137Cs activity concentrations were studied in the sediment profiles collected on five locations in the Middle and South Adriatic. In the sediment profiles collected from the South Adriatic Pit, the deepest part of the Adriatic Sea, were identified two 137Cs peaks. The peak in the deeper layer was attributed to the period of intensive atmospheric nuclear weapon tests (early 1960s), and the other to the Chernobyl nuclear accident (1986). Those peaks could be used to estimate sedimentation rates by relating them to the respective time periods. Grain size analysis showed no changes in vertical distribution through the depth of the sediment profile and these results indicate uniform sedimentation, as it is expected in deeper marine environments. It was not possible to identify respective peaks on more shallow locations due to disturbance of sea bed either by trawlers (locations Palagruža and Jabuka) or by river sediment (location Albania). Highest sedimentation rates have been found in location Albania (~4 mm/y) and location Jabuka (3.1 mm/y). For the location Palagruža sedimentation rate was estimated to be 1.8 mm/y, similar to the South Adriatic Pit where sedimentation rate has been estimated to be 1.8 ± 0.5 mm/y. Low sedimentation rates found for the Mid and South Adriatic Sea is consistent with previously reported results for the rest of Mediterranean.

Physics,Public health and health care system