Long-term distribution and vertical migration of plutonium in a peat profile after the 1993 Siberian Chemical Combine accidentстатьяИсследовательская статья
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Дата последнего поиска статьи во внешних источниках: 23 января 2026 г.
Аннотация:In 1993, a radiological accident at the Siberian Chemical Combine resulted in a persistent radioactive trace northeast of the Radiochemical Plant, raising long-term concerns about radionuclide mobility in the environment.Among the long-lived radionuclides remaining in soils, plutonium-239 (239Pu) is of particular interest due to its high toxicity and complex environmental behavior. This study determined the distribution and dominant forms of plutonium more than a quarter century after the fallout. A rapidly growing stratified peat bog was subdivided into age horizons based on excess lead-210 (210Pb), which enabled confirmation of vertical migration of plutonium. Alpha Track radiography revealed that over half of the plutonium released during the accident remains trapped within low-solubility ‘hot’ particles. Data point to the gravitational vertical migration appears to involve small plutonium-bearing particles formed by the degradation of the original fallout material. These findings emphasize the key role of the initial chemical and physical forms of plutonium in governing its longterm environmental fate.