Cs-137 and Pu-239+240

["Charp, Paul" <pac4@cdc.gov>]

Radsafers:

I am having some interesting conversations (arguments?) over the importance
or relevance of Cs-137/Pu-239+240 ratios in soils.  At this point in time, I
am not too comfortable in naming the site or the state.  However, we are
collecting samples for Pu analyses but Cs was not included in the sampling
plan.  The state health department believes that the Cs ratio is important
in determining the source of Pu.  In my reviews of environmental data from
different locations, there does not appear to be any uniform value for the
Cs/Pu ratio.  The questions I have are: 1) is there a benefit for
calculating these ratios, especially since the data for the site in question
does not yet exist; 2) how important is the soil type given the fact that Cs
and Pu have different chemical characteristics and; 3) is there an accepted
Cs/Pu ratio for environmental samples, especially those samples near
background values?

thanks --  

Paul Charp (pac4@cdc.gov)

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