DETERMINATION OF THE PLUTONIUM CONTENT IN SAMPLES FROM A 30-KM ZONE AROUND THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

摘要

A method of determining the content of α-emitting plutonium isotopes according to the characteristic L_x radiation line emitted from uranium in samples taken from the environment is proposed. Comparing the method decribed and the standard radiochemical determination of plutonium isotopes for soil samples taken from a 5-km zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant showed that the results are in good agreement with one another. The concentration of plutonium and americium in the zones with high contamination with transuranium nuclides is measured. It is established that the migration rate of americium is the same as that of plutonium. It is shown that about 90% of the α-emitting nuclides are located at depths of 5-10 cm.