Title: Study on the rate of plutonium vertical migration in various soil types of Lublin region (Eastern Poland)
Author: Jolanta Orzeł, Andrzej Komosa
Reference: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, January 2014, Volume 299, Issue 1, pp 643-649
DOI: 10.1007/s10967-013-2774-6
Keywords: Plutonium isotopes, Alpha spectrometry, Migration rate, Soil profile
Abstract: Soil contamination level with 239+240Pu of Lublin region was determined using the alpha spectrometric method. Results were compared with similar data from the study performed 15 year earlier. Decrease in total 239+240Pu concentration and reducing quantity of Chernobyl fraction (up to almost negligible value of 1 %) has been observed in upper soil layer. Determination of 239+240Pu concentration in soil profile layers allows calculating a vertical migration velocity of plutonium applying a compartment migration model. It was found that 239+240Pu migration rate varies depending on soil type from 0.29 cm year−1 in Podsols to 0.58 cm year−1 in Fluvisols with mean value of 0.5 cm year−1.
ＵＲＬ：http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10967-013-2774-6
Title: Determination of plutonium from different sources in environmental samples using alpha-spectrometry and AMS
Author: Bisinger, T. ; Hippler, S. ; Michel, R. ; Wacker, L.; Synal, H.-A.
Reference: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research, Section B (Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms) April 2010, vol.268, no.7-8, pp. 1269-72.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2009.10.150
Keywords: Plutonium; Chernobyl; Fallout; AMS; Alpha-spectrometry
Abstract: A reliable and sensitive method for the determination of plutonium in environmental samples by a combined use of alpha-spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is presented. Different environmental samples contaminated with plutonium from the Chernobyl accident and other sources were investigated using both methods. Plutonium was chemically separated using extraction chromatography. As a chemical yield tracer, 242Pu was applied for both AMS and alpha-spectrometry. After the alpha-spectrometric measurements, the samples were converted to targets suitable for the AMS measurements. AMS was especially chosen in addition to alpha-spectrometry, because it allows the determination of 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratios as well as detecting the beta-emitting radionuclide 241Pu. Besides the generally used activity ratios of 238Pu/239,240Pu, there are now further optional isotopic ratios available using this method. By combining AMS with alpha-spectrometry, all relevant plutonium isotopes can be measured. Thereby a reliable distinction of different sources of plutonium in the environment is possible.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X09011999
