Isolation, characterization and source analysis of radiocaesium micro-particles in soil sample collected from vicinity of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Radioactive caesium was released during the accident of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) into the surrounding environment. In the current work, radiocaesium micro-particles (CsMPs) and radiocaesium-rich soil particles were selectively separated from soil particles as well as from each other using autoradiography-based procedure. The applied separation scheme is based on water dilution followed by drying of the soil sample prior to imaging plate autoradiography.

Characterisation of radionuclides formed by high-energy neutron irradiation.

The physicochemical properties of radionuclides suspended in the air are important parameters in order to evaluate internal doses due to the inhalation of the airborne radionuclides and to develop the air-monitoring system in high-energy proton accelerator facilities. This study focuses on the property of radioactive airborne chlorine (38Cl and 39Cl) and sulphur (38S) produced in Ar gas by irradiation with high-energy neutrons. As a result of the irradiation of a mixture of Ar gas and dry air, 38Cl and 39Cl existed as non-acidic gas and 38S was present as acidic gas.