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Silver-110m and 125Sb in Chernobyl fallout
C Papastefanou1, M Manolopoulou, S Charalambous
1Department of Nuclear Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Science of the Total Environment
|June 15, 1988
Summary
Following the Chernobyl reactor accident, measurements revealed elevated levels of silver-110m (110mAg) and antimony-125 (125Sb) in Greek soils and grass. These findings highlight the widespread environmental contamination from the nuclear fallout.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Radiochemistry
- Nuclear Chemistry
Background:
- The Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986 released significant amounts of radioactive isotopes into the environment.
- Understanding the distribution and concentration of fallout nuclides is crucial for assessing long-term environmental impact and potential risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the concentrations of two specific radionuclides, silver-110m (110mAg) and antimony-125 (125Sb), in soil and grass samples.
- To assess the extent of environmental contamination in Greece resulting from Chernobyl fallout.
Main Methods:
- Soil and grass samples were collected from various locations in Greece.
- Gamma-ray spectrometry was employed to measure the activity concentrations of 110mAg and 125Sb.
Main Results:
- 110mAg concentrations in soils ranged from 4.5 to 46.1 Bq kg-1 (average 14.3 Bq kg-1) and in grass from 0.2 to 1.5 Bq kg-1 (average 0.8 Bq kg-1).
- 125Sb concentrations in soils ranged from 15.7 to 284.6 Bq kg-1 (average 105.0 Bq kg-1) and in grass from 1.1 to 19.6 Bq kg-1 (average 4.4 Bq kg-1).
Conclusions:
- The study confirmed the presence of Chernobyl-derived 110mAg and 125Sb in the Greek environment.
- The data provide valuable information on the distribution patterns of these specific fallout nuclides in terrestrial ecosystems.