CS-137, RA-226,RA-228, PB-210 AND K-40 CONCENTRATIONS IN ANTARCTIC SOIL, SEDIMENT AND SELECTED MOSS AND LICHEN SAMPLES

During the summers of 1986, 1988 and 1992, soil, sediment, lichen and moss samples were collected near the Brazilian Antarctic station, Coma ndante Ferraz, King George Island, South Shetland Archipelago, and als o in other South Shetland Islands. The content of Cs-137 and of natura l radionuclides were determined by gamma spectrometry. Highest Cs-137 levels were found in the lichen and mass samples, with mean values of (15 +/- 14) and (23 +/- 14) Bq kg(dry)(-1), respectively. Particularly in soil, the Ra-226 and Ra-228 contents were much higher for the samp les from King George Island than for those from the other islands of t he same archipelago. Based on its content in soil, the Cs-137 inventor y for the 60-70 degrees S latitude band was estimated at 143 Bq m(2), which agrees with the literature data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.