Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2025

Radioactive Contaminants in the Environment: Isotope Geochemistry Unveiling Their Secrets

Résumé

Since the 1940s, both civilian and military nuclear activities, along with industries thathandle naturally radioactive materials—such as oil and gas production, phosphate mining,and rare earth extraction—have contributed to the release and redistribution ofradionuclides at the Earth's surface, raising their concentrations across variousenvironmental compartments. Depending on their persistence, concentration, and behavior,these radionuclides can expose both people and ecosystems to ionizing radiation. Learningfrom past nuclear releases, such as the residual radioactivity left by historical nuclear testsand accidents, helps us better understand the geochemical legacy of the nuclear era andprovides valuable insights for tracking radioactive contamination caused by human activities.In the field of source contamination fingerprinting, ASNR is developing a diverse array ofisotopic and elemental tracers to improve the identification and characterization ofradiological contamination sources, while also deepening our understanding of theenvironmental transport mechanisms of radioactive contaminants. In this study, we exploreU-series disequilibrium alongside stable isotopes, significantly enhancing the accuracy ofcontamination source identification and providing unique insights into transportmechanisms. Some examples dealing with the relevance and the limitations of the use ofstable Pb isotopes combined with U-series disequilibrium in sediments and soilscontaminated by former uranium mining and milling activities will be discussed. Moreover,the use of a new tool, the minor U isotopes (233,236U) as well as the combination ofgeostatistical tools with isotope fingerprints will also be presented as a potential perspectivefor distinguishing contamination sources and bring accurate information regardingenvironmental monitoring. This presentation aims to emphasize the crucial role of isotopegeochemistry, particularly the use of multiple tracers, and the importance of understandingtheir geochemical behavior. It also highlights the integration of advanced analyticaltechnologies for more accurate environmental interpretations. Information derived fromthese tracers greatly enhances expertise in current management practices and remediationstrategies for contaminated sediments and soils, enabling us to anticipate environmentaland societal consequences before they become apparent.

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hal-05074717 , version 1 (06-06-2025)

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  • HAL Id : hal-05074717 , version 1

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Alkiviadis Gourgiotis, Arnaud Mangeret, Louise Darricau, Tingting Geng, Hugo Jaegler, et al.. Radioactive Contaminants in the Environment: Isotope Geochemistry Unveiling Their Secrets. Goldschmidt 2025 Conference, 6-11 July 2025, Prague, Tchéquie., Jul 2025, ONLINE (Prague), France. ⟨hal-05074717⟩
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