URANIUM, THORIUM AND RARE EARTH ELEMENTS DISTRIBUTION IN FUKUSHIMA SOIL SAMPLES

Uranium, thorium and rare earth elements (REEs) in soil samples contaminated by Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This information provides knowledge about concentration levels of REEs in soil samples as a background data after FDNPP accident. Chondrite-normalised REEs pattern does not show enrichment in concentrations of REEs, which could be related to FDNPP accident. The high concentration of these elements at few sampling points may be due to soil formation process from granitic rocks.