{"id":106642,"date":"2023-11-07T10:30:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T10:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?p=106642"},"modified":"2024-02-22T09:59:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T09:59:15","slug":"the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/","title":{"rendered":"The optimisation of plutonium separation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>Soil erosion processes present the greatest risk to land degradation worldwide and, due to fertile soil being an essential resource, there is increasing concern around the world regarding accelerated soil erosion, particularly in developing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The analysis of plutonium (Pu) in soil samples can inform the understanding of soil erosion processes globally. However, there are specific challenges associated with such analysis in tropical soils, so an optimal analytical methodology that ensures the best sensitivity is critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why use plutonium?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to their long retention times and minimal spatial variability, Pu isotopes have proven useful as an alternative fallout radionuclide tracer for determining soil erosion rates. To utilise Pu as an effective soil erosion tracer in the southern hemisphere, separation techniques and analyses need to be optimised to establish a robust analytical method for the determination of ultra-trace level Pu isotopes. This method must also have sufficient sensitivity for African soil samples, which typically have very low Pu concentrations compared to the northern hemisphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This research aimed to accurately establish fallout Pu activity concentrations in tropical soils in order to determine soil erosion rates with an improved separation and analysis method for ultra-trace Pu determination. To achieve this aim we had to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>adapt and optimise a separation method using trialkyl methylammonium nitrate (TEVA) cartridges to remove matrix interferences with pre-concentration of ultra-trace Pu isotopes (this reduced waste and increased throughput)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>establish a robust analytical method for the determination of ultra-trace level Pu isotopes with sufficient sensitivity for African soil samples using oxygen as a reaction gas for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\t\t\t<blockquote id=\"quote-3610-block_81fe9ddc6a84401c2a2eca80eeecb7b6\" class=\"quote  \" >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"quote-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/quote-caption.svg\" alt=\"Speech marks icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"quote-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>The development of robust analytical methods to determine rates of soil erosion and its effect on land degradation is vital to advise mitigation strategies, ultimately ensuring the future sustainability of soils.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sophia Dowell, PhD student at BGS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/views-from-the-research-area-in-Kenya.webp\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Views from the research area in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_68059\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/views-from-the-research-area-in-Kenya-150x150.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Views from the research area in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/views-from-the-research-area-in-Kenya-960x645.webp\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Views from the research area in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/views-from-the-research-area-in-Kenya.webp\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Views from the research area in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_68059\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where does the plutonium come from?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pu is present in the environment primarily because of nuclear weapons testing. Between 1945 and 1980, 520 atmospheric tests were conducted worldwide; however, only 10&nbsp;per cent of these experiments were conducted in the southern hemisphere. This resulted in significantly less fallout in the tropics than in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, which makes the analysis of ultra-trace Pu isotopes in tropical soils challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The challenge of plutonium analysis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to their long retention time and minimal spatial variability, Pu isotopes have recently been used as an alternative fallout radionuclide tracer for determining soil erosion rates. As a result of the long half-lives of <sup>239<\/sup>Pu and <sup>240<\/sup>Pu (24 110 and 6561 years, respectively), approximately 99&nbsp;per cent of the original activity remains in soils. This means they are suitable as stable, long-term tracers compared to, for example, 137 caesium (Cs), despite Cs&#8217;s significantly higher activity in the environment, as Cs only has a half-life of 30 years. Additionally, more than six times as many atoms of <sup>239<\/sup>Pu and <sup>240<\/sup>Pu were initially dispersed compared to <sup>137<\/sup>Cs. This combination of long half-life and higher atom content makes mass spectrometry (MS) techniques better suited to Pu isotopes, whereas radiometric decay counting techniques are more appropriate for the higher specific activity <sup>137<\/sup>Cs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consequently, recent developments in mass spectrometry techniques have the potential to increase the sensitivity of Pu isotope quantification and subsequently the availability of analytical methods applicable to tropical soils. This raises the potential of using Pu as a soil erosion tracer in the tropics, where the risk of soil degradation is increasing due to extreme weather patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A powerful tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This method presents a simple, cost-effective, robust sequence with reduced laboratory waste disposal, which is vital to ensure the separation method is applicable to low-resource laboratories. Along with the low detection limits that are comparable to alternative MS methods, this outcome makes the method applicable to the detection of ultra-trace fallout Pu in African soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to increasing concern regarding accelerated soil erosion and its impact on sustainable intensification of agriculture in developing countries, this work provides advancements in the detection of Pu. The new method is also a powerful tool for the analysis of ultra-trace Pu in African soils, ultimately improving the determination of soil erosion rates in tropical soils to better inform mitigation strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<blockquote id=\"quote-4354-block_cd992aacb3398cd3e849e974053134c5\" class=\"quote  \" >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"quote-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/quote-caption.svg\" alt=\"Speech marks icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"quote-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>This method has the potential to improve access to advanced soil erosion measurements that could be produced faster than traditional laboratory techniques to enable analyses at scale, yet with greater accuracy than machine learning predictions based on remote sensing data in developing countries which are most at risk to land degradation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sophia Dowell, PhD student at BGS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>BGS led the research in conjunction with the University of Plymouth and the University of Eldoret in Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophia\u2019s PhD was supported by the NERC funded ARIES doctoral training programme (grant number NE\/S007334\/1), and from the NERC International National Capability grants to BGS (NE\/R000069\/1 and NE\/X006255\/1), Royal Society International Collaboration grant (ICA\/R1\/191077), British Academy (WW21100104) and BGS University Funding Initiative (GA\/19S\/017).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The full research paper is available: <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1039\/D3AY01030A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Optimisation of plutonium separations using TEVA cartridges and ICP-MS\/MS analysis for applicability to large-scale studies in tropical soils<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">About BGS<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"margin-top: 0cm\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif\">The British Geological Survey (BGS) is a world-leading geological survey that undertakes strategic science for the benefit of society. BGS is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and a research centre within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif\">BGS delivers research, products and services for the UK, and operates internationally to maximise the impact of its science and to contribute to the UK&#8217;s international priorities. BGS is the national centre of geological data and information and undertakes monitoring and analytical research programmes. These enable the timely and authoritative provision of impartial and independent information and advice to governments, industry and civil society. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif\">The new BGS Strategy for 2023 to 2028, &#8216;Understanding our Earth&#8217;, sets out its four priority science areas for the next five years, helping to deliver the necessary geological data and knowledge for a sustainable future. See <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif\">www.bgs.ac.uk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"relatives\">\n\t\t\t\t<h5>Relative topics<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/africa\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">africa<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/bufi\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">bufi<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/international-geoscience\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">international<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/isotopes\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">isotopes<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/soil\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">soil<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/students\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">students<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/sustainability\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">sustainability<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section  style=\"background-image:url('https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/News-events-scaled.jpg')\" id=\"latest-content-6375-block_f45ec63ce98d7bac056965a99945a585\" class=\"cards-carousel-section  basic-background-1   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Related news<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12 owl-carousel carousel-primary-color owl-theme carousel-js\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/largest-ct-core-scan-completed-at-the-bgs-core-scanning-facility\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/CT_slice_coral.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"CT Slice View of coral core (left) and basalt core (right) BGS \u00a9 ECORD\/IODP\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/CT_slice_coral.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/largest-ct-core-scan-completed-at-the-bgs-core-scanning-facility\/\">Largest CT core scan completed at the BGS Core Scanning Facility<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>09\/05\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BGS has completed its largest CT core scan project to-date, with around 400 metres of core imaged for the IODP Drowned Reefs project.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/largest-ct-core-scan-completed-at-the-bgs-core-scanning-facility\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-bgs-chief-scientist-for-multi-hazards-and-resilience-announced\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/jonathon-chambers.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Professor Jonathan Chambers. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/jonathon-chambers.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-bgs-chief-scientist-for-multi-hazards-and-resilience-announced\/\">New BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience announced<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>09\/05\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Professor Jonathan Chambers has been appointed as the new BGS Chief Scientist for multi-hazards and resilience (MHR), effective from 1 June 2024.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-bgs-chief-scientist-for-multi-hazards-and-resilience-announced\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  \">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/delivering-a-sustainable-urban-future-for-europe-through-geoscience\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sustainability-16-02559-g002.png\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Illustrative figure to show links between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the urban environment. Over and above SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), urban centres can help deliver many of the UN SDGs. (Source: UN SDGs and Geological Survey of Norway, NGU.)\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sustainability-16-02559-g002.png\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>Research highlight<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/delivering-a-sustainable-urban-future-for-europe-through-geoscience\/\">Delivering a sustainable urban future for Europe through geoscience<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>08\/05\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Research, led by BGS and EuroGeoSurveys\u2019 Urban Geology Expert Group, explores how urban geoscience is reflected in European urban and environmental policy.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/delivering-a-sustainable-urban-future-for-europe-through-geoscience\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  bgs-blogs\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-sir-walter-scott-memorial\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Scott_monument_thumbnail.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Scott&#039;s Monument, west elevation. \u00a9 BGS\/UKRI\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Scott_monument_thumbnail.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS blogs<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-sir-walter-scott-memorial\/\">Building stones spotlight: the Sir Walter Scott Memorial 25 years after its conservation<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>29\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BGS geologist, Luis Albornoz-Parra, discusses the iconic Edinburgh monument, the building stones used in its construction and the result (so far) of its conservation efforts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-sir-walter-scott-memorial\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-read-more  event\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-open-day-2024\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bgs-open-day-artwork-2024-150x150.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"bgs-open-day-artwork-2024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bgs-open-day-artwork-2024.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS events<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-open-day-2024\/\">BGS Open Day 2024<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Event on 08\/06\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><p>Join us on 8 June 2024 to explore volcanoes and earthquakes, soils and aquifers, the sea, the sky and everything in between! <\/p>\n<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-open-day-2024\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/uk-legacy-geothermal-catalogue-released-in-digital-format-for-the-first-time\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/distribution-of-sites-sample-geothermal-catalogue-150x150.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Distribution of sites in the first digital release of the legacy geothermal catalogue. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/distribution-of-sites-sample-geothermal-catalogue.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/uk-legacy-geothermal-catalogue-released-in-digital-format-for-the-first-time\/\">UK legacy geothermal catalogue released in digital format for the first time<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>18\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BGS has released the first digital version of the UK legacy geothermal catalogue of subsurface temperature measurements, rock thermal conductivity measurements and heat flow calculations.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/uk-legacy-geothermal-catalogue-released-in-digital-format-for-the-first-time\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  \">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-research-supports-conservation-of-fallow-deer-across-europe\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/fallow-deer-bob-brewer-14A9X2feLJ8-unsplash-150x150.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Fallow deer stag \u00a9 Bob Brewer\/Unsplash.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/fallow-deer-bob-brewer-14A9X2feLJ8-unsplash.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>Research highlight<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-research-supports-conservation-of-fallow-deer-across-europe\/\">New research supports conservation of fallow deer across Europe<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>16\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>New research has combined zooarchaeology and ancient and modern biomolecular datasets to reveal new understandings into the history and projections of fallow deer. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-research-supports-conservation-of-fallow-deer-across-europe\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-servico-geologico-do-brasil\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20240303_164711_web-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Representatives from the Servi\u00e7o Geol\u00f3gico do Brasil and BGS at the signing event. Copyright: Rafael Sandim\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20240303_164711_web.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-servico-geologico-do-brasil\/\">BGS signs memorandum of understanding with Servi\u00e7o Geol\u00f3gico do Brasil<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>10\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The partnership will advance the two organisations\u2019 shared interests in mineral research and geoscience to help benefit society. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-servico-geologico-do-brasil\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/world-mineral-production-2018-to-2022-is-now-available\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/World_Mineral_Production_2018_2022-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"BGS World Mineral Production 2018 to 2022\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/World_Mineral_Production_2018_2022.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/world-mineral-production-2018-to-2022-is-now-available\/\">World Mineral Production 2018 to 2022 is now available<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>09\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The latest edition of World Mineral Production has been released.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/world-mineral-production-2018-to-2022-is-now-available\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-underground-observatory-open-for-research\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/UKGEOS_Cheshire_Keys_website-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Dr Mike Spence, Director of Science for the UK Geoenergy Observatories, receives the keys to the Cheshire Observatory from AECOM, principal contractor for construction of the site. Source: BGS \u00a9 UKRI\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/UKGEOS_Cheshire_Keys_website.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-underground-observatory-open-for-research\/\">New underground observatory open for research<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>09\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Construction has been completed on the Cheshire Observatory and the facility is now open for research activities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/new-underground-observatory-open-for-research\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-read-more  event\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/2024-mine-water-energy-symposium\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mine-Water-Symposium-2024-speaker-cards-960-x-645-px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"2024 Mine Water Energy Symposium - 24 to 26 April 2024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mine-Water-Symposium-2024-speaker-cards-960-x-645-px.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS events<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/2024-mine-water-energy-symposium\/\">2024 Mine Water Energy Symposium<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Event from 24\/04\/2024 to 26\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><p>Now in its fourth year, the 2024 Mine Water Energy Symposium will be held in person for the first time in April 2024, with online streaming functionality.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/2024-mine-water-energy-symposium\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item cards  cards-find-more  press-release\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-leads-update-of-the-earths-magnetic-field-maps\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IGRF-13_Declination_2020-960x645-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"IGRF-13 map of declination angle (in degrees east or west of true north) for 2020. \u00a9 UKRI\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IGRF-13_Declination_2020-960x645-1.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<div>BGS news<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-leads-update-of-the-earths-magnetic-field-maps\/\">BGS leads update to maps of the Earth\u2019s magnetic field<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p>04\/04\/2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The International Geomagnetic Reference Field, used for navigation on mobile phones and in space, is updated every five years. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/bgs-leads-update-of-the-earths-magnetic-field-maps\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BGS research leads to advancements in the detection of plutonium and ultimately the determination of soil erosion rates in tropical soils. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":106645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"6223,9089,10235,8160,34248,32954","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[64,797],"tags":[1056,1205,1352,1425,822,1249,1017],"purpose":[],"challenge":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The optimisation of plutonium separation - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"BGS research leads to advancements in the detection of plutonium and ultimately the determination of soil erosion rates in tropical soils.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The optimisation of plutonium separation - British Geological Survey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"BGS research leads to advancements in the detection of plutonium and ultimately the determination of soil erosion rates in tropical soils.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"British Geological Survey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-07T10:30:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-22T09:59:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sophia-dowell.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"645\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"BGS Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"BGS Press\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"BGS Press\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/e426c0f88dc28ad99609d200d3abdc94\"},\"headline\":\"The optimisation of plutonium separation\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-07T10:30:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-22T09:59:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\"},\"wordCount\":746,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/sophia-dowell.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"africa\",\"bufi\",\"international\",\"isotopes\",\"soil\",\"students\",\"sustainability\"],\"articleSection\":[\"BGS news\",\"Research highlight\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/the-optimisation-of-plutonium-separation\/\",\"name\":\"The optimisation of plutonium separation - 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