Investigations into the chemical forms of ²³⁹Pu in a West Cumbrian saltmarsh soil radiolabelled by an environmental process

New procedures have been developed to demonstrate the nature of binding of ²³⁹Pu in a saltmarsh soil. Evidence is presented which shows that there is a small ²³⁹Pu component which is present in a form which can be extracted by chelating agents which are similar to naturally occurring chelating agents. By in-situ derivatization procedures it has been possible to isolate two forms of complexed Pu. The effectiveness of humates as sinks for Pu(IV) and Am(III) have been modelled by using some novel forms of humic and fulvic acids chemically immobilized upon silica.