Plutonium Isotopes ( ^239-241Pu) Dissolved in Pacific Ocean Waters Detected by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

Autor(en)

Karin Hain, Thomas Faestermann, Leticia Fimiani, Robin Golser, Jose Manuel Gomez-Guzman, Gunther Korschinek, Florian Kortmann, Christoph Lierse von Gostomski, Peter Ludwig, Peter Steier, Hirofumi Tazoe, Masatoshi Yamada

Abstrakt

The concentration of plutonium (Pu) and the isotopic ratios of Pu-240 to Pu-239 and Pu-241 to Pu-239 were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in Pacific Ocean water samples (20 L each) collected in late 2012. The isotopic Pu ratios are important indicators of different contamination sources and were used to identify a possible release of Pu into the ocean by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. In particular, Pu-241 is a well-suited indicator for a recent entry of Pu because Pu-241 from fallout of nuclear weapon testings has already significantly decayed. A total of 10 ocean water samples were prepared at the Radiochemie Munchen of the TUM and analyzed at the Vienna Environmental Research Laboratory (VERA). Several samples showed a slightly elevated Pu-240/Pu-239 ratio of up to 0.22 +/- 0.02 compared to global fallout (Pu-240/Pu-239 = 0.180 +/- 0.007), whereas all measured Pu-241-to-Pu-239 ratios were consistent with nuclear weapon fallout (Pu-241/Pu-239 < 2.4 X 10(-3)), which means that no impact from the Fukushima accident was detected. From the average Pu-241-to-Pu-239 ratio of 8(-2)(+3) X10(-4) at a sampling station located at a distance of 39.6 km to FDNPP, the 1-sigma upper limit for the FDNPP contribution to the Pu-239 inventory in the water column was estimated to be 0.2%. Pu, with the signature of weapon-grade Pu was found in a single sample collected around 770 km off the west coast of the United States.

Organisation(en)

Isotopenphysik

Externe Organisation(en)

Technische Universität München, Hirosaki University

Journal

Environmental Science & Technology

Band

51

Seiten

2031-2037

Anzahl der Seiten

7

ISSN

0013-936X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b05605

Publikationsdatum

02-2017

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103014 Kernphysik, 105904 Umweltforschung

Schlagwörter

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14 – Leben unter Wasser

Link zum Portal

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/de/publications/plutonium-isotopes--239241pu-dissolved-in-pacific-ocean-waters-detected-by-accelerator-mass-spectrometry(5d755024-4320-4145-b487-e6a2115d7875).html