RADIATION PROTECTION ›› 2017, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (1): 1-7.

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Study on the migration of Pu in soil

Ni Youyi1, Bu Wenting1, Dong Wei1, Guo Qiuju1, Yang Bin2, Quan Wei2, Meng Ruijie2   

  1. 1. National Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871;
    2. Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center,MEP, Beijing 100082
  • Received:2016-03-07 Online:2017-01-20 Published:2021-11-11

Abstract: The ultra-trace level of Pu (plutonium) isotopes in Chinese surface soil are mainly resulted from global fallout following the world-wide atmospheric nuclear tests last century. The vertical migration behaviors of Pu in soil were studied by field sampling and laboratory measurements using AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). Subsequently by fitting the vertical distribution of 239+240Pu with the solution of convection-dispersion equation in single pulse condition, the apparent convection coefficient V in Chinese soils was found to be 0.046—0.163 cm/a, the apparent diffusion coefficient D ranged from 0.058 to 0.339 cm2/a and the migration velocity of 239+240Pu concentration peak in soils of different areas from 0.063 to 0.187 cm/a. Based on these, the predicted 239+240Pu concentration peak would remain in top 10 cm of the surface soil in Chongqing province after 200 years' migration. The results indicated that the organic matter content of soil would be a key factor influencing the migration behavior of Pu. Besides, other soil parameters such as porosity, soil particle size, cation exchange capacity etc. tend to have influences on the migration velocity of Pu in soils.

Key words: Pu, radionuclides migration, AMS, ICP-MS, convection-dispersion equation

CLC Number: 

  • X837