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Determination of Pu isotope concentrations and isotope ratio by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: a review of analytical methodology

“…1 The isotopes present in the environment from these sources are 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 240 Pu and 241 Pu, of which 239 Pu and 240 Pu are the most important due to their extremely long half-lives and high abundance. Pu isotopes are analysed mainly for the purposes of monitoring of the environment around nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants, 2 nuclear fuel reprocessing plants and nuclear waste storage sites, 3,4 as well as for surveys of the contaminated areas resulting from nuclear weapons tests, [5][6][7][8] nuclear accidents, 9,10 and the discharge of nuclear waste. 11,12 Moreover, Pu has been a major target element in the areas of radiobioassay, [13][14][15] tracing of nuclear weapon material, 16,17 burn-up measurement of nuclear fuel [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and public and occupational health safety, 25 as well as a tracer in the study of radioecology, 26 geochemistry 27,28 and the marine environment.…”

Natural radiation levels in Niigata Prefecture II. Natural radiation levels in Chuetsu and Joetsu districts

“…On the other hand, the correlation between the results of Th-series and 40K was not so good as expected from a preceding paper, reflecting the different origin of K-bearing minerals from that of Thcontaining minerals. 2 It is also known that the concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium in granite and basalt show high correlation between these radionuclides. 9 Therefore, the good correlation between the dose rates of U-, Th-series and 40K in some soils must be related to the same rock origin.…”