Adsorption–desorption reactions and bioturbation transport of 224Ra in marine sediments: a one-dimensional model with applications

The distribution of trace metals in sediments and their exchange between sediments and overlying water is governed by multiple processes including molecular diffusion, bioturbation (porewater advection, porewater mixing, and particle mixing), chemical reactions and adsorption–desorption. To understand these processes and their relative contributions, a one-dimensional model was built, which includes bioturbation and adsorption–desorption processes, to describe the transport of 224Ra. Because 224Ra is adsorbed on MnO2, 224Ra may serve as a proxy for trace metal transport. Three sites were sampled and both dissolved and adsorbed 224Ra were analyzed and modeled to understand the transport and exchange processes. It was found that particle transport of adsorbed 224Ra followed by desorption at the sediment/water interface typically represents the dominant flux. We have further been able to define conditions where the porewater transport for adsorption reactive metals like 224Ra (and other metals) may be out of the sediments whereas the active scavenging of 224Ra from the water column at the sediment water interface via adsorption reactions can result in a flux of 224Ra into the sediment. These processes are both predicted by the model and observed in sediment samples.