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Plutonium distribution was studied in an undisturbed sediment core sampled from the Tvaren bay in the vicinity of the Studsvik nuclear facility in Sweden. The complete analysis, including minor isotopes, of the Pu isotope composition (238Pu, 239Pu, oPu, 241Pu, 242Pu, and 244Pu) allowed us to establish the Pu origin in this area of the Baltic Sea and to reconstruct the Studsvik aquatic release history. The results show highly enriched 239Pu, probably originating from the Swedish nuclear program in the 1960s and 1970s and the handling of high burn-up nuclear fuel in the later years. In addition, the 244Pu/239Pu atomic ratio for the global fallout period between 1958 and 1965 is suggested to be (7.94 +/- 0.31)center dot 10-5. In the bottom layer of the sediment, dated 1953-1957, we detected a higher average 244Pu/239Pu ratio of (1.51 +/- 0.11)center dot 10-4, indicating the possible impact of the first US thermonuclear tests (1952-1958)., Funding Agencies|Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) [SSM2020-643]; Spanish Goverment (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovaci?n y Universidades) [PGC2018-094546-B-I00]

Plutonium distribution was studied in an undisturbed sediment core sampled from the Tvären bay in the vicinity of the Studsvik nuclear facility in Sweden. The complete analysis, including minor isotopes, of the Pu isotope composition (238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, 242Pu, and 244Pu) allowed us to establish the Pu origin in this area of the Baltic Sea and to reconstruct the Studsvik aquatic release history. The results show highly enriched 239Pu, probably originating from the Swedish nuclear program in the 1960s and 1970s and the handling of high burn-up nuclear fuel in the later years. In addition, the 244Pu/239Pu atomic ratio for the global fallout period between 1958 and 1965 is suggested to be (7.94 ± 0.31)·10-5. In the bottom layer of the sediment, dated 1953-1957, we detected a higher average 244Pu/239Pu ratio of (1.51 ± 0.11)·10-4, indicating the possible impact of the first US thermonuclear tests (1952-1958).

This study explores for the first time the possibilities that the 233U/236U atom ratio offers to distinguish waters of Atlantic or Pacific origin in the Arctic Ocean. Atlantic waters entering the Arctic Ocean often carry an isotopic signature dominantly originating from European reprocessing facilities with some smaller contribution from global fallout nuclides, whereas northern Pacific waters are labeled with nuclides released during the atmospheric nuclear testing period only. In the Arctic Ocean, 233U originates from global fallout while 236U carries both, a global fallout and a prominent nuclear reprocessing signal. Thus, the 233U/236U ratio provides a tool to identify water masses with distinct U sources. In this work, 233U and 236U were analyzed in samples from the GN01 GEOTRACES expedition to the western Arctic Ocean in 2015. The study of depth profiles and surface seawater samples shows that: (a) Pacific and Atlantic waters show enhanced signals of both radionuclides, which can be unraveled based on their 233U/236U signature; and (b) Deep and Bottom Waters show extremely low 233U and 236U concentrations close to or below analytical detection limits with isotopic ratios distinct from known anthropogenic U sources. The comparably high 233U/236U ratios are interpreted as a relative increase of naturally occurring 233U and 236U and thus for gradually reaching natural 233U/236U levels in the deep Arctic Ocean. Our results set the basis for future studies using the 233U/236U ratio to distinguish anthropogenic and pre-anthropogenic U in the Arctic Ocean and beyond.

This study explores for the first time the possibilities that the U-233/U-236 atom ratio offers to distinguish waters of Atlantic or Pacific origin in the Arctic Ocean. Atlantic waters entering the Arctic Ocean often carry an isotopic signature dominantly originating from European reprocessing facilities with some smaller contribution from global fallout nuclides, whereas northern Pacific waters are labeled with nuclides released during the atmospheric nuclear testing period only. In the Arctic Ocean, U-233 originates from global fallout while U-236 carries both, a global fallout and a prominent nuclear reprocessing signal. Thus, the U-233/U-236 ratio provides a tool to identify water masses with distinct U sources. In this work, U-233 and U-236 were analyzed in samples from the GN01 GEOTRACES expedition to the western Arctic Ocean in 2015. The study of depth profiles and surface seawater samples shows that: (a) Pacific and Atlantic waters show enhanced signals of both radionuclides, which can be unraveled based on their U-233/U-236 signature; and (b) Deep and Bottom Waters show extremely low U-233 and U-236 concentrations close to or below analytical detection limits with isotopic ratios distinct from known anthropogenic U sources. The comparably high U-233/U-236 ratios are interpreted as a relative increase of naturally occurring U-233 and U-236 and thus for gradually reaching natural U-233/U-236 levels in the deep Arctic Ocean. Our results set the basis for future studies using the U-233/U-236 ratio to distinguish anthropogenic and pre-anthropogenic U in the Arctic Ocean and beyond., Funding Agencies|ETH Zurich Research GrantETH Zurich [ETH-06 16-1]; Swiss National Science FoundationSwiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)European Commission [PRIMA SNF PR00P2_193091]; Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades)Spanish Government [PGC2018-094546-B-I00]

U-233 (T-1/2 = 0.159 My) has aroused much interest in the last few years because of the potential of U-233/U-236 to inform about anthropogenic U sources. The reported U-233/U-238 atom ratios in general environmental samples are in the 10(-12)-10(-6) range. We demonstrate that U-233/U-238 abundance sensitivities at the 5 x 10(-11) level can be achieved at the 1 MV Accelerator Mass Spectrometry system at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA, Seville, Spain). Unresolved U-234, U-235 and Th-232 molecular fragments are identified as the main U-233 background contributors and procedures to subtract them are proposed. U-233/U-238 and U-236/U-238 atom ratios were analysed in the IAEA reference materials coded Soil-6, 300, 385, 410, and 412 at the CNA and at the 600 kV ETH AMS system for intercomparison. U-233/U-238 atom ratios for samples 412 and 385 were only reported by the ETH., Funding Agencies|Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades) [PGC2018-094546-B-I00]

Dataset published as supplementary material of Chamizo et al. (2022), http://doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017790. This supporting material includes two Texts with further explanations on two points given in the manuscript: Text 1 explains the calculations used to model the input function of the 233U/236U ratio in the Atlantic Layer of the Arctic Ocean; Text 2 presents the adopted calculations to estimate the 233U/236U ratio in the surface of the rocks due to natural production processes, and the adopted number for the U present in Deep and Bottom Waters in the Amerasian Basin. Figure S1 compares the obtained ICP-MS 238U results in this work with the predicted ones based on salinity data using the empirical formula given in (Owens et al., 2011). Figure S2 shows how the modelled 233U/236U ratios for the Atlantic Layer in Text 2 compares with the obtained values in this work.

U (T = 0.159 My) has aroused much interest in the last few years because of the potential of U/U to inform about anthropogenic U sources. The reported U/U atom ratios in general environmental samples are in the 10–10 range. We demonstrate that U/U abundance sensitivities at the 5 × 10 level can be achieved at the 1 MV Accelerator Mass Spectrometry system at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA, Seville, Spain). Unresolved U, U and Th molecular fragments are identified as the main U background contributors and procedures to subtract them are proposed. U/U and U/U atom ratios were analysed in the IAEA reference materials coded Soil-6, 300, 385, 410, and 412 at the CNA and at the 600 kV ETH AMS system for intercomparison. U/U atom ratios for samples 412 and 385 were only reported by the ETH.

This study explores for the first time the possibilities that the U/U atom ratio offers to distinguish waters of Atlantic or Pacific origin in the Arctic Ocean. Atlantic waters entering the Arctic Ocean often carry an isotopic signature dominantly originating from European reprocessing facilities with some smaller contribution from global fallout nuclides, whereas northern Pacific waters are labeled with nuclides released during the atmospheric nuclear testing period only. In the Arctic Ocean, U originates from global fallout while U carries both, a global fallout and a prominent nuclear reprocessing signal. Thus, the U/U ratio provides a tool to identify water masses with distinct U sources. In this work, U and U were analyzed in samples from the GN01 GEOTRACES expedition to the western Arctic Ocean in 2015. The study of depth profiles and surface seawater samples shows that: (a) Pacific and Atlantic waters show enhanced signals of both radionuclides, which can be unraveled based on their U/U signature; and (b) Deep and Bottom Waters show extremely low U and U concentrations close to or below analytical detection limits with isotopic ratios distinct from known anthropogenic U sources. The comparably high U/U ratios are interpreted as a relative increase of naturally occurring U and U and thus for gradually reaching natural U/U levels in the deep Arctic Ocean. Our results set the basis for future studies using the U/U ratio to distinguish anthropogenic and pre-anthropogenic U in the Arctic Ocean and beyond.

A baseline study on anthropogenic radioactivity in the Namibian marine ecosystem, which is part of the northern Benguela upwelling system, known as one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, has been performed. A scientific cruise carried out in 2014 covering inshore and offshore areas, exhibiting different oceanographic features, has provided a basis for better understanding the distributions, ratios and inventories of six anthropogenic radionuclides (Sr, Cs, Pu, Pu, Pu and Am) in seawater. Although H was also measured, due to extremely low levels, its behaviour was not studied. The main source of Sr, Cs, Pu, Pu and Am in the samples analysed was proven to be global fallout, a finding further confirmed by Pu/Pu and Sr/Cs ratios. Furthermore, the Pu SNAP-9A satellite accident signal was confirmed once again through the determination of the Pu/Pu activity ratio. Inshore and offshore samples showed different patterns due to the unique oceanographic features of this upwelling system. The levels of anthropogenic radionuclides, comprehensively assessed for the first time in this region, are comparable with the few existing data and filled a critical gap for the Southern Atlantic Ocean.

A baseline study on anthropogenic radioactivity in the Namibian marine ecosystem, which is part of the northern Benguela upwelling system, known as one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, has been performed. A scientific cruise carried out in 2014 covering inshore and offshore areas, exhibiting different oceanographic features, has provided a basis for better understanding the distributions, ratios and inventories of six anthropogenic radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu and 241Am) in seawater. Although 3H was also measured, due to extremely low levels, its behaviour was not studied. The main source of 90Sr, 137Cs, 239Pu, 240Pu and 241Am in the samples analysed was proven to be global fallout, a finding further confirmed by 240Pu/239Pu and 90Sr/137Cs ratios. Furthermore, the 238Pu SNAP-9A satellite accident signal was confirmed once again through the determination of the 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio. Inshore and offshore samples showed different patterns due to the unique oceanographic features of this upwelling system. The levels of anthropogenic radionuclides, comprehensively assessed for the first time in this region, are comparable with the few existing data and filled a critical gap for the Southern Atlantic Ocean., Funding Agencies|Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR); Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades) [PGC 2018-094546-B-I00]

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of combining the conservatively behaving anthropogenic radionuclides U-236 and Np-237 to gain information on the origin of water masses tagged with liquid effluents from Nuclear Reprocessing Plants. This work includes samples collected from three full-depth water columns in two areas: i) the Arctic Ocean, where Atlantic waters carry the signal of Sellafield (United Kingdom) and La Hague (France) nuclear reprocessing facilities; and ii) the western Mediterranean Sea, directly impacted by Marcoule reprocessing plant (France). This work is complemented by the study of the particle-reactive Pu isotopes as an additional fingerprint of the source region. In the Canada Basin, Atlantic waters showed the highest concentrations and Np-237/U-236 ratios in agreement with the estimated values for North Atlantic waters entering the Arctic Ocean and tagged with the signal of European Nuclear Reprocessing Plants. These results may reflect the impact of the documented releases for the 1990s. In the Mediterranean Sea, an excess of U-236 presumably caused by Marcoule is reflected in the lower Np-237/U-236 ratios compared to the Global Fallout signal in all the studied samples. On the contrary, the Pu-239,Pu-240 profiles were mainly governed by the Global Fallout. The impact of Marcoule as a local source is further corroborated when comparing the temporal evolution of these ratios between 2001 and 2013. The lowest Np-237/U-236 ratios observed in 2001 at the surface reflect a previous local input that is no longer observed in 2013 as it had been homogenized through the whole water column. This work presents the use of Np-237 as a new ocean tracer. A more accurate characterization of the main sources is still needed to optimize the use of U-236-Np-237 as a new tool to understand transient oceanographic processes. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Funding Agencies|Spanish Government (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad) [FIS2015-69673-P, PGC2018-094546-B-I00]; Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades) [FIS2015-69673-P, PGC2018-094546-B-I00]; U.S. National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF) [OCE 1439319]; Fundacion Camara Sevilla

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of combining the conservatively behaving anthropogenic radionuclides 236U and 237Np to gain information on the origin of water masses tagged with liquid effluents from Nuclear Reprocessing Plants. This work includes samples collected from three full-depth water columns in two areas: i) the Arctic Ocean, where Atlantic waters carry the signal of Sellafield (United Kingdom) and La Hague (France) nuclear reprocessing facilities; and ii) the western Mediterranean Sea, directly impacted by Marcoule reprocessing plant (France). This work is complemented by the study of the particle-reactive Pu isotopes as an additional fingerprint of the source region. In the Canada Basin, Atlantic waters showed the highest concentrations and 237Np/236U ratios in agreement with the estimated values for North Atlantic waters entering the Arctic Ocean and tagged with the signal of European Nuclear Reprocessing Plants. These results may reflect the impact of the documented releases for the 1990s. In the Mediterranean Sea, an excess of 236U presumably caused by Marcoule is reflected in the lower 237Np/236U ratios compared to the Global Fallout signal in all the studied samples. On the contrary, the 239,240Pu profiles were mainly governed by the Global Fallout. The impact of Marcoule as a local source is further corroborated when comparing the temporal evolution of these ratios between 2001 and 2013. The lowest 237Np/236U ratios observed in 2001 at the surface reflect a previous local input that is no longer observed in 2013 as it had been homogenized through the whole water column. This work presents the use of 237Np as a new ocean tracer. A more accurate characterization of the main sources is still needed to optimize the use of 236U-237Np as a new tool to understand transient oceanographic processes.

The Benguela Upwelling System (BUS), off the south-western African coast, is one of the four major eastern boundary upwelling ecosystems in the oceans. However, this area has been overlooked in the field of environmental radioactivity. In this work, 236U and 237Np were collected off the coast of Namibia within the northern BUS. Surface seawater exhibited similar 236U and 237Np concentrations, ranging from 3.9·106 to 5.6·106 atoms kg−1 and from 4.6·106 to 8.5·106 atoms kg−1, respectively. The observed inventories in a water column from the continental margin, of (2.10 ± 0.11)·1012 atoms m−2 for 236U and (3.48 ± 0.13)·1012 atoms m−2 for 237Np, were in agreement with the global fallout (GF) source term in the Southern Hemisphere that was the main source of actinides to the region. A pattern was observed in the surface samples, with 237Np concentrations that decreased by 25–30% when moving from inshore to offshore stations, but such an effect could not be clearly discerned in the case of 236U within the data uncertainties. An explanation based on the larger particle reactivity of GF 237Np compared to GF 236U was proposed. Such an effect would have been important at the studied site due to the enhance presence of particles in the continental shelf triggered by the upwelling phenomenon. A value of 1.77 ± 0.20 was obtained for the 237Np/236U atom ratio for the GF source term in the marine environment.

This work provides new insights into the presence of 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, and 236U in the Southern Hemisphere through the study of peat bog cores from marshlands in Madagascar (19°S). 210Pb, 238Pu and 239+240Pu activities were characterized by alpha spectrometry in previous studies. Here, Pu from alpha-spectrometry discs corresponding to 10 peat-bog cores (85 samples) was reassessed for the aim of completing its isotopic composition (239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Pu) by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. In addition, 236U was studied in a single core exhibiting unusually low 240Pu/239Pu ratios. Integrated 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the single cores ranged above and below the (0–30°S) fallout average ratio, 0.173 ± 0.027, from 0.126 ± 0.003 to 0.206 ± 0.002, without a regional pattern, thereby demonstrating the heterogeneous distribution of the 239Pu and 240Pu signal. However, such a variability was not observed for 241Pu/239Pu, ranging from (6 ± 1) · 10−4 to (11 ± 1) · 10−4 and consistently below the (0–30°S) fallout ratio of (9.7 ± 0.3) · 10−4 (2012). The integrated 236U/239Pu atom ratio in the studied core, 0.147 ± 0.005, was also significantly lower than the values reported for the global fallout in the Northern Hemisphere, in the 0.20–0.23 range. Our results point out to stratospheric fallout as the main source of both 236U and 241Pu at the studied site, whereas 239Pu and 240Pu signals show the influence of tropospheric fallout from the low-yield tests conducted in Australia (1952–1958) by United Kingdom and in French Polynesia (1966–1975) by France despite the long relative distances (i.e. about 15,000 and 8500 km). It was also demonstrated that a representative number of samples is necessary in order to assess Pu contamination and its various origins in a specific region in the Southern Hemisphere due to the heterogeneous distribution, and results based on single sample analysis should be interpreted with caution.

In February 2004, anthropogenic radionuclides (137Cs, 236U, 239Pu and 240Pu), transported from the Sahara Desert, were observed in the Monaco air, and later in water and sediment samples collected at the DYFAMED site in the northwest (NW) Mediterranean Sea. While 236U and 137Cs in Saharan dust particles showed a high solubility in seawater, Pu isotopes were particle reactive in the water column and in the sediment. The impact of the Saharan deposition was found at 0–1.0 cm of the sediment core for 236U and 137Cs, and between 1.0 and 1.5 cm for Pu isotopes. The excess of 236U was observed more in the water column than in the sediment, whereas the 239+240Pu total inventories were comparable in the water column and the sediment. This single-day particle event represented 72% of annual atmospheric deposition in Monaco. At the DYFAMED site, it accounted for 10% (137Cs) and 15% (239+240Pu) activities of sinking particles during the period of the highest mass flux collected at the 200 and 1000 m water depths, and for a significant proportion of the total annual atmospheric input to the NW Mediterranean Sea (28–37% for 137Cs and 34–45% for 239+240Pu). Contributions to the total 137Cs and 239+240Pu sediment inventories were estimated to be 14% and 8%, respectively. The Saharan dust deposition phenomenon (atmospheric input, water column and sediment) offered a unique case to study origin and accumulation rates of radionuclides in the NW Mediterranean Sea.

A simple and fast radiochemical procedure for the sequential extraction of U, Np and Pu from small-volume seawater samples (<10 L) is presented. The method has been developed and optimized for the final determination of 236U, 237Np, 239Pu and 240Pu by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). It is based on the use of 242Pu as tracer for both Np and Pu isotopes. Samples are pre-concentrated by Fe(OH)2 co-precipitation. TEVA® and UTEVA® resins are used in a very simplified way for the final purification of the Pu+Np and U fractions, respectively. The radiochemical yields of the three elements have been investigated in detail by alpha spectrometry (AS) and gamma spectrometry (GS). The obtained results indicate high and robust chemical yields for the three elements and similar ones for Pu and Np. Furthermore, the use of 242Pu as tracer for 237Np is validated by analyzing a reference seawater sample (IAEA-443) by radiometric techniques. We demonstrated that, if chemicals are properly chosen, processed blank levels can be kept at the same level of the extremely low detection limits that can be achieved by AMS (105–106 atoms/sample). The procedure is finally applied for the study by AMS of a reference seawater sample from the Mediterranean Sea (IAEA-418).

In January 2015, the 1 MV AMS facility at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA, Seville, Spain) was upgraded with He stripping. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of the uranium transmission through the accelerator together with the background sources that limit the current sensitivity of our system to measure the 236U/238U atom ratio. In addition to the well-known background caused by scattered 235U3+ molecular fragments, we identify an additional component, not observed with Ar gas, that we relate to scattered 238U3+ molecular fragments. Stripper gas pressures below the one corresponding to the equilibrium charge state distribution are used to minimize the resulting overall background, which is in the (0.8–1.3) × 10−10 range. This is at least a factor of 3 higher than the background obtained with Ar gas. On the other hand, new information on the stripping process of U on He gas at the 400–1000 keV stripping energy range is presented. A maximum transmission of 45% for U3+ is achieved at about 650 keV, which correspond to a stripping yield of about 50%. This is the maximum yield that can be actually obtained working with He gas at low energies according to previous results.

Low-energy Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) systems (i.e. working with 1 MV terminal voltages and below) have demonstrated in the past their capability for the ultra-trace analyses of U and Pu in different field studies. The situation for Np has been different, mostly due to the constraints imposed by the lack of a Np isotopic tracer. Here, it is presented a comprehensive study on the performance of the 1 MV AMS system at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA) for: i) the determination of Np using Pu as the AMS normalisation isotope and, ii) the efficient analysis of Pu, Pu and Np when they coexist in the same cathode with traces of natural uranium. Working procedures to analyse Np and Pu on one hand, and Pu on the other, are developed in order to meet competitive U suppression factors and counting efficiencies for every radionuclide. It is demonstrated that the sputtering-process-based temporal trend in the Np/Pu AMS ratios show a coherent behaviour between the different studied matrixes, demonstrating the reliability of the necessary standard correction procedure in AMS. It is proved that Np and Pu concentrations at the 1 fg level and Pu concentrations at the 0.1 fg level can be quantified in samples containing U traces. The technique is applied to the Pu and Np analysis of a seawater reference sample supplied by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): IAEA-443.

In this work we present and evaluate a radiochemical procedure optimised for the analysis of U and Pu in seawater samples by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The method is based on Fe(OH) co-precipitation of actinides and uses TEVA® and UTEVA® extraction chromatography resins in a simplified way for the final U and Pu purification. In order to improve the performance of the method, the radiochemical yields are analysed in 1 to 10 L seawater volumes using alpha spectrometry (AS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Robust 80% plutonium recoveries are obtained; however, it is found that Fe(III) concentration in the precipitation solution and sample volume are the two critical and correlated parameters influencing the initial uranium extraction through Fe(OH) co-precipitation. Therefore, we propose an expression that optimises the sample volume and Fe(III) amounts according to both the U and Pu concentrations in the samples and the performance parameters of the AMS facility. The method is validated for the current setup of the 1 MV AMS system (CNA, Sevilla, Spain), where He gas is used as a stripper, by analysing a set of intercomparison seawater samples, together with the Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics (ETH, Zürich, Switzerland).

The 2013 U.S. GEOTRACES East Pacific Zonal Transect (EPZT) between Peru and Tahiti chosen to encompass a range of processes that influence the supply, removal, and internal cycling of trace metals in the ocean, including from east to west a productivity gradient, a large oxygen minimum zone, and the largest known hydrothermal plume. With respect to 236U and other anthropogenic radionuclides, the major source to the Eastern Tropical South Pacific has been global stratospheric fallout. In addition to this, nuclear tests conducted in the Pacific Ocean also generated tropospheric fallout. Here we present dissolved 236U profiles collected at 4 full-depth stations along the EPZT. After pre-concentration of 4L samples (LDEO) and purification (CNA), 236U was analyzed by AMS at one of two facilities depending on collection depth. Surface samples (first 400m depth) were analyzed at the 1MV CNA facility. In this case 236U /238U atom ratios were expected to be at the 1010 level, so the parameters of the CNA system were optimized to achieve the necessary abundance sensitivity. Deeper samples were measured at the 600kV ETH facility. The most relevant conclusions are the following. a) Concentrations of 236U range from 0.02x106 to 6.5x106 atoms/kg, showing a typical distribution associated to a conservative element for which the atmospheric input to the ocean dominates. b) Inventories of 236U range from 1.45x1012 to 2x1012 at/m2 , in agreement with the expected values for global fallout. c) Below 1000 m depth, the four profiles presented 236U / 238U atom ratios at the 1012 level, which are among the lowest ratios reported so far in seawater. d) A slight enhancement of 236U at the bottom layers, near the seafloor, might be detected and most especially close to the hydrothermal plume. e) No influence of the local fallout from the French Polynesia is observed. These results will be presented and discussed.

The 1 MV AMS system at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA, Seville, Spain) was the first multielemental compact device designed and manufactured by High Voltage Engineering Europa (HVEE, Amersfoort, Netherlands). In February 2015, the stripper gas was changed from Ar to He. Since then, our group has worked extensively on the optimization of the new parameters of the measurement for actinides (236U, 237Np, 239,240Pu and 241,243Am). Besides, additional information on the stripping process with He gas at terminal voltages between 500 and 1000 kV has been gained. Maximum stripping yields for U3+ are achieved at about 650 kV, with a transmission through the accelerator of 38% (47% stripping yield). This is in contrast with Ar gas, with 11% maximum transmission for U3+ (16% stripping yield) [1]. Scattering processes with residual stripping gas along the highenergy acceleration tube, limit drastically the abundance sensitivity that can be actually achieved, on a system where only a sector magnet is available on the high-energy side. A thorough adjustment of the slits and of the stripper gas pressure becomes necessary to achieve competitive figures of merit for: a) 236U, being 9x1011 the lowest 236U /238U atom ratios that can be measured; and b) 237Np, where the 238U scattering tail imposes serious restrictions on the limit of detection. The experienced gained during these years on our system will be shared. On the other hand, the state of the art of the CNA actinides measurement program will be briefly presented.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Environment Laboratories in Monaco (IAEA, NAEL) are supporting Member States (MSs) in understanding the marine environment by applying isotopic and nuclear techniques. In this context NAEL may take part in scientific cruises with the aim to assist MSs in marine radioactivity monitoring and assessment.