Baseline of 137Cs and natural radionuclides in sediments along the Algerian coast

The main sources of anthropogenic radionuclides are atmospheric fallout from nuclear weapons tests and discharges from nuclear reprocessing plants, from power reactors and nuclear accidents. The major source is debris from atmospheric nuclear tests as global fallout, and fallout from the Chernobyl accident. The aim of this work is to define a baseline of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in sediment along the Algerian coast. A sampling campaign was organised during Sept.-Oct. 1999 by the laboratory of radiological impact studies staff (LEIR/CRNA), on board the M.S. Benyahia research vessel belonging to the 'Institut des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Amenagement du Littoral' (ISMAL), to collect surface sediments and a sediment core along the Algerian coast. A total number of 41 superficial sediment were collected each 25 km along the coast from Ghazaouet station (N35 deg. 10.90-E 02 deg. 55.857) in the western part to El-Kala in the eastern part (N36 deg. 59.49-E08 deg. 26.93), at different depths ranging from the surface to 170 m, using a Van Veen Grab type. In addition to that, collection of a sediment core was carried out using a box corer at Annaba station in the eastern coast, at a depth of around 50 m. Multiparameter probe was also used to determine vertical profiles of temperature, salinity and pH in water column, where the sediment core was collected. On board, the sediment core was cut with a metallic sheet each 2 cm until a depth of 22 cm. All sediment samples were then stored in a freezer to be later analysed in the laboratory