Location
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Start Date
16-4-2011 12:30 PM
End Date
16-4-2011 2:00 PM
Description
Discovered by Pierre Curie and Marie Skłodowska-Curie in 1898, polonium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 84. This rare naturally occurring radioactive element is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and forms in uranium ores. Polonium-210 is an naturally occurring radioactive element with a half-life of 138.376 days(1). This element is found in trace amounts in most organisms. Our research is focused on the accumulation of polonium-210 in fish that occupy in Lake Mead.
The sample species is chosen based on varying lake stratification (layers of the lake). This gives us a good idea of the difference in polonium-210 amounts, based on diet since it tends to change with lake stratification. This research will be based on a previous research that concluded that the polonium 210 is found generally in the internal organs especially the Gastro-intestinal tract of the fish and 97% of polonium acquired by fish is from food intake. The results from our research will help identify the causes for accumulation and compare the level of polonium 210 accumulation in different species based on the strata they are found in.
Keywords
Fishes; Polonium—Isotopes; United States — Lake Mead
Disciplines
Animal Sciences | Aquaculture and Fisheries | Biochemistry | Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment
Language
English
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Biochemistry Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons
Accumulation of polonium-210 in different species of fish in Lake Mead
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Discovered by Pierre Curie and Marie Skłodowska-Curie in 1898, polonium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 84. This rare naturally occurring radioactive element is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and forms in uranium ores. Polonium-210 is an naturally occurring radioactive element with a half-life of 138.376 days(1). This element is found in trace amounts in most organisms. Our research is focused on the accumulation of polonium-210 in fish that occupy in Lake Mead.
The sample species is chosen based on varying lake stratification (layers of the lake). This gives us a good idea of the difference in polonium-210 amounts, based on diet since it tends to change with lake stratification. This research will be based on a previous research that concluded that the polonium 210 is found generally in the internal organs especially the Gastro-intestinal tract of the fish and 97% of polonium acquired by fish is from food intake. The results from our research will help identify the causes for accumulation and compare the level of polonium 210 accumulation in different species based on the strata they are found in.