Fate of plutonium at a former nuclear testing site in Australia

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dc.contributor.authorIkeda-Ohno, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorShahin, LMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHoward, DLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCollins, RNen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPayne, TEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohansen, MPen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-03T04:52:34Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-10-03T04:52:34Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2016-08-06en_AU
dc.date.statistics2024-06-20en_AU
dc.description.abstractA series of the British nuclear tests conducted on mainland Australia between 1953 and 1963 dispersed long-lived radioactivity and nuclear weapons debris including plutonium (Pu), the legacy of which is a long-lasting source of radioactive contamination to the surrounding biosphere. A reliable assessment of the environmental impact of Pu contaminants and their implications for human health requires an understanding of their physical/chemical characteristics at the molecular scale. In this study, we identify the chemical form of the Pu remaining in the local soils at the Taranaki site, one of the former nuclear testing sites at Maralinga, South Australia. We herein reveal direct spectroscopic evidence that the Pu legacy remaining at the site exists as particulates of Pu(IV) oxyhydroxide compounds, a very concentrated and low-soluble form of Pu, which will serve as ongoing radioactive sources far into the future. Gamma-ray spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence analysis on a collected Pu particle indicate that the Pu in the particle originated in the so-called "Minor trials" that involved the dispersal of weapon components by highly explosive chemicals, not in the nuclear explosion tests called "Major trials". A comprehensive analysis of the data acquired from X-ray fluorescence mapping (XFM), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) suggests that the collected Pu particle forms a "core-shell" structure with the Pu(IV) oxyhydroxide core surrounded by an external layer containing Ca, Fe, and U, which further helps us to deduce a possible scenario of the physical/chemical transformation of the original Pu materials dispersed in the semiarid environment at Maralinga more than 50 years ago. These findings also highlight the importance of the comprehensive physical/chemical characterization of Pu contaminants for reliable environmental- and radiotoxicological assessment. © 2016 American Chemical SocietyCopyright © 2016 American Chemical Society.en_AU
dc.format.mediumPrint-Electronicen_AU
dc.identifier.citationIkeda-Ohno, A., Shahin, L. M., Howard, D. L., Collins, R. N., Payne, T. E., & Johansen, M. P. (2016). Fate of plutonium at a former nuclear testing site in Australia. Environmental Science & Technology, 50(17), 9098-9104. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b01864en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0013-936Xen_AU
dc.identifier.issn1520-5851en_AU
dc.identifier.issue17en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleEnvironmental Science and Technologyen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination9098-9104en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b01864en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/16596en_AU
dc.identifier.volume50en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAmerican Chemical Societyen_AU
dc.subjectPlutoniumen_AU
dc.subjectNuclear test sitesen_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectBiosphereen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmental impactsen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectX-ray fluorescence analysisen_AU
dc.subjectPhysical chemistryen_AU
dc.subjectNuclear weaponsen_AU
dc.subjectImpuritiesen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectTestingen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectSamplersen_AU
dc.subjectSanden_AU
dc.subjectParticlesen_AU
dc.titleFate of plutonium at a former nuclear testing site in Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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