Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 16750-16759 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
| Volume | 116 |
| Issue number | 34 |
| Early online date | 26 Jul 2019 |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Aug 2019 |
Abstract
In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (106Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of μBq·m-3 to more than 150 mBq·m-3. The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne 106Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plume presence duration at each location. Based on airborne concentration spreading and chemical considerations, it is possible to assume that the release occurred in the Southern Urals region (Russian Federation). The 106Ru age was estimated to be about 2 years. It exhibited highly soluble and less soluble fractions in aqueous media, high radiopurity (lack of concomitant radionuclides), and volatility between 700 and 1,000 °C, thus suggesting a release at an advanced stage in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. The amount and isotopic characteristics of the radioruthenium release may indicate a context with the production of a large 144Ce source for a neutrino experiment.
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 116, No. 34, 20.08.2019, p. 16750-16759.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017
AU - Masson, Olivier
AU - Steinhauser, Georg
AU - Zok, Dorian
AU - Saunier, O.
AU - Angelov, H.
AU - Babić, D.
AU - Bečková, V.
AU - Bieringer, J.
AU - Bruggeman, M.
AU - Burbidge, C. I.
AU - Conil, S.
AU - Dalheimer, A.
AU - De Geer, L. E.
AU - De Vismes Ott, A.
AU - Eleftheriadis, K.
AU - Estier, S.
AU - Fischer, Helmut W.
AU - Garavaglia, M. G.
AU - Gasco Leonarte, C.
AU - Gorzkiewicz, K.
AU - Hainz, D.
AU - Hoffman, I.
AU - Hýža, M.
AU - Isajenko, K.
AU - Karhunen, T.
AU - Kastlander, J.
AU - Katzlberger, C.
AU - Kierepko, R.
AU - Knetsch, G. J.
AU - Kövendiné Kónyi, J.
AU - Lecomte, M.
AU - Mietelski, J. W.
AU - Min, P.
AU - Møller, B.
AU - Nielsen, S. P.
AU - Nikolic, J.
AU - Nikolovska, L.
AU - Penev, I.
AU - Petrinec, B.
AU - Povinec, P. P.
AU - Querfeld, Rebecca
AU - Raimondi, O.
AU - Ransby, Daniela
AU - Ringer, W.
AU - Romanenko, O.
AU - Rusconi, R.
AU - Saey, P. R.J.
AU - Samsonov, V.
AU - Šilobritiene, B.
AU - Simion, E.
AU - Söderström, C.
AU - Šoštarić, M.
AU - Steinkopff, T.
AU - Steinmann, P.
AU - Sýkora, I.
AU - Tabachnyi, L.
AU - Todorovic, D.
AU - Tomankiewicz, E.
AU - Tschiersch, J.
AU - Tsibranski, R.
AU - Tzortzis, M.
AU - Ungar, K.
AU - Vidic, A.
AU - Weller, Anica
AU - Wershofen, H.
AU - Zagyvai, P.
AU - Zalewska, T.
AU - Zapata García, D.
AU - Zorko, B.
N1 - Funding Information: We thank all data providers, among them the Environmental Protection Agency (Lithuania) and the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Laboratory (Lithuania); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Air Resources Laboratory, for the provision of the HYSPLIT model for back-trajectory calculations; and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization for providing analysis results in the framework of a virtual Data Exploration Centre agreement (https://www.ctbto.org/specials/vdec/). We acknowledge financial support by the VolkswagenStiftung (Az. 94403). A.W. acknowledges funding by the Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt. The views expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.
PY - 2019/8/20
Y1 - 2019/8/20
N2 - In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (106Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of μBq·m-3 to more than 150 mBq·m-3. The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne 106Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plume presence duration at each location. Based on airborne concentration spreading and chemical considerations, it is possible to assume that the release occurred in the Southern Urals region (Russian Federation). The 106Ru age was estimated to be about 2 years. It exhibited highly soluble and less soluble fractions in aqueous media, high radiopurity (lack of concomitant radionuclides), and volatility between 700 and 1,000 °C, thus suggesting a release at an advanced stage in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. The amount and isotopic characteristics of the radioruthenium release may indicate a context with the production of a large 144Ce source for a neutrino experiment.
AB - In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (106Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of μBq·m-3 to more than 150 mBq·m-3. The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne 106Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plume presence duration at each location. Based on airborne concentration spreading and chemical considerations, it is possible to assume that the release occurred in the Southern Urals region (Russian Federation). The 106Ru age was estimated to be about 2 years. It exhibited highly soluble and less soluble fractions in aqueous media, high radiopurity (lack of concomitant radionuclides), and volatility between 700 and 1,000 °C, thus suggesting a release at an advanced stage in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. The amount and isotopic characteristics of the radioruthenium release may indicate a context with the production of a large 144Ce source for a neutrino experiment.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071489618&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1907571116
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1907571116
M3 - Article
C2 - 31350352
AN - SCOPUS:85071489618
VL - 116
SP - 16750
EP - 16759
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
SN - 0027-8424
IS - 34
ER -