Characteristics of plutonium and americium contamination at the former U.K. atomic weapons test ranges at Maralinga and Emu

Burns, P.A.; Cooper, M.B.; Lokan, K.H.; Wilks, Michael; Williams, Graham J.

doi:10.1016/0969-8043(95)00153-5

Cited by 25 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…A series of analytical tools are available for identification, isolation, and characterization of radioactive particles (IAEA, 2011) as summarized in Table 1, while the investigation of particle weathering rates and leaching potential is still scarce. To identify particles in water (precipitation, rivers, ground water), ultrafiltration (nm to μm range membranes) can be performed in the field or in the lab, while cascade impactors with membranes having different cut-off levels (nm to mm) are frequently used for separating particle in air (Burns et al, 1995).…”

Section: Particle Characterization and Leaching Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges associated with the behaviour of radioactive particles in the environment

Salbu

Kashparov

Lind

et al. 2018

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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A series of different nuclear sources associated with the nuclear weapon and fuel cycles have contributed to the release of radioactive particles to the environment. Following nuclear weapon tests, safety tests, conventional destruction of weapons, reactor explosions and fires, a major fraction of released refractory radionuclides such as uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) were present as entities ranging from sub microns to fragments. Furthermore, radioactive particles and colloids have been released from reprocessing facilities and civil reactors, from radioactive waste dumped at sea, and from NORM sites. Thus, whenever refractory radionuclides are released to the environment following nuclear events, radioactive particles should be expected. Results from many years of research have shown that particle characteristics such as elemental composition depend on the source, while characteristics such as particle size distribution, structure, and oxidation state influencing ecosystem transfer depend also on the release scenarios. When radioactive particles are deposited in the environment, weathering processes occur and associated radionuclides are subsequently mobilized, changing the apparent K. Thus, particles retained in soils or sediments are unevenly distributed, and dissolution of radionuclides from particles may be partial. For areas affected by particle contamination, the inventories can therefore be underestimated, and impact and risk assessments may suffer from unacceptable large uncertainties if radioactive particles are ignored. To integrate radioactive particles into environmental impact assessments, key challenges include the linking of particle characteristics to specific sources, to ecosystem transfer, and to uptake and retention in biological systems. To elucidate these issues, the EC-funded COMET and RATE projects and the IAEA Coordinated Research Program on particles have revisited selected contaminated sites and archive samples. This COMET position paper summarizes new knowledge on key sources that have contributed to particle releases, including particle characteristics based on advanced techniques, with emphasis on particle weathering processes as well as on heterogeneities in biological samples to evaluate potential uptake and retention of radioactive particles.

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Section: Particle Characterization and Leaching Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges associated with the behaviour of radioactive particles in the environment

Salbu

Kashparov

Lind

et al. 2018

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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“…Maralinga hot particles were shown to be highly heterogenous based on bulk radionuclide contents and µm-scale chemical mapping of five particles by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) micro-spectrocopy 5 , 7 . This reflects the varied nature of the tests and associated devices 7 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The nature of Pu-bearing particles from the Maralinga nuclear testing site, Australia

Cook

Etschmann

Ram

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The high-energy release of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) during the Maralinga nuclear trials (1955–1963) in Australia, designed to simulate high temperature, non-critical nuclear accidents, resulted in wide dispersion µm-sized, radioactive, Pu–U-bearing ‘hot’ particles that persist in soils. By combining non-destructive, multi-technique synchrotron-based micro-characterization with the first nano-scale imagining of the composition and textures of six Maralinga particles, we find that all particles display intricate physical and chemical make-ups consistent with formation via condensation and cooling of polymetallic melts (immiscible Fe–Al–Pu–U; and Pb ± Pu–U) within the detonation plumes. Plutonium and U are present predominantly in micro- to nano-particulate forms, and most hot particles contain low valence Pu–U–C compounds; these chemically reactive phases are protected by their inclusion in metallic alloys. Plutonium reworking was observed within an oxidised rim in a Pb-rich particle; however overall Pu remained immobile in the studied particles, while small-scale oxidation and mobility of U is widespread. It is notoriously difficult to predict the long-term environmental behaviour of hot particles. Nano-scale characterization of the hot particles suggests that long-term, slow release of Pu from the hot particles may take place via a range of chemical and physical processes, likely contributing to on-going Pu uptake by wildlife at Maralinga.

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“…These included ‘minor trials’ involving chemical explosions and the dispersal of radioactive materials, which included plutonium in some cases. As a result, residual activity remains, and studies were conducted to assess the radiation exposure to people living a semi-traditional lifestyle in the area (Haywood and Smith, 1992; Johnston et al., 1992; Burns et al., 1995). (831) Stradling et al.…”

Section: Plutonium (Z = 94)mentioning

confidence: 99%

ICRP Publication 141: Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 4

et al. 2019

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Characteristics of plutonium and americium contamination at the former U.K. atomic weapons test ranges at Maralinga and Emu

Cited by 25 publications

References 3 publications

Challenges associated with the behaviour of radioactive particles in the environment

Challenges associated with the behaviour of radioactive particles in the environment

The nature of Pu-bearing particles from the Maralinga nuclear testing site, Australia

ICRP Publication 141: Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 4

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