hdl:10013/epic.fe6d6e26-1407-4bae-a2fd-e21dbad9e8ea
publisher:10.1073/pnas.1907571116

Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017


Masson, O, Steinhauser, G, Zok, D, Saunier, O, Angelov, H, Babić, D, Bečková, V, Bieringer, J, Bruggeman, M, Burbidge, CI, Conil, S, Dalheimer, A, De Geer, L-E, de Vismes Ott, A, Eleftheriadis, K, Estier, S, Fischer, H, Garavaglia, MG, Gasco Leonarte, C, Gorzkiewicz, K, Hainz, D, Hoffman, I, Hýža, M, Isajenko, K, Karhunen, T, Kastlander, J, Katzlberger, C, Kierepko, R, Knetsch, G-J, Kövendiné Kónyi, J, Lecomte, M, Mietelski, JW, Min, P, Møller, B, Nielsen, SP, Nikolic, J, Nikolovska, L, Penev, I, Petrinec, B, Povinec, PP, Querfeld, R, Raimondi, O, Ransby, D, Ringer, W, Romanenko, O, Rusconi, R, Saey, PRJ, Samsonov, V, Šilobritienė, B, Simion, E, Söderström, C, Šoštarić, M, Steinkopff, T, Steinmann, P, Sýkora, I, Tabachnyi, L, Todorovic, D, Tomankiewicz, E, Tschiersch, J, Tsibranski, R, Tzortzis, M, Ungar, K, Vidic, A, Weller, A, Wershofen, H, Zagyvai, P, Zalewska, T, Zapata García, D and Zorko, B ;
Contact
olivier.masson [ at ] irsn.fr

Abstract

<jats:p>In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (<jats:sup>106</jats:sup>Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of µBq·m<jats:sup>−3</jats:sup> to more than 150 mBq·m<jats:sup>−3</jats:sup>. The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne <jats:sup>106</jats:sup>Ru 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 <jats:sup>106</jats:sup>Ru 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 <jats:sup>144</jats:sup>Ce source for a neutrino experiment.</jats:p>



Item Type
Article
Authors
Masson, O, Steinhauser, G, Zok, D, Saunier, O, Angelov, H, Babić, D, Bečková, V, Bieringer, J, Bruggeman, M, Burbidge, CI, Conil, S, Dalheimer, A, De Geer, L-E, de Vismes Ott, A, Eleftheriadis, K, Estier, S, Fischer, H, Garavaglia, MG, Gasco Leonarte, C, Gorzkiewicz, K, Hainz, D, Hoffman, I, Hýža, M, Isajenko, K, Karhunen, T, Kastlander, J, Katzlberger, C, Kierepko, R, Knetsch, G-J, Kövendiné Kónyi, J, Lecomte, M, Mietelski, JW, Min, P, Møller, B, Nielsen, SP, Nikolic, J, Nikolovska, L, Penev, I, Petrinec, B, Povinec, PP, Querfeld, R, Raimondi, O, Ransby, D, Ringer, W, Romanenko, O, Rusconi, R, Saey, PRJ, Samsonov, V, Šilobritienė, B, Simion, E, Söderström, C, Šoštarić, M, Steinkopff, T, Steinmann, P, Sýkora, I, Tabachnyi, L, Todorovic, D, Tomankiewicz, E, Tschiersch, J, Tsibranski, R, Tzortzis, M, Ungar, K, Vidic, A, Weller, A, Wershofen, H, Zagyvai, P, Zalewska, T, Zapata García, D and Zorko, B ;
Divisions
AWI Organizations > Infrastructure > Computing and Data Centre > PANGAEA
Primary Division
Organizations > AWI Organizations > Infrastructure > Computing and Data Centre > PANGAEA
Programs
Basic Research > Helmholtz Independent Research
Primary Topic
Helmholtz Programs > Basic Research > Helmholtz Independent Research
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
49956
DOI https://www.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907571116

Cite as
Masson, O. , Steinhauser, G. , Zok, D. , Saunier, O. , Angelov, H. , Babić, D. , Bečková, V. , Bieringer, J. , Bruggeman, M. , Burbidge, C. , Conil, S. , Dalheimer, A. , De Geer, L. E. , de Vismes Ott, A. , Eleftheriadis, K. , Estier, S. , Fischer, H. , Garavaglia, M. , Gasco Leonarte, C. , Gorzkiewicz, K. , Hainz, D. , Hoffman, I. , Hýža, M. , Isajenko, K. , Karhunen, T. , Kastlander, J. , Katzlberger, C. , Kierepko, R. , Knetsch, G. J. , Kövendiné Kónyi, J. , Lecomte, M. , Mietelski, J. , Min, P. , Møller, B. , Nielsen, S. , Nikolic, J. , Nikolovska, L. , Penev, I. , Petrinec, B. , Povinec, P. , Querfeld, R. , Raimondi, O. , Ransby, D. , Ringer, W. , Romanenko, O. , Rusconi, R. , Saey, P. , Samsonov, V. , Šilobritienė, B. , Simion, E. , Söderström, C. , Šoštarić, M. , Steinkopff, T. , Steinmann, P. , Sýkora, I. , Tabachnyi, L. , Todorovic, D. , Tomankiewicz, E. , Tschiersch, J. , Tsibranski, R. , Tzortzis, M. , Ungar, K. , Vidic, A. , Weller, A. , Wershofen, H. , Zagyvai, P. , Zalewska, T. , Zapata García, D. and Zorko, B. (2019): Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017 , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116 (34), pp. 16750-16759 . doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907571116


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