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Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Plutonium in Sediment and Seawater from the Marshall Islands

Leisvik, Mathias (2001)
Medical Physics Programme
Abstract (Swedish)
The atmospheric nuclear bomb test “Castle Bravo”, which detonated at the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1954, led to the contamination of some populated atolls. Sediment samples from one such, the Rongelap Atoll, have been examined for plutonium (239, 240, 241, 242Pu) and americium (241Am) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Californina. Plutonium was measured with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and americium with Ge(Li) detector systems. 5 cores (20 – 50 cm deep) as well as 20 surface samples were measured. The depth distribution for both americium and plutonium was different from that earlier found in sediment cores from the Bikini Atoll and the Enewetak Atoll, with a higher percentage of the elements present below... (More)
The atmospheric nuclear bomb test “Castle Bravo”, which detonated at the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1954, led to the contamination of some populated atolls. Sediment samples from one such, the Rongelap Atoll, have been examined for plutonium (239, 240, 241, 242Pu) and americium (241Am) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Californina. Plutonium was measured with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and americium with Ge(Li) detector systems. 5 cores (20 – 50 cm deep) as well as 20 surface samples were measured. The depth distribution for both americium and plutonium was different from that earlier found in sediment cores from the Bikini Atoll and the Enewetak Atoll, with a higher percentage of the elements present below a depth of 4 cm.A method for plutonium extraction, using fluoride precipitation, in small volume (0,04 – 1 l) seawater samples was developed. The water samples were from the Bikini Atoll, and outside this atoll, and they were after preparation measured with AMS. A rough estimation of the release of plutonium from the sediment to the overlaying lagoon water was done from the results of these measurements. This release was estimated to 18 GBq 239,240Pu month-1. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Leisvik, Mathias
supervisor
organization
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Radioekologi
language
English
id
2156887
date added to LUP
2011-09-13 15:14:34
date last changed
2011-09-13 15:14:34
@misc{2156887,
  abstract     = {{The atmospheric nuclear bomb test “Castle Bravo”, which detonated at the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1954, led to the contamination of some populated atolls. Sediment samples from one such, the Rongelap Atoll, have been examined for plutonium (239, 240, 241, 242Pu) and americium (241Am) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Californina. Plutonium was measured with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and americium with Ge(Li) detector systems. 5 cores (20 – 50 cm deep) as well as 20 surface samples were measured. The depth distribution for both americium and plutonium was different from that earlier found in sediment cores from the Bikini Atoll and the Enewetak Atoll, with a higher percentage of the elements present below a depth of 4 cm.A method for plutonium extraction, using fluoride precipitation, in small volume (0,04 – 1 l) seawater samples was developed. The water samples were from the Bikini Atoll, and outside this atoll, and they were after preparation measured with AMS. A rough estimation of the release of plutonium from the sediment to the overlaying lagoon water was done from the results of these measurements. This release was estimated to 18 GBq 239,240Pu month-1.}},
  author       = {{Leisvik, Mathias}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Plutonium in Sediment and Seawater from the Marshall Islands}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}