Records of Enriched Uranium Atmospheric Deposition in Pond Sediments in Piketon, OH

Authors

Brianna Herner, University of Denver
Brian Majestic, University of Denver - Advisor
Michael Ketterer, University of Denver - Advisor

Abstract

The enrichment of uranium, often for nuclear weapons programs and commercial nuclear reactors, produces higher concentrations of radioactive uranium 235 (²³⁵U) than what naturally occurs, which can pose a human health hazard. The most abundant naturally occurring uranium isotope is ²³⁸U, which is still radioactive, however a higher concentration of ²³⁵U skews the observed isotopic uranium distribution. The Department of Energy Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, located near Piketon, OH, enriched uranium from 1954 to 2001 and ²³⁵U pollution has recently been detected in air and sediment samples in the surrounding community. The extent of the ²³⁵U contamination was tested using sediment core samples from ponds within the vicinity of the plant. Cores were processed in the laboratory by depth intervals to capture the history of atmospheric deposition of ²³⁵U. Analyzing the samples with an ICPMS instrument allowed for ratios between enriched ²³⁵U and naturally occurring ²³⁸U to be calculated, thus unearthing the level of contamination. These results will provide the citizens of Piketon, OH with scientific evidence to facilitate their understanding of the uranium contamination within their community.

Publication Statement

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Recommended Citation

Herner, Brianna; Majestic, Brian; and Ketterer, Michael (2021) "Records of Enriched Uranium Atmospheric Deposition in Pond Sediments in Piketon, OH," DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/duurj/vol2/iss2/7