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CHEMICAL PARTITIONING OF PLUTONIUM AND AMERICIUM IN SEDIMENTS FROM THE THULE REGION (GREENLAND) E. Holm, J. Gastaud, B. Oregioni IAEA International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity Oceanographic Museum Monaco and A. Aarkrog, H. Dahlgaard Risa National Laboratory Roskilde Denmark and J.N. Smith Fisheries and Oceans Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth Canada ABSTRACT Chemical partitioning of plutonium and americium was studied by sequential leaching of sediments collected at about 200 m depth in 1968 and 1984 in the vicinity of the point of impact of an accidental loss of a nuclear device near Thule, Greenland, in January 1968. The fractions separated and determined were exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to Fe/Mn oxides, bound to organic matter-sulfides and residual. Radiochemical determinations of total samples showed a considerable inhomogeneity due to the presence of hot particles. These hot particles were associated with the residual fraction. The distribution of plutonium between the different phases did not change significantly between 1968 and 1984. Americium showed a greater tendancy to be associated with the exchangeable, carbonate and Fe/Mn oxide fractions than did plutonium. Americium built up in situ from the decay of 241 Pu is mainly found in the residual fractions.
DOI link for CHEMICAL PARTITIONING OF PLUTONIUM AND AMERICIUM IN SEDIMENTS FROM THE THULE REGION (GREENLAND) E. Holm, J. Gastaud, B. Oregioni IAEA International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity Oceanographic Museum Monaco and A. Aarkrog, H. Dahlgaard Risa National Laboratory Roskilde Denmark and J.N. Smith Fisheries and Oceans Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth Canada ABSTRACT Chemical partitioning of plutonium and americium was studied by sequential leaching of sediments collected at about 200 m depth in 1968 and 1984 in the vicinity of the point of impact of an accidental loss of a nuclear device near Thule, Greenland, in January 1968. The fractions separated and determined were exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to Fe/Mn oxides, bound to organic matter-sulfides and residual. Radiochemical determinations of total samples showed a considerable inhomogeneity due to the presence of hot particles. These hot particles were associated with the residual fraction. The distribution of plutonium between the different phases did not change significantly between 1968 and 1984. Americium showed a greater tendancy to be associated with the exchangeable, carbonate and Fe/Mn oxide fractions than did plutonium. Americium built up in situ from the decay of 241 Pu is mainly found in the residual fractions.
CHEMICAL PARTITIONING OF PLUTONIUM AND AMERICIUM IN SEDIMENTS FROM THE THULE REGION (GREENLAND) E. Holm, J. Gastaud, B. Oregioni IAEA International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity Oceanographic Museum Monaco and A. Aarkrog, H. Dahlgaard Risa National Laboratory Roskilde Denmark and J.N. Smith Fisheries and Oceans Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth Canada ABSTRACT Chemical partitioning of plutonium and americium was studied by sequential leaching of sediments collected at about 200 m depth in 1968 and 1984 in the vicinity of the point of impact of an accidental loss of a nuclear device near Thule, Greenland, in January 1968. The fractions separated and determined were exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to Fe/Mn oxides, bound to organic matter-sulfides and residual. Radiochemical determinations of total samples showed a considerable inhomogeneity due to the presence of hot particles. These hot particles were associated with the residual fraction. The distribution of plutonium between the different phases did not change significantly between 1968 and 1984. Americium showed a greater tendancy to be associated with the exchangeable, carbonate and Fe/Mn oxide fractions than did plutonium. Americium built up in situ from the decay of 241 Pu is mainly found in the residual fractions.
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