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn
in macrophytes Ceratophyllum demersum of channel
ISW-1,2 were 20, 34, and 2 Bq/kg, respectively
(Table 11.2), whereas in 2008, the activity levels of these
radionuclides in Myriophyllum spicatum were consider-
ably higher and reached 271, 218, and 6428 Bq/kg,
respectively.
134
Cs was also identified in the examined
macrophytes. Its activity levels reached 250 Bq/kg. These
data point out that enlarged amounts of radionuclides
were released from the INPP to the channel ISW-1,2.
The results of long-term investigations of 1988–2007
show that the values of specific activity levels of radio-
nuclides in macrophytes of the drainage water channel
Figure 11.3.
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn specific activities in bottoms sediments (a), macrophytes (b), and fish (c) of Lake Drūkšiai.
Zoology and Ecology 171
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ISW-1,2 as high as were determined in 2008 had
never occurred earlier (Marčiulionienėet al. 1992;
Marčiulionienėet al. 2011). The maximum values of
137
Cs,
60
Co,
54
Mn, and
134
Cs specific activity in macro-
phytes determined in 1990–1993 were only 90, 250,
220, and 15 Bq/kg, respectively. In 2009, the specific
activity levels of radionuclides in macrophytes of chan-
nel ISW-1,2 were considerably lower than in 2008 but
higher than in 2007 (Table 11.2).
Though the highest specific activity values of radio-
nuclides,
60
Co and
54
Mn in particular, in macrophytes of
Lake Drūkšiai were determined in the zone of drainage
water inflow from the channel ISW-1,2 (station 7), they
were considerably lower than in macrophytes of the
channel itself (Tables 11.1 and 11.2). This can be
explained by the fact that a significant fraction of
released radionuclides is accumulated by macrophytes
growing in the channel. Besides, the drainage water dis-
posed from the channel ISW-1,2 is quickly diluted by
lake water masses. The water flow rate in the channel
ISW-1,2 (4.20E + 07 m
3
/y) is rather small in comparison
with the volume of lake water mass (3.69E + 08 m
3
) and
water flow rate in the technical water (heated) channel
(1.98E + 09 m
3
/y) (Mažeika 2002). The given values
demonstrate the difference between the portions of these
two flows in the water balance of Lake Drūkšiai. If the
lake is only recharged by the technical water, then the
water turnover time is 68 days; and if the lake is only
Table 11.1. Specific activity (Bq/kg, d.w.) of radionuclides in macrophytes of Lake Drūkšiai (monitoring stations 1, 4, 7, 6) before
the shutdown of the INPP (2007–2009).
Species
Station 1 Station 4 Station 7 Station 6
2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009
137
Cs
Myriophyllum spicatum 3 ± 0.4 5 ± 3.4 2 ± 0.6 –6 ± 0.8 5 ± 1.0 4 ± 0.8 ––4 ± 0.4 –5 ± 0.4
Ceratophyllum demersum 22 ± 2 3 ± 0.9 4 ± 0.5 7 ± 0.7 –8 ± 1.6 17 ± 2 17 ± 7.2 –7 ± 0.7 ––
Potamogeton sp. –1 ± 0.1 3 ± 0.8 ––––4 ± 0.7 ––– –
Cladophora sp. –9 ± 3.2 14 ± 1.5 –––– – –––14 ± 1.2
Spirodela sp. –4 ± 0.5 – –––– – ––––
60
Co
Myriophyllum spicatum <mdl <mdl <mdl –1 ± 0.4 1 ± 0.3 <mdl ––<mdl –<mdl
Ceratophyllum demersum <mdl <mdl <mdl 1 ± 0.2 –<mdl 42 ± 2 38 ± 7.5 –<mdl ––
Potamogeton sp. –<mdl <mdl ––––3 ± 0.7 ––– –
Cladophora sp. –<mdl <mdl –––– – –––<mdl
Spirodela sp. –<mdl – –––– – ––––
54
Mn
Myriophyllum spicatum <mdl <mdl <mdl –3 ± 0.4 –<mdl ––<mdl –<mdl
Ceratophyllum demersum <mdl <mdl <mdl <mdl ––2 ± 1 67 ± 11.4 –<mdl ––
Potamogeton sp. –<mdl <mdl ––––8 ± 1.0 ––– –
Cladophora sp. –3 ± 0.2 <mdl –––– – –––<mdl
Spirodela sp. –<mdl – –––– – ––––
Note: <mdl –minimum detectable level.
Figure 11.4.
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn specific activities of the root system of aquatic plants and bottom sediments of the channel
ISW-1,2 of the INPP before the shutdown of the INPP.
172 D. Marčiulionienėet al.
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Table 11.2. Specific activity (Bq/kg, d.w.) of radionuclides in macrophytes from the channel ISW-1,2 of the INPP.
Species
137
Cs
60
Co
54
Mn
134
Cs
2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009
Before the shutdown of the second reactor unit of the INPP (2007–2009)
Myriophyllum spicatum *outset *outset *outset *outset *outset *outset *outset *outset
166 ± 33 18 ± 1.6 2185 ± 108 46 ± 1.9 6428 ± 372 44 ± 2.3 120 ± 14 3 ± 0.4
–*middle –*middle –*middle –
13 ± 1.1 37 ± 1.6 46 ± 2.1
* end *end *end *end *end
271 ± 20 463 ± 23 151 ± 88 154 ± 81 2 ± 0.2
Ceratophyllum demersum 20 ± 2 *middle 34 ± 2 *middle 2 ± 0.6 *middle <mdl *middle
392 ± 47 754 ± 51 2203 ± 147 208 ± 27
*end *end *end *end *end *end *end *end
406 ± 54 22 ± 1.2 634 ± 50 63 ± 3 1774 ± 129 75 ± 3 250 ± 30 3.0 ±0.2
After the shutdown of the second reactor unit of the INPP (2010–2011)
Species
137
Cs
60
Co
54
Mn
134
Cs
2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011
Myriophyllum spicatum *outset *outset *outset *outset
12 ± 2.5 28 ± 3.0 12 ± 4.7 <mdl
*end *end *end *end *end *end *end *end
10 ± 4.4 4. ± 1.9 <mdl 5 ± 1.6 <mdl <mdl 6 ± 1.1 <mdl
Ceratophyllum demersum *outset *outset *outset *outset
27 ± 4.9 125 ± 7.6 17 ± 6.5 <mdl
*middle *middle *middle *middle *middle *middle *middle *middle
27 ± 2.4 30 ± 6.1 46 ± 2.8 53 ± 7.4 29 ± 7.6 15 ± 6.8 3 ± 1.4 <mdl
Notes: <mdl –minimum detectable level; * –channel.
Zoology and Ecology 173
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recharged by water from ISW-1,2, then water turnover
would take 8.8 years. The channel ISW-1,2 also has
hydrotechnical constructions holding back the water flow
and the suspended material flux. The water flow in the
channel ISW-1,2 is hydrodynamically slowed down, and
abundant macrophytes have time to clean the water from
radionuclides, i.e. phytoremediation of water takes place
within the INPP territory before reaching Lake Drūkšiai.
It is known from earlier studies (Marčiulionienėet al.
1992) that before the shutdown of the INPP various
chemical substances were disposed with radionuclides
into Lake Drūkšiai via channel ISW-1,2. These chemicals
could affect accumulation of radionuclides in macro-
phytes and their migration in the lake. During the labora-
tory experiments, using complexions, ISW-1,2 channel
water and heated water (up to 30 °C), their influence on
the processes of radionuclide accumulation in macro-
phytes test organisms Nitellopsis obtusa and their cells
was determined (Marčiulionienė2003). The influence of
the analyzed chemical substances on radionuclide accu-
mulation levels in macrophytes could be related with
changes in physical–chemical properties of radionuclides
and the functional status of macrophytes and their cells.
The heated water flow from the INPP (before its shut-
down) into Lake Drūkšiai affected the vital activity of
macrophytes and was even a cause of their extinction
(Marčiulionienėet al. 1992). It was determined that after
the flourishing of macrophytes (1986–1988) in the impact
zone of heated water in Lake Drūkšiai some species,
which were sensitive to higher temperatures of water
environment, disappeared (Marčiulionienėet al. 2011b).
Evaluation of radionuclide accumulation levels in
Lake Drūkšiai after the shutdown of the INPP (2010–
2011) showed that the highest activity levels of
137
Cs in
macrophytes Cladophora sp. (up to 19 Bq/kg) and
Ceratophyllum demersum (up to 14 Bq/kg) and the low-
est levels in Potamogeton sp. (up to 4 Bq/kg) were
observed (Table 11.3). The activity levels of
137
Cs in the
same species of macrophytes from different monitoring
stations of Lake Drūkšiai were inconsiderable. The high-
est activity levels of
137
Cs were determined in macro-
phytes from the channel ISW-1,2 of the INPP (up to
30 Bq/kg) (Table 11.2).
The activity levels of
60
Co in the macrophytes of Lake
Drūkšiai were determined in the monitoring stations 1, 4,
and 6 where they varied from 2 to 7 Bq/kg. The activity
levels of
54
Mn in macrophytes were identified only in the
monitoring station 7 (up to 13 Bq/kg). In other stations,
they were below detection limit values (Table 11.3).
The obtained data showed that basically the activity
levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn in macrophytes from the
monitoring stations of Lake Drūkšiai three years before
the shutdown of the INPP and two years after the shut-
down did not differ (Tables 11.1 and 11.3). Yet after the
shutdown of the INPP, the activity levels of
60
Co,
54
Mn,
and
134
Cs in macrophytes of channel ISW-1,2 amounted
to 125, 29, and 6 Bq/kg, respectively, and were higher
than before the shutdown in 2009 (Table 11.2).
The activity levels of radionuclides in the bottom
sediments from the Lake Drūkšiai monitoring stations
before and after the shutdown of the INPP differed, yet
insignificantly (Table 11.4). However, the activity levels
of radionuclides,
60
Co in particular, in the sediments of
channel ISW-1,2 after the shutdown of the INPP were
higher than before the shutdown (Table 11.5).
The available data evidence that radionuclides from
the INPP could have been disposed via channel ISW-1,2
before and after the shutdown of the INPP. Yet in the
samples from the Lake Drūkšiai monitoring stations,
including the impact zone of channel ISW-1,2, elevated
activities of radionuclides in macrophytes and bottom sed-
iments were not determined. This can be explained by the
effect of littoral aquatic plants (mainly Typha latifolia)
growing in Lake Drūkšiai and in the channel ISW-1,2.
The littoral aquatic plants apparently create a barrier zone
inhibiting radionuclide migration into the lake.
Table 11.3. Specific activity (Bq/kg, d.w.) of radionuclides in macrophytes of Lake Drūkšiai after the shutdown of the second reac-
tor unit of the INPP (2010–2011).
Species
Station 1 Station 4 Station 6 Station 7
2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011
137
Cs
Ceratophyllum demersum 8 ± 2.6 4 ± 1.6 –14 ± 2.7 –7 ± 2.2 –13 ± 6.6
Myriophyllum spicatum ––15 ± 3.5 4 ± 1.1 –<mdl ––
Potamogeton sp. 3 ± 1.7 4 ± 1.6 ––– –3 ± 1.4
Elodea canadensis –9.0 ± 6.1 ––– ––
Cladophora sp. 14 ± 2.1 19 ± 3.2 ––– ––
60
Co
Ceratophyllum demersum <mdl <mdl –7 ± 3.1 –2 ± 1.3 –<mdl
Myriophyllum spicatum ––<mdl 3 ± 1.1 –<mdl ––
Cladophora sp. <mdl 4 ± 2.2 ––––––
Potamogeton sp. 7 ± 3.3 <mdl ––––––
Elodea canadensis –<mdl ––––––
Note: <mdl –minimum detectable level;
54
Mn activities (13 ± 2.5 Bq/kg d.w.) were determined in Ceratophyllum demersum of monitoring station 7 in
2011.
174 D. Marčiulionienėet al.
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The data given in Figure 11.4 show that in 2009, i.e.
a year before the shutdown of the INPP, the activity lev-
els of radionuclides in the root system of littoral aquatic
plants of the channel ISW-1,2 were higher than in 1999
and, in particular, in 2000. The elevated amounts of
radionuclides were disposed into the channel ISW-1,2 in
2008, which is proved by activity levels of radionuclides
in macrophytes (Table 11.4).
The root system of littoral aquatic plants is able to
accumulate radionuclides in greater amounts than bottom
sediments are able (Figure 11.4). Presumably, a competi-
tive relationship exists between the root system and bot-
tom sediments in terms of accumulation of radionuclides,
i.e. the smaller are the amounts of radionuclides accumu-
lated in bottom sediments the greater are the amounts
accumulated by the root system of littoral aquatic plants.
The obtained data lead to a confirmation that macro-
phytes play an important role in cleaning the water from
radionuclides, whereas the thick overgrowths of littoral
aquatic plants inhibit radionuclide migration within the
hydroecosystem.
Conclusions
Analysis of activity levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co,
54
Mn, and
134
Cs in macrophytes, in the root system of littoral aqua-
tic plants, and bottom sediments of Lake Drūkšiai and
channel ISW-1,2 before the shutdown of the first reactor
unit of the INPP (1988–1994), before the shutdown of
the second reactor unit (2007–2009), and after the shut-
down of the second reactor unit (2010–2011) revealed
that:
(1) The highest activity levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn in macrophytes and in bottom sediments of
Lake Drūkšiai and channel ISW-1,2 of the INPP
occurred in 1988–1994.
(2) Beginning with 1995, the activity levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co, and
54
Mn in macrophytes and in
bottom sediments of Lake Drūkšiai and channel
ISW-1,2 have been constantly decreasing.
(3) In 2007–2009, the activity levels of
137
Cs in bot-
tom sediments of Lake Drūkšiai were lower than
in 1989–1996, yet the decrease in bottom sedi-
ments was not as marked as in macrophytes; this
means that bottom sediments represent a deposi-
tory environment for this radionuclide.
(4) After the shutdown of the INPP, the activity
levels of
137
Cs,
60
Co,
54
Mn, and
134
Cs in macro-
phytes and in bottom sediments of channel
ISW-1,2 were higher than before the shutdown,
which implies that disposal of radionuclides into
the channel took place even after the shutdown
of the INPP.
(5) Though the highest activity levels of
60
Co and
54
Mn in macrophytes of Lake Drūkšiai were
determined in the impact zone of channel ISW-
1,2, they were considerably lower than in macro-
phytes of channel ISW-1,2 itself due to natural
phytoremediation taking place within the channel.
(6) Thick overgrowths of littoral aquatic plants in the
impact zone of channel ISW-1,2 act as a barrier
zone inhibiting migration of radionuclides from
the drainage water channel into Lake Drūkšiai.
(7) The chemical substances and heated water dis-
posal from the INPP (before the shutdown) into
Lake Drūkšiai changed the physical–chemical
Table 11.4. Specific activity (Bq/kg, d.w.) of radionuclides in bottom sediments of Lake Drūkšiai before and after the shutdown of
the second reactor unit of the INPP.
Monitoring station
Before shutdown (2007–2009) After shutdown (2010–2011)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
137
Cs
1 184 ± 3 133 ± 7 128 ± 8 –115 ± 5
4 145 ± 9 76 ± 4 78 ± 4 37 ± 4.0 28 ± 2.1
664±2–184 ± 9 –151 ± 14.2
7 6 ± 0.4 19 ± 2 31 ± 3 42 ± 2.0 12 ± 1.8
60
Co
1 1 ± 0.2 4 ± 08 <mdl –<mdl
4 1 ± 0.1 6 ± 0.7 6 ± 1.0 6 ± 2.0 5 ± 2.2
6 8 ± 0.5 –1 ± 0.1 –<mdl
7 1 ± 0.1 <mdl 5 ± 1.2 8 ± 2.0 <mdl
Note: <mdl –minimum detectable level;
54
Mn activities (2.0 ± 1 and 7.0 ± 3 Bq/kg d.w) were determined in bottom sediments of monitoring station 7
in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Table 11.5. Specific activity (Bq/kg, d.w.) of radionuclides in
bottom sediments of the channel ISW-1,2 of the INPP before
and after the shutdown of the second reactor unit of the INPP.
Radionuclides
Before shutdown
(2007–2009) After shutdown (2010)
2007 2008 2009 2010
137
Cs <0.3 11 ± 2 1 ± 0.4 14 ± 2
60
Co <mdl 5 ± 1 3 ± 0.4 240 ± 5
54
Mn <mdl 11 ± 2 1 ± 0.3 12 ± 3
134
Cs <mdl 5 ± 1 <mdl 3 ± 1
Note: <mdl –minimum detectable level.
Zoology and Ecology 175
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properties of radionuclides and the functional sta-
tus of macrophytes and their cells, presumably
affecting the accumulation levels of radionuclides
in macrophytes and their migration in the lake.
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