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240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the bottom sediments of the NW Pacific Ocean

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Abstract

239+240Pu concentrations and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in bottom sediments of the Yellow Sea, Korea Strait, East Sea (Sea of Japan), Sea of Okhotsk, and Northwest Pacific Ocean were determined. In coastal sediments near the Korean Peninsula, 239+240Pu concentrations varied from 0.02 to 1.72 Bq.kg-1, and their 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios from 0.15 to 0.24, with an average of 0.20±0.03. 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios of bottom sediments in the deep NW Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas (East, Okhotsk seas) were in the range of 0.15-0.23. A little elevated 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the bottom layer sediment may be due to Pu released into the environment during the pre-moratorium period, having high 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios and low 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratios.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiological Safety Research, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety Department of Radiation and Engineering Research, P.O. Box 114, Yusong, Taejon, 305-338, Korea

    C. K. Kim & C. S. Kim

  2. Department of Radiological Safety Research, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, P.O. Box 114, Yusong, Taejon, 305-338, Korea

    B. U. Chang & S. W. Choi

  3. Isotope Oceanography Laboratory, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Ansan, P.O.Box 29, Seoul, 425-600, Korea

    C. S. Chung & G. H. Hong

  4. Geochemical Research Department, Meteorological Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0052, Japan

    K. Hirose

  5. Department of Radiation Physics, University of Linköping, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden

    H. B. L. Pettersson

Authors
  1. C. K. Kim
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  2. C. S. Kim
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  3. B. U. Chang
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  4. S. W. Choi
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  5. C. S. Chung
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  6. G. H. Hong
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  7. K. Hirose
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  8. H. B. L. Pettersson
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Kim, C.K., Kim, C.S., Chang, B.U. et al. 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the bottom sediments of the NW Pacific Ocean. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 258, 265–268 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026225402410

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026225402410

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