129I in precipitation using a new TOF system for AMS measurements

Variations of 129I in the atmospheric fallout of Tokyo, Japan: 1963–2003

“…The iodine isotopic ratio in open areas that are far from nuclear facilities is usually on the order of 10 À9 to 10 À8 (Muramatsu et al, 2008;Parry, 2001). Although it is generally considered that elevated levels of 129 I found in the environment are the result of anthropogenic contributions through precipitation (Hou et al, 2002;Persson et al, 2007;Reithmeier et al, 2005Reithmeier et al, , 2010Snyder et al, 2010), there is almost no chronological information on the variation of atmospheric fallout of 129 I (Persson et al, 2007).…”

Retrospective measurements of airborne 129Iodine in Austria

“…For Sellafield (GB) 85% and La Hague (F) 97% of all discharges are in liquid form into Irish Sea and English Channel respectively (corresponding to ratios of 10 À6 ), while the reprocessing plant at Marcoule (F) emitted about 76% of 129 I in gaseous form (Michel et al, 2012;Hou et al, 2009a). The amount of gaseous 129 I releases from the French reprocessing facilities dropped in the late 1990s (Marcoule was decommissioned in 1997), so that the main source of gaseous 129 I releases is now located in Great Britain (Reithmeier et al, 2005(Reithmeier et al, , 2010. The main form of released iodine from these sources to the atmosphere is alkyl halide (Buraglio et al, 2001;Persson et al, 2007).…”

Estimation of 129I inventory in the oceans

“…Anthropogenic nuclear activities have caused up to several orders of magnitude increase in the 129 I concentration relative to the pre-nuclear era natural value (2 9 10 5 atoms/L [2,4,14]) in the oceans. Especially the high concentrations occur in the North Atlantic (including the North Sea and Nordic Seas) and the Arctic Oceans.…”

“…The pre-anthropogenic, post 1945, concentration of 129 I in the oceans, main reservoir of the isotope, is approximately 2 9 10 5 atoms/L [2,3]. This concentration value has increased rapidly since 1945 as a result of industrial nuclear activities, nuclear weapons tests and nuclear accidents [4,5].…”