iaea international atomic energy agency wg39: global trends in pollution of coastal ecosystems:...

IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

WG39: Global Trends in Pollution of Coastal Ecosystems:

retrospective ecosystem assessment

Jae R. OHMarine Environment Laboratories

Monaco

IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Radiochronology of recent sediments

International Atomic Energy AgencyDept. of Nuclear Sciences and Applications

Marine Environment LaboratoriesMonaco

Radiochronometers (1)

Natural tracers:

• 7Be (53 d)

• 210Pb(20 y)

• 14C (5730 y)

• 10Be (1.6 My)

0

0,25

0,5

0,75

1

0 10000 20000 30000 40000

Time (years)

Re

lati

ve

acti

vit

y__

A0

A0/2 A

At

eAA t

0

·0

ln1

·



Radiochronometers (2)

Transient tracers:

• 90Sr (30 y)

• 137Cs (30 y)

• 14C (5730 y)

• 239Pu (24 ky)



137Cs

Atmospheric nuclear Atmospheric nuclear weapon tests weapon tests

1954 - 19631954 - 1963

ChernobylChernobyl

May 1986May 1986

1950 1960 1970 1980 19900,1

1

10

100

1000M? imo de las pruebasnucleares atmof? icas

Chern? il

Dep

osic

i? d

e 9

0 Sr (B

q톗 -2 )

A?

1963

1986

1954



Flix dam (VC1)

137Cs as a time marker

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

1 10 100

210Pb (Bq·kg

-1)

Supported 210

Pb = 34.2 ± 0.2 Bq·kg-1

Total 210

Pb

Excess 210

Pb

Dep

th (

cm)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

137Cs (Bq·kg

-1)

137

Cs

MDA 137

Cs

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

239,240Pu (Bq·kg-1)

239,240

Pu



210Pb and 137Cs dating

25

20

15

10

5

0

1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000

EB-2

Dep

th (

cm)

Estimated age (a)

Estimated age

137

Cs peaks

239,240

Pu peak

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Accumulation rate (g·cm-2·a

-1)

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

1 10 100

210Pb (Bq·kg

-1)

Supported 210

Pb = 34.2 ± 0.2 Bq·kg-1

Total 210

Pb

Excess 210

Pb

Dep

th (

cm)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

137Cs (Bq·kg

-1)

137

Cs

MDA 137

Cs

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

239,240Pu (Bq·kg-1)

239,240

Pu


Marine Environment LaboratoriesMonaco12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

00,00 0,05 0,10 0,15 0,20

D = infinity

r = 0.170 cm·y-1

Excess 210Pb (Bq·g-1)

Mas

sic

thic

knes

s (g

·cm

-2)

Mixing

• Bioturbation, physical mixing

• Mixing diffussion

• diffussion coefficient



Environmental parameters

• Antropogenic impact:• metals• organic pollutants (PCBs, PAHs, PBDEs, …)• radionuclides• soot• sediments...

• Natural record• pollen• diatoms...



Hg

Hg Pb

Chlor-alkali plant

Urban waste

Pollution sources



Bahía de los perros(19 m)



History of contamination



1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 20000

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

Po

pu

latio

n

Year

Population

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Pb

Pb

(µg.

g-1)

This period coincides with a strong economic

contraction in Cuba

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 20000

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

Po

pu

latio

n

Year

Population

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Pb

Pb

(µg.

g-1)


contraction in Cuba

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 20000

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

Po

pu

latio

n

Year

Population

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Pb

Pb

(µg.

g-1)

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 20000

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

Po

pu

latio

n

Year

Population

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Pb

Pb

(µg.

g-1)


contraction in Cuba

History of Pb pollution

Based on Enrichment Factor (EF) :

EF=(Ms/Als)/(Mb/Alb)

M: metalAl aluminium s: sampleb: background



0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

South

Flor

ida E

stuar

ies, U

SA

San F

rancis

co B

ay, U

SA

Polish

coa

st, P

oland

Mala

ysian

Coa

st, M

alaysia

East C

hina S

ea, C

hina

Anady

r Estu

ary,

Russia

Seine

Estuar

y, Fra

nce

Victor

ia Harb

our,

Hong

Kong

Sepitu

ba B

ay, B

razil

Guara

tuba

Bay

, Bra

zil

Sagua

Estu

ary, C

uba

1988

The sediment quality of Sagua la Grande estuary suggests the presence of a

significant contamination

Hg

(ppm

)

!



Lake Xolotlán (Nicaragua)

1

23

4 5

6

7

8

91011

1213

14

15

16

17

-86.60 -86.50 -86.40 -86.30 -86.20 -86.10 -86.0012.10

12.20

12.30

12.40

12.50

12.60



XOL08Eutrophication

1900

1925

1950

1975

200020 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220

Number

Yea

r

Stephanodiscus



Objectives

• To carry out global assessment of pollution trends during the last century in sensitive coastal ecosystems, through retrospective ecosystem analysis by using dated environmental archives and time-series data where available

• To contribute to reduce coastal ecosystem stress globally by providing above information to stakeholders, scientists and society



Terms of Reference (1)

• Operation: The WG will follow the rules approved by the GESAMP. The IAEA will provide technical support for the operation of the WG. The co-sponsors of the WG, in consultation with the GESAMP Chair and Vice-Chair, will select the WG Chair. The WG Chair will select the members of the WG, in consultation with the co-sponsors, from the GESAMP pool of experts.




The main tasks are as follows (1):• Establish links with other organizations• Revise existing methodologies on

suitable environmental archives, dating methods, pollution indicators, analytical techniques and trend analysis

• Review existing data, including data quality, on a regional basis. Records of pollution in coastal environments will be used as background information.




The main tasks are as follows (2):• Design, implement and maintain, with

the help of the IAEA, a database of global trends of pollution.

• Disseminate the WG activities through the GESAMP website, press release, preparation of educational materials and presentation at stakeholder meetings. Publish results in scientific journals, etc.

• Report to GESAMP on all WG activities.



Terms of Reference by Task (1):

• Task 1: Bibliographic review, definitions, & methodologies

• Task 2: Critical review of existing methodologies on suitable environmental archives, dating methods, pollution indicators, analytical techniques and trend analysis. Review existing data including data quality

• Task 3: Database of global trends of pollution



Terms of Reference by Task (2):

• Task 4: Global assessment and evaluation of trends of pollution

• Task 5: Dissemination activities: Website, press release, preparation of educational materials, presentation at stakeholder meetings



Approach and related considerations (1)

Geographic and Thematic • Not deeper than 200m in water depth:

ocean borderlands and main islands• Working network of countries bordering

marine waters and grouped in LMEs• LME network can be used to summarize

the information on temporal trends on contaminants by LMEs



25





Meetings• Normal WG meetings• International Conference on “Global

Trends in Pollution of Coastal Ecosystems”

Leading Agency: IAEA, UNIDO (?) and ???

• IAEA contact: Jae OH




Support from the IAEA• Technical and secretarial support for the

WG• 2-3 experts to the WG (ca. 9000Euros/y)

Other Agencies & Partnerships• UNIDO & UNEP• IGBP, GEF, ICTP



Thanks!

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