TY - JOUR
T1 - An unknown source of reactor radionuclides in the Baltic Sea revealed by multi-isotope fingerprints
AU - Qiao, Jixin
AU - Zhang, Haitao
AU - Steier, Peter
AU - Hain, Karin
AU - Hou, Xiaolin
AU - Vartti, Vesa Pekka
AU - Henderson, Gideon M.
AU - Eriksson, Mats
AU - Aldahan, Ala
AU - Possnert, Göran
AU - Golser, Robin
N1 - Funding Information:
J.Q. is grateful to all colleagues in the Radioecology and Tracer Studies Section, Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark. The authors also wish to thank Danish Navy, STUK, GEOTRACES, SSM, and SMHI (Argos cruise) for sample collection. A.A. acknowledges the UPAR funding from the UAEU.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - We present an application of multi-isotopic fingerprints (i.e., 236U/238U, 233U/236U, 236U/129I and 129I/127I) for the discovery of previously unrecognized sources of anthropogenic radioactivity. Our data indicate a source of reactor 236U in the Baltic Sea in addition to inputs from the two European reprocessing plants and global fallout. This additional reactor 236U may come from unreported discharges from Swedish nuclear research facilities as supported by high 236U levels in sediment nearby Studsvik, or from accidental leakages of spent nuclear fuel disposed on the Baltic seafloor, either reported or unreported. Such leakages would indicate problems with the radiological safety of seafloor disposal, and may be accompanied by releases of other radionuclides. The results demonstrate the high sensitivity of multi-isotopic tracer systems, especially the 233U/236U signature, to distinguish environmental emissions of unrevealed radioactive releases for nuclear safeguards, emergency preparedness and environmental tracer studies.
AB - We present an application of multi-isotopic fingerprints (i.e., 236U/238U, 233U/236U, 236U/129I and 129I/127I) for the discovery of previously unrecognized sources of anthropogenic radioactivity. Our data indicate a source of reactor 236U in the Baltic Sea in addition to inputs from the two European reprocessing plants and global fallout. This additional reactor 236U may come from unreported discharges from Swedish nuclear research facilities as supported by high 236U levels in sediment nearby Studsvik, or from accidental leakages of spent nuclear fuel disposed on the Baltic seafloor, either reported or unreported. Such leakages would indicate problems with the radiological safety of seafloor disposal, and may be accompanied by releases of other radionuclides. The results demonstrate the high sensitivity of multi-isotopic tracer systems, especially the 233U/236U signature, to distinguish environmental emissions of unrevealed radioactive releases for nuclear safeguards, emergency preparedness and environmental tracer studies.
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U2 - 10.1038/s41467-021-21059-w
DO - 10.1038/s41467-021-21059-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 33547296
AN - SCOPUS:85100546730
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 12
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 823
ER -