Radioactive Contamination Factor (RCF) Obtained by Comparing Contaminant Radioactivity (¹³⁷Cs) with Natural Radioactivity (⁴⁰K) in Marine Sediments Taken up from Mexican Sea Waters

Manuel Navarrete, Miguel A. Zúñiga, Guillermo Espinosa, José I. Golzarri

Faculty of Chemistry, National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
Physics Institute, National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.

DOI: 10.4236/wjnst.2014.43020                

Abstract

Radioactive contamination at planet scale started in 1945 when the first nuclear taste was performed in Alamo Gordo, New Mexico, followed by two war actions in Japan, a second test in Bikini, and more than 2000 tests were performed all over the world by different countries since then on. In this context, 10 main accidents in power and research nuclear reactors seem to be negligible in the general radioactive contamination at planet scale, which can be measured by comparing radioactivity of fission product ¹³⁷Cs with that of natural ⁴⁰K, both detected from marine sediments taken up at different places and depth. This paper shows 9 results obtained from Gulf of Mexico samples and one from Pacific North ocean, confirming the fact that this simple method works well enough to keep watching the process of radioactive contamination on earth, whatever may be the cause, to prove if it remains constant for a time, by equilibrium between contamination and decaying of ¹³⁷Cs, it is decreasing at same rate than ¹³⁷Cs radioactive decaying, or by the contrary, it is growing up and approaching at some extent the natural radioactivity from ⁴⁰K.

Keywords

Radioactive, Contamination, Factor, Sea, Sediments

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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