A Study on Determination of Potentially Hazardous Plutonium Isotopes in Environmental Samples

Abstract

Due to the lack of stable plutonium isotopes, and the high mobility as well as long half-life, plutonium is considered one of the most important radioelement in safety assessment of environmental radioactivity and nuclear waste management. A number of analytical methods have been developed over the past decades for determination of plutonium in environmental samples. The article discusses different analytical techniques and presents the results of plutonium isotopes determination by alpha spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry in environmental samples. The concentrations of plutonium isotopes in analyzed samples indicates its measurement is of great importance for environmental and safety assessment, especially in contaminated areas.

A Review of the Occurrence of Alpha-Emitting Radionuclides in Wild Mushrooms

“…Since 2015, the atmospheric releases from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP have continued, but at very low levels which were not of radiological concern [106]. Thus, the medium-and long-lived radioactive isotopes and especially the alpha-isotopes (such as 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 240 Pu, 241 Am, 243,244 Cm, 237 Np) are of the greatest importance from the point of view of human health and functioning of ecosystems, as they are radioactive and toxic metals, and hazardous environmental pollutants [54,107].…”

“…The 236 U activity concentrations in mushrooms determined by Jia et al 2004 [92] ranged from 0.014 to 0.038 Bq/kg dw (Table 2). Among the four major plutonium isotopes, three are alpha emitters: 238 Pu (T 1/2 = 87.7 years), the fissile and the most important isotope, 239 Pu (T 1/2 = 24,110 years), as well as 240 Pu, which is produced via neutron capture of 239 Pu (T 1/2 = 6564 years) [107]. Plutonium is not effectively accumulated by mushrooms and shows a similar distribution in fruiting bodies to that of thorium and uranium (stem > cap > gills) [40].…”