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Contribution des isotopes de l’uranium à l’expertise des sources de ce radioélément dans l’environnement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2011

L. Pourcelot ,
B. Boulet  and
C. Cossonnet
L. Pourcelot
Affiliation:
Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire, IRSN/DEI/SESURE/LERCM, Bât. 153, BP 3, 13115 Saint-Paul-lez- Durance Cedex, France
B. Boulet
Affiliation:
Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire IRSN/DEI/STEME/LMRE, Bât. 501, Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay Cedex, France
C. Cossonnet
Affiliation:
Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire IRSN/DEI/STEME/LMRE, Bât. 501, Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay Cedex, France
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Abstract

Cette note synthétise les données récemment acquises par l’IRSN ainsi que les données disponibles dans la littérature, concernant l’utilisation des isotopes de l’uranium pour évaluer les conséquences dans l’environnement des rejets des installations du cycle du combustible nucléaire. Ainsi, les végétaux peuvent témoigner d’anomalies du rapport de masse 235U/238U par rapport à la signature de l’uranium naturel (rapport de masse 235U/238U  =  0,72 %). De plus, les développements analytiques récents (ICP-MS) permettent de détecter 236U, traceur de rejets d’uranium de retraitement (URT) dans l’environnement de certains sites nucléaires. Enfin, la mesure du rapport d’activité 234U/238U en milieu aquatique, lorsqu’il révèle l’équilibre séculaire entre ces deux isotopes, est un traceur des rejets d’uranium provenant du traitement ou de la purification du minerai.

Keywords

Environmental assessmenturaniumisotopesICPMSnuclear fuel
Type
Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 46 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 345 - 358
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2011

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