Speciation of artificial radionuclides 60Co, 137Cs, 152Eu, and 241Am in bottom sediments of the Yenisei river

The speciation of artificial radionuclides ⁶⁰Co, ¹³⁷Cs, ¹⁵²Eu, and ²⁴¹Am in surface layers of bottom sediments of the Yenisei river, collected within the near zone of impact of the Mining and Chemical Combine (Rosatom), was studied. In these samples the radionuclides ⁶⁰Co, ¹⁵²Eu, and ²⁴¹Am are mainly associated with fractions of humic and fulvic acids. The fraction of ¹⁵²Eu associated with nonsilicate iron is approximately 92%. The migration capability of radionuclides collected near the Atamanovo settlement decreases in the order ¹⁵²Eu > ²⁴¹Am > ⁶⁰Co > ¹³⁷Cs. For samples collected near Bol’shoi Balchug settlement, this order is as follows: ¹⁵²Eu ≈ ²⁴¹Am > ⁶⁰Co > ¹³⁷Cs. The presence of radionuclide-bearing micro-particles in bottom sediments considerably complicates the distribution of radionuclides, in particular, of ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁷Cs, among migration forms.