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Related Concept Videos

Isotopes and Radioisotopes01:28

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing more...
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Isotopes01:12

Isotopes

Elements have a set number of protons that determines their atomic number (Z). For example, all atoms with eight protons are oxygen; however, the number of neutrons can vary for atoms of the same element. The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are called isotopes. Elements can have multiple isotopes, for example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.An element's atomic mass, or weight, is a...
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...
Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...

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Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
12:22

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films

Published on: November 9, 2015

Plutonium isotopes as tracers for ocean processes: a review.

Patric Lindahl1, Sang-Han Lee, Paul Worsfold

  • 1Marine Environment Research Department, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Ansan, P.O. Box 29, Seoul 425-600, Republic of Korea. patriclindahl@yahoo.com

Marine Environmental Research
|September 24, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Plutonium isotopes from nuclear weapons tests are valuable tracers for marine pollution and ocean processes. Their unique properties help track pollutants, understand ocean dynamics, and assess climate change impacts.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Oceanography
  • Radiochemistry

Background:

  • Pulsed inputs of plutonium isotopes (Pu) originated from nuclear weapons testing starting in the 1940s.
  • Pu isotopes serve as effective tracers for marine pollutants and particles due to their defined inputs and long half-lives.
  • The unique chemical properties of Pu enable its use in studying ocean processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the major sources of plutonium in the marine environment.
  • To describe the physical and biogeochemical behavior of plutonium in marine systems.
  • To explore the application of plutonium isotopes as tracers for oceanic processes and climate change impacts.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of plutonium isotopic signatures to identify sources.
  • Investigating the distribution and behavior of plutonium in seawater and sediments.
  • Utilizing plutonium as a tracer for ocean circulation, sedimentation, and biological productivity.

Main Results:

  • Plutonium isotopes provide insights into pollutant pathways and fate in the ocean.
  • The isotopic signature of plutonium is source-dependent, aiding in source apportionment.
  • Pu isotopes are valuable for evaluating and improving ocean models for predicting past and future oceanic changes.

Conclusions:

  • Plutonium isotopes are versatile tracers for understanding marine pollution and physical/biogeochemical ocean processes.
  • Their application extends to assessing climate change impacts and refining oceanographic models.
  • Further exploitation of Pu isotopes will enhance our comprehension of oceanic dynamics and environmental changes.