Temporal investigation of radionuclides and heavy metals in a coastal mining area at Ierissos Gulf, Greece.

Vertical variations of radionuclides, trace metals, and major elements were determined in two sediment cores, which were collected in the marine environment of Ierissos Gulf near Stratoni's mining area. The enrichment factors (EFs) were also estimated and provided moderately severe to extremely severe enrichment for most trace elements and Mn, describing the anthropogenic influence in the gulf during the previous century. According to the applied dating models based on Pb and Cs, the effect in the marine sediment due to the exploitation of pyrite for the production of sulfuric acid during 1912-1920 was observed.

Development and optimization of an underwater in-situ cerium bromide spectrometer for radioactivity measurements in the aquatic environment.

A new medium resolution gamma-ray spectrometer consisting of a cerium bromide (CeBr) crystal (2˝ x 2˝), is developed and optimized for radioactivity measurements in aquatic environments. This apparatus named GeoMAREA (Gamma-ray spectrometer for in-situ Marine Environmental Applications) is designed to control and prevent radio-contaminants in aquatic environments as well as to estimate the variation of natural radionuclides in marine systems for studying oceanographic processes. The system offers activity concentrations in Bq/m for detected gamma-ray emitters in the energy range from 150 to 2600 keV, and can provide sequential continuous monitoring data in a stand-alone mode or it can be integrated in stationary/mobile platforms for (near) real-time applications.

Historical trends and assessment of radionuclides and heavy metals in sediments near an abandoned mine, Lavrio, Greece.

Two sediment cores (coastal and offshore) and surface sediments were collected near an abandoned mine area in the marine environment of Oxygono Bay at Lavreotiki peninsula to investigate temporal and spatial variations among radionuclides and trace metals/major elements. Lavreotiki was and still is well known for the mining and metallurgical activities, which lasted from ancient times to nowadays (early 1980s). Gamma-ray and X-ray fluorescence measurements were held to determine the radionuclide and trace metal/major element concentrations, respectively.

Mobile underwater in situ gamma-ray spectroscopy to localize groundwater emanation from pockmarks in the Eckernförde bay, Germany.

Eckernförde Bay in the Baltic Sea is well-known for the pockmarks areas which are located in the centre and off the southern shore-line of the bay emanating groundwater in a non-continuous but episodic way. Mobile underwater in situ gamma-ray spectroscopy is exploited proving that both Bi and K are efficient radiotracers for localization of seepage areas whenever either sediment is in mixture with the emanating fluid or resuspension of surface sediment occurs as a side effect of the fluid emanation.

In-situ radionuclide characterization of a submarine groundwater discharge site at Kalogria Bay, Stoupa, Greece.

In-situ underwater gamma-ray spectrometer KATERINA was used for continuous measurements of radon progenies ((214)Pb, (214)Bi), thoron progeny ((208)Tl) and (40)K in submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) sites at Kalogria Bay, SW Peloponnesus (Greece). The spectrometer was deployed attached on measuring platform along with two conductivity - temperature data loggers while underwater battery packs supplied the system for acquisition periods up to 25 days. The radionuclide time series together with salinity data were obtained for spring (wet) and summer (dry) seasons.