Americium in intertidal sediments from the coastal environs of Windscale

Abstract

The distribution of americium in surface intertidal sediments from a coastal environment near the Windscale nuclear fuel reprocessing plant has been investigated. The study includes data on the broadscale distribution of 241Am in Northwest England, but focuses on the sediments of the Ravenglass estuary 10 km south of Windscale. The results indicate that americium concentrations in the inner estuary sediments are up to seven times higher than those from the Irish Sea itself. Americium distribution on silt banks is rather constant on a small scale, but varies considerably between adjacent silt bank and salt marsh areas.