On the presence of enriched amounts of 235U in hot particles from the terrestrial area affected by the Palomares accident (Spain)

M C Jiménez-Ramos; H Barros; R García-Tenorio; M García-León; I Vioque; G Manjón

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2006.08.002

On the presence of enriched amounts of 235U in hot particles from the terrestrial area affected by the Palomares accident (Spain)

Environ Pollut. 2007 Jan;145(2):391-4. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.08.002. Epub 2006 Oct 5.

Authors

M C Jiménez-Ramos¹, H Barros, R García-Tenorio, M García-León, I Vioque, G Manjón

Affiliation

¹ Departamento de Física Aplicada II, E.T.S.A., Applied Nuclear Physics Group, University of Seville, Avenida Reina Mercedes-2, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.

PMID: 17030364
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.08.002

Abstract

The characterisation by ICP-MS of an isolated Pu-U hot particle originating from the nuclear weapons accident in Palomares (Spain) shows, for the first time, that its uranium content is highly enriched in (235)U. The enrichment has been confirmed by independent analyses of two surface soil samples collected in a heavily contaminated area close to the impact point of one of the bombs. This finding clarifies better the composition of the weapons involved in the accident and is of importance when the inventory of U and Pu in the contaminated area are to be calculated.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring / methods
Mass Spectrometry / methods
Plutonium / analysis
Radioactive Hazard Release*
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
Spain
Uranium / analysis*

Substances

Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
Uranium
Plutonium