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

F. Quinto; P. Steier; G. Wallner; A. Wallner; M. Srncik; M. Bichler; W. Kutschera; F. Terrasi; A. Petraglia; C. Sabbarese

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.05.007

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

F. Quinto^*, P. Steier, G. Wallner, A. Wallner, M. Srncik, M. Bichler, W. Kutschera, F. Terrasi, A. Petraglia, C. Sabbarese

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

46 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1775-1780
Number of pages	6
Journal	Applied Radiation and Isotopes
Volume	67
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.05.007
Publication status	Published - Oct 2009
Externally published	Yes

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10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.05.007

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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.",

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AU - Quinto, F.

AU - Steier, P.

AU - Wallner, G.

AU - Wallner, A.

AU - Srncik, M.

AU - Bichler, M.

AU - Kutschera, W.

AU - Terrasi, F.

AU - Petraglia, A.

AU - Sabbarese, C.

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AB - 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.

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

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