Trench 'bathtubbing’ and surface plutonium contamination at a legacy radioactive waste site

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dc.contributor.authorPayne, TEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHughes, CEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohansen, MPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorThiruvoth, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilsher, KLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCendón, DIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHankin, SIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRowling, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorZawadzki, Aen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-12-10T00:30:52Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-12-10T00:30:52Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2013-11-20en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-11-01en_AU
dc.description.abstractRadioactive waste containing a few grams of plutonium (Pu) was disposed between 1960 and 1968 in trenches at the Little Forest Burial Ground (LFBG), near Sydney, Australia. A water sampling point installed in a former trench has enabled the radionuclide content of trench water and the response of the water level to rainfall to be studied. The trench water contains readily measurable Pu activity (∼12 Bq/L of 239+240Pu in 0.45 μm-filtered water), and there is an associated contamination of Pu in surface soils. The highest 239+240Pu soil activity was 829 Bq/kg in a shallow sample (0–1 cm depth) near the trench sampling point. Away from the trenches, the elevated concentrations of Pu in surface soils extend for tens of meters down-slope. The broader contamination may be partly attributable to dispersion events in the first decade after disposal, after which a layer of soil was added above the trenched area. Since this time, further Pu contamination has occurred near the trench-sampler within this added layer. The water level in the trench-sampler responds quickly to rainfall and intermittently reaches the surface, hence the Pu dispersion is attributed to saturation and overflow of the trenches during extreme rainfall events, referred to as the ‘bathtub’ effect. © 2013 American Chemical Societyen_AU
dc.identifier.citationPayne, T. E., Harrison, J. J., Hughes, C. E., Johansen, M. P., Thiruvoth, S., Wilsher, K. L., Cendón, D. I., Hankin, S, I., Rowling, B., & Zawadzki, A. (2013). Trench ‘bathtubbing’ and surface plutonium contamination at a legacy radioactive waste site. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(23), 13284-13293. doi:10.1021/es403278ren_AU
dc.identifier.issn0013-936Xen_AU
dc.identifier.issue23en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleEnvironmental Science & Technologyen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination13284-13293en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1021/es403278ren_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/12425en_AU
dc.identifier.volume47en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAmerican Chemical Societyen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectWastesen_AU
dc.subjectOrganic polymersen_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectSamplingen_AU
dc.subjectRadionuclide migrationen_AU
dc.titleTrench 'bathtubbing’ and surface plutonium contamination at a legacy radioactive waste siteen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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