Distribution of uranium in sediment of creek ecosystem

The present study was carried on distribution of uranium isotopes and Thorium in marine sediment from creek of Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB) using radiochemical separation followed by alpha spectrometry. The activity concentration of uranium and thorium in sediment of MHB has ranged between 1-4 and 1.8-4.5 ppm respectively. The activity ratio of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U in sediment was found close to unity at most of the locations of creek suggesting a conservative behaviour. The observed Th/U ratio (0.9) in comparison to global Th/U ratio (≅3.5) in the creek sediment indicates that it receives low radiogenic nature of terronenous input. (author)