Plutonium, 90Sr and 241Am in human bones from southern and northeastern parts of Poland

Title: Plutonium, ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am in human bones from southern and northeastern parts of Poland

Author: Kamil Brudecki, Jerzy W. Mietelski, Robert Anczkiewicz, Edward B. Golec, Ewa Tomankiewicz,

Konstanty Kuźma, Paweł Zagrodzki, Joanna Golec, Sebastian Nowak, Elżbieta Szczygieł, Zbigniew Dudkiewicz

Reference: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Volume 299, Issue 3 , pp 1379-1388

DOI: 10.1007/s10967-013-2850-y

Keywords: Plutonium, Americium, Strontium, Chernobyl, Mass spectrometry, Pu isotopic ratios, Human bones

Abstract: The paper presents the results of our study on ²³⁸Pu, ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, ²⁴¹Am and ⁹⁰Sr concentration in human bones carried out on a set of 88 individual samples of central Europe origin. Bone tissue samples were retrieved under surgery while introducing hip joint implants. The conducted surgeries tend to cover either southern or northeastern parts of Poland. While for the southern samples only global fallout was expected to be seen, a mixed global and Chernobyl fallout were to be reflected in the others. Alpha spectrometry was applied to obtain activity concentration for ²³⁸Pu, ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, while liquid scintillation spectrometry for ⁹⁰Sr and mass spectrometry to receive ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu mass ratio. Surprisingly enough, and to the contrary to our expectations we could not see any significant differences in either Pu activity or Pu mass ratio between the studied populations. In both populations Chernobyl fraction proved marginal. The results on ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am confirm similarities between the two examined groups.

ＵＲＬ：http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10967-013-2850-y

Evaluation and prediction of radiation-ecological state of the natural environment in the area of the Chernobyl contamination: the case of the Bryansk region.

Title: Evaluation and prediction of radiation-ecological state of the natural environment in the area of the Chernobyl contamination: the case of the Bryansk region.

Author: Starodubov, Alexey Valeryevich

Reference: Moscow, 2007

Keywords: area of long-term radioactive contamination, Bryansk region, safe living conditions, population, prediction, natural environment, plutonium, americium, cesium, strontium

Abstract: The main objective of the work is to establish a scientific and methodological framework for assessing and predicting the radiation situation in the area of long-term radioactive contamination by the fragmentation fission products and trans-uranic elements of Chernobyl genesis (for example, the south-western part of the Bryansk region) necessary to ensure safe living conditions of the population and planning household activity.

URL:http://www.dissercat.com/content/otsenka-i-prognozirovanie-radiatsionno-ekologicheskogo-sostoyaniya-prirodnoi-sredy-v-zone-ch

A prognostic estimation of the area contaminated with alpha-emitting transuranium isotopes in Belarus following the Chernobyl accident

Title: A prognostic estimation of the area contaminated with alpha-emitting transuranium isotopes in Belarus following the Chernobyl accident

Author: V.A. Knatko, V.D. Asimova, A.E. Yanush, Yu.N. Golikov, I.I. Ivashkevich, L.A. Kouzmina, Yu.I. Bondar

Reference: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Volume 83, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 49-59

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2004.07.005

Keywords:Chernobyl accident;^238,239,240Pu and ²⁴¹Am;Belarus

Abstract: As a result of the Chernobyl accident, some regions of Belarus have been contaminated with the plutonium isotopes ^{238,239,240,241}Pu. Considering the importance of the environmental impact of the alpha-emitting radionuclides we have carried out a prognostic estimation of the area contaminated with ^238,239,240Pu and ²⁴¹Am (the latter being a decay product of ²⁴¹Pu) in Belarus. The calculations were made using measurements of ^238,239,240Pu activity concentrations in soil samples from about 600 settlements in the affected region, together with the estimated activity ratio A(²⁴¹Am)/A(^238,239,240Pu). The area contaminated with alpha-emitting transuranium isotopes predicted for the year 2006 has been compared with that estimated for 1986.The results show that by 2006, the area of inhabited districts where contamination with ^238,239,240Pu and ²⁴¹Am exceeds the threshold level of 740 Bq/m², will be 3.7 times larger, reaching approximately 3.5 × 10³ km². Of this, almost 20% will have a contamination level of 1850–3700 Bq/m².

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X05000640

Deposition of artificial radionuclides from atmospheric Nuclear Weapon Tests estimated by soil inventories in French areas low-impacted by Chernobyl

Title: Deposition of artificial radionuclides from atmospheric Nuclear Weapon Tests estimated by soil inventories in French areas low-impacted by Chernobyl

Author: Le Roux, Gaël / Duffa, Céline / Vray, Françoise / Renaud, Philippe

Reference: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 101 (3), p.211-218, Mar 2010

doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.10.010

Keywords: Atmospheric deposition; ¹³⁷Cs; Plutonium; Americium; Nuclear Weapon Tests; France

Abstract: Soil inventories of anthropogenic radionuclides were investigated in altitudinal transects in 2 French regions, Savoie and Montagne Noire. Rain was negligible in these 2 areas the days after the Chernobyl accident. Thus anthropogenic radionuclides are coming hypothetically only from Global Fallout following Atmospheric Nuclear Weapon Tests. This is confirmed by the isotopic signatures (²³⁸Pu/^239+240Pu; ¹³⁷Cs/^239+240Pu; and ²⁴¹Am/^239+240Pu) close to Global Fallout value. In Savoie, a peat core age-dated by ²¹⁰Pb_ex confirmed that the main part of deposition of anthropogenic radionuclides occurred during the late sixties and the early seventies. In agreement with previous studies, the anthropogenic radionuclide inventories are well correlated with the annual precipitations. However, this is the first time that a study investigates such a large panel of annual precipitation and therefore of anthropogenic radionuclide deposition. It seems that at high-altitude sites, deposition of artificial radionuclides was higher possibly due to orographic precipitations.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X09002434

ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIONUCLIDE COMPOSITION OF “HOT PARTICLES” SAMPLED IN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOURTH REACTOR UNIT

Title: ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIONUCLIDE COMPOSITION OF “HOT PARTICLES” SAMPLED IN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOURTH REACTOR UNIT

Author: Farfan, E. / Jannik, T. / Marra, J.

Reference: HEALTH PHYSICS JOURNAL, Oct 2011

Keywords: 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; AMERICIUM; BURNUP; CESIUM; CESIUM ISOTOPES; CONFINEMENT; CURIUM; EUROPIUM; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PLUTONIUM; RADIOISOTOPES; SHELTERS

Abstract: Fuel-containing materials sampled from within the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) 4th Reactor Unit Confinement Shelter were spectroscopically studied for gamma and alpha content. Isotopic ratios for cesium, europium, plutonium, americium, and curium were identified and the fuel burnup in these samples was determined. A systematic deviation in the burnup values based on the cesium isotopes, in comparison with other radionuclides, was observed. The conducted studies were the first ever performed to demonstrate the presence of significant quantities of {sup 242}Cm and {sup 243}Cm. It was determined that there was a systematic underestimation of activities of transuranic radionuclides in fuel samples from inside of the ChNPP Confinement Shelter, starting from {sup 241}Am (and going higher), in comparison with the theoretical calculations.

URL: http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.biblio.jsp?query_id=2&page=0&osti_id=1024191