Publications by authors named "Inmaculada Diaz-Frances"
Distribution of Po in the trophic levels of a brackish lagoon in Uruguay.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
November 2024
An extensive study on Po was conducted at Castillos Lagoon, a shallow brackish lagoon on the east coast of Uruguay, aiming to determine the activity concentrations of Po in various compartments and to derive the activity fluxes among them. The activity concentration of Po was determined in water, sediments, six different species of fishes, crabs, shrimps, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Po was determined using alpha spectrometry, performing radiochemical separation and self-deposition on silver disc.
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- - Mining activities can increase metal mobility and availability in the environment by speeding up the dissolution of minerals and generating acid mine drainage (AMD), which enhances metal dissolution in mining areas.
- - A study evaluated the behavior and transfer factors of uranium (U), thorium (Th), and polonium (Po) in plants (soybean, wheat, pine, eucalyptus) near a coal mine in southern Brazil, finding that Po accumulates the most in plant leaves, while pine and eucalyptus had the highest transfer factors for U.
- - The research noted deviations from natural U isotopic ratios in the plants, suggesting industrial contamination, highlighting the need for safety assessments of soil and radionuclide accumulation in areas used for agriculture, especially in tropical
Article Synopsis
- - The study focused on assessing natural radioactivity in lichens, mosses, and ferns near a coal mine in Figueira City, Brazil, due to the area's geological link with uranium deposits.
- - Using alpha-spectrometry for analysis, the researchers found that polonium (Po) was the most bio-accumulated radionuclide, particularly in mosses, while ferns were less effective as bio-monitors.
- - Environmental factors and types of vegetation influenced the absorption of radio-elements, with particulate emissions from a nearby coal-fired power plant identified as a likely source of uranium contamination in the area.