Artificial radionuclides in the atmosphere over Lithuania

Measurements of airborne radioactive aerosol concentration were carried out on the basis of 1–3 days samples after the Chernobyl disaster and during the period of 1992–2003. Transport of “hot” particles of different composition resulted in the high activity concentrations of 137Cs, 238Pu, 239,240Pu and 241Am in the atmosphere in Vilnius at the end of April 1986. The 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio showed clear evidence of non-global plutonium originating from the Chernobyl accident in the atmosphere over Lithuania. The 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio ranged from 0.14 to 0.40 in monthly samples in Vilnius in 1995–2003. An increase in activity concentration of 137Cs by a factor of 100 (up to 300 μBq/m 3) was found following forest fires in the Ukraine and Belarus. However, no transport of the Chernobyl plutonium was observed and the 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio in samples collected during the forest fires was found to be 0.229 and 0.185, respectively. The exponential decrease in the 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio from 0.30 to 0.19 (mean values) was observed in 1995–2003.