Scavenged ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, and ²⁴¹Am from snowfalls in the atmosphere settling on Mt. Zugspitze in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

ABSTRACT: Concentrations of ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, and ²⁴¹Am, and atomic ratio of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu in freshly fallen snow on Mt. Zugspitze collected in 2014, 2015 and 2016 were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). For the sub-femtogram (10^-15 g) - level of Pu and Am analysis, a chemical separation procedure combined with AMS was improved and an excellent overall efficiency of about 10^-4 was achieved. The concentration of ²³⁹Pu ranges from 75 ± 13 ag/kg to 2823 ± 84 ag/kg, of ²⁴⁰Pu from 20.6 ± 5.2 to 601 ± 21 ag/kg, and of ²⁴¹Am was found in the range of 16.7 ± 5.0-218.8 ± 8.9 ag/kg. Atomic ratios of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu for most samples are comparable to the fallout in middle Eu

SUBMITTER: Guckel K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5605513 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature