226Ra behavior in the Pee Dee River-Winyah Bay estuary

Concentrations of dissolved226Ra in Winyah Bay, South Carolina, and in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean are augmented by the desorption of radium from sediments in the low-salinity area of the estuary and diffusion from bottom sediments. Desorption of226Ra is reflected by lower concentrations in suspended sediments from higher-salinity regions of the estuary. Bottom sediments from the high-salinity region have lower226Ra/230Th activity ratios than those from the low-salinity end. The shape of the dissolved226Ra vs. salinity profile is influenced by the river discharge. During average-discharge conditions, desorption of226Ra from suspended and bottom sediments increases the dissolved226Ra concentrations by a factor of 3.5 as the water passes through Winyah Bay. High river discharge produces an initial increase of dissolved226Ra by a factor of 2 to 3 and apparently reflects only desorption from suspended sediments. By driving the salt wedge down the estuary and reducing the zone of contact of salt water with bottom sediments, the high-flow conditions sharply reduce the flux of226Ra from bottom sediments.