title: Internal structure of cesium-bearing radioactive microparticles released from Fukushima nuclear power plant.
abstract: Microparticles containing substantial amounts of radiocesium collected from the ground in Fukushima were investigated mainly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray microanalysis with scanning TEM (STEM). Particles of around 2 μm in diameter are basically silicate glass containing Fe and Zn as transition metals, Cs, Rb and K as alkali ions, and Sn as substantial elements. These elements are homogeneously distributed in the glass except Cs which has a concentration gradient, increasing from center to surface. Nano-sized crystallites such as copper- zinc- and molybdenum sulfide, and silver telluride were found inside the microparticles, which probably resulted from the segregation of the silicate and sulfide (telluride) during molten-stage. An alkali-depleted layer of ca. 0.2 μm thick exists at the outer side of the particle collected from cedar leaves 8 months after the nuclear accident, suggesting gradual leaching of radiocesium from the microparticles in the natural environment.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Kannondai, Tsukuba 305-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitome
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiyama-Hasegawa
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kotone
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Kannondai, Tsukuba 305-0864, Japan.|Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8572, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.affiliation: Meteorological Research Institute, Nagamine, Tsukuba, 305-0052, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kogure
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