The transfer of irradiated uranium from the Irish Sea coast to the terrestrial environment in Cumbria, UK

IF 2 4区化学 Q3 CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Pure and Applied Chemistry Pub Date : 2024-03-06 DOI:10.1515/pac-2023-1017

Nicholas Priest, Maurice Moore, Matthew Thirlwall

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Abstract

Sea-to-land transfer of irradiated uranium in soil samples was measured along a transect from the Cumbrian coast south of the Windscale Sellafield nuclear site in a NE direction across the Cumbrian coastal plain. Soluble uranium components were extracted by ion exchange chromatography and ratios 236U:238U and 235U:238U were measured using multi-collector ICP-MS. The method employed demonstrated the utility of 236U ratio measurements for the determination of irradiated uranium in environmental samples. The results produced for uranium were like those that have been reported for other fission product and nuclear fuel components that have been shown to be marine in origin. Measured 236U levels were highest close to the seashore and decreased rapidly as an exponential function of distance. The results indicated the absence of depleted uranium, such as might result from the deposition of aerosols generated by the testing of DU munitions at the nearby Eskmeals firing range in all but one sample.

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辐照铀从爱尔兰海沿岸向英国坎布里亚陆地环境的转移

从 Windscale Sellafield 核基地以南的坎布里亚海岸沿东北方向穿越坎布里亚沿海平原，对土壤样本中辐照铀的海陆转移进行了测量。采用离子交换色谱法提取了可溶性铀成分，并使用多收集器 ICP-MS 测量了 236U:238U 和 235U:238U 的比例。所采用的方法证明了 236U 比率测量在测定环境样本中的辐照铀方面的实用性。铀的测量结果与其他裂变产物和核燃料成分的测量结果相似，这些裂变产物和核燃料成分已被证明来源于海洋。测量到的 236U 含量在靠近海边的地方最高，并随着距离的增加呈指数函数迅速下降。结果表明，除一个样本外，所有样本中都不存在贫化铀，例如在附近的埃斯克米尔斯靶场进行贫化铀弹药试验产生的气溶胶沉积可能导致的贫化铀。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Pure and Applied Chemistry 化学-化学综合

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

3-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Pure and Applied Chemistry is the official monthly Journal of IUPAC, with responsibility for publishing works arising from those international scientific events and projects that are sponsored and undertaken by the Union. The policy is to publish highly topical and credible works at the forefront of all aspects of pure and applied chemistry, and the attendant goal is to promote widespread acceptance of the Journal as an authoritative and indispensable holding in academic and institutional libraries.