Speaker
Description
The anthropogenic uranium isotope ²³⁶U represents a valuable analytical tool for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of the environmental impacts of nuclear activities. It enables the characterization of associated emissions and nuclear materials, and, owing to the chemically conservative nature of uranium, it can also serve as a tracer for various natural processes. However, its determination in environmental samples is challenging due to its extremely low concentrations, placing high demands on analytical sensitivity. For most applications, these requirements are met exclusively by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), which has been operated in Řež u Prahy since 2022 as a joint facility of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering at CTU.
Until recently, ²³⁶U levels had not been systematically mapped across the Czech Republic. In response, initial sampling and analysis have been conducted in collaboration with the Department of Nuclear Chemistry (FNSPE, CTU) and the T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute. Environmental samples were collected from selected locations, including subsurface water from boreholes, surface waters, and sediments, with a particular focus on the Vltava River basin and the area surrounding the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. Additional materials such as uranium ore, iron, and demineralized water from various sources were also analyzed.
Ongoing research within this project includes the mapping of ²³⁶U and ¹²⁹I distributions at selected sites across the Czech Republic, taking into account both historical and current potential emission sources. A key objective is the development and validation of a comprehensive methodology to ensure reliable monitoring of these anthropogenic radionuclides.
This research is co-funded with state support from the Czech Technology Agency under the SARA project (SQ01010334), Environment for Life 2 Programme. The infrastructure of the AMS laboratory built under the RAMSES project was used in the research realization.