Record Details
Radioecology of ⁶⁵Zn in an arm of the Columbia River Estuary
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Radioecology of ⁶⁵Zn in an arm of the Columbia River Estuary |
| Names |
Renfro, William Charles
(creator) Osterberg, Charles L. (advisor) Forster, William O. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1967-08-22 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1968 |
| Abstract | Levels of ⁶⁵Zn in water, sediments, plants, and animals in Alder Slough, a small ecosystem in the Columbia River Estuary, were determined periodically during a one year period. Concentrations of total Zn in organisms were also measured to permit computation of specific activities (μCi⁶⁵Zn/g total Zn). Temporal fluctuations in the activities of ⁶⁵Zn and the concentrations of total Zn occurred in all components of the ecosystem. Activities of ⁶⁵Zn and concentrations of total Zn varied among individual fish from the study area. Pooled estimates of population standard deviations of these values in all samples of two fish species taken during the year amounted to about 20% of their grand means. Usually, individuals with high ⁶⁵Zn activities also proved to have high total Zn concentrations, hence specific activities were less variable than either ⁶⁵Zn or total Zn. The nuclear reactors at Hanford, Washington, the source of most of the ⁶⁵Zn in the Columbia River, were shut down for approximately 45 days during this study. This event presented the opportunity to investigate the response of various components of the ecosystem to reduced ⁶⁵Zn input. The rates of ⁶⁵Zn specific activity decline in several organisms were measured following reactor shutdown. The time required for specific activity of an organism to be reduced by one-half under the conditions prevailing is termed "ecological half-life". The "ecological half-life" differs from the biological half-life of an organism because: 1. it is defined in terms of specific activity 2. it reflects the continued addition of radioactivity to the organism from its food web and water. "Ecological half-lives" vary with the trophic levels of the organisms and with changes in prevailing ecological conditions. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Zinc -- Isotopes |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28399 |
