Environmental radioactive particles: A new challenge for modern analytical instrumental techniques in support of radioecology

Abstract Environmental radioactive particles have assumed in recent years a predominant role for the understanding of the transport mechanisms in the environment as well as for the availability of radionuclides to humans. Their characterization by non-destructive instrumental methods can be very useful as applied to radioecological studies. Three specific cases of radioactive environmental particles stemming from different release scenarios are discussed in terms of the information available when characterized by non-destructive spectroscopic methods. In particular, application of SEM-EDX, SIMS and synchrotron-based techniques like μ-XRF, 3D-μ tomography and μ-XANES are considered. The complementarity of the methods is also highlighted.

[1]  N. Erdmann,et al.  Production of monodisperse uranium oxide particles and their characterization by scanning electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry , 2000 .

[2]  P. Mitchell,et al.  Oxidation-state distribution of plutonium in surface and subsurface waters at Thule, northwest Greenland. , 2000, Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine.

[3]  A. Aarkrog,et al.  Further studies of plutonium and americium at Thule, Greenland. , 1984, Health Physics.

[4]  J. Simmonds,et al.  Results of the European Commission MARINA II study: part I--general information and effects of discharges by the nuclear industry. , 2004, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity.

[5]  M. Eriksson,et al.  Uranium and plutonium containing particles in a sea sediment sample from Thule, Greenland , 2001 .

[6]  M. Betti.  Environmental monitoring of radioisotopes by mass spectrometry and radiochemical methods in urban areas , 2000 .

[7]  J. Stannard.  Plutonium in the Environment , 1973 .

[8]  A. Aarkrog.  Radioecological investigations of plutonium in an arctic marine environment. , 1971, Health physics.

[9]  Koen Janssens,et al.  High energy X-ray microscopy for characterisation of fuel particles , 2001 .

[10]  M. Betti.  Isotope ratio measurements by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) , 2005 .

[11]  B. Salbu,et al.  Depleted uranium particles in selected Kosovo samples. , 2003, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[12]  S. Conradson,et al.  Oxidation state determination of plutonium aquo ions using x-ray absorption spectroscopy , 1998 .

[13]  M. Betti,et al.  Characterisation of Radioactive Particles by SIMS , 2000, Microchimica Acta.

[14]  B Salbu,et al.  Oxidation states of uranium in DU particles from Kosovo. , 2003, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[15]  O. Lind,et al.  Characterization of uranium and plutonium containing particles originating from the nuclear weapons accident in Thule, Greenland, 1968. , 2005, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[16]  Cecilia Hindorf,et al.  Plutonium hot particle separation techniques using real-time digital image systems , 2002 .

[17]  M. Betti.  Civil use of depleted uranium. , 2003, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[18]  M. Betti,et al.  Application of secondary ion mass spectrometry to the identification of single particles of uranium and their isotopic measurement , 1998 .

[19]  B. Salbu.  Actinides associated with particles , 2001 .

[20]  Lothar Koch,et al.  Use of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry in Nuclear Forensic Analysis for the Characterization of Plutonium and Highly Enriched Uranium Particles , 1999 .

[21]  S. Kurunczi,et al.  Characterization and speciation of depleted uranium in individual soil particles using microanalytical methods , 2004 .

[22]  O. Lind,et al.  Radionuclide speciation and its relevance in environmental impact assessments. , 2004, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[23]  F. J. Espinosa-Faller,et al.  Higher order speciation effects on plutonium L(3) X-ray absorption near edge spectra. , 2004, Inorganic chemistry.

[24]  M. Eriksson.  On Weapons Plutonium in the Arctic Environment (Thule, Greenland) , 2002 .

[25]  G Tamborini,et al.  Oxygen isotopic measurements by secondary ion mass spectrometry in uranium oxide microparticles: a nuclear forensic diagnostic. , 2002, Analytical chemistry.

[26]  J. Osán,et al.  A Monte Carlo program for quantitative electron-induced X-ray analysis of individual particles. , 2003, Analytical chemistry.

[27]  Characterization of an Irish Sea radioactively contaminated marine sediment core by radiometric and mass spectrometric techniques , 2005 .

[28]  J. Osán,et al.  Non-destructive characterisation of low radioactive particles from Irish Sea sediment by micro X-ray synchrotron radiation techniques: micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) and micro X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectroscopy , 2004 .

[29]  J. Osán,et al.  Source term identification of environmental radioactive Pu/U particles by their characterization with non-destructive spectrochemical analytical techniques , 2005 .

[30]  L Gijsels,et al.  Oxidation states of uranium in depleted uranium particles from Kuwait. , 2004, Journal of environmental radioactivity.

[31]  Y. Izrael.  Radioactive Fallout after Nuclear Explosions and Accidents , 2002 .