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Field and laboratory measurements of the rapid remobilization of plutonium from estuarine sediments

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Abstract

The Esk estuary, U.K. receives inputs of dissolved and particulate plutoniun from discharges of waste into the Irish Sea from the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. Field and laboratory methods have been developed to examine the phenomenon of rapid plutonium remobilization from contaminated Esk sediments during estuarine mixing which was first identified in 1981.

Both types of studies have shown comparable, non-conservative behavior for the two oxidation state categories of238Pu and239,240Pu (i.e. Pu (III/IV) and Pu (V/VI)) with enrichment in low salinity waters due to desorption of plutonium from resuspended sediments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, Lancaster, UK

    J. Hamilton-Taylor, M. Kelly, S. Mudge & K. Bradshaw

  2. School of Ocean Sciences, University College of North Wales, Marine Science Laboratories, Menai Bridge, LL59 5RL, Anglesey, Gwynedd, UK

    D. J. Assinder

Authors
  1. D. J. Assinder
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  2. J. Hamilton-Taylor
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  3. M. Kelly
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  4. S. Mudge
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  5. K. Bradshaw
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Assinder, D.J., Hamilton-Taylor, J., Kelly, M. et al. Field and laboratory measurements of the rapid remobilization of plutonium from estuarine sediments. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 138, 417–424 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02039863

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02039863

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