Abstract
Rainwater collected in the Munich area approximately one week after the Chernobyl reactor accident was investigated for its content of the radio-isotopes 129I(T1/2= 1.6 ȕ 107yr) and 131I(T1/2= 8.04d). For the time of release, an isotopic ratio of 129I/131I = 19 ŷ 5 was found. This value was obtained from a gamma-ray activity measurement of 131I with a Ge detector and a concentration measurement of 129I with accelerator mass spectrometry. From the measured ratio an operating time of the reactor prior to the accident in the vicinity of two years can be estimated, which is in fair agreement with estimates from other long-lived to short-lived radioisotope ratios in the Chernobyl fallout. Some measurements of 131I activity in thyroids of persons living in the Munich area are also reported.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 310-313 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physica Scripta |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Feb 1988 |