Dresden 2013 – scientific programme
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HK: Fachverband Physik der Hadronen und Kerne
HK 59: Poster - Anwendungen physikalischer Methoden
HK 59.1: Poster
Wednesday, March 6, 2013, 16:45–19:00, HSZ 4.OG
Detection of long-lived Plutonium Isotopes in Environmental Samples by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) — •Karin Hain1, Thomas Faestermann1, Leticia Fimiani1, José Manuel Gomez Guzmán1, Gunther Korschinek1, Peter Ludwig1, and Taeko Shinonaga2 — 1Technische Universität München — 2Helmholtz Zentrum München
The Plutonium isotopes 239Pu (T1/2=2.4·104a), 240Pu (T1/2=6.5·103a) and 242Pu (T1/2=3.7·105a) are anthropogenic radionuclides emitted into the environment by nuclear activities. Pu is accumulated in the human body and hence, poses a considerable hazard to human health. Due to the long half-lives, these isotopes are present in the biosphere on large time scales and a build-up can be expected. Therefore it is important to study the contamination pathway of Pu into the drinking water.
At the Maier-Leibnitz-Laboratory in Munich a method to detect long-lived Pu isotopes by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is being developed. AMS requires only few milligrams of sample material, which is a substantial advantage over decay counting techniques. Consequently, more samples from different locations can be taken which is essential when searching for locally increased Pu concentrations as in the Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima accident in March 2011. Samples from different locations in the Pacific Ocean and from the snow-hydrosphere are planned to be investigated by AMS.
The principle detection method using AMS and an overview of the status of the project will be presented.