Determination of isotopic composition of plutonium in hot particles of the Chernobyl area

The knowledge of the isotopic composition of man-made transuranium elements (TUE) in the environmental samples is of great interest because, on the basis of these data, statements about the origin of the TUE can be made. One of the most radiotoxic elements released during reactor accidents and nuclear weapons tests was plutonium with the alpha emitters Pu-238, Pu-219, Pu-240 Pu-242 and the beta-emitter Pu-241 which decays into Am-241. The determination of plutonium in "hot" particles from the Chernobyl reactor was accomplished by means of solid state nuclear track detectors registering the alpha particles and by alpha spectroscopy after chemical treatment. Furthermore, in order to perform a complete analysis of the isotopic composition one of the "hot" particles has been investigated by resonance ionization mass spectrometry which possesses an excellent sensitivity and a good isotopic resolution.