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

Agricultural recovery of a formerly radioactive area: II. Systematic proteomic characterization of flax seed development in the remediated Chernobyl area

Title: Agricultural recovery of a formerly radioactive area: II. Systematic proteomic characterization of flax seed development in the remediated Chernobyl area

Author: Katarína Klubicová, Maksym Danchenko, Ludovit Skultety, Valentyna V. Berezhna, Andrea Hricová, Namik M. Rashydov, Martin Hajduch

Reference: Journal of Proteomics, Volume 74, Issue 8, 12 August 2011, Pages 1378-1384

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2011.02.029

Keywords: Linum usitatissimum L; Flax; Proteomics; Protein profiles; Remediation; Chernobyl; Radiation; Mass spectrometry

Abstract: Molecular characterization of crop plants grown in remediated, formerly radioactive, areas could establish a framework for future agricultural use of these areas. Recently, we have established a quantitative reference map for mature flax seed proteins (Linum usitatissimum L.) harvested from a remediated plot in Chernobyl town. Herein we describe results from our ongoing studies of this subject, and provide a proteomics-based characterization of developing flax seeds harvested from same field. A quantitative approach, based on 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and tandem mass spectrometry, yielded expression profiles for 379 2-DE spots through seed development. Despite the paucity of genomic resources for flax, the identity for 102 proteins was reliably determined. These proteins were sorted into 11 metabolic functional classes. Proteins of unknown function comprise the largest group, and displayed a pattern of decreased abundance throughout seed development. Analysis of the composite expression profiles for metabolic protein classes revealed specific expression patterns during seed development. For example, there was an overall decrease in abundance of the glycolytic enzymes during seed development.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874391911000856

Resolving Chernobyl vs. global fallout contributions in soils from Poland using Plutonium atom ratios measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Keywords: Chernobyl; Contamination; Plutonium; Poland; Soils; Isotopic ratios; Inductively coupled plasma, mass spectrometry

Abstract: Plutonium in Polish forest soils and the Bór za Lasem peat bog is resolved between Chernobyl and global fallout contributions via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric measurements of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu and ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in previously prepared NdF₃ α spectrometric sources. Compared to global fallout, Chernobyl Pu exhibits higher abundances of ²⁴⁰Pu and ²⁴¹Pu. The ratios ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu and ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu co-vary and range from 0.186 to 0.348 and 0.0029 to 0.0412, respectively, in forest soils (²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu=0.2407×[²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu]−0.0413; r²=0.9924). Two-component mixing models are developed to ap portion ^239+240Pu and ²⁴¹Pu activities; various estimates of the percentage of Chernobyl-derived ^239+240Pu activity in forest soils range from <10% to >90% for the sample set. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu–²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio mixing line extrapolates to estimate ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu and the ²⁴¹Pu/^239+240Pu activity ratio for the Chernobyl source term (0.123±0.007; 83±5; 1 May 1986). Sample ²⁴¹Pu activities, calculated using existing alpha spectrometric ^239+240Pu activities, and the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu and ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios, agree relatively well with previous liquid scintillation spectrometry measurements. Chernobyl Pu is most evident in locations from northeastern Poland. The ²⁴¹Pu activities and/or the ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios are more sensitive than ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu or ²³⁸Pu/^239+240Pu activity ratios at detecting small Chernobyl ^239+240Pu inputs, found in southern Poland. The mass spectrometric data show that the ²⁴¹Pu activity is 40–62% Chernobyl-derived in southern Poland, and 58–96% Chernobyl in northeastern Poland. The Bór za Lasem peat bog (49.42° N, 19.75° E), located in the Orawsko-Nowotarska valley of southern Poland, consists of global fallout Pu.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X03002522