Characterisation of anthropogenic radioactive particles from former weapon test sites in Australia

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dc.contributor.authorYoung, ELen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohansen, MPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChild, DPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHotchkis, MACen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHowell, NRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPastuovic, Zen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHoward, DLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPalmer, Ten_AU
dc.contributor.authorDavis, Jen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-20T01:09:27Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-01-20T01:09:27Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2018-11-06en_AU
dc.date.statistics2022-06-30en_AU
dc.description.abstractFormer nuclear test sites on Australian territories such as those at Maralinga and the Montebello islands have been remediated to varying extents but wide-spread radioactivity still remains. Fission and neutron-activation products at the test sites have been decaying over time but long-lived radioisotopes such as uranium and plutonium persist within the environment, predominantly in the form of discrete particles. These particles vary widely in composition depending upon the detonation characteristics and local geology, and are widely dispersed around each site. Radioactive particles are the dominant form of radionuclides at the former test sites and the future distribution of radioactive contaminants in the environment at these sites is largely dependent upon their fate and behaviour. The weathering of particles in the environment and the potential release of the radioactivity they contain is influenced by a range of factors including particle morphology, elemental composition and chemical form, and the prevailing environmental conditions. Radioactive particles have been isolated from soils and sediments from Australian test sites and characterised using photostimulated luminescence (PSL)-autoradiography, scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The characteristics of the particles and potential implications for their long term fate will be discussed in the context of the techniques applied and the environments in which the particles were found. en_AU
dc.identifier.citationYoung, E., Johansen, M., Child, D. P., Hotchkis, M. A. C., Howell, N., Pastuovic, Z., Howard, D. L., Palmer, N., & Davis, J. (2018). Characterisation of anthropogenic radioactive particles from former weapon test sites in Australia. Paper presented to the SPERA Conference 2018, "Bringing environmental radioactivity research to Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6 - 9 November 2018, (pp. 55).en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate9 November 2018en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameSPERA Conference 2018, 'Bringing environmental radioactivity research to Western Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplacePerth, Western Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate6 November 2018en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination55en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/14438en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherSouth Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Associationen_AU
dc.subjectNuclear test sitesen_AU
dc.subjectNuclear weaponsen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectRadioactivityen_AU
dc.subjectFissionen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectParticlesen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectPIXE analysisen_AU
dc.titleCharacterisation of anthropogenic radioactive particles from former weapon test sites in Australiaen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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