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Distribution of Plutonium in Trinity Soils after 28 Years
Author(s) -
Nyhan J. W.,
Miera F. R.,
Neher R. E.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500040023x
Subject(s) - plutonium , soil water , subsoil , topsoil , plutonium 240 , radionuclide , environmental science , plutonium 239 , carbonate , soil test , soil science , soil horizon , environmental chemistry , chemistry , geology , radiochemistry , neutron , physics , quantum mechanics , fission , organic chemistry
The soils of four intensive study areas located along the fallout pathway of Trinity, the first nuclear detonation, were sampled to determine soil plutonium concentrations as a function of distance from Ground Zero and soil depth. About half of the 239,240 Pu in Trinity Site soils was found at the 5–20 cm depth in 1973 compared to total plutonium inventories found only in the upper 5 cm of soil about 20 years ago. Soil plutonium concentrations of samples collected at the same depth of each study area generally exhibited coefficients of variation > 1.2. Maximum penetration depths of 239,240 Pu into Trinity Site soils were related to the presence of subsoil horizons containing carbonate accumulations and the maximum extent of rainwater penetration into these soil profiles. Increased amounts of plutonium were associated with < 100 µ m fractions as distance from Ground Zero and soil depth increased. The < 100 µ m fraction contained 1.2 and 89% of the plutonium in the topsoil at the study areas located 1.6 and 44 km from Ground Zero, respectively. Total amounts of 239,240 Pu in the < 100 µ m soil size fractions also generally increased with depth; at 1.6 km from Ground Zero, this size fraction contained 1.2% and 13% of the 239,240 Pu found at the 0–2.5 and 5.0–10 cm depths, respectively. The soil plutonium data collected at Trinity Site is discussed relative to the sizes of Trinity fallout particles, setting meaningful health standards for plutonium in soils, and the distribution of plutonium in the biota of Trinity Site ecosystems.