Measurement of anthropogenic radionuclides in post-Fukushima Pacific seawater samples

Lutter Guillaume; Tzika Faidra; Hult Mikael; Aoyama Michio; Hamajima Yasunori; Marissens Gerd; Stroh Heiko

doi:10.1515/nuka-2015-0112

Nukleonika (Sep 2015)

Measurement of anthropogenic radionuclides in post-Fukushima Pacific seawater samples

Lutter Guillaume,
Tzika Faidra,
Hult Mikael,
Aoyama Michio,
Hamajima Yasunori,
Marissens Gerd,
Stroh Heiko

Affiliations

Lutter Guillaume: EC-JRC-IRMM, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 571269, Fax: +32 14 584273
Tzika Faidra: EC-JRC-IRMM, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 571269, Fax: +32 14 584273
Hult Mikael: EC-JRC-IRMM, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 571269, Fax: +32 14 584273
Aoyama Michio: Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima, 963-8811 Japan and Meteorological Research Institute, 1-1 Nagamine, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0052, Japan
Hamajima Yasunori: Kanazawa University, O-24 Tatsunokuchi, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1224, Japan
Marissens Gerd: EC-JRC-IRMM, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 571269, Fax: +32 14 584273
Stroh Heiko: EC-JRC-IRMM, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium, Tel.: +32 14 571269, Fax: +32 14 584273

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nuka-2015-0112
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 60, no. 3
pp. 545 – 550

Abstract

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Following the accident at the Daiichi Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011, a vast number of Pacific seawater samples from many locations far from Fukushima have been collected by Japanese investigators. Due to dilution, the activities of radionuclides from North Pacific seawater samples are very low, which calls for extraordinary measures when being measured. This study focuses on the metrological aspects of the gamma-ray spectrometry measurements performed on such samples in two underground laboratories; at HADES (by JRC-IRMM in Belgium), and at Ogoya (by Kanazawa University in Japan). Due to many samples and long measurement times, all available HPGe detectors needed to be employed. In addition to single coaxial detectors, this involved multidetector systems and well detectors. Optimization of detection limits for different radionuclides and detectors was performed using Monte Carlo simulations.

detection limit · fukushima · gamma-ray spectrometry · monte carlo · radiocesium · underground laboratory

Published in Nukleonika

ISSN: 0029-5922 (Print); 1508-5791 (Online)
Publisher: Sciendo
Country of publisher: Poland
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://sciendo.com/journal/NUKA

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