Preliminary Study of Elemental and Radionuclides Composition in Sediment Samples from Dobczyce Water Reseivoir

Abstract

Sediments play fundamental role in toxic compounds distribution in aquatic systems and in the evaluation of current state and course of changes taking place in environment. On the other hand physical, chemical, biochemical and geochemical processes that influence toxic compounds and elements fate in sediments are numerous and complex (for example: adsorption – desorption, oxidation – reduction, ion-exchange, biological activity). River and lake sediments constitute also very difficult analytical samples. Due to the above mentioned general statements only long term and as complex as possible research can lead to satisfactory answers to the question about drinking water quality for the city of Cracow. Therefore in this paper, introductory results concerning determination of concentration of chosen elements such as Al, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, NI, Cu, Zn and radionuclids natural ( 40K ) and artificial (137Cs) in the depth profile of sediment samples from the Dobczyce Reservoir are presented. For the best quality of experimental work several analytical techniques, were applied namely: Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Back-Scattering (RBS), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), gamma spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction.