UPTAKE OF RADIOACTIVITY BY MARINE SURFACE SEDIMENTS COLLECTED IN GHAZAOUET, WEST-COAST OF ALGERIA

Samples of surface marine sediments of different grain sizes collected in Ghazaouet, a small bay on the western coast of Algeria, have been examined to measure concentrations of natural and artificial gamma-emi tting radionuclides. The aim of this study is to determine the level o f radioactivity and its repartition in the sedimentary area. The sampl es analyzed by direct counting gamma spectrometry, showed relatively h igh activities for natural radioactivity and revealed measurable quant ities of Cs-137, ranging from 0.66-8.47 Bq kg(-1) dry weight. In addit ion, some of the samples of different nature were sieved in different grain-sizes, to study the uptake of radioactivity. It is found that th e sediments of less than 100 mu m grain-size have the highest level of uptake of radioactivity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.