Enrichment of excess 210Po in anoxic ponds.

We have investigated the cycling of naturally occurring 210Po in waters from seasonally anoxic Pond B (South Carolina) and permanently anoxic Jellyfish Lake (Palau Islands, western Pacific Ocean). The maximum 210Po activity in Pond B was about 14 mBq L(-1) during summer. This activity was much higher than its parent 210Pb activity, indicating excess 210Po inputs from bottom sediments. The summertime excess 210Po activity was accompanied by increases in Fe and Mn, suggesting 210Po diffusion from bottom sediments under reducing conditions. Activity of 210Po was much lower underwinter oxic conditions, most likely a consequence of efficient coprecipitation with Fe and Mn oxides that occurs with destruction of Pond B stratification. In permanently anoxic Jellyfish Lake, the maximum activity of 210Po was 133 mBq L(-1), among the highest reported from any surface aqueous environment. A box model suggests that the release of only 2% of 210Po, produced from the 210Pb in the bottom sediments, would account for the observed excess. Our results suggest that 210Po can be naturally enriched in anoxic environments to a high level, perhaps in concert with the Fe and Mn redox cycles.