Baseline survey of sediment contamination with 210Polonium in three peri-urban creeks of Mombasa, Kenya

Ochieng, Okuku Eric; Okuku, Eric Ochieng; Kiteresi, Linet Imbayi; Wanjeri, Veronica Ogolla; Owato, Gilbert Omondi

Baseline survey of sediment contamination with 210Polonium in three peri-urban creeks of Mombasa, Kenya

2020

Ochieng, Okuku Eric | Okuku, Eric Ochieng | Kiteresi, Linet Imbayi | Wanjeri, Veronica Ogolla | Owato, Gilbert Omondi

²¹⁰Po in marine sediment from three peri-urban creeks in Mombasa was analyzed by alpha spectrometry in order to determine its baseline contamination levels. The mean ²¹⁰Po activity in marine sediment from Mtwapa, Tudor and Makupa creeks were 18.67 ± 1.8, 21.17 ± 2.2 and 13.09 ± 1.6 Bq Kg⁻¹ dw, for surface sediment and 37.56 ± 2.14, 28.64 ± 2.86 and 30.42 ± 2.1 Bq Kg⁻¹ dw respectively, for sediment cores. Comparison of ²¹⁰Po activity in surface sediment indicated that ²¹⁰Po in the creeks could be originating from the same source. However, comparison of activities in the entire cores from the three creeks indicated that ²¹⁰Po sources could have been different in the past. ²¹⁰Po activities in this study were relatively elevated compared to marine environments under similar anthropogenic influence and there is need to understand its source and fate.

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