Atmospheric deposition and migration of artificial radionuclides in Alpine soils (Val Piora, Switzerland) compared to the distribution of selected major and trace elements.

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_D1FFDA6A231E
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Atmospheric deposition and migration of artificial radionuclides in Alpine soils (Val Piora, Switzerland) compared to the distribution of selected major and trace elements.
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Author(s)
Chawla F., Steinmann P., Pfeifer H.R., Froidevaux P.
ISSN-L
0048-9697
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2010
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
408
Number
16
Pages
3292-3302
Language
english
Abstract
Artificial radionuclides ((137)Cs, (90)Sr, Pu, and (241)Am) are present in soils because of Nuclear Weapon Tests and accidents in nuclear facilities. Their distribution in soil depth varies according to soil characteristics, their own chemical properties, and their deposition history. For this project, we studied the atmospheric deposition of (137)Cs, (90)Sr, Pu, (241)Am, (210)Pb, and stable Pb. We compared the distribution of these elements in soil profiles from different soil types from an alpine Valley (Val Piora, Switzerland) with the distribution of selected major and trace elements in the same soils. Our goals were to explain the distribution of the radioisotopes as a function of soil parameters and to identify stable elements with analogous behaviors. We found that Pu and (241)Am are relatively immobile and accumulate in the topsoil. In all soils, (90)Sr is more mobile and shows some accumulations at depth into Fe-Al rich horizons. This behavior is also observed for Cu and Zn, indicating that these elements may be used as chemical analogues for the migration of (90)Sr into the soil.
Keywords
Plutonium, Americium, Strontium-90, Cesium-137, Mobility, Geochemistry, liquid distribution coefficients, nevada test-site, cs-137 deposition, organic-matter, forest soil, radiocesium, plutonium, sr-90, association, substances
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Create date
17/08/2010 13:19
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:52
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