Irish Sea, southern North Sea

Industrial discharges; Sediment grain size parameters; Salinity of the water column; Radioactivity in water bodies; Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column; Geological sample radioactivity; Sediment water content, porosity and surface area; Transmittance and attenuance of the water column

Discrete water samplers; continuous water samplers; salinity sensor; sediment grabs; unconsolidated sediment corers; transmissometers

Radionuclides in the uranium- and thorium-decay series, having differing half-lives and chemical properties, have been measured in sediments and seawater to quantify the rates of important sediment processes such as bioturbation, sediment accumulation and scavenging of dissolved elements by suspended particulate. The influence of water depth and sediment type have been investigated, and scavenging over a number of time scales (e.g. tidal cycle, seasonal) has been assessed. In addition, anthropogenic enhancement of concentrations has been identified in relation to phosphate processing and nuclear fuel fabrication in the eastern Irish Sea and the Esk and Ribble estuaries.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory
Pakefield Road
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 OHT
United Kingdom