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Yomogida T, Ouchi K, Morii S, Oka T, Kitatsuji Y, Koma Y, Konno K. Analysis of particles containing alpha emitters in stagnant water in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station's Unit 3 reactor building. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14945. [PMID: 38942918 PMCID: PMC11213940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65522-2] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Particles containing alpha (α) nuclides were identified from sediment in stagnant water in the Unit 3 reactor building of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDiNPS). We analyzed different concentrations of α-nuclide samples collected at two sampling sites, the torus room and the main steam isolation valve (MSIV) room. The solids in the stagnant water samples were classified, and the uranium (U) and total alpha concentrations of each fraction were measured by dissolution followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and α-spectrometry. Most of the α-nuclides in the stagnant water samples from the torus and MSIV rooms were in particle fractions larger than 10 μm. We detected uranium-bearing particles ranging from sub-µm to 10 µm in size by scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) observations. The chemical forms of U particles were determined in U-Zr oxides, oxidized UO2, and U3O8 with micro-Raman spectroscopy. Other short-lived α-nuclides (plutonium [Pu], americium [Am], and curium [Cm]) were detected by alpha track detection, and the particles with α-nuclides was characterized by SEM-EDX analysis. α-nuclide-containing particles with several tens to several 100 µm in size mainly comprised iron (Fe) oxyhydroxides. In addition, we detected adsorbed U onto Fe oxyhydroxide particles in the MSIV room sample, which indicated nuclear fuel dissolution and secondary U accumulation. This study clarifies the major characteristics of U and other α-nuclides in sediment in stagnant water in the FDiNPS Unit 3 reactor building, which significantly contribute to the consideration of removal methods for particles containing α-nuclides in the stagnant water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Yomogida
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan.
| | - Kazuki Ouchi
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan
| | - Shiori Morii
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Oka
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kitatsuji
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, 319-1195, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Koma
- Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Fukushima, 979-1151, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination and Decommissioning Engineering Company, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., Fukushima, 979-1301, Japan
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Bradley VC, Ticknor BW, Dunlap DR, Zirakparvar NA, Metzger SC, Hexel CR, Manard BT. Microextraction-TQ-ICP-MS for the Direct Analysis of U and Pu from Cotton Swipes. Anal Chem 2023; 95:15867-15874. [PMID: 37801814 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The microextraction sampling technique was integrated with triple quadrupole─inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (TQ-ICP-MS) to directly sample and measure the isotopic compositions of uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) from cotton swipes. Once extracted, the U/Pu were directed into the TQ-ICP-MS instrument for isotopic determination. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and helium (He) gases were delivered to a collision reaction cell within the ICP-MS system for ion separation. The CO2 reacts with the U+ forming UO+ which is ultimately separated from the Pu+ ions of interest in the third quadrupole. This study demonstrates direct liquid extraction of U/Pu from a solid surface and subsequent measurement by TQ-ICP-MS in <60 s. Flow rates were optimized (0.3 mL min-1 CO2 and 5 mL min-1 He) in the reaction cell of the ICP-MS system to maximize the Pu signal while minimizing U interferences (i.e., 238U+ tail and 238UH+) at m/z 239. Low levels of Pu (∼2 pg) were deposited on a cotton swipe along with U at concentrations ranging from 20 to 200 ng. The 240Pu/239Pu ratio was measured with <7% relative difference from the certified value at all U concentrations. Major and minor U isotope ratios were also measured with <4% relative difference. This highlights that the microextraction-TQ-ICP-MS method can extract a mixed U/Pu sample directly from a cotton swipe and measure both isotopic systems without chemical separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica C Bradley
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Brian W Ticknor
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Daniel R Dunlap
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - N Alex Zirakparvar
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Shalina C Metzger
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Cole R Hexel
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Benjamin T Manard
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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Xiong K, Bu W, Ni Y, Liu X, Zheng J, Aono T, Yang C, Hu S. Rapid monitoring of 241Am in small amount of sediment samples by combining extraction chromatography for highly efficient separation of interfering and matrix elements and ICP-MS/MS measurement. Microchem J 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2023.108581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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4
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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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5
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Radioanalytical chemistry for nuclear forensics in China: Progress and future perspective. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Wu J, Zheng X, Chen J, Yang G, Zheng J, Aono T. Distributions and impacts of plutonium in the environment originating from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: An overview of a decade of studies. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 248:106884. [PMID: 35398758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the current knowledge on plutonium (Pu) isotopic composition (the atom or activity ratios) and activity concentrations of 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Pu resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011. In this critical review, we document the characteristic values of Pu atom or activity ratios (fingerprints) and present their spatial distributions around the FDNPP site. Based on multiple Pu fingerprints (238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio, 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio, and 241Pu/239Pu atom ratio), we clarify that Pu contamination from the FDNPP accident occurred in a restricted terrestrial area, while Pu in the Northwest Pacific Ocean is still predominately sourced from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) and global fallout. Using a simple two end-member mixing model, we calculate average contributions of Pu from the FDNPP accident of 13 ± 20% (n = 180) in soil samples, 55 ± 32% (n = 38) in leaf litter samples, and 67 ± 26% (n = 129) in air dust/black substances. In the marine environment, the PPG source average contributions are 45 ± 15% (n = 76) in seawater and 42 ± 12% (n = 48) in sediments. The spatial distributions of Pu atom or activity ratios based on existing studies suggest that: 1) in the terrestrial region investigated 80 km northwest of the FDNPP site, the Pu contamination is mainly observed in an area within a 50 km distance, and 2) in the terrestrial region investigated 60 km southwest of the FDNPP site, the Pu contamination is mainly observed in an area within a 30 km distance. Studies of Cs-bearing radioactive particles indicate that Pu occurs as Pu oxide, and the fuel fragments containing Pu that were released from the reactors to the surrounding environment are associated with micron-scale Cs-bearing radioactive particles. We note that the fractionation between Pu and other radionuclides occurred after release. These new findings about the Pu fingerprints around the FDNPP site will help researchers to establish a reference background database for future environmental risk assessment and geochemical study there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Xuemin Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Jisheng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Guosheng Yang
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Tatsuo Aono
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
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Yomogida T, Ouchi K, Oka T, Kitatsuji Y, Koma Y, Konno K. Analysis of particles containing alpha-emitters in stagnant water at torus room of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 reactor. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7191. [PMID: 35577810 PMCID: PMC9110416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11334-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractParticles containing alpha (α) nuclides were identified from sediment in stagnant water in the torus room of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station(FDiNPS)’s Unit 2 reactor. We analyzed uranium (U), which is the main component of nuclear fuel, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Other α-nuclides (plutonium [Pu], americium [Am], and curium [Cm]) were detected by alpha track detection and the morphology of particles with α-nuclides were analyzed by SEM-energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis. Several uranium-bearing particles ranging from sub-µm to several µm in size were identified by SEM observation. These particles contained zirconium (Zr) and other elements which constituted fuel cladding and structural materials. The 235U/238U isotope ratio in the solid fractions that included U particles was consistent with what was found for the nuclear fuel in the Unit 2 reactor. This indicated that the U of similar fuel composition had made finer. The α-nuclide-containing particles identified by alpha track analysis were several tens to several hundred µm in size. The EDX spectra showed that these particles mainly comprised iron (Fe). Since the amount of α-nuclide material was very small, Pu, Am, and Cm were adsorbed on the Fe particles. This study clarifies that the major morphologies of U and other α-nuclides in the sediment of stagnant water in the torus room of FDiNPS’s Unit 2 reactor differed.
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Yamada M, Oikawa S. 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, 241Am, 137Cs, and 210Pb in seafloor sediments in the western North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan: distributions, sources and budgets. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-022-08332-y] [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]
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9
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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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10
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Feng D, Yang F, Wang X, Zhou X, Liu Z, Liao H. Distribution of plutonium isotopes in soils between two nuclear test sites: Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 242:106792. [PMID: 34929510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106792] [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: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plutonium (Pu) has attracted attention as an environmental tracer due to its radiotoxicity and the possibility of sources linked with nuclear accidents in recent years. Plutonium isotopes (239,240Pu) were detected at trace levels in soils collected from the Xinjiang region located between the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and China's Lop Nor nuclear test site. Little is known regarding the spatial variation of 239,240Pu in soils from this region. This study reports the use of Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) methods to distinguish between Pu isotopes derived from global fallout and nuclear weapon tests. We found that the 239,240Pu activity concentrations ranged from 0.035 to 1.338 mBq/g; the 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios were 0.157-0.223 with a weighted average of 0.180 ± 0.002, corresponding with the expected average global fallout ratio of 0.180 ± 0.014. This indicated that global fallout is the major source of Pu in the study region. The 239,240Pu inventories in these soils ranged from 23.67 to 222.7 Bq/m2, corresponding with those from other areas in China and other countries within the latitude range. Our Pu isotope data was supplemented with other published Pu data for soils collected in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and Lop Nor nuclear test site. Results indicate that 239,240Pu inventories and 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios in soils exhibit large variations with distance from the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. High deposition and accumulation of Pu, and low 240Pu/239Pu ratios were observed in close-in fallout and downwind regions of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and China's Lop Nor nuclear test site.
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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
| | - Fang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xihuang Wang
- 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
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Centre of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Haiqing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Xu Y, Li C, Yu H, Fang F, Hou X, Zhang C, Li X, Xing S. Rapid determination of plutonium isotopes in small samples using single anion exchange separation and ICP-MS/MS measurement in NH 3-He mode for sediment dating. Talanta 2021; 240:123152. [PMID: 34942475 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.123152] [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: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
To accurately determine ultra-trace Pu isotopes in small environmental samples, we explored ICP-MS/MS in NH3-He mode, and investigated mechanism of 238U interference removal and measurement sensitivity improvement for plutonium isotopes. The interference of uranium and uranium hydrides was effectively eliminated using 0.4 mL/min NH3 as reaction gas by shifting them to U(NHm)n+ and UH(NHm)n+. The overall interference of uranium was reduced to <2.4 × 10-7, while remaining excellent 239Pu sensitivity (13,900 Mcps/(mg/L)) mainly due to ion focusing effect of Pu by helium gas. On this basis, the purification of plutonium using a single AG1- × 4 column was proved to be sufficient for accurate determination of plutonium isotopes by the developed detection method, and the detection limits for the method were estimated to be 0.16 fg (0.4 μBq) for 239Pu, 0.046 fg (0.4 μBq) for 240Pu and 0.039 fg (0.15 mBq) for 241Pu. The method was validated by analyzing plutonium isotopes in certificated reference materials and reported environmental samples of only 1-2 g. The analytical results of ultra-trace Pu isotopes in small amounts (∼1 g) of lake sediments obtained by the developed method were successfully applied to sediment dating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihong Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China.
| | - Chen Li
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Haiping Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Fengman Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK-4000, Denmark; 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
| | - Chao Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Xiaofei Li
- The Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241002, China
| | - Shan Xing
- China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan, 030000, China.
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12
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Goldstein SJ, Price AA, Hinrichs KA, Lamont SP, Nunn AJ, Amato RS, Cardon AM, Gurganus DW. High-precision measurement of U-Pu-Np-Am concentrations and isotope ratios in environmental reference materials by mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2021; 237:106689. [PMID: 34298408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We report results of precise and sensitive mass spectrometric measurements of uranium, plutonium, neptunium, and americium concentrations and isotope ratios in a variety of environmental reference materials. Most of our work has been done on NIST SRM 4350b, River Sediment, but we also present results for NIST SRM 4354, Lake Sediment; NIST SRMs 4355 and 4355a, Peruvian Soil; NIST SRM 4357, Ocean Sediment; NIST SRM 1648a, Urban Particulate Material; NIST SRM 1649b, Urban Dust; IAEA CRM 385, Ocean Sediment; USGS BCR-2, Columbia River Basalt; and USGS BHVO-2, Hawaiian Volcanic Observatory Basalt. These materials reflect a wide range in long-lived actinide concentrations (e.g. 1E4 to 1E10 atoms 239Pu/g) and isotope ratios. Measurements were performed in a clean laboratory by isotope dilution, multi-collector thermal ionization and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In general, our results are in agreement with, but lower the uncertainty of, literature or certificate values for these reference materials. Our uranium results for the basalts also confirm previously reported high-precision mass spectrometric results from our laboratory. In many cases our measurements of U-Pu-Np-Am nuclides appear to be novel. Extensive results for NIST SRM 4350b, River Sediment, indicate that this material is heterogeneous for Pu-Np-Am concentrations and isotope ratios at a sample size of 5 g or lower. Pu-Np isotope ratios and a241Pu-241Am model age of 1954 reflect a mix of plutonium production operations at the nearby Hanford, Washington site, and global atmospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing. Results for the oceanic sediment materials (NIST SRM 4357 and IAEA 385) collected near Sellafield, U.K. vary but are also indicative of local anthropogenic sources of varying Pu isotopic composition and a mean 241Pu-241Am model age of 1964. Large environmental fractionation between Pu and Np is observed for the ocean, river, and lake sediment reference materials. Novel measurements for the two air particulate SRMs indicate high U, Pu and Np concentrations for these collections in 1976-1977 with an anomalous regional fallout Pu isotopic signature. Results for BHVO-2 and other Hawaiian basalts indicate that those which erupted before or during the period of abundant atmospheric nuclear weapons testing (1950-1970) contain significant levels of Pu (on the order of 1E7 atoms 239Pu/g) with a global fallout Pu isotopic composition, compared to more recent eruptions which incorporated less Pu. Hence, Hawaiian basalts may provide an integrated temporal record of anthropogenic actinide fallout deposition from the atmosphere since eruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Goldstein
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA.
| | - Allison A Price
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Kimberly A Hinrichs
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Stephen P Lamont
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Andrew J Nunn
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Ronald S Amato
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Annelise M Cardon
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Daniel W Gurganus
- Group C-NR, MS J514, Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
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13
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Rapid method for sequential determination of Pu and Am in soil and sediment samples by sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-021-07627-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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14
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Yamada M, Oikawa S, Shirotani Y, Kusakabe M, Shindo K. Transuranic nuclides Pu, Am and Cm isotopes, and 90Sr in seafloor sediments off the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant during the period from 2012 to 2019. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2021; 227:106459. [PMID: 33221564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am, 242Cm, 243+244Cm and 90Sr concentrations in seafloor surface sediments collected at three sampling stations off the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) site during the period from 2012 to 2019 were determined to elucidate the impacts of the FDNPP accident onto their concentrations in coastal sediments and to discuss the sources of the measured radionuclides. The 239+240Pu, 241Pu and 241Am concentrations and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in a sediment core were also determined to allow comparison of their inventories between this study and previously reported values and to identify the Pu sources. The 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am and 90Sr concentrations showed no remarkable temporal variations; no significant increases in concentrations after the FDNPP accident were observed; these concentrations were comfortably within the previously reported concentration range; and no detectable 242Cm and 243+244Cm amounts were observed in surface sediments. The observed 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratios were approximately two orders of magnitudes lower than those for the damaged FDNPP reactor core inventories and the observed values in terrestrial samples after the accident. The 239+240Pu, 241Pu and 241Am inventories in the sediment core were 389 ± 5, 503 ± 33 and 214 ± 3 Bq m-2, respectively. The 239+240Pu inventory was about an order of magnitude greater than the expected cumulative deposition density of global fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing due to an enhanced scavenging effect. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the sediment core ranged from 0.239 to 0.246 with a mean value of 0.242 ± 0.002; these ratios were clearly greater than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.18. The results for 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratios and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios reflected a mixture of global fallout and Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) close-in fallout Pu rather than Fukushima accident-derived Pu. The sediment column inventory for 239+240Pu originating from the PPG close-in fallout was calculated as 166 Bq m-2, which corresponded to 43% of the total inventory. A significant amount of the PPG-derived Pu has been transported by ocean currents and then preferentially scavenged in the coastal waters of Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Yamada
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku, Isumi, Chiba, 299-5105, Japan.
| | - Shinji Oikawa
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku, Isumi, Chiba, 299-5105, Japan
| | - Yuhei Shirotani
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku, Isumi, Chiba, 299-5105, Japan
| | - Masashi Kusakabe
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku, Isumi, Chiba, 299-5105, Japan
| | - Koji Shindo
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku, Isumi, Chiba, 299-5105, Japan
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Du M, Hylton TD, Robinson SM. Chemical processes for recovery and purification of high-purity uranium-234 from aged plutonium-238. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-020-07502-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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16
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Guan Y, Mai J, Xu J, Liu Z. Characteristic of Pu from urban wetland and lacustrine sediments in Suzhou Industrial Park, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 213:106134. [PMID: 31983444 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106134] [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: 08/24/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, plutonium activity concentrations in the urban wetlands and lacustrine sediment of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) are studied for the first time. Results show 239+240Pu activity concentrations in the wetland surface soils of SIP range from 0.035 to 0.426 mBq/g and the 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio ranges from 0.171±0.024 to 0.226±0.049. Judging from the atom ratio of 240Pu/239Pu, the main source of Pu in the wetland is global fallout. The correlations of Pu between organic matter and heavy metals are also studied. The correlation coefficients show Pu has significant positive correlations with Cu, Sn and Pb but negative correlation with As. Unlike distributions of Pu in other places, Pu in SIP has weak correlation with organic matter content. A sediment core from Lake Yangcheng is also analyzed to investigate the historical record of Pu deposition. The atom ratios of each layer in the sediment core indicate the area is mainly influenced by global fallout. Using Pu as a discrete-time maker, the deposition rate in Lake Yangcheng is 0.396±0.019 cm/yr. The calculated inventory of 239+240Pu is 58.5 Bq/m2, which is in the range of inventories of the corresponding latitudes according to UNSCEAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjin Guan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Jingyu Mai
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Centre of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jiawei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Centre of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Centre of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
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17
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18
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Wang Z, Huang Z, Xie Y, Tan Z. Method for determination of Pu isotopes in soil and sediment samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after simple chemical separation using TK200 resin. Anal Chim Acta 2019; 1090:151-158. [PMID: 31655640 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.08.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Plutonium has been extensively studied in the environment, for the purpose of radiological assessment, environmental behavior study and nuclear emergency response. To determine Pu isotopes in environmental soil and sediment, a novel analytical method was established in this study using a new type of extraction resin, TK200 resin. Firstly an investigation was performed to study the extraction behaviors of Pu, U, Th, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi and Hf on TK200 resin. On the basis of the results, a new chromatographic procedure was then proposed to separate Pu from the elements that interfere the accurate determination of Pu isotopes by mass spectrometry. Owing to the excellent separation efficiency between Pu and interfering elements (IEs) of the developed procedure, high decontamination factors (DFs) were obtained for IEs, e.g. the DF(U) (>7.5 × 107) was the highest reported value. The separation procedure was finally combined with HNO3 leaching, CaF2/LaF3 coprecipitation and sector field-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICPMS) measurement to establish a complete method. The established method was evaluated by analyzing four standard reference materials (soil, sediment), and the results showed that both 239+240Pu activity and 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratio were accurately determined, with stable and high Pu chemical recoveries (81-91%). The whole analytical method only took about 15 h, and the limits of detection were calculated to be 0.13-0.24 fg g-1 for Pu isotopes (for 2 g soil or sediment), guaranteeing the rapid determination of ultra-trace level Pu in soil and sediment samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongtang Wang
- The Laboratory of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Decommission Technology, Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China.
| | - Zhaoya Huang
- The Laboratory of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Decommission Technology, Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
| | - Yun Xie
- The Laboratory of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Decommission Technology, Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
| | - Zhaoyi Tan
- The Laboratory of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Decommission Technology, Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
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19
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Wu J. Isotopic composition and source of plutonium in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau frozen soils. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7861. [PMID: 31133665 PMCID: PMC6536505 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44391-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The 239+240Pu activities and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the frozen soils of the Yellow River Source Area (YRSA) were determined to examine the Pu source and evaluate its environmental risk. The 239+240Pu activities of surface frozen soils in the YRSA, ranging from 0.053 to 0.836 mBq g-1, are comparable to those observed in China elsewhere (0.005-1.990 mBq g-1). The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios of surface soils in the YRSA are in the range of 0.168-0.201 (average = 0.187 ± 0.012, n = 6), comparable to the global fallout of 0.180 ± 0.014. Based on the latitudinal and spatial distribution of Pu isotopic composition, I clarified that the Pu source is mainly from global fallout at present. The activity levels of Pu in the YRSA do far not cause a Pu toxicity to the downstream drinking water even the frozen soil begins to melt and release Pu to the Yellow River. However, since close-in fallout from Lop Nor where the Chinese nuclear tests were carried out during 1964-1980, high deposition and accumulation of Pu was observed in the Chinese soil cores through synthesizing an expanded Pu dataset, which alerts us it is necessary to further monitor the Pu activity levels in the YRSA soil cores to ensure the safety of downstream drinking water. Finally, I point out that information on Pu isotopes would help in establishing a baseline for future environmental risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- Institute of Marine Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
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Men W, Zheng J, Wang H, Ni Y, Kumamoto Y, Yamada M, Uchida S. Pu isotopes in the seawater off Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant site within two months after the severe nuclear accident. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 246:303-310. [PMID: 30557804 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The marine environment is complex, and it is desirable to have measurements for seawater samples collected at the early stage after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident to determine the impact of Fukushima-derived radionuclides on this environment. Here Pu isotopes in seawater collected 33-163 km from the FDNPP site at the very early stage after the accident were determined (May 2011, within two months after the accident). The distribution and temporal variation of 239Pu and 240Pu were studied. The results indicated that both 239+240Pu activity concentrations (from 0.81 ± 0.16 to 11.18 ± 1.28 mBq/m3) and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (from 0.216 ± 0.032 to 0.308 ± 0.036) in these seawater samples were within the corresponding background ranges before the accident, and this suggested that Fukushima-derived Pu isotopes, if any, were in too limited amount to be distinguished from the background level in the seawater. The analysis of Pu isotopic composition indicated that the major sources of Pu in the seawater after the accident were still global fallout and the Pacific Proving Ground close-in fallout. The contribution analysis showed that the contributions of the Pacific Proving Ground close-in fallout in the water column of the study area ranged from 26% to 77% with the average being 48%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Men
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Marine Isotopic Technology and Environmental Risk Assessment, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, 184 Daxue Road, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Hai Wang
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan; School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Youyi Ni
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Kumamoto
- Research and Development Center for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Yamada
- Department of Radiation Chemistry, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
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21
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Ni Y, Wang Z, Zheng J, Tagami K, Guo Q, Uchida S, Tsukada H. The transfer of fallout plutonium from paddy soil to rice: A field study in Japan. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 196:22-28. [PMID: 30368198 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Reported transfer factor (TF) values of Pu from paddy soil to rice are rather scarce, despite the radiotoxicity of Pu and the irreplaceable role of rice in Asian peoples' diets. Here, we conducted a field study to investigate the transfer of global fallout Pu from paddy soil to rice grain (hulled rice) in Japan. The 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios in two rice grain samples out of 16 samples were determined and the ratios corresponded well with the global fallout value. The soil-to-rice TFPu in 12 Japanese prefectures ranged from 4.5 × 10-6 to 1.2 × 10-4 with a geometric mean of 3.3 × 10-5. The TFs of rice obtained in this study were compatible to the TFs for the broad heading "cereals" compiled in the IAEA Technical Report Series No. 472. Weak correlations were found between the TF and the investigated soil characteristics such as soil pH and loss on ignition. Regarding the TFs for cerium (Ce) and thorium (Th) which are commonly considered as Pu analogues, we observed no significant correlations between the log(TFPu) and log(TFCe) or log(TFPu) and log(TFTh). On the other hand, interestingly, a significantly positive correlation (r = 0.795, p < 0.001) was observed between log(TFPu) and log(TFU). In view of the observed similarity of TF values for U and Pu from soil to rice, we thought that using the easy-to-measure TFU to estimate TFPu from soil to rice might be suggested although the mechanism was unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youyi Ni
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan; State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhongtang Wang
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Keiko Tagami
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Qiuju Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Tsukada
- Institute of Environmental Radioecology, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima, 960-1296, Japan
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22
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Wu J. Sources and scavenging of plutonium in the East China Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 135:808-818. [PMID: 30301101 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio and 239+240Pu activity of seawater in the East China Sea (ECS) was measured in order to examine the Pu sources and elaborate Pu scavenging process. High 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (0.187-0.243, average = 0.221 ± 0.017) in the surface water and water column were observed during 2011, implying of non-global fallout Pu sources. The distribution of 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio in the ECS was in agreement with the introduction pathway of the Kuroshio, showing a decreasing trend away from the outer shelf. An even higher 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios (0.243-0.263, average = 0.253 ± 0.007) were observed in the Kuroshio, indicating the non-global fallout Pu signal from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG). Using a two end-member mixing model, the Pu source from the PPG contribution was calculated to be 36 ± 9% in the ECS seawater. The 239+240Pu activities of surface seawater were in the range of 2.00-2.95 mBq m-3 in the ECS. The spatial distribution of 239+240Pu activity in the surface seawater showed an increasing trend from the outer shelf to the nearshore. Moreover, 239+240Pu inventory of water column at the station DH23 in the ECS was calculated to be ~0.29 Bq m-2, which was 1-3 orders of magnitude lower than the estimates of sediment cores in the ECS shelf (9-407 Bq m-2). Such differences were determined by the high degree Pu scavenging efficiency in the ECS and high Pu input carried by terrestrial sediments from the Yangtze River. Finally, both 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios and 239+240Pu activities were identical before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident (FNA), suggesting that the impact of the FNA on the ECS was negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- Institute of Marine Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, China.
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23
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Thakur P, Ward AL. 241Pu in the environment: insight into the understudied isotope of plutonium. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5946-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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24
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Rapid determination of Pu isotopes for decommission concrete samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5756-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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25
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Qiao J, Lagerkvist P, Rodushkin I, Salminen-Paatero S, Roos P, Lierhagen S, Jensen KA, Engstrom E, Lahaye Y, Skipperud L. On the application of ICP-MS techniques for measuring uranium and plutonium: a Nordic inter-laboratory comparison exercise. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5697-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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26
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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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27
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Wu J, Dai M, Xu Y, Zheng J. Sources and accumulation of plutonium in a large Western Pacific marginal sea: The South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:200-211. [PMID: 28803197 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In order to examine the sources of plutonium (Pu) and elaborate its scavenging and accumulation processes, 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios and 239+240Pu activities in the water column of the South China Sea (SCS) were determined and compared with our previously reported data for the sediments. Consistently high 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios that ranged from 0.184-0.250 (average=0.228±0.015), indicative of non-global fallout Pu sources were observed both in the surface water and at depth during 2012-2014. The spatial distribution of the 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio in the SCS showed a decreasing trend away from the Luzon Strait, which was very consistent with the introduction pathway of the Kuroshio Current. The Kuroshio had an even heavier Pu isotopic ratio ranging from 0.250-0.263 (average=0.255±0.006), traceable to the non-global fallout Pu signature from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG). Using a simple two end-member mixing model, we further revealed that this PPG source contributed 41±17% of the Pu in the SCS water column. The 239+240Pu activities in the SCS surface seawater varied from 1.59 to 2.94mBqm-3, with an average of 2.34±0.38mBqm-3. Such an activity level was ~40% higher than that in the Kuroshio. The distribution of 239+240Pu in the surface seawater further showed a general trend of increase from the Kuroshio to the SCS basin, suggesting significant accumulation of Pu within the SCS. The 239+240Pu inventory of the water column in the SCS basin at the SEATS station with a total depth of ~3840m was estimated to be ~29Bqm-2, which was substantially higher than the sediment core estimates made for the SCS basin (3.75Bqm-2) but much lower than the sediment core estimates made for the shelf of the northern SCS (365.6Bqm-2). Such differences were determined by the lower scavenging efficiency of Pu in the SCS basin compared to the northern SCS shelf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Minhan Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Yi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 491 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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Zhang K, Pan S, Liu Z, Li G, Xu Y, Hao Y. Vertical distributions and source identification of the radionuclides 239Pu and 240Pu in the sediments of the Liao River estuary, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 181:78-84. [PMID: 29107833 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Activity concentration of plutonium (Pu) and its isotopic compositions are extensively used for measuring transport processes of Pu and identifying its source. We investigated the spatial distribution characteristics of 239+240Pu activity concentrations and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio in several sediment cores collected from the Liao River coastal zone. Additionally, we calculated the 239+240Pu inventories and based on the 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio to trace Pu source. The activity concentrations of 239+240Pu in surface sediments of the Liao River estuary ranged between 0.103 ± 0.008 and 0.978 ± 0.035 mBq/g, with an average of 0.294 ± 0.024 mBq/g. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios, ranging from 0.173 ± 0.047 to 0.215 ± 0.061 (mean: 0.188 ± 0.049 (1σ)), were consistent with global fallout value, which indicates the global atmospheric fallout is the main source of Pu in sediment cores from the both sides of Liao River estuary. As for the tidal flat core LT-2, the mean 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio, slightly higher than that of the global fallout value, was 0.217 ± 0.050. Such pattern of Pu isotopic compositions indicated that Pu on the tidal flat in the Liao River estuary is sourced from a combination of global fallout and close-in fallout from the PPG by ocean currents transporting. And by using a two end-member mixing model, the results indicate the relative contribution of the PPG close-in fallout to core LT-2 is round 27% and 73% can be attributed to global fallout and river input. Therefore, these results clearly indicate that the direct global fallout is the main source of Pu in the Liao River estuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Coastal and Island Development of Ministry of Education, School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Shaoming Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Coastal and Island Development of Ministry of Education, School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Guosheng Li
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yihong Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Coastal and Island Development of Ministry of Education, School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yongpei Hao
- The Key Laboratory of Coastal and Island Development of Ministry of Education, School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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29
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Development and application of mass spectrometric techniques for ultra-trace determination of 236U in environmental samples-A review. Anal Chim Acta 2017; 995:1-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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30
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Determination of Pu isotopes in sediment and soil samples by SF-ICP-MS: an improved anion-exchange procedure for Pu separation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-017-5618-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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31
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Lee H, Chen SC, Kim C, Westenburg E, Moon SI, Pui DY. Evaluation of concentration measurement techniques of colloidal nanoparticles for microfiltration and ultrafiltration applications: Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, nanoparticle tracking analysis and electrospray-scanning mobility particle sizer. Sep Purif Technol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2017.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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32
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Wang Z, Zheng J, Ni Y, Men W, Tagami K, Uchida S. High-Performance Method for Determination of Pu Isotopes in Soil and Sediment Samples by Sector Field-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2017; 89:2221-2226. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b04975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongtang Wang
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Youyi Ni
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
- State
Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wu Men
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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Bu W, Guo Q, Zheng J, Uchida S. Plutonium concentration and 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratio in the surface soils from the Jiuquan region in northwestern China. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-016-5002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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34
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Wang Z, Zheng J, Cao L, Tagami K, Uchida S. Method for Ultratrace Level 241Am Determination in Large Soil Samples by Sector Field-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry: With Emphasis on the Removal of Spectral Interferences and Matrix Effect. Anal Chem 2016; 88:7387-94. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b01934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongtang Wang
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Liguo Cao
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
- School
of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Biospheric
Assessment for Waste Disposal Team, National Institute of Radiological
Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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35
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Cao L, Zheng J, Tsukada H, Pan S, Wang Z, Tagami K, Uchida S. Simultaneous determination of radiocesium ((135)Cs, (137)Cs) and plutonium ((239)Pu, (240)Pu) isotopes in river suspended particles by ICP-MS/MS and SF-ICP-MS. Talanta 2016; 159:55-63. [PMID: 27474279 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Due to radioisotope releases in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, long-term monitoring of radiocesium ((135)Cs and (137)Cs) and Pu isotopes ((239)Pu and (240)Pu) in river suspended particles is necessary to study the transport and fate of these long-lived radioisotopes in the land-ocean system. However, it is expensive and technically difficult to collect samples of suspended particles from river and ocean. Thus, simultaneous determination of multi-radionuclides remains as a challenging topic. In this study, for the first time, we report an analytical method for simultaneous determination of radiocesium and Pu isotopes in suspended particles with small sample size (1-2g). Radiocesium and Pu were sequentially pre-concentrated using ammonium molybdophosphate and ferric hydroxide co-precipitation, respectively. After the two-stage ion-exchange chromatography separation from the matrix elements, radiocesium and Pu isotopes were finally determined by ICP-MS/MS and SF-ICP-MS, respectively. The interfering elements of U ((238)U(1)H(+) and (238)U(2)H(+) for (239)Pu and (240)Pu, respectively) and Ba ((135)Ba(+) and (137)Ba(+) for (135)Cs and (137)Cs, respectively) were sufficiently removed with the decontamination factors of 1-8×10(6) and 1×10(4), respectively, with the developed method. Soil reference materials were utilized for method validation, and the obtained (135)Cs/(137)Cs and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios, and (239+240)Pu activities showed a good agreement with the certified/information values. In addition, the developed method was applied to analyze radiocesium and Pu in the suspended particles of land water samples collected from Fukushima Prefecture after the FDNPP accident. The (135)Cs/(137)Cs atom ratios (0.329-0.391) and (137)Cs activities (23.4-152Bq/g) suggested radiocesium contamination of the suspended particles mainly originated from the accident-released radioactive contaminates, while similar Pu contamination of suspended particles caused by the accident could be neglected as the (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (0.182-0.208) were within the range of global fallout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liguo Cao
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Hirofumi Tsukada
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima-City 960-1296, Japan
| | - Shaoming Pan
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhongtang Wang
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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36
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Determination of isotopic ratios of plutonium and uranium in soil samples by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-015-4551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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37
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Bu W, Ni Y, Guo Q, Zheng J, Uchida S. Pu isotopes in soils collected downwind from Lop Nor: regional fallout vs. global fallout. Sci Rep 2015; 5:12262. [PMID: 26184740 PMCID: PMC4505309 DOI: 10.1038/srep12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
For the first time, soil core samples from the Jiuquan region have been analyzed for Pu isotopes for radioactive source identification and radiological assessment. The Jiuquan region is in downwind from the Lop Nor Chinese nuclear test (CNT) site. The high Pu inventories (13 to 546 Bq/m2) in most of the sampling locations revealed that this region was heterogeneously contaminated by the regional fallout Pu from the CNTs. The contributions of the CNTs to the total Pu in soils were estimated to be more than 40% in most cases. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the soils ranged from 0.059 to 0.186 with an inventory-weighted average of 0.158, slightly lower than that of global fallout. This atom ratio could be considered as a mixed fingerprint of Pu from the CNTs. In addition, Pu in soils of Jiuquan region had a faster downward migration rate compared with other investigated places in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Bu
- 1] State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China [2] Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Youyi Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qiuju Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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38
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Wang Z, Yang G, Zheng J, Cao L, Yu H, Zhu Y, Tagami K, Uchida S. Effect of Ashing Temperature on Accurate Determination of Plutonium in Soil Samples. Anal Chem 2015; 87:5511-5. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b01472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongtang Wang
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Guosheng Yang
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Liguo Cao
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
- School
of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Haijun Yu
- College of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Yanbei Zhu
- National
Metrology
Institute of Japan, AIST, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8563, Japan
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Research
Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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39
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Oikawa S, Watabe T, Takata H. Distributions of Pu isotopes in seawater and bottom sediments in the coast of the Japanese archipelago before and soon after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2015; 142:113-123. [PMID: 25659922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A radioactivity measurement survey was carried out from 24 April 2008 to 3 June 2011 to determine the levels of plutonium isotopes and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios in the marine environments off the sites of commercial nuclear power stations around the Japanese islands; the sampling period extended to two months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident. In our previous study (Oikawa et al., 2015), data on Pu isotopes and (241)Am in sediments have already been reported. In this study, we report those on Pu isotopes in seawater as well as sediments, and the characteristics of sediments in addition (e.g., ignition loss and biogenic opals). Concentrations of (239+240)Pu in seawater and bottom sediments remained nearly constant at all sampling locations during the survey period. In addition, no regional differences were observed in the (239+240)Pu concentrations in surface waters. Higher (239+240)Pu concentrations were found in bottom waters at deeper sampling locations, but the (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios were nearly constant regardless of the water depth. Higher (239+240)Pu concentrations were also found in bottom sediments at deeper sampling locations, but vice versa for (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios as reported in the previous report. The sediments samples from deeper locations showed the higher percentage of ignition loss as well as the higher content of biogenic opal. There was likely to be some driving force participating in the transfer of Pu isotopes associated with biogenic substances to the deeper seabed. The present survey showed that the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station did not contribute much to the inventory of Pu isotopes in the adjacent sea area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Oikawa
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku-machi, Isumu-gun, Chiba 299-5105, Japan
| | - Teruhisa Watabe
- Head Office, Marine Ecology Research Institute, Towa-Edogawabashi Bldg. 7F., 347 Yamabuki-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0801, Japan
| | - Hyoe Takata
- Central Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Institute, 300 Iwawada, Onjuku-machi, Isumu-gun, Chiba 299-5105, Japan.
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40
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Zheng J. Evaluation of a new sector-field ICP-MS with Jet Interface for ultra-trace determination of Pu isotopes: from femtogram to attogram levels. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.14494/jnrs.15.1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Zheng
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
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41
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Bu W, Zheng J, Aono T, Wu J, Tagami K, Uchida S, Guo Q, Yamada M. Pu Distribution in Seawater in the Near Coastal Area off Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.14494/jnrs.15.1_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W.T. Bu
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University
| | - J. Zheng
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
| | - T. Aono
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
| | - J.W. Wu
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environment Science, Xiamen University
| | - K. Tagami
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
| | - S. Uchida
- Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences
| | - Q.J. Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University
| | - M. Yamada
- Department of Radiation Chemistry, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University
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42
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Bu W, Zheng J, Guo Q, Uchida S. Vertical distribution and migration of global fallout Pu in forest soils in southwestern China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2014; 136:174-180. [PMID: 24963802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Soil samples collected in southwestern China were analyzed for Pu isotopes. The (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios were around 0.18, which indicated the dominant source of global fallout. Consistent sub-surface maximums followed by exponential decline of (239+240)Pu activities in the soil cores were observed. Most of the Pu has still remained in the 0-10 cm layers since its deposition. Convection velocities and dispersion coefficients for Pu migration in the soils were estimated by the convection-dispersion equation (CDE) model. The effective convection velocities and effective dispersion coefficients ranged from 0.05 to 0.11 cm/y and from 0.06 to 0.29 cm(2)/y, respectively. Other factors that control the vertical migration of Pu in soil besides precipitation, soil particle size distribution and organic matter were suggested. Long-term migration behaviors of Pu in the soils were simulated. The results provide the Pu background baseline for further environmental monitoring and source identification of non-global fallout Pu inputs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Research Center of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- Research Center of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Qiuju Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Research Center of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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43
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Bu W, Zheng J, Guo Q, Aono T, Otosaka S, Tagami K, Uchida S. Temporal distribution of plutonium isotopes in marine sediments off Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-014-3437-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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44
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Bu W, Fukuda M, Zheng J, Aono T, Ishimaru T, Kanda J, Yang G, Tagami K, Uchida S, Guo Q, Yamada M. Release of Pu isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident to the marine environment was negligible. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:9070-9078. [PMID: 25050458 DOI: 10.1021/es502480y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric deposition of Pu isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has been observed in the terrestrial environment around the FDNPP site; however, their deposition in the marine environment has not been studied. The possible contamination of Pu in the marine environment has attracted great scientific and public concern. To fully understand this possible contamination of Pu isotopes from the FDNPP accident to the marine environment, we collected marine sediment core samples within the 30 km zone around the FDNPP site in the western North Pacific about two years after the accident. Pu isotopes ((239)Pu, (240)Pu, and (241)Pu) and radiocesium isotopes ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in the samples were determined. The high activities of radiocesium and the (134)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratios with values around 1 (decay corrected to 15 March 2011) suggested that these samples were contaminated by the FDNPP accident-released radionuclides. However, the activities of (239+240)Pu and (241)Pu were low compared with the background level before the FDNPP accident. The Pu atom ratios ((240)Pu/(239)Pu and (241)Pu/(239)Pu) suggested that global fallout and the pacific proving ground (PPG) close-in fallout are the main sources for Pu contamination in the marine sediments. As Pu isotopes are particle-reactive and they can be easily incorporated with the marine sediments, we concluded that the release of Pu isotopes from the FDNPP accident to the marine environment was negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Bu
- Research Center of Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences , Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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45
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Steinhauser G. Fukushima's forgotten radionuclides: a review of the understudied radioactive emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:4649-4663. [PMID: 24754713 DOI: 10.1021/es405654c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In environmental monitoring campaigns for anthropogenic radionuclides released in the course of the Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), most focus had been on gamma-emitting radionuclides. More than 99% of the released activity was due to radionuclides of the elements Kr, Te, I, Xe, and Cs. However, little work had been done on the monitoring of radionuclides other than (131)I, (132)Te, (134)Cs, (136)Cs, and (137)Cs. Radionuclides such as those of less volatile elements (e.g., (89)Sr, (90)Sr, (103)Ru, (106)Ru, plutonium), pure beta-emitters ((3)H, (14)C, (35)S), gaseous radionuclides ((85)Kr, (133)Xe, (135)Xe) or radionuclides with very long half-lives (e.g., (36)Cl, (99)Tc, (129)I, some actinides such as (236)U) have been understudied by comparison. In this review, we summarize previous monitoring work on these "orphan" radionuclides in various environmental media and outline further challenges for future monitoring campaigns. Some of the understudied radionuclides are of radiological concern, others are promising tracers for environmental, geochemical processes such as oceanic mixing. Unfortunately, the shorter-lived nuclides of radioxenon, (103)Ru, (89)Sr and (35)S will no longer exhibit detectable activities in the environment. Activity concentrations of other radionuclides such as tritium, (14)C, or (85)Kr will become blurred in the significant background of previous releases (nuclear explosions and previous accidents). Isotope ratios such as (240)Pu/(239)Pu will allow for the identification of Fukushima plutonium despite the plutonium background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Steinhauser
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
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46
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Wu J, Zheng J, Dai M, Huh CA, Chen W, Tagami K, Uchida S. Isotopic composition and distribution of plutonium in northern South China Sea sediments revealed continuous release and transport of Pu from the Marshall Islands. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:3136-3144. [PMID: 24564849 DOI: 10.1021/es405363q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The (239+240)Pu activities and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios in sediments of the northern South China Sea and its adjacent Pearl River Estuary were determined to examine the spatial and temporal variations of Pu inputs. We clarified that Pu in the study area is sourced from a combination of global fallout and close-in fallout from the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands where above-ground nuclear weapons testing was carried out during the period of 1952-1958. The latter source dominated the Pu input in the 1950s, as evidenced by elevated (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (>0.30) in a dated sediment core. Even after the 1950s, the Pacific Proving Grounds was still a dominant Pu source due to continuous transport of remobilized Pu from the Marshall Islands, about 4500 km away, along the North Equatorial Current followed by the transport of the Kuroshio current and its extension into the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait. Using a simple two end-member mixing model, we have quantified the contributions of Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds to the northern South China Sea shelf and the Pearl River Estuary are 68% ± 1% and 30% ± 5%, respectively. This study also confirmed that there were no clear signals of Pu from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident impacting the South China Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University , Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P. R. China
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