Distribution of137Cs and228Ra in the sediments of Aswan High Dam lake

Authors :: Ismail, S.
Unfried, E.
Grass, F.
Source :: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry; January 1994, Vol. 186 Issue: 2 p143-155, 13p
Publication Year :: 1994
Abstract: Abstract: Sediment samples of the High Dam lake were investigated for their<superscript>137</superscript>Cs,<superscript>226</superscript>Ra,<superscript>228</superscript>Th, and<superscript>40</superscript>K content, using low-level gamma-spectroscopy. The results show that at the begining of the lake (500 km from the High Dam), where sediments consist mostly of sand, the level of<superscript>137</superscript>Cs is very low (0.1 Bq kg<superscript>–1</superscript>). The maximum value (22.3 Bq kg<superscript>–1</superscript>) was found 40 km from the wall of the High Dam, where the composition of the sediments is nearly 50% clays. The distribution of the natural nuclides<superscript>226</superscript>Ra,<superscript>228</superscript>Th, and<superscript>40</superscript>K shows a different trend.