“With the help of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, [Chemist and Northern Arizona University professor emeritus] Ketterer took samples of soil, water and plants from a few locations around Acid Canyon, which he then analyzed using mass spectrometry. He looked in particular at the proportions of two main isotopes, plutonium-239 and plutonium-240, in each sample, which he said can begin to answer questions about where and when the contamination originated.
Alaina Mencinger| November 24, 2024 santafenewmexican.com
Takeaways. Samples from Acid Canyon showed plutonium contamination in water and soil at levels one researcher called “unusually high.” Those findings were presented to lawmakers earlier this month. Department of Energy and LANL officials have pushed back against claims that the levels measured are unsafe or unexpected.