Isolation and characterization of hot particles from Chernobyl fallout in southwestern Finland

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198912000-00013· OSTI ID:5039740

Saari, H; Luokkanen, S; Kulmala, M; Lehtinen, S; Raunemaa, T ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)

Three types of activity composition have been found in airborne hot particles that were transported long distances from the Chernobyl accident. Their characterization is based on the analysis of single particles isolated from Pinus Sylvestris needles. The average activity of the particles was 130 Bq at the time of the accident. The most common type of particle contains the radioactive species {sup 141}Ce, {sup 144}Ce, {sup 95}Zr and {sup 95}Nb; the second type includes {sup 103}Ru and {sup 106}Ru along with the previous isotopes; and the third contains {sup 103}Ru and {sup 106}Ru only. Cesium-134 and -137 were present only in very small amounts. The activity composition of the Chernobyl reactor core fuel was similar to the composition of the first and second type particle; apparently the core fuel was only partially volatilized. The main bulk composition of the particles is shown to be U. The average aerodynamic size of the identified hot particles is 10 microns. The particles are rectangular or pentagonal in shape.

• OSTI ID: 5039740
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Health Physics; (USA) Vol. 57:6; ISSN 0017-9078; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560162 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACCIDENTS
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ASIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CERIUM 141
CERIUM 144
CERIUM ISOTOPES
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR
CONIFERS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EASTERN EUROPE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EUROPE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FALLOUT
FINLAND
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
MASS TRANSFER
NIOBIUM 95
NIOBIUM ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PARTICLE SIZE
PINES
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POWER REACTORS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTORS
RUTHENIUM 103
RUTHENIUM 106
RUTHENIUM ISOTOPES
SCANDINAVIA
SIZE
THERMAL REACTORS
TREES
UKRAINIAN SSR
UPTAKE
USSR
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WESTERN EUROPE
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZIRCONIUM 95
ZIRCONIUM ISOTOPES