Y. Bourlat et al., DETERMINATION OF PLUTONIUM RADIOACTIVITY IN MURUROA LAGOON WATER, Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry, 197(2), 1995, pp. 387-408
This study presents the plutonium radioactivity levels measured in Mur
uroa lagoon water during the 1985-1998 period. The low radioactivity l
evels recorded, from 10(-2) to 1.5 BQ/m(3) are due to the slow solubil
ization of plutonium deposited in lagoon sediments following atmospher
ic experiments which took place from 1966 to 1974. The average concent
rations of the lagoon water tend to decrease from one year to the next
. However, the influence of the weather conditions is discussed. The M
ururoa lagoon being open to the ocean, plutonium radioactivity traces
are still detectable in the immediate vicinity of the atoll.