Radiological evaluation of the transuranic remaining contamination in Palomares (Spain): A historical review

Abstract

This paper shows the studies carried out in Palomares (Almería, Spain) following the ground dispersion of nuclear material as a result of the air crash accident that took place in 1966, in which four nuclear bombs were involved. As a consequence of the Palomares accident, plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) were dispersed over an area of approximately 2.3 km2 due to the chemical explosion of two of them. The most relevant activities carried out by CIEMAT, along with other national and international institutions in the Palomares scenario are detailed. These activities, performed for over 50 years, focus mainly in the characterization of the contamination source, in the continuous environmental and personal radiological monitoring programs, in the construction of a detailed superficial and 3-D mapping distribution of the remaining contamination and in the evaluation of the bioavailability of the transuranics still remaining in the area.