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U.S. Department of Energy
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Measurement of the /sup 129/I//sup 131/I ratio in Chernobyl fallout

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6705977

Rainwater collected in the Munich area approximately one week after the Chernobyl reactor accident was investigated for its content of the radioisotopes /sup 129/I (T/sub 1/2/ = 1.6 x 10/sup 7/ y) and /sup 131/I (T/sub 1/2/ = 8.04 d). For the time of release, an isotopic ratio of /sup 129/I//sup 131/I = 19 +- 5 was found. This value was obtained from a gamma-ray activity measurement of /sup 131/I with a GE detector and a concentration measurement of /sup 129/I with accelerator mass spectrometry. From the measured ratio an operating time of the reactor prior to the accident in the vicinity of two years can be estimated, which is in fair agreement with estimates from other long-lived to short-lived radioisotope ratios in the Chernobyl fallout. Some measurements of /sup 131/I activity in thyroids of persons living in the Munich area is also reported.

Research Organization:
Technische Univ. Muenchen, Garching (Germany, F.R.). Physikdepartment; Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem (Israel). Racah Inst. of Physics; Weizmann Inst. of Science, Rehovoth (Israel). Dept. of Nuclear Physics; Weizmann Inst. of Science, Rehovoth (Israel). Dept. of Isotopes
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6705977
Report Number(s):
CONF-860735-1; ON: DE87004990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English