Primordial radionuclides in Canadian background sites: secular equilibrium and isotopic differences

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
S C SheppardB L Sanipelli

Abstract

A literature review and field sampling were done to obtain information on primordial (natural-series) radionuclide concentrations in terrestrial environments in diverse locations across Canada. Of special interest was the degree of secular equilibrium among members of decay series. The analytes measured in soils and plants were (nat)U by neutron activation-delayed neutron counting, (228)Th, (230)Th, (232)Th, (226)Ra and (210)Po by alpha spectroscopy, (210)Pb by gas flow proportional counting, (228)Ra by beta counting and (137)Cs by gamma spectroscopy. In addition, ICP-MS was used to obtain concentrations of about 50 analytes including elemental U, Pb, and Th. Samples were from seven representative background sites with a total of 162 plant samples from 38 different species. These data were supplemented by a review that gathered a large portion of the similar data from published sources. The sites chosen were semi-natural, far from any nuclear industry, although several were specifically located in areas with slightly elevated natural U concentrations. As might be expected, there were many cases of non-detectable concentrations. However, certain trends were evident. The activity ratio (210)Po/(210)Pb was unity in soils and non-a...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 1, 1987·The Science of the Total Environment·E H Schulte, P Scoppa
Oct 29, 2011·Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·S C Sheppard, G L Stephenson
Feb 22, 2016·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Maria SotiropoulouMetaxia Manolopoulou
Jul 24, 2010·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·J E BrownE Holm
Jul 14, 2010·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·S C SheppardB Sanipelli
Dec 9, 2008·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·H VandenhoveH Velasco
Dec 17, 2008·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·D C LauriaF A Loureiro
Apr 25, 2013·Journal of Radiological Protection : Official Journal of the Society for Radiological Protection·N MitchellM C Thorne
Apr 9, 2020·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Dinko BabićGordana Marović
Apr 14, 2011·Journal of Environmental Monitoring : JEM·L PourcelotR Gieré

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