The first use of 236 U in the general environment and near a shutdown nuclear power plant

Title: The first use of 236 U in the general environment and near a shutdown nuclear power plant

Author: Quinto, F. / Steier, P. / Wallner, G. / Wallner, A. / Srncik, M. / Bichler, M. / Kutschera, W. / (…) / Sabbarese, C.

Reference: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 67 (10), p.1775-1780, Oct 2009

DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.05.007

Keywords: AMS; Uranium isotopic ratios; ²³⁶U

Abstract: We present a first effort to investigate ²³⁶U in the environment near a shutdown nuclear power plant far away from highly contaminated sites, by using accelerator mass spectrometry. The detection limit of about 1 pg ²³⁶U allowed us to identify a minimal increase of the ²³⁶U/²³⁸U isotopic ratio correlated to a peak of ¹³⁷Cs in river sediments downstream of the nuclear power plant, and to detect anthropogenic ²³⁶U also upstream, where it is probably not related to the power plant but to global fallout. The ²³⁶U content shoved variations of the ²³⁶U/²³⁸U isotopic ratio in relation to the chemical–physical characteristics of the sediments. This demonstrates the potential of ²³⁶U as an environmental tracer, and as an indicator for releases from nuclear facilities.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969804309004072

前後へのリンク