10-Years assessment of Be and Pb in atmospheric bulk depositions in Cienfuegos (Cuba).

10-years records of monthly bulk atmospheric fluxes of Be and Pb (wet + dry, n = 119 samples) at a coastal station in Cienfuegos (Cuba) between 2010 and 2019 were reported and assessed in function of their temporal variability and meteorological influence. Fluxes of Be and Pb ranged from 120 to 15617 and from 29 to 911 mBq m day, respectively. Both radionuclides exhibited a similar seasonal trend with highest values during wet months and minimum values during dry months.

Pb and Cs as tracers of recent sedimentary processes in two water reservoirs in Cuba.

Hanabanilla and Paso Bonito Reservoirs are the main fresh water sources for about half a million inhabitants in central Cuba. Prior to this investigation precise information about the losses of storage capacity was not available. Sedimentation is the dominant process leading to reduction in water storage capacity.

Application of the Monte Carlo efficiency transfer method to an HPGe detector with the purpose of environmental samples measurement.

Monte Carlo efficiency transfer method was used to determine the full energy peak efficiency of a coaxial n-type HPGe detector. The efficiencies calibration curves for three Certificate Reference Materials were determined by efficiency transfer using a (152)Eu reference source. The efficiency values obtained after efficiency transfer were used to calculate the activity concentration of the radionuclides detected in the three materials, which were measured in a low-background gamma spectrometry system.

Atmospheric deposition patterns of (210)Pb and (7)Be in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

The radiometric composition of bulk deposition samples, collected monthly for one year, February 2010 until January 2011, at a site located in Cienfuegos (22° 03' N, 80° 29' W) (Cuba), are analysed in this paper. Measurement of (7)Be and (210)Pb activity concentrations were carried out in 12 bulk deposition samples. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of (7)Be and (210)Pb are in the range of 13.

Observations of fallout from the Fukushima reactor accident in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Following the recent accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, radioactive contamination was observed near the reactor site. As a contribution towards the understanding of the worldwide impact of the accident, we collected fallout samples in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and examined them for the presence of above normal amounts of radioactivity. Gamma ray spectra measured from these samples showed clear evidence of fission products (131)I and (137)Cs.