Characterization of plutonium contamination at the former nuclear weapons testing range, at Maralinga in South Australia

M. Cooper; P. Burns; B. Tracy; M. Wilks; G. Williams

doi:10.1007/bf02132420

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Volume/Issue:: Volume 177: Issue 1

Characterization of plutonium contamination at the former nuclear weapons testing range, at Maralinga in South Australia

Authors:

M. Cooper

M. Cooper Australian Radiation Laboratory Lower Plenty Road 3085 Yallambie Victoria Australia

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P. Burns

P. Burns Australian Radiation Laboratory Lower Plenty Road 3085 Yallambie Victoria Australia

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B. Tracy

B. Tracy Australian Radiation Laboratory Lower Plenty Road 3085 Yallambie Victoria Australia

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M. Wilks

M. Wilks Australian Radiation Laboratory Lower Plenty Road 3085 Yallambie Victoria Australia

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G. Williams

G. Williams Australian Radiation Laboratory Lower Plenty Road 3085 Yallambie Victoria Australia

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Pages:: 161–184

Online Publication Date:: 16 Sep 2005

Publication Date:: 17 Jan 1994

Article Category:: Research Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02132420

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Abstract

Re-suspension studies on soils contaminated with plutonium during nuclear weapons tests were performed by use of a mechanical dust-raising apparatus. Airborne dust was analyzed in terms of mass and²⁴¹Am activities for particle sizes less than 7 m. The AMAD was determined as 4.8 to 6 m, for re-suspended soil. Also, surface soil was characterized in the laboratory by means of sieving and microparticle classification, yielding mass and²⁴¹Am activity distributions with respect to size. Data indicate the granularity of plutonium contamination at both major and minor trial sites. Depth profile analyses for undisturbed, areas demonstrate that most (74% on average) of the americium and plutonium activity is found in the top 10 mm of soil. Plutonium and americium activities were found to be enhanced in the inhalable fraction over their values, in the total soil, and the enhancement factors were similar in re-suspended dust and surface soil. Observed enhancement factors ranged from 3.7 to 32.5.

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Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Print ISSN:: 0236-5731

Online ISSN:: 1588-2780

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Journal of Radionalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Language	English
Size	A4
Year of Foundation	1968
Volumes per Year	1
Issues per Year	12
Founder	Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher	Akadémiai Kiadó Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible Publisher	Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN	0236-5731 (Print)
ISSN	1588-2780 (Online)