Identification, isolation, and characterization of a novel type of Fukushima-derived microparticle

verfasst von

Zsuzsanna Macsik, Lisa A. Hudston, Kimberly N. Wurth, Daniel Meininger, Christian Jesinghaus, Travis J. Tenner, Benjamin E. Naes, Mitzi Boswell, Katsumi Shozugawa, Stephen P. LaMont, Robert E. Steiner, Georg Steinhauser

Abstract

In the course of the Fukushima nuclear accident, radionuclides were released in various forms, including so-called radiocesium-bearing microparticles (CsMP). So far, four types of CsMP were described: Type A is smaller in size (< 10 μm), Types B, C, and D are larger (> 100 μm). In this work, we present a novel type of CsMP (proclaimed Type E). Three particles of Type E were extracted from a contaminated blade of grass that was sampled 1.5 km from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in late 2011. They were located using autoradiography, isolated using an optical microscope and micromanipulator, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and low-level gamma-ray spectrometry. Type E CsMPs are 10–20 μm in size and exhibit an unusually low and barely detectable ¹³⁷Cs activity of only ≤ 10 mBq per particle. Their brittle and fragile character may indicate a high surface tension.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Radioökologie und Strahlenschutz

Externe Organisation(en)

Los Alamos National Laboratory
University of Tokyo (UTokyo)
Technische Universität Wien (TUW)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Band

331

Seiten

5333-5341

Anzahl der Seiten

9

ISSN

0236-5731

Publikationsdatum

12.2022

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Analytische Chemie, Kernenergie und Kernkraftwerkstechnik, Radiologie, Nuklearmedizin und Bildgebung, Umweltverschmutzung, Spektroskopie, Öffentliche Gesundheit, Umwelt- und Arbeitsmedizin, Gesundheit, Toxikologie und Mutagenese

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08561-1 (Zugang: Offen)