Published November 2003 | Version v1
Journal article

240 Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the bottom sediments of the NW Pacific Ocean

  • 1. Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Radiological Safety Research
  • 2. Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of). Isotope Oceanography Lab.
  • 3. Meteorological Research Institute, Ibaraki (Japan). Geochemical Research Dept.
  • 4. Linkoeping Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Radiation Physics

Description

239+240Pu concentrations and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in bottom sediments of the Yellow Sea, Korea Strait, East Sea (Sea of Japan), Sea of Okhotsk, and Northwest Pacific Ocean were determined. In coastal sediments near the Korean Peninsula, 239+240Pu concentrations varied from 0.02 to 1.72 Bq x kg-1, and their 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios from 0.15 to 0.24, with an average of 0.20 ± 0.03. 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios of bottom sediments in the deep NW Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas (East, Okhotsk seas) were in the range of 0.15-0.23. A little elevated 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the bottom layer sediment may be due to Pu released into the environment during the pre-moratorium period, having high 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios and low 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratios. (author)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Journal Volume
258
Journal Issue
2
Journal Page Range
p. 265-268
ISSN
0236-5731
CODEN
JRNCDM

Optional Information

Notes
15 refs.