Plutonium and Americium Inventories in Soil Cores from the English Lake District, Cumbria (UK)

Abstract

Environmental radioactivity has been reported in the stationary wetlands closer to the natural water basins in Great Britain, precisely in the English Lake District (Cumbria, UK) often emphasise on the investigation carried out through either high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy or α-particle spectroscopy. The objective of the study is the evaluation of trace actinide (241Am) through environments radioactivity measurements of two Lakes in the Lake District using a broad-energy, high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy germanium (BEGe) detector. These appeal to the need to determine the radioactive concentration (Bq/g) in the soil samples with the intent being to discern natural and anthropogenic contributions, and trends in abundances associated with influences of the landscape over time, at trace levels in the environment. These measurements highlight potential benefits for the assessment of 241Am and 241Pu, especially comparisons that might be made with accelerator mass spectrometry assessments (AMS). This study intents to offer an inclusive investigation practise for determining the levels of radioactivity in soil cores, as well as the method for statistical analysis approach to calculate the activity of a soil sample, with a special emphasis on categorising the natural and anthropogenic contributors to trace amounts of plutonium in the environment, that is, less than500 fg/g.

Keywords

• americium
• plutonium
• soil samples
• radioactive concentration