Local and global trace plutonium contributions in fast breeder legacy soils.

Trace-level plutonium in the environment often comprises local and global contributions, and is usually anthropogenic in origin. Here, we report estimates of local and global contributions to trace-level plutonium in soil from a former, fast-breeder reactor site. The measured Pu/Pu ratio is anomalously low, as per the reduced Pu yield expected in plutonium bred with fast neutrons.

Highly sensitive ZnO nanorod- and nanoprism-based NO2 gas sensors: size and shape control using a continuous hydrothermal pilot plant.

Continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis of crystalline ZnO nanorods and prisms is reported via a new pilot-scale continuous hydrothermal reactor (at nominal production rates of up to 1.2 g/h). Different size and shape particles of ZnO (wurtsite structure) were obtained via altering reaction conditions such as the concentration of either additive H2O2 or metal salt.