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Assessing depleted uranium (DU) contamination of soil, plants and earthworms at UK weapons testing sites.

Oliver, I; Graham, MC; MacKenzie, AB; Ellam, RM; Farmer, JG

Authors

MC Graham

AB MacKenzie

RM Ellam

JG Farmer



Abstract

Depleted uranium (DU) weapons testing programmes have been conducted at two locations within the UK. An investigation was therefore carried out to assess the extent of any environmental contamination arising from these test programmes using both alpha spectrometry and mass spectrometry techniques. Uranium isotopic signatures indicative of DU contamination were observed in soil, plant and earthworm samples collected in the immediate vicinity of test firing points and targets, but contamination was found to be localised to these areas. This paper demonstrates the superiority of the (235)U : (238)U ratio over the (234)U : (238)U ratio for identifying and quantifying DU contamination in environmental samples, and also describes the respective circumstances under which alpha spectrometry or mass spectrometry may be the more appropriate analytical tool.

Acceptance Date May 3, 2007
Publication Date May 24, 2007
Journal Journal of Environmental Monitoring
Print ISSN 1464-0325
Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
Pages 740 - 748
DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/B700719A
Keywords Animals, England, Nuclear Warfare, Oligochaeta, Plants, Radiation Monitoring, Scotland, Soil Pollutants, Radioactive, Uranium
Publisher URL https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2007/EM/b700719a#!divAbstract