Transfer of sellafield-derived 237Np to and within the terrestrial environment

A. S. Hursthouse; Murdoch S. Baxter; Francis R. Livens; Henry J. Duncan

doi:10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p

Transfer of sellafield-derived 237Np to and within the terrestrial environment

A. S. Hursthouse, Murdoch S. Baxter, Francis R. Livens, Henry J. Duncan

School of Health and Life Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The vertical distributions of 237Np in soil profiles collected from west Cumbria, UK, have been measured by ICP-MS. They show, in general, exponential decreases with depth, similar to those of the other transuranic and fission product nuclides. The maximum 237Np activity concentration in any of the soil samples was 2·87 ± 0·68 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for the 0–5 cm section of a gley soil, compared to 3660±460 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for 239,240Pu in the same sample. A significant proportion of the total 237Np inventory is observed at depth in most sites, implying a greater mobility of neptunium than other transuranium nuclides within the profiles studied.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	147-174
Number of pages	28
Journal	Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Volume	14
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p
Publication status	Published - 1991

Keywords

actinide
neptunium
plutonium
Irish Sea
sediment contamination
Sellafield
ICPMS
americium
mobility

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10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p

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@article{8c28748be807493188f75a7b251646d1,

title = "Transfer of sellafield-derived 237Np to and within the terrestrial environment",

abstract = "The vertical distributions of 237Np in soil profiles collected from west Cumbria, UK, have been measured by ICP-MS. They show, in general, exponential decreases with depth, similar to those of the other transuranic and fission product nuclides. The maximum 237Np activity concentration in any of the soil samples was 2·87 ± 0·68 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for the 0–5 cm section of a gley soil, compared to 3660±460 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for 239,240Pu in the same sample. A significant proportion of the total 237Np inventory is observed at depth in most sites, implying a greater mobility of neptunium than other transuranium nuclides within the profiles studied.",

keywords = "actinide, neptunium, plutonium, Irish Sea, sediment contamination, Sellafield, ICPMS, americium, mobility",

author = "Hursthouse, {A. S.} and Baxter, {Murdoch S.} and Livens, {Francis R.} and Duncan, {Henry J.}",

note = "Times Cited: 31",

year = "1991",

doi = "10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

pages = "147--174",

journal = "Journal of Environmental Radioactivity",

issn = "0265-931X",

publisher = "Elsevier Limited",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transfer of sellafield-derived 237Np to and within the terrestrial environment

AU - Hursthouse, A. S.

AU - Baxter, Murdoch S.

AU - Livens, Francis R.

AU - Duncan, Henry J.

N1 - Times Cited: 31

PY - 1991

Y1 - 1991

N2 - The vertical distributions of 237Np in soil profiles collected from west Cumbria, UK, have been measured by ICP-MS. They show, in general, exponential decreases with depth, similar to those of the other transuranic and fission product nuclides. The maximum 237Np activity concentration in any of the soil samples was 2·87 ± 0·68 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for the 0–5 cm section of a gley soil, compared to 3660±460 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for 239,240Pu in the same sample. A significant proportion of the total 237Np inventory is observed at depth in most sites, implying a greater mobility of neptunium than other transuranium nuclides within the profiles studied.

AB - The vertical distributions of 237Np in soil profiles collected from west Cumbria, UK, have been measured by ICP-MS. They show, in general, exponential decreases with depth, similar to those of the other transuranic and fission product nuclides. The maximum 237Np activity concentration in any of the soil samples was 2·87 ± 0·68 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for the 0–5 cm section of a gley soil, compared to 3660±460 (2σ) Bq kg−1 (dry) for 239,240Pu in the same sample. A significant proportion of the total 237Np inventory is observed at depth in most sites, implying a greater mobility of neptunium than other transuranium nuclides within the profiles studied.

KW - actinide

KW - neptunium

KW - plutonium

KW - Irish Sea

KW - sediment contamination

KW - Sellafield

KW - ICPMS

KW - americium

KW - mobility

U2 - 10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p

DO - 10.1016/0265-931x(91)90074-p

M3 - Article

SN - 0265-931X

VL - 14

SP - 147

EP - 174

JO - Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

JF - Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

IS - 2

ER -

Transfer of sellafield-derived 237Np to and within the terrestrial environment

Abstract

Keywords

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