Radio-Analysis and Its Application in the Marine Environment

Similar with the other environments in the Earth’s spheres, the natural and artificial radionuclides are broadly occurring in the marine environment. Since their “clock” properties with different time scales, the radionuclides play a significant role in the study of marine environmental processes. However, the radio-analysis in the marine system is quite different from the other environments. It is more challenging for some factors, like the time consuming field work, the effect of salinity on procedures of enrichment and separation. Moreover, the short half-lives nuclides, such as ²²⁴Ra and ²²²Rn, can be only measured by the shipboard instruments. After summarizing the radio-analysis procedures such as the seawater sampling, radiochemical enrichment and purification methods, measurement techniques, we extended to their applications in the oceanography study. Finally the future development of the radio-analytical technique and its application in the marine environment were prospected.