The first nuclear explosion test, named the Trinity test, was conducted on July 16, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico. In the tremendous heat of the explosion, the radioactive debris fused with the local soil into a glassy material named Trinitite. Selected Trinitite samples from ground zero (GZ) of the test site were investigated in detail for radioactivity. The techniques used included a spectrometry, high-efficiency g-ray spectrometry, and low-background b counting, following the radiochemistry for selected radionuclides. Specific activities were determined for fission products ( 232 Th, 238 U) and their progeny were measured. The determined specific activities of radionuclides and their relationships are interpreted in the context of the fission process, chemical behavior of the elements, as well as the nuclear explosion phenomenology.

Zeolite cracking catalysts used by petroleum refineries were analyzed for 38 elements. Concentration patterns of rare earth elements (REEs) in 10 zeolite catalysts show an enhancement of light REEs relative to the crustal abundance pattern, resembling those measured in refineries emissions. Release of zeolite catalyst material from fluidized catalytic crackers and incorporation of zeolite catalysts into refined oil provide new atmospheric elemental signatures for tracing emissions from refineries and oil-fired power plants, respectively. Though both have enhanced La/REE ratios, emissions from these two sources can be distinguished by their La/V ratios. Three-way catalytic converters of newer automobiles contain REEs and may, thus, be a significant source in some cities.

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Over 30 fuel oils used for power generation in 1980 and 1988 were analyzed for 30 elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis to determine concentration patterns useful in source apportionment. The generally more viscous #6 oils contained higher concentrations of most elements than the more refined #4 and #2 fuel oils for both years. Results indicate that, while many elements in the fuel oils have decreased in concentration during this time, the rare-earth elements (REEs) have remained steady, apparently owing to the continued use of REE-containing catalysts for petroleum refining. Because the fuel oils contained similar REE enrichments and ratios as observed in cracking catalysts and emissions from refineries and oil combustion, their REE signatures are applicable to receptor modeling. Much lower trace-element concentrations were observed in current unleaded gasolines and the REEs appear depleted. So 4 0.22 1.08 0.35 ' 0,75 0.88 0.44 109 0,98 108 0.22 0.16 0.2S 10 U 4.2 2.4 17 16 0,839 O03S Cr 3 29 98 75 93 88 §7 152 138 141 67 49 78 41 102 129 01 89 89 31 U Fe a 1700 7880 3650 4800 5710 5240 9720 mm 9090 1710 1380 1390 1380 4000 4290 2070 3130 3340 308 88

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