241Pu in the environment: insight into the understudied isotope of plutonium

Thakur, P.; Ward, Anderson L.

doi:10.1007/s10967-018-5946-6

Cited by 19 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…Despite being considered a relatively rare artificial radionuclide, 241 Am has been reported several times in the environment though at lower concentrations in comparison to the results presented here (Shabana & Al-Shammari, 2001). Its occurrence is mostly related to nuclear test explosions and its environmental activity is increasing, owing the decay of its parent nuclide 241 Pu (Thakur & Ward, 2018). The distribution of 137 Cs in cryoconite resembles what observed for 207 Bi and 241 Am, with the highest activity being found in "ice surface" cryoconite, with a mean value exceeding 1,000 Bq kg -1 .…”

Section: Anthropogenic Radionuclidesmentioning

confidence: 61%

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics: Insights from the Morteratsch glacier (Swiss Alps)

Baccolo

Nastasi

Massabò

et al. 2020

CATENA

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Cryoconite, a sediment found on the surface of glaciers, is known for its ability to accumulate radionuclides. New data on cryoconite from the Morteratsch glacier (Switzerland) are presented with the aim to shed light on the mechanisms that control the distribution of radioactivity in cryoconite. Among the many radionuclides detected in our samples, we have identified 108m Ag, an artificial species which has never been observed in terrestrial environments before. This finding supports that cryoconite has an extraordinary ability to accumulate radioactivity. Our results also show that the radioactivity of cryoconite is far from uniform. Both the absolute amount of radioactivity and the relative contribution of single radionuclides is highly variable in samples from the Morteratsch glacier. To investigate the processes responsible for such variability, we have explored the correlation between radionuclides, organic and inorganic carbon fractions and the morphological features of cryoconite deposits. We have found that the degree to cryoconite is connected with supraglacial hydrology is particularly important, since it strongly influences the accumulation of radionuclides in cryoconite. Cryoconite holes connected with supraglacial channels is rich in cosmogenic 7 Be; in contrast, poorly connected deposits are rich in artificial fallout radionuclides and elemental carbon. The very different half-lives of 7 Be and artificial radionuclides allowed us to discuss our findings in relation to the age and maturity of cryoconite deposits, highlighting the potential use of radionuclides to investigate hydrological supraglacial processes and 40 material cycling at the surface of glaciers.

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Section: Anthropogenic Radionuclidesmentioning

confidence: 61%

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics: Insights from the Morteratsch glacier (Swiss Alps)

Baccolo

Nastasi

Massabò

et al. 2020

CATENA

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“…The presence of 241 Am in the environment is not primarily related to direct deposition (it is present in nuclear power plant spent fuel); it is mostly produced in situ, from the decay of its parent nuclide ( 241 Pu, t1/2 = 14.3 yr), which has been released into the environment alongside other Pu isotopes. Thanks to 241 Pu decay, the environmental activity of 241 Am globally is increasing and will peak around year 2100 (Thakur and Ward, 2018). 238 Pu is one of the rarest plutonium isotopes produced by 265 commercial reactors and nuclear explosions, and its diffusion is mostly related to the atmospheric re-entry of satellites powered by pure 238 Pu thermoelectric generators (Łokas et al, 2019) and to a smaller degree by the release from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants into marine environment (Bryan et al, 2008).…”

Section: Anthropogenic Radioactivity In Cryoconite and Other Environmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cryoconite as an efficient monitor for the deposition of radioactive fallout in glacial environments

Baccolo

Łokas

Gaca

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Abstract. Cryoconite is extremely rich in natural and artificial radionuclides, but a comprehensive discussion about its ability to accumulate radioactivity is lacking. A characterization of cryoconite from two Alpine glaciers is presented and discussed. Results confirm that cryoconite is among the most radioactive environmental matrices, with activity concentrations exceeding 10,000 Bq kg−1 for single radionuclides. Atomic and activity ratios of Pu and Cs radioactive isotopes reveal that the artificial radioactivity of Alpine cryoconite is mostly related to the stratospheric fallout from nuclear weapon tests and to the 1986 Chernobyl accidents. The signature of cryoconite radioactivity is thus influenced by both local and more widespread events. The extreme accumulation of radioactivity in cryoconite can be explained only considering the glacial environment as a whole, and particularly the interaction between ice, meltwater, cryoconite and atmospheric deposition. Cryoconite is an ideal monitor to investigate the deposition and occurrence of natural and artificial radioactive species in glacial environment.

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“…1 Average activity data for the four sample types considered here: ""ice surface"", "hole" and "intermediate" cryoconite, and proglacial sediments. environmental activity is increasing, owing the decay of its parent nuclide 241 Pu (Thakur and Ward, 2018). The distribution of 137 Cs in cryoconite resembles those of 207 Bi and 241 Am, with the highest activity being found in "ice surface" cryoconite, with a mean value exceeding 1,000 Bq kg -1 .…”

Section: Anthropogenic Radionuclidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics

Baccolo¹,

Nastasi²,

Massabò³

et al. 2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cryoconite, a sediment found on the surface of glaciers, is known for its ability to accumulate radionuclides. New data on cryoconite from the Morteratsch glacier (Switzerland) are presented with the aim to shed light on the mechanisms that control the distribution of radioactivity in cryoconite. Among the many radionuclides detected in our samples, we have identified 108mAg, an artificial species which has never been observed in terrestrial environments before. This finding supports that cryoconite has an extraordinary ability to accumulate radioactivity. Our results also show that the radioactivity of cryoconite is far from uniform. Both the absolute amount of radioactivity and the relative contribution of single radionuclides is highly variable in samples from the Morteratsch glacier. To investigate the processes responsible for such variability, we have explored the correlation between radionuclides, organic and inorganic carbon fractions and the morphological features of cryoconite deposits. We have found that the degree to cryoconite is connected with supraglacial hydrology is particularly important, since it strongly influences the accumulation of radionuclides in cryoconite. Cryoconite holes connected with supraglacial channels is rich in cosmogenic 7Be; in contrast, poorly connected deposits are rich in artificial fallout radionuclides and elemental carbon. The very different half-lives of 7Be and artificial radionuclides allowed us to discuss our findings in relation to the age and maturity of cryoconite deposits, highlighting the potential use of radionuclides to investigate hydrological supraglacial processes and material cycling at the surface of glaciers.

show abstract

241Pu in the environment: insight into the understudied isotope of plutonium

Cited by 19 publications

References 90 publications

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics: Insights from the Morteratsch glacier (Swiss Alps)

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics: Insights from the Morteratsch glacier (Swiss Alps)

Cryoconite as an efficient monitor for the deposition of radioactive fallout in glacial environments

Artificial and natural radionuclides in cryoconite as tracers of supraglacial dynamics

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