TY - JOUR
T1 - Nuclear reprocessing-related radiocarbon (14C) uptake into UK marine mammals
AU - Tierney, Kieran M.
AU - Muir, Graham K.P.
AU - Cook, Gordon T.
AU - Heymans, Johanna J.
AU - MacKinnon, Gillian
AU - Howe, John A.
AU - Xu, Sheng
AU - Brownlow, Andrew
AU - Davison, Nicholas J.
AU - ten Doeschate, Mariel
AU - Deaville, Rob
PY - 2017/11/15
Y1 - 2017/11/15
N2 - To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon (14C) to top predators in the UK marine environment, 14C activities were examined in stranded marine mammals. All samples of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) obtained from the Irish Sea showed 14C enrichment above background. Mammal samples obtained from the West of Scotland, including harbour porpoise, grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) showed 14C enrichment but to a lesser extent. This study demonstrates, for the first time, enriched 14C is transferred through the marine food web to apex predators as a consequence of ongoing nuclear reprocessing activities at Sellafield. Total Sellafield 14C discharge activity 24months prior to stranding and, in particular, distance of animal stranding site from Sellafield are significant variables affecting individual 14C activity. 14C activities of West of Scotland harbour porpoises suggest they did not forage in the Irish Sea prior to stranding, indicating a high foraging fidelity.
AB - To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon (14C) to top predators in the UK marine environment, 14C activities were examined in stranded marine mammals. All samples of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) obtained from the Irish Sea showed 14C enrichment above background. Mammal samples obtained from the West of Scotland, including harbour porpoise, grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) showed 14C enrichment but to a lesser extent. This study demonstrates, for the first time, enriched 14C is transferred through the marine food web to apex predators as a consequence of ongoing nuclear reprocessing activities at Sellafield. Total Sellafield 14C discharge activity 24months prior to stranding and, in particular, distance of animal stranding site from Sellafield are significant variables affecting individual 14C activity. 14C activities of West of Scotland harbour porpoises suggest they did not forage in the Irish Sea prior to stranding, indicating a high foraging fidelity.
KW - marine mammals
KW - nuclear reprocessing
KW - radiocarbon (14C)
KW - Sellafield
KW - nuclear fuel reprocessing
KW - discharge activities
KW - marine environment
KW - Phocoena phocoena
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85021855647&doi=10.1016%2fj.marpolbul.2017.07.002&partnerID=40&md5=955a0f69dc333fe9b43ee6a12232764a
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.002
M3 - Article
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 124
SP - 43
EP - 50
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
IS - 1
ER -