Distribution of plutonium isotopes in soils between two nuclear test sites: Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor

Feng, Dongxia; Yang, Fang; Wang, Xihuang; Zhou, Xingxuan; Li, Yong; Liao, Hao

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106792

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The activities of 239+240 Pu and 137 Cs in the surface sediments of the Lake Xingkai near the Chang-Bai Mountains were 0.524 and 13.6 mBq/g, respectively . Besides, the 239+240 Pu activities in the area between Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor, which with a similar latitude to this study area ranged from 0.035 to 1.338 mBq/g . At 40–50°N, the 137 Cs activities were in the range of 1.91–50.0 mBq/g. ,, In general, the activities of 239+240 Pu and 137 Cs in this study area were similar to those of the nearby area.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Guan

Wang

Jing

et al. 2022

ACS Earth Space Chem.

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To establish a 239+240 Pu, 137 Cs, and heavy metal reference soil site in Northeast China, three grassland soil cores were collected from the Lao-Ye-Ling Mountain, which is a branch of the Chang-Bai Mountains. The activities were in the range of 0.041−2.752 mBq/g for 239+240 Pu and in the range of 0.2−57.6 mBq/g for 137 Cs. The 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atomic ratios were 0.161−0.186, showing that 239+240 Pu in the study area originated from the global fallout. Also, 239+240 Pu, 137 Cs, and excess 210 Pb were enriched in the surface soil. The convective−dispersion equation model provided the lower apparent dispersion coefficients (D) and apparent convection velocities (v) for both 239+240 Pu and 137 Cs. The soil erosion rate in this study area was estimated by an erosion model, which was lower than that in the other area of Northeast China. 239+240 Pu in the different soil fractions was analyzed by a sequential extraction method, and the result showed that 239+240 Pu was mainly adsorbed by Fe/Mn oxides and their associated organic matter (NOM Fe/Mn-oxides fraction). Except for Fe, all other heavy metals from the anthropogenic source were enriched in the surface soil. The pollution level of heavy metals in this study area was lower. In general, the alpine grassland soil of the Lao-Ye-Ling Mountain can be used as a reference soil site to study environmental pollution and soil erosion and provided some reference baselines for future multidisciplinary studies in Northeast Asia.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Guan

Wang

Jing

et al. 2022

ACS Earth Space Chem.

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“…The nuclear weapons testing sites at Semipalatinsk (STS) and Lop Nor are situated to the northwest and southeast of this region with a short distance (<800 km). The radioactive substances released from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests (NWTs) at these two sites raised strong and widespread concerns for regional radiation safety. − The particle-active plutonium isotopes ( 239,240 Pu) in Northern Xinjiang were found to be mainly originated from global fallout of atmospheric NWTs, while the contribution of regional fallout from the STS accounts for 28–43% of global fallout in the northwest corner, and the impact of regional deposition from the Lop Nor site is negligible . But only a few studies focus on the regional impact of highly volatile and mobile radionuclides (like 129 I, 131 I, etc.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of the Sources and Their Contributions to ¹²⁹I in Northern Xinjiang, China

Liu

Hou

Zhao

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Anthropogenic 129I, as a long-lived fission product and volatile radionuclide, can be used to investigate dispersion of air masses and the deposition of atmospheric pollution. Surface soil and soil core samples were collected from Northern Xinjiang and analyzed for 127I and 129I. The results show that 129I/127I atomic ratios in surface soil are inhomogeneous with a range of (2.07–106) × 10–9, and the maximum values in each soil core occurred at surface–subsurface layers (0–15 cm) at undisturbed sites. The dominant source of 129I in Northern Xinjiang is European nuclear fuel reprocessing plant (NFRP) releases, accounting for at least 70% of the total inventory; less than 20% of 129I originates from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests; less than 10% comes from the regional deposition of nuclear weapons tests at the Semipalatinsk site; and the regional deposition from the nuclear weapons tests at the Lop Nor site is insignificant. The European NFRP-derived 129I was transported to Northern Xinjiang via long-distance atmospheric dispersion with the westerlies through Northern Eurasia. The distribution of 129I in the surface soil in Northern Xinjiang is mainly controlled by topography, wind fields, land utilization, and vegetation coverage.

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Plutonium isotopes in the Qinling Mountains of China

Guan,

Hua,

Wang

et al. 2023

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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Distribution of plutonium isotopes in soils between two nuclear test sites: Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor

Cited by 7 publications

References 52 publications

Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Reconstruction of the Sources and Their Contributions to ¹²⁹I in Northern Xinjiang, China

Plutonium isotopes in the Qinling Mountains of China

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Distribution of plutonium isotopes in soils between two nuclear test sites: Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor

Cited by 7 publications

References 52 publications

Sequential Extraction of 239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of 239+240Pu, 137Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Sequential Extraction of 239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of 239+240Pu, 137Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Reconstruction of the Sources and Their Contributions to 129I in Northern Xinjiang, China

Plutonium isotopes in the Qinling Mountains of China

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Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Sequential Extraction of ^239+240Pu and the Vertical Distribution of ^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and Heavy Metals in Chang-Bai Mountains’ Grassland Soil

Reconstruction of the Sources and Their Contributions to ¹²⁹I in Northern Xinjiang, China