Abstract
Intertidal coastal and estuarine sediments from 24 sites in the Irish Sea have been analyzed for99Tc,237Np,238Pu,239,240Pu and241Am. The237Np activity and239Pu/240Pu ratio were measured simultaneously by ICP-MS, and99Tc was determined by HR-ICP-MS which is ten times more sensitive than Q-ICP-MS.
The activities of99Tc,237Np,239,240Pu and241Am were distributed over a wide range of 1.5–70.5, 0.01–13.3, 2.3–1589, 2.6–1894 Bq/kg, respectively. Activities of these radionuclides decreased exponentially with distance from the Sellafield source. The241Am/239,240Pu and237Np/239,240Pu ratios were almost constant with distance from the Sellafield. This result suggests that the distribution and behavior of Np and Pu are controlled by complicated factors such as the influence of transport, the variation with time of Np/Pu ratio in the Sellafield discharges and sedimentary mixing processes in the Irish Sea.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E. HOLM, J. RIOSECO, M. GARCIA-LEON, Nucl. Instr. Methods Phys. Res., 223 (1984) 204.
S. CATEARIN, L. DORETTI, U. MAZZI, Health Phys., 49 (1985) 795.
M. YAMAMOTO, K. CHATANI, K. KOMURA, K. UENO, Radiochim. Acta, 47 (1989) 63.
C. K. KIM, Y. TAKAKU, M. YAMAMOTO, H. KAWAMURA, K. SHIRAISHI, Y. IGARASHI, S. IGARASHI, H. TAKAYAMA, N. IKEDA, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., Articles, 132 (1989) 131.
C. K. KIM, Y. OURA, Y. TAKAKU, H. NITTA, Y. IGARASHI, N. IKEDA, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., Letters, 136 (1989) 353.
S. R. ASTON, D. A. TANNERS, Nature, 289 (1981) 581.
S. R. ASTON, D. J. ASSINDER, M. KELLY, Est. Coast. Shel. Sci., 20 (1985) 761.
C. K. KIM, R. SEKI, S. MORITA, S. YAMASAKI, A. TSUMURA, Y. TAKAKU, Y. IGARASHI, M. YAMAMOTO, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., (to be published).
American Institute of Physics Handbook 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, 1972.
P. W. KREY, M. HEIT, H. D. LIVINGSTON, K. M. MILLER, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., Articles, 138 (1990) 385.
D. M. NELSON, M. B. LOVETT, Nature, 276 (1978) 599.
K. A. ORLANDINI, W. R. PENROSE, D. M. NELSON, Mar. Chem., 18 (1986) 49.
P. J. BURTON, UKAEA, Harwell, AERE-R 11623, 1985.
P. GERMAIN, R. GANDON, M. MASSON, P. GUEGUENIAT, J. Environ. Radioactivity, 5 (1987) 37.
British Nuclear Fuels Limited (1979–1988), “Annual Report on Radioactive Dischanges and Monitoring of the Environment, 1979–1988”, Health Saf. Dir. Rsley, Warrington, Cheshire, England.
V. E. NOSHKIN, Health Phys., 22 (1972) 537.
W. R. SCHELL, R. L. WATTERS, Health Phys., 29 (1975) 589.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kim, C.K., Morita, S., Seki, R. et al. Distribution and behaviour of99Tc,237Np,239,240Pu, and241Am in the coastal and estuarine sediments of the Irish Sea. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 156, 201–213 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037434
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037434