238Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratio as an indicator of Pu originating from the FDNPP accident in the terrestrial environment of Fukushima Prefecture

Publication date: January 2019

Source: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Volume 196

Author(s): R. Kierepko, S.K. Sahoo, M. Hosoda, S. Tokonami, A. Sorimachi, E. Kim, M. Ohno

Abstract

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has caused significant radionuclide contamination. Pu isotopes at the level of GBq were released from the damaged reactors to terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In this work, 35 samples were collected at different locations of Fukushima. Samples consisted of three types, soil, forest litter and alluvial dust (road dust, sludges from drainage systems and below gutter pipe outflows). The obtained activity ratios of ²³⁸Pu/^(239+240)Pu ranged from 0.030 to 1.86. 14 of our samples contained trace amounts of Pu originating from the damaged reactors (2SM verification). Our study identified a few previously unknown "hot spots" of ²³⁸Pu/^(239+240)Pu activity ratio localized in an area between 15 and 30 km in the northwest direction from the FDNPP. Additionally, results obtained in this study combined with previously published data allowed us to prepare a map of spatial distribution of the Pu isotope fingerprints (²³⁸Pu/^(239+240)Pu) in Fukushima Prefecture.

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