Insights into the Pu isotopic composition (Pu, Pu, and Pu) and U in marshland samples from Madagascar.

This work provides new insights into the presence of Pu, Pu, Pu, and U in the Southern Hemisphere through the study of peat bog cores from marshlands in Madagascar (19°S). Pb, Pu and Pu activities were characterized by alpha spectrometry in previous studies. Here, Pu from alpha-spectrometry discs corresponding to 10 peat-bog cores (85 samples) was reassessed for the aim of completing its isotopic composition (Pu, Pu, and Pu) by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry.

On the presence of plutonium in Madagascar following the SNAP-9A satellite failure.

This study examined the Pu and Pu activity concentration and the Pu/Pu atomic ratio in peat bogs sampled in 2012 from marshlands in central Madagascar. The purpose was to investigate the presence of plutonium isotopes, Pu, from the 1964 satellite failure carrying a SNAP-9A radiothermal generator. With an average Pu/Pu activity ratio of 0.

Assessment of soil redistribution rates by (137)Cs and (210)Pbex in a typical Malagasy agricultural field.

Soil degradation processes affect more than one-third of the Malagasy territory and are considered as the major environmental threat impacting the natural resources of the island. This innovative study reports about a pioneer test and use of radio-isotopic techniques (i.e.

Top soil radioactivity assessment in a high natural radiation background area: the case of Vinaninkarena, Antsirabe-Madagascar.

The village of Vinaninkarena, Antsirabe, Madagascar (47 degrees 02'40''E, 19 degrees 57'17''S) is located in a high natural radioactivity area. In order to evaluate the natural radionuclide content in soil, sampling was done on-site by the transect method (85 soil samples) and off-site through transects across and beyond the region (up to a range of 100 km), to determine the natural radioactivity variation within vs. outside the region, and to detect significant differences, taking into account spatial variability.