Concentration and characterization of plutonium in soils of Hubei in central China

To study the Pu concentration and isotope ratio distributions present in China, the ^239+240Pu total activities and ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in core soil samples from Hubei Province in central China were investigated using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The activities ranged from 0.019 to 0.502 mBq g⁻¹ and the ^239+240Pu inventories of 45 and ∼55 Bq m⁻² agree well with that expected from global fallout. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in the soil ranged from 0.172 to 0.220. The ratios are similar to typical global fallout values. Hence, any close-in fallout contribution from the Chinese nuclear weapons tests, mainly conducted in the 1970s, must have either been negligible or had a similar ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratio to that of global fallout. The top 10 cm layer of the soil contributes ∼90% of the total inventory and the maximum concentrations appeared in the 2-4 cm or 4-6 cm layers. It is suggested that climatic conditions and organic content are the two main factors that affect the vertical migration of plutonium in soil.     

Characterization of plutonium in deep-sea sediments of the Sulu and South China Seas

Anthropogenic Pu isotopes are important geochemical tracers for sediment studies. Their distributions and sources in the water columns as well as the sediments of the North Pacific have been intensively studied; however, information about Pu in the Southeast Asian seas is limited. To study the isotopic composition of Pu, and thus to identify its sources, we collected sediment core samples in the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea during the KH-96-5 Cruise of the R/V Hakuho Maru. We analysed the activities of ^239+240Pu and the atom ratios of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu using isotope dilution sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS). The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in the sediments of both areas (inventory weighted mean: 0.251 for the South China Sea and 0.280 for the Sulu Sea) were higher than the global fallout value (0.178 ± 0.019), suggesting the existence of Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds in the North Pacific. Low inventories of ^239+240Pu in sediments were observed in the South China Sea (3.75 Bq/m²) and the Sulu Sea (1.38 Bq/m²). Most of the Pu input is still present in the water column. Scavenging and benthic mixing processes were considered to be the main processes controlling the distribution of Pu in the deep-sea sediments of both study areas.     

Depth profile of ²³⁶U/²³⁸U in soil samples in La Palma, Canary Islands

The vertical distribution of the ²³⁶U/²³⁸U isotopic ratio was investigated in soil samples from three different locations on La Palma (one of the seven Canary Islands, Spain). Additionally the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atomic ratio, as it is a well establish tool for the source identification, was determined. The radiochemical procedure consisted of a U separation step by extraction chromatography using UTEVA^® Resin (Eichrom Technologies, Inc.). Afterwards Pu was separated from Th and Np by anion exchange using Dowex 1x2 (Dow Chemical Co.). Furthermore a new chemical procedure with tandem columns to separate Pu and U from the matrix was tested. For the determination of the uranium and plutonium isotopes by alpha spectrometry thin sources were prepared by microprecipitation techniques. Additionally these fractions separated from the soil samples were measured by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) to get information on the isotopic ratios ²³⁶U/²³⁸U, ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu and ²³⁶U/²³⁹Pu, respectively. The ²³⁶U concentrations [atoms/g] in each surface layer (∼2 cm) were surprisingly high compared to deeper layers where values around two orders of magnitude smaller were found. Since the isotopic ratio ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu indicated a global fallout signature we assume the same origin as the probable source for ²³⁶U. Our measured ²³⁶U/²³⁹Pu value of around 0.2 is within the expected range for this contamination source.     

Plutonium isotopes concentration in seawater and bottom sediment off the Pacific coast of Aomori sea area during 1991-2005

A radioactivity survey was launched in 1991 to determine the background levels of ^239+240Pu in the marine environment off a commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant before full operation of the facility. Particular attention was focused on the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio in seawater and bottom sediment to identify the origins of Pu isotopes. The concentration of ^239+240Pu was almost uniform in surface water, decreasing slowly over time. Conversely, the ^239+240Pu concentration varied markedly in the bottom water and was dependent upon the sampling point, with higher concentrations of ^239+240Pu observed in the bottom water sample at sampling points having greater depth. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio in the seawater and sediment samples was higher than that of global fallout Pu, and comparable with the data in the other sea area around Japan which has likely been affected by close-in fallout Pu originating from the Pacific Proving Grounds. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio in bottom sediment samples decreased with sea depth. The land-originated Pu is not considered as the reason of the increasing ^239+240Pu concentration and also decreasing the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio with sea depth, and further study is required to clarify it.     

Cs, Pu concentrations and the Pu/Pu atom ratio in a sediment core from the sub-aqueous delta of Yangtze River estuary

A sediment core collected from the sub-aqueous delta of the Yangtze River estuary was subjected to analyses of ¹³⁷Cs and plutonium (Pu) isotopes. The ¹³⁷Cs was measured using γ-spectrometry at the laboratories at the Nanjing University and Pu isotopes were determined with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), measurements made at the Australian National University. The results show considerable structure in the depth concentration profiles of the ¹³⁷Cs and ^239+240Pu. The shape of the vertical ¹³⁷Cs distribution in the sediment core was similar to that of the Pu. The maximum ¹³⁷Cs and ^239+240Pu concentrations were 16.21 ± 0.95 mBq/g and 0.716 ± 0.030 mBq/g, respectively, and appear at same depth. The average ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio was 0.238 ± 0.007 in the sediment core, slightly higher than the average global fallout value. The changes in the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in the sediment core indicate the presence of at least two different Pu sources, i.e., global fallout and another source, most likely close-in fallout from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) in the Marshall Islands, and suggest the possibility that Pu isotopes are useful as a geochronological tool for coastal sediment studies. The ¹³⁷Cs and ^239+240Pu inventories were estimated to be 7100 ± 1200 Bq/m² and 407 ± 27 Bq/m², respectively. Approximately 40% of the ^239+240Pu inventory originated from the PPG close-in fallout and about 50% has derived from land-origin global fallout transported to the estuary by the river. This study confirms that AMS is a useful tool to measure ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio and can provide valuable information on sedimentary processes in the coastal environment.     

238U、239Pu在板岩和土壤中迁移速度的实验模拟

以西南某低放废物处置库地质环境中板岩和土壤介质为研究对象,开展了238U和239Pu核素在这两种地质介质中的动态迁移实验研究,通过氚穿透实验(地下水流速=1 mL.min-1、实验柱连续淋洗时间=180 d)得到氚在板岩中的弥散系数DL为0.027 cm2.min-1,弥散度αL为0.324 cm,在土壤中的弥散系数DL为0.064 cm.2min-1,弥散度αL为0.895 cm.通过淋滤实验(地下水流速=0.1 mL.h-1、实验柱连续淋洗时间=350 min),得到了238U在板岩和土壤介质中的迁移速度分别为6.1—8.1 cm.a-1和7.3—8.5 cm.a-1,239Pu在板岩和土壤介质中的迁移速度分别为4.1—6.1 cm.a-1和3.7—4.9 cm.a-1.     

239Pu在西南某地板岩与土壤中的吸附行为

以西南某极低放废物处置库预选场址地质环境中板岩与土壤为吸附介质,通过吸附实验和解吸实验,研究了不同介质粒径、环境温度(10℃—50℃)、水相pH(4—12)对239Pu核素在板岩与土壤介质中吸附行为的影响特征.吸附实验表明,水相环境中板岩和土壤介质对239Pu核素的吸附过程在10 d左右达到平衡,并且其吸附分配比随着介质粒径的减小而增大,随着水相pH值的增大而增大,但温度对其吸附的影响不明显.解吸实验表明板岩和土壤介质对239Pu核素的吸附是可逆的.     

中国表层土壤中239+240Pu的空间分布与变异性研究

为了解中国表层土壤中^239+240Pu比活度和²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu的范围、空间分布以及变异性,利用统计分析和数学模型的方法,定量分析了1991~2019年中国表层土壤^239+240Pu比活度和²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu的范围,空间分布以及产生空间变异性的原因.结果表明：中国表层土壤中²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu比值集中在0.18的概率为99%,全球大气核试验沉降是中国表层土壤中^239+240Pu的主要来源;表层土壤中^239+240Pu比活度处于低放射水平（£1Bq/kg的概率为94%）,西北和东北地区的表层土壤中^239+240Pu比活度有较高的空间变异性.^239+240Pu分布的空间变异性受到大气混合、冠层效应、土壤粒度、有机质和迁移（横向迁移和纵向迁移）的影响.同时,本文系统梳理了计算表层土壤中^239+240Pu空间变异的数学模型,为定量评估^239+240Pu的环境水平提供有效的方法.     

Determination of U, Pu and Am isotopes in Irish Sea sediment by a combination of AMS and radiometric methods

Samples from a marine sediment core from the Irish Sea (54.416 N, 3.563 W) were analyzed for the isotopic composition of uranium, plutonium and americium by a combination of radiometric methods and AMS. The radiochemical procedure consisted of a Pu separation step by anion exchange, subsequent U separation by extraction chromatography using UTEVA^® and finally Am separation with TRU^® Resin.Additionally to radiometric determination of these isotopes by alpha spectrometry, the separated samples were also used for the determination of ²³⁶U/²³⁸U and plutonium isotope ratios by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) at the VERA facility.     

239+240Pu作为湖泊沉积物计年时标:以云南程海为例

在近代沉积作用领域137Cs时标与210Pb计年结合,获得了广泛而有效的应用.然而,137Cs经过两个半衰期的衰变已难于辩识.环境中的Pu核素具有相对较长的半衰期,也随全球大气扩散而散落于地球表面,可望作为沉积计年的时间标志.通过程海沉积物柱芯中239+240Pu比活度、240Pu/239Pu原子比率及校正到沉积年代的...