title: Accelerator mass spectrometry measurement of 240Pu/239Pu isotope ratios in Novaya Zemlya and Kara Sea sediments.
abstract: Generally low levels of plutonium in environmental samples, often combined with limited sample sizes, necessitate reliable low-level techniques for determination of Pu isotopes. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) has proved to be a powerful method for measuring low-level Pu activity concentrations and Pu isotope ratios. Based on procedural blanks, detection limits for AMS were below 1 fg Pu (equivalent to ca. 2 microBq 139Pu), which can compete with both TIMS, high sensitivity ICP-MS, and certainly alpha-spectrometry, while showing less interference, memory and matrix effects as compared to routine ICP-MS techniques. In addition to low detection limits, the technique offers the advantage of giving information on Pu isotope ratios. Measurements of sediments collected from dumping sites at Novaya Zemlya showed deviation from global fallout 240Pu/239Pu ratios.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, Agricultural University of Norway, 1432 Aas. deborah.oughton@ipm.nlh.no
authors.forename: Deborah H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Oughton
authors.forename: Lindis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skipperud
authors.forename: L Keith
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Fifield
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cresswell
authors.forename: Brit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salbu
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis*; D012426:Russia; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D011005:Plutonium