Plutonium and americium in the deep Black Sea bottom sediments.

Vladislav Yu Proskurnin, Nataliya N Tereshchenko, Artem A Paraskiv, Olga D Chuzhikova-Proskurnina

Journal of environmental radioactivity 2021 Apr

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The new data on 239+240Pu, 238Pu, 241Pu, 241Am vertical distribution in the deep western Black Sea sediments was analyzed. The sediment dating, obtained by means of 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio vertical distribution, suggested the upper 3 cm layer of sediments to be formed during 27 years after the Chernobyl accident and the deeper layers to be formed earlier in pre-Chernobyl time (before 1986). The whole data set on profiles of radionuclides studied was shown to reflect the history of their input into the basin and elimination of these radionuclides from the water column. Analysis of inventories of plutonium alpha-emitting nuclides ensured a more significant contribution of Chernobyl fallout into the present total 238Pu inventory than into 239+240Pu one. The 241Am inventory after-deposition enhancement due to 241Pu decay was estimated at 74% in pre-Chernobyl sediment layer and the general contribution of 241Pu support in the total 241Am inventory in situ enhancement was estimated at 49%. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Vladislav Yu Proskurnin, Nataliya N Tereshchenko, Artem A Paraskiv, Olga D Chuzhikova-Proskurnina. Plutonium and americium in the deep Black Sea bottom sediments. Journal of environmental radioactivity. 2021 Apr;229-230:106540