GEOCHEMICAL ASSOCIATION OF PLUTONIUM IN MARINE-SEDIMENTS FROM PALOMARES (SPAIN)

The geochemical association of plutonium in sediments from the marine ecosystem of Palomares has been studied. A sequential leaching techniq ue using selective extractants has been employed to determine the perc entages of Pu in the following forms: (a) readily available, (b) excha ngeable and adsorbed to specific sites, (c) associated with organic ma tter, (d) sesquioxides, (e) residual. Plutonium was found to be associ ated mainly with phases (c), (d) and (e), and therefore, appears to be relatively inmobile and not readily available to bottom feeding biota . The effect of different source terms on Pu distribution is also disc ussed.