Quantification of Actinides in Soil Samples From the Surroundings of a Nuclear Power Plant by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

In order to assess the impact of Garigliano Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on the local environment, the concentrations of ²³⁶U and plutonium isotopes in the surface soil samples from the area surrounding the NPP were analyzed by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The results indicated that the concentrations of ²³⁶U, ²³⁹Pu and ²⁴⁴Pu in the surface soil are in the range of 10⁶-10⁷, 10⁷-10⁸ and 10⁶-10⁷ atoms/g, respectively. The isotopic ratio of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu is in the range of 0.17-0.22. The results showed that the main contamination of the actinides in the soil is due to the global fallout, while the contribution from Garigliano NPP is negligible.