Comparison of Methods for Assessing Plutonium Speciation in Environmental Objects

Several methods for Pu speciation study are compared using the same sample of bottom sediment. Data on Pu distribution among different soil fractions (water-soluble, exchangeable and readily soluble, mobile, associated with organic matter, including humic and fulvic acids, and also with amorphous hydroxides, primarily of iron and manganese) are reported. The major fraction of plutonium is associated with the organic matter. The experimental results on the Pu speciation, obtained by different methods, show satisfactory agreement.