Journal article
Particulate plutonium released from the Fukushima Daiichi meltdowns.
- Kurihara E Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Takehara M Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Suetake M Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Ikehara R Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Komiya T Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Morooka K Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Takami R Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
- Yamasaki S Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan.
- Ohnuki T Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Energy, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
- Horie K National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan; Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan.
- Takehara M National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan.
- Law GTW Radiochemistry Unit, Department of Chemistry, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
- Bower W Radiochemistry Unit, Department of Chemistry, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
- W Mosselmans JF Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK.
- Warnicke P Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
- Grambow B SUBATECH, IMT Atlantique, CNRS-IN2P3, The University of Nantes, Nantes 44307, France.
- Ewing RC Department of Geological Sciences and Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115, USA.
- Utsunomiya S Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. Electronic address: utsunomiya.satoshi.998@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
- 2020-07-15
Published in:
- The Science of the total environment. - 2020
Cs-rich microparticle
Fuel fragment
Fukushima Daiichi
Plutonium
Uranium
Cesium Radioisotopes
Fukushima Nuclear Accident
Japan
Nuclear Power Plants
Plutonium
Radiation Monitoring
English
Traces of Pu have been detected in material released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in March of 2011; however, to date the physical and chemical form of the Pu have remained unknown. Here we report the discovery of particulate Pu associated with cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) that formed in and were released from the reactors during the FDNPP meltdowns. The Cs-pollucite-based CsMP contained discrete U(IV)O2 nanoparticles, <~10 nm, one of which is enriched in Pu adjacent to fragments of Zr-cladding. The isotope ratios, 235U/238U, 240Pu/239Pu, and 242Pu/239Pu, of the CsMPs were determined to be ~0.0193, ~0.347, and ~0.065, respectively, which are consistent with the calculated isotopic ratios of irradiated-fuel fragments. Thus, considering the regional distribution of CsMPs, the long-distance dispersion of Pu from FNDPP is attributed to the transport by CsMPs that have incorporated nanoscale fuel fragments prior to their dispersion up to 230 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi reactor site.
- Language
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- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
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- DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140539
- PMID 32663681
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/278563
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