Published 1979 | Version v1
Book

Plutonium and americium in the environment

  • 1. Geochemistry Research Association, Tokyo (Japan)

Description

Up to now, 0.4 MCi of sup(239 + 240)Pu was released by nuclear bomb testings, of which 0.3 MCi was injected into the stratosphere. Since 1958, the monthly deposition of 238Pu and sup(239 + 240)Pu was determined in our laboratory in Tokyo. The cumulative amount of deposition of sup(239 + 240)Pu in Tokyo was 1.2 mCi/km2. The maximum fall rate of 200 μCi/km2,y was observed in 1963. Due to the release of 238Pu from a satellite failure in the spring 1964, the ratio of 238Pu to sup(239 + 240)Pu which was 4.0% on an average, increased to 16% in 1967. The alpha activity of 241Am, a daughter of 241Pu, in deposits of 1962 and 1963 was observed to be 20% of sup(239 + 240)Pu now. The results of study on the distribution of plutonium isotopes and americium in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans are also presented. (author)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Publisher
Japanese Association for Radiation Research.
Imprint Place
Tokyo, Japan
Imprint Title
Proceedings of the 6th international congress of radiation research
Imprint Pagination
1025 p.
Journal Page Range
p. 940-948.

Conference

Title
6. international congress of radiation research.
Dates
13 - 19 May 1979.
Place
Tokyo, Japan.