Advancing environmental monitoring: A comparative analysis of sequential radiochemical methods for precise alpha-particle spectrometry analysis of Am in soil and marine sediment samples.

Environmental monitoring of alpha-emitting radionuclides is crucial for assessing the long-term impacts of nuclear activities and understanding ecosystem dynamics. Thus, long-term marine environmental monitoring needs a precise analytical method for determining isotopes in sediment and soil samples. Because Am is the first decay product of Pu, its activity in the environment will grow during the next 50 years.

Vertical distribution of Am in the southern Baltic Sea sediment profiles.

The contamination of the Baltic Sea with radioactive substances occurred due to the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapon tests and the Chernobyl disaster. The knowledge of Am in the sediments of the Baltic Sea is limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine Am in sediment cores collected from the southern Baltic Sea.

The level of Pb extraction efficiency in Polish herbal teas and the possible effective dose to consumers.

The article presents the results of a study on the level of Pb efficiency extraction in Polish herbal teas as a possible additional source of this radioactive isotope in the human diet. The twelve most popular herbal teas available in Poland and their infusions in filtered and tap water were analyzed as well as Pb activity concentrations and effective doses (radiation) were calculated. The highest activity concentration of Pb in dried plants was determined in cistus - 35.