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Beard DB, Baccolo G, Clason CC, Millward GE, Łokas E, Di Stefano E, Rangecroft S, Sala D, Wachniew P, Blake WH. Accumulation of Environmental Radioactivity on the Surface of a High Arctic Ice Cap (Flade Isblink, NE Greenland). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39105719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Under climatic warming, glaciers are becoming a secondary source of atmospheric contaminants originally released into the environment decades ago. This phenomenon has been well-documented for glaciers near emission sources. However, less is known about polar ice sheets and ice caps. Radionuclides are one of the contaminants that can be remobilised through ice melting and accumulate in cryoconite material on the surface of glaciers. To understand the cycling of radionuclides in polar glacial contexts, we evaluate the radioactivity of cryoconite samples from Flade Isblink, a High Arctic ice cap in northeast Greenland. The measured radioactivity is among the highest reported across the High Arctic and the highest from Greenland. The high variability observed among the samples is explained by considering the different macroscopic features of single cryoconite deposits. The radioactivity source is compatible with the stratospheric reservoir established during atmospheric nuclear tests and with weapons-grade fissile fuel, likely originating from Novaya Zemlya proving grounds. This study shows that the ability of cryoconite to accumulate radioactivity in remote areas is undisputed, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the remobilisation of radioactive species in polar glacial contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan B Beard
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, U.K
| | - Giovanni Baccolo
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | | | - Geoffrey E Millward
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, U.K
| | - Edyta Łokas
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 31342, Poland
| | - Elena Di Stefano
- Physics Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | | | - Dariusz Sala
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 31342, Poland
| | - Przemysław Wachniew
- Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Krakow, Kraków 30059, Poland
| | - William H Blake
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, U.K
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2
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Hirose K. Review of the sources and behaviors of plutonium isotopes in the atmosphere and ocean. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 277:107466. [PMID: 38838510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Plutonium, as well as fission products such as 137Cs, had been released into the earth environment in 1945 after the first atmospheric nuclear explosion of plutonium bomb in the desert of New Mexico (USA, July 16) and later over Nagasaki (August 9), followed then by many other explosions. Thus, plutonium cycling in the atmosphere and ocean has become a major public concern as a result of the radiological and chemical toxicity of plutonium. However, plutonium isotopes and 137Cs are important transient tracers of biogeochemical and physical processes in the environment, respectively. In this review, we show that both physical and chemical approaches are needed to comprehensively understand the behaviors of plutonium in the atmosphere and ocean. In the atmosphere, plutonium and 137Cs attach with aerosols; thus, plutonium moves according to physical and chemical processes in connection with aerosols; however, since plutonium is a chemically reactive element, its behavior in an aqueous environment is more complicated, because biogeochemical regulatory factors, in addition to geophysical regulatory factors, must be considered. Meanwhile, 137Cs is chemically inert in aqueous environments. Therefore, the biogeochemical characteristics of plutonium can be elucidated through a comparison with those of 137Cs, which show conservative properties and moves according to physical processes. Finally, we suggest that monitoring of both plutonium and 137Cs can help elucidate geophysical and biogeochemical changes from climate changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsumi Hirose
- Laboratory for Environmental Research at Mount Fuji, Okubo Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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3
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Dowell SM, Barlow TS, Chenery SR, Humphrey OS, Isaboke J, Blake WH, Osano O, Watts MJ. Optimisation of plutonium separations using TEVA cartridges and ICP-MS/MS analysis for applicability to large-scale studies in tropical soils. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:4226-4235. [PMID: 37584161 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01030a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of plutonium (Pu) in soil samples can inform the understanding of soil erosion processes globally. However, there are specific challenges associated for analysis in tropical soils and so an optimal analytical methodology ensuring best sensitivity is critical. This method aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of sample preparation and analysis of Pu isotopes in African soils, considering the environmental and cost implications applicable to low-resource laboratories. The separation procedure builds upon previous work using TEVA columns, further demonstrating their usefulness for the reduction of uranium (U) interference in ICP-MS analysis with enhanced selectivity for Pu. Here several steps were optimised to enhance Pu recovery, reducing method blank concentration, and improving the separation efficiency through the determination of the elution profiles of U and Pu. The elimination of the complexing agent in the eluent, increased the spike recovery by improving matrix tolerance of the plasma, and simplified the separation procedure, improving throughput by 20%. The subsequent method was validated through the analysis of Certified Reference Material IAEA-384, where high accuracy and improved precision of measurement were demonstrated (measured value 114 ± 12 versus certified value 108 ± 13 Bq kg-1). Optimisation of the column separation, along with the analysis of the samples using O2 gas in ICP-MS/MS mode to mass shift Pu isotopes away from interfering molecular U ions provided a simple, robust, and cost-effective method with low achievable method detection limits of 0.18 pg kg-1 239+240Pu, applicable to the detection of ultra-trace fallout Pu in African soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M Dowell
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Thomas S Barlow
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Simon R Chenery
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Olivier S Humphrey
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Job Isaboke
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - William H Blake
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Odipo Osano
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Michael J Watts
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
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4
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Nalichowska E, Mietelski JW, Kierepko R, Ustrnul Z, Gorzkiewicz K, Brudecki K, Kowalska A. Plutonium isotopes in the ground air layer in southern Poland (2010-2016): Source terms, seasonal variability and correlations with meteorological conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 264:107204. [PMID: 37235923 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the results of the analysis of Pu-238 and Pu-239 + 240 activity concentrations on aerosol filters collected from 2010 to 2016 in Krakow (Southern Poland) are presented and discussed. For the first time, the temporal variation of Pu-239 + 240 activity concentration in surface air in Poland was studied using Fourier analysis. The analysis clearly showed that the Pu-239 + 240 content in the near-ground air layer is subject to seasonal variations and demonstrates annual periodicity. Pu analyses were performed using alpha spectrometry. The measured values ranged from 1.93∙10-10 Bq/m3 to 1.31∙10-8 Bq/m3 with an average of 2.07∙10-9 Bq/m3 for Pu-239 + 240 and from 9.07∙10-11 Bq/m3 to 1.27∙10-9 Bq/m3 with the average 1.52∙10-10 Bq/m3 for Pu-238. The analysis of the potential sources of plutonium isotopes in the air aerosols samples indicated that only two samples are uniquely characterized by the ratio corresponding to spent nuclear fuel: February 2012 (0.59 ± 0.18) and February 2015 (0.68 ± 0.19). The remaining samples showed mixed origins, with global radioactive fallout appearing to contribute more than spent nuclear fuel. To study the relationship between Pu-239 + 240 and meteorological conditions, Pearson's correlation and circulation pattern analyses were performed. The analyses showed that the Pu-239 + 240 activity concentration depends on air temperature (R = 0.51), the sum of ice and snowfall (R = -0.45), relative humidity (R = -0.54) and mean total cloud cover (R = -0.56). High concentrations of Pu-239 + 240 were positively correlated with air advection from the southern and eastern sectors, whereas low concentrations were observed during dynamic weather conditions with intense circulation from the western sector. In case of Pu-238 no significant correlation was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Nalichowska
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Jerzy Wojciech Mietelski
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Krakow, Poland
| | - Renata Kierepko
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Krakow, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Ustrnul
- Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Department of Climatology, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Gorzkiewicz
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Krakow, Poland
| | - Kamil Brudecki
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agata Kowalska
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Na Grobli 15, 50-421, Wrocław, Poland
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Ni Y, Bu W, Xiong K, Hu S, Yang C, Cao L. A novel strategy for Pu determination in water samples by automated separation in combination with direct ICP-MS/MS measurement. Talanta 2023; 262:124710. [PMID: 37244244 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Methods for Pu determination in water samples has been longtime studied but they generally involved tedious manual operations. In this context, we proposed a novel strategy for accurate determination of ultra-trace Pu in water samples by the combination of fully automated separation with direct ICP-MS/MS measurement. A recently commercialized extraction resin TK200 was used for single-column separation due to its distinctive nature. Acidified waters up to 1 L were directly loaded to the resin at high flow rate (15 mL min-1) with omitting the frequently used co-precipitation process. Small volumes of dilute HNO3 were used for column washing, and Pu was efficiently eluted within only 2 mL 0.5 mol L-1 HCl-0.1 mol L-1 HF with a stable recovery (65%). This separation procedure was fully automated under the control of user program, meanwhile the final eluent was compatible for direct ICP-MS/MS measurement without extra sample treatment. In that way, both the labor intensity and reagent consumption were minimized compared with existing methods. With the high decontamination (104 to 105) of U in the chemical separation and the further elimination of uranium hydrides under oxygen reaction model during ICP-MS/MS measurement, the overall interference yields of UH+/U+ and UH2+/U+ were down to 10-15. The limits of detection (LODs) of this method reached 0.32 μBq L-1 for 239Pu and 2.00 μBq L-1 for 240Pu, which were much lower than those stipulated in the general guidelines for drinking water standards, suggesting this method was promising in routine or emergency radiation monitoring. Furthermore, the established method was successfully applied in a pilot study to determine global fallout derived Pu in surface glacier samples with extremely low concentrations of 239+240Pu, which suggested the method would also be feasible in glacial chronology studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youyi Ni
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China.
| | - Wenting Bu
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China
| | - Ke Xiong
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China
| | - Sheng Hu
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China
| | - Chuting Yang
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China
| | - Liguo Cao
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
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Turchenko DV, Aidarkhanov АО, Aidarkhanova АК, Aktayev МR, Dashuk АL, Kruglykhin AA. Research into the current radiological state of air and monitoring observations on STS and the adjacent territory. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 264:107199. [PMID: 37148612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The article presents the assessment of levels and the pattern of STS air radioactive contamination. Levels of air radioactive contamination with artificial radionuclides at different distances from ground zeros of nuclear tests (0.08-10 km) were determined. The maximum concentration of 239+240Pu in the air did not exceed 6.5·10-3 Bq/m3 at the crater ridge of the "Atomic Lake", the one at the P3 technical site, the "Experimental Field", reached 1.6·10-2 Bq/m3. Based upon monitoring observation data (2016-2021) on the STS territory, 239+240Pu concentration in the air of the "Balapan" and "Degelen" sites varied between 3.0·10-9 and 1.1·10-6 Bq/m3. In settlements adjacent to the STS territory, 239+240Pu concentrations in the air is: Kurchatov t. - 3.0·10-9 to 6.0·10-7 Bq/m3, the Dolon small village - 4.5·10-9 to 5.8·10-6 Bq/m3, the Sarzhal small village - 4.4·10-7 to 1.3·10-6 Bq/m3. Values derived for concentrations of artificial radionuclides at STS observation posts and the adjacent territory are at the level of background values for this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- D V Turchenko
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan.
| | - А О Aidarkhanov
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
| | - А К Aidarkhanova
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
| | - М R Aktayev
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
| | - А L Dashuk
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
| | - A A Kruglykhin
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
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7
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Zhang W, Hou X, Dang H, Chen N, Zhang H. Distribution and migration of 239,240Pu in soil profiles in North China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159471. [PMID: 36265634 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The source, vertical distribution and migration behavior of plutonium in five soil profiles (from forest, grassland and desert areas) in northern China were investigated. The average 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratio of 0.184 ± 0.022 observed in these samples is in good agreement with the reported value of global fallout, suggesting that the global fallout is the major source of plutonium in northern China. The 239,240Pu inventories in five soil profiles ranges from 43.3 Bq/m2 to 175 Bq/m2, lying in the reported range for global fallout in the similar latitude band. The effective convection velocity (0.04-0.16 cm/y) and effective dispersion coefficient (0.13-0.41cm2/y) of plutonium in different soil profiles derived using the CDE model varies significantly, attributed to multi-factors including location, topography, climate and soil types. The results showed that the migration of plutonium in grassland soil is significantly slow compared to other type of soil, especially desert soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an 710024, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Haijun Dang
- Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an 710024, China
| | - Ning Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an 710024, China
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8
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Feng D, Ji M, Liao H, Yang F, Zhou X, Pan T, Lu C, Luo J, Miao Y. An overview of plutonium isotopes in soils, China: Distribution, spatial patterns, and sources. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114677. [PMID: 36374654 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plutonium (Pu) is an anthropogenic radionuclide which has drawn significant attentions due to its radiotoxicity, and the sources of plutonium linked with nuclear accidents and contaminations. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio is source dependent and can be used as a fingerprint to determine the sources of radioactive contaminant. However, the distribution and sources of plutonium in soils of China have not yet been systematically studied at a national scale up to date. The distribution, spatial patterns, and sources of plutonium in soils of China were discussed in this work. The concentrations of 239,240Pu are in the range of 0.002-4.824 mBq/g with a large variation, and the 239,240Pu concentrations in surface soils increase with the increasing latitude, which affects by multi-factors such as organic matter and particle size, etc. The inventories of 239,240Pu are in the range of 7.31-554 Bq/m2. The weighted average of 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (0.180 ± 0.004) in all surface samples is good agreement with the ratio of global fallout (0.180 ± 0.014) of the nuclear weapons tests, this indicate that the major source of plutonium in China is global fallout. However, among some sites, distinctly lower 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio compared to the global fallout values were observed in the northwest China, indicating a significant contribution from other source besides the global fallout. Furthermore, the spatial clustering patterns of hot spots (high values) and cold spots (low values) for plutonium showing the clear associations with nuclear tests, especially the Chinese Lop Nor nuclear weapons tests (CNTs) and the Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons tests (STS). Radioactive material including plutonium from the STS or CNTs was transported by the prevailing westerlies to the northwest China. This review about the fingerprints and distribution of plutonium in soils of China will help researchers to establish a reference database for future radiation risk assessment and environmental radioactive management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Meichen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Haiqing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Fang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xingxuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Ting Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Chaojun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Jingtian Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Yunge Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
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Huang Y, Sun X, Zhang W. Spatio-temporal distribution of 239+240Pu in sediments of the China sea and adjacent waters. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 253-254:107010. [PMID: 36108554 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Data of 239+240Pu activities and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in surface and core sediments of the China Sea and adjacent waters were collected. We examine a dataset of 239+240Pu activities and 240Pu/239Pu ratios determined from surface sediments at 516 sites and 84 core sediment mainly across the China Sea and adjacent waters. For the first time the spatial distributions of the 239+240Pu activities, the 240Pu/239Pu ratios and the Pacific Proving Ground (PPG) fraction in the China Sea and adjacent waters are fully presented at the same time. Four types of typical 239+240Pu distribution with depth are commonly summarized: non-peak, pseudo single peak, single peak and multi peaks, which are based on the comprehensive analysis of the vertical distribution of 239+240Pu in 84 sediment cores that had been studied in the China Sea and adjacent waters. Their occurrence probability are ∼15%, ∼4%, ∼67% and ∼11%, respectively. This is the dominant Pu source in seawater which was transported by the North Equatorial Current and Kuroshio Current and its extension into the China Sea and adjacent waters first from east to west, then from south to north. A sea area to the northeast of Taiwan Island and the Okinawa Trough, shows high 239+240Pu activities and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios spatial distribution trends, which are related to the intrusion of the Kuroshio Current carrying 239+240Pu from the PPG nuclear weapon tests. The used two end-member mixing model suggests that global fallout and PPG close-in fallout are the main sources of Pu in most of the investigate areas. As the 240Pu/239Pu of global fallout is relatively constant, the change of 240Pu/239Pu ratios in surface sediments of the China Sea and adjacent waters are mainly controlled by the PPG close-in fallout input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Huang
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, PR China; Centre Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA),Sevilla, 41092, Spain.
| | - Xiaoming Sun
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519082, PR China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08540-6654, USA
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Sources and Variability of Plutonium in Chinese Soils: A Statistical Perspective with Moving Average. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13050769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the different sources and their corresponding impact areas of Pu in Chinese surface soils to illustrate the state-of-the-art of the sources, levels and distributions of 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios as well as 239+240Pu activity concentrations in China. For the first time a moving average strategy in combination with statistical analysis was employed to partition geographic areas in China based on the reported 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio and 239+240Pu concentration data from public literature. During the partitioning, the median (MED) of the dataset was basically employed as a criteria in place of the commonly used arithmetic average (AM). Concisely, three areas were partitioned according to the different influences of Pu from the Lop Nor (LNTS) and Semipalatinsk (STS) test sites and the global fallout. The partitioned Ternary area (80° E–105° E, 35° N–50° N) was supposed to have multiple sources of Pu including the STS and LNTS besides the global fallout, which was characterized with slightly lower 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (MED = 0.174) as well as elevated 239+240Pu concentrations (MED = 0.416 mBq/g). Meanwhile, the Binary area (35° N–45° N, 100° E–115° E) was considered to have received the extra contribution from the high-yield nuclear tests at the LNTS besides the global fallout, resulting in the highest 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (MED = 0.200) across China. The remaining area was marked as the Unitary area, where it only received the exclusive contribution of global fallout. Furthermore, through the statistical analysis of the 240Pu/239Pu data in the Unitary area, we recommended a value of 0.186 ± 0.021 (AM ± SD) as a representative or area-specific 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio baseline to characterize the global fallout derived Pu in Chinese soils.
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Matsueda M, Kawakami T, Koarai K, Terashima M, Fujiwara K, Iijima K, Furukawa M, Takagai Y. Using CO 2 Reactions to Achieve Mass-Spectrometric Discrimination in Simultaneous Plutonium-Isotope Speciation with Inductively Coupled Plasma–Tandem Mass Spectrometry. CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1246/cl.220160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Matsueda
- Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan
| | | | - Kazuma Koarai
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan
| | - Motoki Terashima
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan
| | - Kenso Fujiwara
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan
| | - Kazuki Iijima
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7700, Japan
| | - Makoto Furukawa
- PerkinElmer Japan Co., Ltd., 134 Godo, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240–0005, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Takagai
- Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima, 960-1296 Japan
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Ouyang J, Shao Y, Luo M, Zhang J, Dai X, Ma L, Xu D. Exploration of the potential application of plutonium isotopes in source identification of sandstorm in the atmosphere of Beijing. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Zhang W, Hou X, Zhang H, Wang Y, Dang H, Xing S, Chen N. Level, distribution and sources of plutonium in the northeast and north China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 289:117967. [PMID: 34426197 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of 239Pu and 240Pu in 163 surface soil samples and five soil cores collected from the northeast and north China were analyzed using the radiochemical separation combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry measurement. The average 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios (0.185 ± 0.018) for all surface soil samples indicated that the global fallout is the major source of plutonium in the studied region. The 239,240Pu concentrations of the surface soil ranged from 0.002 mBq/g to 4.82 mBq/g, lying in the range of the reported results in the areas with similar latitude, except for a few samples. The distribution of 239,240Pu in this region is controlled by the deposition of plutonium in the atmosphere and its preservation in the soil, which were affects by multi-factors such as topography, climate, utilization of the land and vegetation coverage. The analytical results could be used as the baseline data for the assessment of the impact of nuclear activities in the past and the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an, 710024, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; CAS Center of Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an, 710061, China; Open Studio for Oceanic-Continental Climate and Environment Changes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266061, China.
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an, 710024, China
| | - Yanyun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Haijun Dang
- Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an, 710024, China
| | - Shan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Ning Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
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Bouisset P, Nohl M, Cossonnet C, Boulet B, Thomas S, Cariou N, Salaun G. Contribution of close-in fallout from the French atmospheric tests in inventories of 137Cs, 241Am and plutonium (238, 239, 240) in Gambier Islands (French Polynesia) - Signatures of stratospheric fallout in the Southern Hemisphere. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2021; 235-236:106624. [PMID: 34059369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The inventories of 137Cs (503 ± 34 Bq.m-2), 241Am (11.3 ± 1.2 Bq.m-2), 241Pu (33.7 ± 3.4 Bq.m-2), 238Pu (6.82 ± 0.87 Bq.m-2) and 239+240Pu (113.0 ± 5.9 Bq.m-2), sum of 239Pu (100 ± 11 Bq.m-2) and 240Pu (14.5 ± 1.7 Bq.m-2), in the Gambier archipelago (23°S) of the French Polynesia, are well higher the global fallout at this latitude, in unequal proportions for the different radionuclides. (240Pu/239Pu)AR (AR: atomic ratio) of 0.0394 ± 0.0062, and (241Pu/239Pu)AR of (2.03 ± 0.39)10-4, confirm that the overwhelmingly dominant source of these radionuclides comes from local fallout during the 1970s of the French atmospheric tests of Moruroa and Fangataufa located nearly 400 km from Gambier. The signatures of the local fallout were deduced from the excess of its inventory in 137Cs and from the mixing lines established from the signatures of the global fallout, some of the test sites and the isotopic ratios measured in Gambier. Signatures obtained are 2.0 ± 0.4 for 137Cs/239+240Pu, 0.045 ± 0.008 for 238Pu/239+240Pu, 0.031 ± 0.009 for 241Am/239+240Pu, 0.092 ± 0.027 for 241Pu/239+240Pu, 0.0163 ± 0.0049 for (240Pu/239Pu)AR, (0.78 ± 0.23)10-4 for (241Pu/239Pu)AR. The concordance of the mixing lines of the [(240Pu/239Pu)AR, (241Pu/239Pu)AR] and the linear regression of these ratios measured in the stratosphere (40°S) during the 1970s, indicates that the signatures of the close-in deposition are also those of the stratospheric injections of the French tests. The signatures of stratospheric fallout in the Southern Hemisphere were evaluated by considering that the fission energy of these injections represents 11% and that of the Northern Hemisphere represents 89% and that the isotopic ratios of stratospheric injections remained the same over the period 1970-1974. The activity ratios deducted are 21.9 ± 0.1 in 137Cs/239+240Pu, 0.11 ± 0.05 in 238Pu/239+240Pu, 1.03 ± 0.12 in 241Pu/239+240Pu and 0.35 ± 0.04 in 241Am/239+240Pu. The associated atom ratios are 0.157 ± 0.011 for (240Pu/239Pu)AR and (8.33 ± 0.48)10-4 for (241Pu/239Pu)AR. These signatures appear to be consistent with the results of the inventories at Hiva Oa, located more than 1,000 km north of both French test sites, and with those found in the Australian continent, in regions not impacted by UK-test debris. The proportions of close-in tropospheric fallout from the French tests are about 90% in Gambier. They represent a proportion in the inventories of 40% for the 137Cs, 60% for 241Am and in the range between 80 and 90% for Pu isotopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bouisset
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, BP 182, 98725, Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
| | - M Nohl
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, BP 182, 98725, Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - C Cossonnet
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, Bât 501, bois des Rames, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - B Boulet
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, Bât 501, bois des Rames, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - S Thomas
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, Bât 501, bois des Rames, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - N Cariou
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, Bât 501, bois des Rames, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - G Salaun
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté nucléaire, Cadarache Bât 153, 13108, St Paul-lès-Durance, France
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Cancer Incidence of Finnish Sami in the Light of Exposure to Radioactive Fallout. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18158186. [PMID: 34360478 PMCID: PMC8345970 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This article summarizes the results of studies on the exposure of the Finnish Sami people to radioactive fallout and the estimations of the related cancer risk. We also discuss the lifestyle, genetic origin and diet of this population. The Sami people are an indigenous people who live in the northern part of Scandinavia and Finland. The review is based on the available scientific literature of Finnish Sami. The traditional Sami diet, high in animal products, persists in Sami groups still involved in reindeer-herding, but others have adopted the typical diet of western cultures. Studies have consistently shown an overall reduced cancer risk among the Finnish Sami people, except for stomach cancer among the Skolt Sami. Common cancers among the Finnish main population, such as prostate, breast and skin cancer are especially rare among the Finnish Sami. The incidence of cancer among the Finnish Sami are mostly similar to those of the Swedish and Norwegian Sami. To conclude, we observed no effect of radioactive pollution on cancer incidence. The lifestyles and environments of the Sami are changing, and their cancer mortality rate today is similar to that of the majority of the Finnish and western population.
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Zheltonozhskaya MV, Zheltonozhsky VA, Vlasova IE, Kuzmenkova NV, Kalmykov SN. The plutonium isotopes and strontium-90 determination in hot particles by characteristic X-rays. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 225:106448. [PMID: 33075716 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports the developed non-destructive methods for the plutonium isotopes and strontium-90 content determination in hot particles and other samples. The proposed methods are based on the measurement of the characteristic X-rays accompanying the decay of these radionuclides. For hot particles of NPP accident origin, the proposed method's error limits are 10-15% for hot particles (samples) with activity above 100 Bq and 15-20% for hot particles (samples) with activity less than 100 Bq. For explosive particles, the determination accuracy is 10-15% for activity more than 5 Bq and 20-30% for 0.1-5 Bq activity. The accuracy of the proposed method for determining 90Sr in samples with its specific content of more than 104 Bq/sample is 5%, with ~102 Bq/sample its content is 15-20%. The cost of one sample measurement and the processing time of these methods are significantly reduced compared to traditional studies. The proposed methods are reasonably simple measurement methods and can be carried out even in the field condition. They open up new possibilities for the quick search and study of hot particles and environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - I E Vlasova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation
| | | | - S N Kalmykov
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation
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17
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Kashirsky V, Shatrov A, Zvereva I, Lukashenko S. Development of a method for studying 241Pu/ 241Am activity ratio in the soil of the main Semipalatinsk test site areas. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 216:106181. [PMID: 32056789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The methodology for determination of 241Pu in soils of the main test sites of the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) has been developed. The results of 241Am and 241Pu activity determination in soil samples sampled at the main testing sites of the STS are presented. 241Pu/241Am activity ratio is calculated. In most cases, on local sites, 241Pu/241Am activity ratio is in a rather narrow range, which makes it possible to estimate 241Pu activity based on the results of 241Am gamma-spectrometric analysis. The accuracy of 241Pu activity estimation using this method will be about 50%, which is quite enough in most cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Kashirsky
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan, Russia
| | - Anton Shatrov
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan, Russia
| | - Irina Zvereva
- Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan, Russia.
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18
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Szufa KM, Mietelski JW, Olech MA, Kowalska A, Brudecki K. Anthropogenic radionuclides in Antarctic biota - dosimetrical considerations. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 213:106140. [PMID: 31983449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The article presents results of the research on artificial radionuclides (137Cs, 90Sr, 241Am) in the Antarctic environment. Samples of 12 species from the marine environment: Pygoscelis adeliae, Pygoscelis papua, Macronectes giganteus, Pagodroma nivea, Catharacta antarctica, Leptonychotes weddellii, Mirounga leonina, Harpagifer antarcticus, Chaenocephalus aceratus, Nacella concinna, Himantothallus grandifolius, Iridaea cordata (bones, feathers, soft tissues, eggs' shells of birds, bones, skin, fur of mammals, fish, mollusks' soft tissues and shells, algae) and samples of 4 species from the terrestrial environment: Sanionia uncinata, Usnea antarctica, Usnea aurantiaco-atra, Deschampsia antarctica (mosses, lichens, grass) were investigated. Differences in the accumulation of 137Cs between marine and terrestrial ecosystem were shown, which are mostly due to conservatism of mosses and lichens and active removal of cesium by animal body. Furthermore discrepancy between mosses and lichens in the radioceasium accumulation was statistically proven with the additional use of Neutron Activation Analysis. Moreover, the internal weighted dose rates assessment was prepared using the ERICA Tool. The dose rates were relatively low, not exceeding several dozen nGy/h. Nonetheless, one species - Pagodroma nivea, was significantly outstanding due to the highest weighted dose rate it is burdened with.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Szufa
- Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500, Chorzów, Poland; Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego152, 32-342, Kraków, Poland.
| | - J W Mietelski
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego152, 32-342, Kraków, Poland
| | - M A Olech
- Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 27, 31-501, Kraków, Poland; Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-109, Warszawa, Poland
| | - A Kowalska
- Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże S. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland
| | - K Brudecki
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego152, 32-342, Kraków, Poland
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Lahrouch F, Siberchicot B, Fèvre J, Leost L, Aupiais J, Solari PL, Den Auwer C, Di Giorgio C. Carboxylate- and Phosphonate-Modified Polyethylenimine: Toward the Design of Actinide Decorporation Agents. Inorg Chem 2019; 59:128-137. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b02014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lahrouch
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France
| | | | - Jeanne Fèvre
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Laurane Leost
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 06108 Nice, France
| | | | - Pier Lorenzo Solari
- SOLEIL Synchrotron, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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20
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Zhang W, Hou X. Level, distribution and sources of plutonium in the coastal areas of China. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 230:587-595. [PMID: 31125887 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.05.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Plutonium is an important radioactive element in view of its biological toxicity and environmental impact. The two most important isotopes of plutonium, 239Pu and 240Pu, in the surface soil from the coastal area of China were determined using radiochemical separation combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurement. The average of the measured 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios in all these samples is 0.186 ± 0.021, which is in good agreement with the ratio of global fallout of the nuclear weapons tests. This indicates that the major source of plutonium in this region is global fallout, and there is no measurable release of plutonium from any nuclear power plant along the coast of China. The 239,240Pu concentrations in all 71 soil samples range from 0.002 mBq/g to 0.670 mBq/g, which fall in the range of the reported values in the background area not directly influenced by nuclear activities. The anthropogenic disturbance of sampling sites, vegetation coverage of land, precipitation rate and organic substance content and erosion of soil have significant influence on the level of plutonium in the surface soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Nutech, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; CAS Center of Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an, 710061, China; Open Studio for Oceanic-Continental Climate and Environment Changes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266061, China.
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21
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Abstract
The aim of the article was to verify the hypothesis concerning the diversification of plutonium sources in the natural environment of Antarctica. Plutonium activity and atom ratios were analyzed in two groups of biological samples: terrestrial and marine. Both isotopic ratios in the terrestrial set were consistent with global radioactive fallout ratios. The average activity ratio in the marine ecosystem was lower than global radioactive fallout. At the same time mass ratio values in this group turned out to be surprisingly varied. Analysis of the results showed statistically significant differences between the marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
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22
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Dumas T, Guigue M, Moisy P, Colina-Ruiz R, Mustre de Leon J, Matara-Aho M, Solari PL, Monfort M, Moulin C, Beccia MR, Auwer CD. Experimental Speciation of Plutonium(IV) in Natural Seawater. ChemistrySelect 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201702762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dumas
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique; Nuclear Energy Division; Research Department on Mining and Fuel Recycling Processes; F-30207 Bagnols sur Cèze France
| | - Mireille Guigue
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique; Nuclear Energy Division; Research Department on Mining and Fuel Recycling Processes; F-30207 Bagnols sur Cèze France
| | - Philippe Moisy
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique; Nuclear Energy Division; Research Department on Mining and Fuel Recycling Processes; F-30207 Bagnols sur Cèze France
| | - Roberto Colina-Ruiz
- Université Côte d'Azur; CNRS; Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR7272; F-06100 Nice France
- Departamento de Fisica Aplicada; Cinvestav-Merida; Carretera Antigua a Progreso km. 6, Merida Yucatań 97310 Mexico
| | - Jose Mustre de Leon
- Departamento de Fisica Aplicada; Cinvestav-Merida; Carretera Antigua a Progreso km. 6, Merida Yucatań 97310 Mexico
| | - Minja Matara-Aho
- Laboratory of Radiochemistry; Department of Chemistry; University of Helsinki; FI-00014 Finland
- Université Côte d'Azur; CNRS; Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR7272; F-06100 Nice France
| | - Pier Lorenzo Solari
- Synchrotron SOLEIL L'Orme des Merisiers; Saint-Aubin; BP 48 F-91192 Gif-sur- Yvette Cedex France
| | - Marguerite Monfort
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique; Military application Division, DIF; F-91297 Arpajon France
| | - Christophe Moulin
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique; Military application Division, DIF; F-91297 Arpajon France
| | - Maria Rosa Beccia
- Université Côte d'Azur; CNRS; Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR7272; F-06100 Nice France
| | - Christophe Den Auwer
- Université Côte d'Azur; CNRS; Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR7272; F-06100 Nice France
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Comparisons of soil pretreatment methods for SF-ICP-MS determination of ultra-trace level plutonium in water soluble and exchangeable fractions. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5700-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Beccia MR, Solari PL, Monfort M, Moulin C, Den Auwer C. Focus on speciation assessment in marine radiochemistry using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. NEW J CHEM 2018. [DOI: 10.1039/c7nj04862a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We review the state-of-the-art and recent advances in the determination of radionuclide speciation in seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pier Lorenzo Solari
- Synchrotron SOLEIL L’Orme des Merisiers
- Saint-Aubin
- F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
- France
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25
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Bulgakov V, Gnilomedov V, Katkova M, Petrenko G, Sorokina A, Synzynys B. Plutonium in locations of local sources and its involvement in global circulation. NUCLEAR ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nucet.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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