Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 46 (1999) 327}344 Sr in an alkaline pulp mill located in the South of Spain F. Vaca, G. Manjo H n *, M. Garcm H a-Leo H n Universidad de Huelva. Dep. Fn & sica Aplicada. E.P.S. ¸a Ra & bida, 21819 ¸a Ra & bida (Huelva), Spain ;niversidad de Sevilla. Dep. Fn & sica Aplicada. E.¹.S. Arquitectura. Avenida Reina Mercedes, 2. 41012 - Sevilla, Spain ;niversidad de Sevilla. Dep. Fn & sica Ato & mica, Molecular y Nuclear. Facultad de Fn & sica. Apartado 1065. 41080 - Sevilla, Spain Received 2 January 1998; received in revised form 1 December 1998; accepted 7 December 1998 Abstract The #ux and concentration of Sr in an alkaline pulp mill located in the South of Spain have been obtained. Sr activity has been measured via its daughter Y by the Cerenkov counting with a liquid scintillation counter. A parameterised colour quenching correction was introduc- ed in order to adequately evaluate the Y sample activity concentration. Pulp production, recovery cycles and the biofuel-powered electric and heat plant were the main mill sections studied in this work. As expected Sr seems to be retained at the Ca-cycle. Sr concentrations and #ux have also been calculated in the controlled solid, liquid and gaseous waste discharges. It is estimated that, respectively, some 5.6, 510 and 2 GBq are annually discharged into the environment under typical working conditions.  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Radioactivity; Strontium; Forest industry 1. Introduction It has been demonstrated that the forest environment is a very e$cient sink of man-made radionuclides. Either the global stratospheric fallout or major accidents, like the Chernobyl event, become important sources of radioactivity into such complicated environment. Consequently, the use of forest for recreational or indus- trial purpose can be observed as an important pathway for man exposure to radiation. For this reason, very recently the study of #ux, balances and cycles, in general, of arti"cial radionuclides in the pulp industry has received very much attention (Ravila & Holm, 1994; Manjo H n, Vaca & Garcia-Leo H n, 1996). The use of large amounts of trees * Corresponding author. Tel.: 0034 455 6623; fax: 0034 455 7892; e-mail: manjon@cica.es 0265-931X/99/$ - see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0265-931X(98)00151-9