Plutonium Isotopes In Samples Research Articles

Determination of plutonium in soil and bottom sediments in the region of the scientific-research institute of atomic reactors

Of all the radioisotopes contaminating the environment, plutonium and transplutonium isotopes pose the greatest radiobiological and ecological because of their high radiotoxicity and long half-life. The principal way in which plutonium has entered the environment has been through nuclear weapons tests. The disposal of radioactive wastes and nuclear power plant accidents, e.g., at Chernobyl, have been other sources. The Scientific-Research Institute of Atomic Reators, Dimitrovgrad (NIIAR) is engaged in large scale work on obtaining trans-plutonium elements and fashioning radiation sources out of them as well as on the use of plutonium to fabricate test fuel elements and fuel assemblies. In this paper, we give the results of studies at the Radium Institute and the NIIAR on developing a procedure and determining the content of plutonium isotopes in samples of soil and bottom sediments taken at the NIIAR site, both in the sanitary-protective zone and the observation zone.