Radioactive Pollutants

The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K are measured for sediment samples collected from thirty three different locations along the Bharathapuzha river basin by using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The concentrations of natural radionuclides was found to vary from location to location and their mean values are 19.6%, 82.87% and 19.44% higher than the world-wide mean values of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. The value of 232 Th was found to be higher than 226 Ra in 82% of the samples collected for this study. The calculated values of indoor absorbed dose rate ranged between 89.55 nGy/h to 194.24 nGy/h and the overall mean value is 63.2% higher than the recommended safe and criterion limit by UNSCEAR. The internal and external hazard indices (H in , H ex ), the representative gamma index and alpha index (I γ , I α ), the annual gonad dose equivalent (AGDE) and the excess life-time cancer risk (ELCR) are also calculated and compared with the international recommended values. Multivariate statistical analyses were also carried out to determine the relation between the natural radionuclides and various radiological parameters.

In this paper we present the findings set out below using a questionnaire survey of price-setting behavior covering 123 Japanese firms that produce and ship foodstuffs and miscellaneous household goods. First, approximately 90% of the firms conduct business in such a way that even if costs or demand change, they do not immediately change their shipping prices; in this regard prices are sticky. There are two reasons for this. Of the firms surveyed, 30% said that the expense necessary for collecting and processing information on prices and demand prohibited them from quickly altering prices. In addition, 30% of firms said that strategic complementarity inhibited prompt price changes. These constitute the primary causes of stickiness. On the other hand the physical costs of price changes, including menu costs, are not considered important. Second, in regard to the frequency of price changes, more than 30% of all companies have not changed shipping prices even once over the past 10 year...

The central nervous system (CNS) is known to be sensitive to pollutants during its development. Uranium (U) is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in the environment as a component of the earth's crust, and populations may therefore be chronically exposed to U through drinking water and food. Previous studies have shown that the CNS is a target of U in rats exposed in adulthood. We assessed the effects of U on behavior and cholinergic system of rats exposed from birth for 10 weeks at 10 mg.L -1 or 40 mg.L -1 . For behavioral analysis, the sleep/wake cycle (recorded by telemetry), the object recognition memory and the spatial working memory (Y-maze) were evaluated. Acetylcholine (ACh) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels were evaluated in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. At 40 mg.L -1 , U exposure impaired object recognition memory (-20%), but neither spatial working memory nor the sleep/wake and cholinergic system was observed at 10 mg U.L -1 . These results demonstrate that early exposure to U ory process in rats. This exposure to U early in life could have potential delayed effects in adulthood.

The central nervous system (CNS) is known to be sensitive to pollutants during its development. Uranium (U) is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in the environment as a component of the earth's crust, and populations may therefore be chronically exposed to U through drinking water and food. Previous studies have shown that the CNS is a target of U in rats exposed in adulthood. We assessed the effects of U on behavior and cholinergic system of rats exposed from birth for 10 weeks at 10 mg.L -1 or 40 mg.L -1 . For behavioral analysis, the sleep/wake cycle (recorded by telemetry), the object recognition memory and the spatial working memory (Y-maze) were evaluated. Acetylcholine (ACh) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels were evaluated in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. At 40 mg.L -1 , U exposure impaired object recognition memory (-20%), but neither spatial working memory nor the sleep/wake and cholinergic system was observed at 10 mg U.L -1 . These results demonstrate that early exposure to U ory process in rats. This exposure to U early in life could have potential delayed effects in adulthood.

We will never have data to populate all of the potential radioecological modelling parameters required for wildlife assessments. Therefore, we need robust extrapolation approaches which allow us to make best use of our available knowledge. This paper reviews and, in some cases, develops, tests and validates some of the suggested extrapolation approaches. The concentration ratio (CRproduct-diet or CRwo-diet) is shown to be a generic (trans-species) parameter which should enable the more abundant data for farm animals to be applied to wild species. An allometric model for predicting the biological half-life of radionuclides in vertebrates is further tested and generally shown to perform acceptably. However, to fully exploit allometry we need to understand why some elements do not scale to expected values. For aquatic ecosystems, the relationship between log10(a) (a parameter from the allometric relationship for the organism-water concentration ratio) and log(Kd) presents a potential o...

Beresford, Nicholas A.; Copplestone, David; Hosseini, A.; Brown, Justin E; Johansen, Matthew P.; Hirth, Gillian; Sheppard, Steve; Dagher, Elias; Yankovich, Tamara; Uchida, Shigeo; Napier, Jon; Outola, Iisa; Wells, Claire; Howard, Brenda J.; Barnett, Catherine L.; Wood, Michael D. 2014. Recent development of wildlife transfer databases. [Poster] In: 3rd International Conference on Radioecology and Environmental Radioactivity, Barcelona, 712 Sept 2014.

In the present study the binding of strontium with pure calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) has been investigated using batch-type experiments. Synthetic C-S-H phases with varying CaO:SiO 2 (C:S) mol ratios, relevant to non-degraded and degraded hardened cement paste, were prepared in the absence of alkalis (Na(I), K(I)) and in an alkali-rich artificial cement pore water (ACW). Two types of experimental approaches have been employed, investigating sorption and co-precipitation processes, respectively. The Sr(II) sorption kinetics were determined as well as sorption isotherms, the effect of the solid to liquid ratio and the composition (C:S ratio) of the C-S-H phases. In addition, the reversibility of the Sr(II) sorption was tested. It was shown that both the sorption and co-precipitation tests resulted in Sr(II) distribution ratios which were similar in value, indicating that the same sites are involved in Sr(II) binding. In alkali-free solutions, the Sr(II) uptake by C-S-H phases was described in terms of a Sr 2+ -Ca 2+ ion exchange model. The selectivity coefficient for the Sr 2+ -Ca 2+ exchange was determined to be 1.2 ± 0.3.

Gamma dose rates of oil production equipment and wastes were measured externally by survey meter. They were found to be between 0.2 mSv h À1 and 25.7 mSv h À1 . Activity concentrations of radium isotopes in crude oil, scale, sludge, contaminated soil and water samples were determined by gamma spectrometric method. Activity concentrations of 224 Ra, 226 Ra and 228 Ra in samples varied from MDA to 132,000 Bq kg À1 . Radium isotopes enriched up to 14,667 times in scale samples. The highest value of 226 Ra was found to be 35,122 ± 1,983 Bq kg À1 for sludge samples. Activity concentrations of a considerable number of samples were found to be higher than the exemption level recommended by IAEA. Measurement results revealed that oil production wastes caused soil contamination up to 70,483 Bq kg À1 . They may pose a radiological risk for workers and members of the public.

The activity concentrations of 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K in different pumice samples have been determined by high-resolution g-ray spectrometry using a 110% HpGe detector. The radium equivalent activities (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ), and internal hazard index (H in ) associated with the natural radionuclides and representative level index (I gr ) are calculated to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in the pumice samples. The mean values of the measured radioactivity concentrations of 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K for pumice samples from the region of lakes (ROL) are 232.

50 m3 of legacy liquid radioactive waste at the Saakadze site in Georgia was treated using a modular type facility with apparatuses encased in three metallic 200 L drums using as purification method the sorption/ion exchange technology. The main contaminant of water in the underground tank was the long-lived radionuclide 226Ra. The casing of processing equipment enabled an effective conditioning of all secondary waste at the end of treatment campaign which resulted in the fully purified water stored on site for further reuse or discharge, and three 200 L metallic drums with cemented radioactive waste which are currently safely stored.

A small group of Gulf War I veterans wounded in depleted uranium (DU) friendly-fire incidents have been monitored in a clinical surveillance program since 1993. During the spring of 2017, 42 members of the cohort were evaluated with a protocol which includes exposure monitoring for total and isotopic uranium concentrations in urine and a comprehensive assessment of health outcomes including measures of bone metabolism, and for participants >50 years, bone mineral density (BMD) determination. Elevated urine U concentrations were observed in cohort members with retained DU shrapnel fragments. Only the mean serum estradiol concentration, a marker of bone metabolism, was found to be significantly different for lower-vs-higher urine U (uU) cohort sub-groups. For the first time, a significant deficit in BMD was observed in the over age 50, high uU sub-group. After more than 25 years since first exposure to DU, an aging cohort of military veterans continues to exhibit few U-related adverse health effects in known target organs of U toxicity. The new finding of reduced BMD in older cohort members, while biologically plausible, was not suggested by other measures of bone metabolism in the full (all ages) cohort, as these were predominantly within normal limits over time. Only estradiol was recently found to display a difference as a function of uU grouping. As BMD is further impacted by aging and the U-burden from fragment absorption accrues in this cohort, a U effect may be clarified in future surveillance visits.

An assessment of the radiological effects resulting from a severe hypothetical accident at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Bangladesh has been conducted in this study, employing the health physics code HotSpot Code 3.1.2. The calculation of the source term has been performed with ORIGEN2.2 software. Features of atmospheric dispersion have been characterized using 32 years of sitespecific weather data obtained from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. An assessment has been conducted to determine the volume of radioactive material emitted and the external effective doses that individuals residing within a 70-kilometer distance from the site have experienced. A comprehensive assessment was executed on a seasonal basis to calculate Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE), exposure pathways, committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE), and the plume area associated with ground deposition. The analysis reveals that the peak TEDE value 5.5E+04 Sv in the autumn were observed at a downwind distance of 0.03 km from the release site. The highest TEDE value is observed at a distance where public access is limited. It is observed that the organ with the highest value of CEDE appears to be the thyroid which is followed by skin, surface bone, lung, red marrow and liver with a value 8.0E+05 Sv, 5.4E+04 Sv, 2.2E+04 Sv, 1.6E+04 Sv, 1.5E+04 Sv and 1.4E+04 Sv respectively for autumn season at 0.030 km from the reactor. Radionuclides including 133 Xe, 89, Kr, 133 I, 88 Kr, 135 I, 135 Xe, 138 Cs, Kr-87, 132 I, 131 I were recognized as the principal factors contributing to the CEDE. These remarkable findings are instrumental in directing strategies for the allocation of potassium iodide (KI) and play a significant role in improving the overall readiness and evacuation planning procedures.

Plutonium is a toxic synthetic element with no natural biological function, but it is strongly retained by humans when ingested. Using small angle X-ray scattering, receptor binding assays, and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy we find that rat adrenal gland (PC12) cells can acquire plutonium in vitro through the major iron acquisition pathway, receptor-mediated

The study assessed the concentration of U, Th and K as well as other trace metals, anions and the physical parameters in water and soil samples in a goldmine and its surroundings using NAA, AAS, UV-VIS spectrophotometer and gross alpha/beta counter. The mean concentrations of the U, Th and K were 0.020, 0.029 and 1.19 mg/L. The concentration of U, Th and K were variable in soil and rock samples taken from different locations in the study area with mean values varying in arrange of 0.2 to 1.8 :g/g, 0.9 to 2.6 :g/g and 7037 to 71360 :g/g, respectively. The concentrations of U, Th and K are comparable to world average values in similar studies. The calculated Th/U ratios show that there has not been significant fractionation during weathering or involvement in metasomatic activity of the radioelements with a mean value of 2.5. The concentrations of the other trace metals, anions and the physical parameters are within the WHO guideline levels in drinking water. The mean values of the gross-" and gross-$ activity concentrations were 0.012 and 0.137 Bq/L. These values are below the WHO recommended guideline values for drinking water. In general, the concentrations of U, Th and K in water and soil/rock samples were generally low even with the acidic conditions of the study area. The results obtained in this study also shows that the background radiation levels are within the natural limits and compared well with similar studies for other countries.

Between 1993 and 1995, marine and terrestrial animal samples were collected from the Beaufort Sea and northwest Alaska. These samples were analyzed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the presence of the anthropogenic radionuclides, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, and 241 Am. The measurement data were combined with food consumption rates based on survey results for populations residing in three northwest Alaskan communities and published age-dependent ingestion dose coe±cients to estimate potential radiological impacts from the consumption of traditional animal foods harvested in this region. The results of this study indicate that committed equivalent doses to adults from 90 Sr and 137 Cs, due to consumption of traditional food sources, are consistent with currently accepted estimates of average doses to adults in North America due to atmospheric nuclear weapons testing fallout.

Gypsum has a wide range of applications, in interior decorations, building construction, supplements or implants in orthopaedics to mention a few. However, in many developing countries including Nigeria, there is still a large-scale importation despite huge available natural deposits. In this study, a facile method to purify locally-mined gypsum has been explored based on the mineral retrograde solubility in water. The purified gypsum was investigated for its elemental composition in comparison to the crude sample and a commercially obtained medical-grade gypsum using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results showed that the purified gypsum contained 94.05% CaSO4 compared with the crude which had a CaSO4 content of 58.10%. Hemihydrates obtained by the treatments of the purified gypsum in an oven, autoclave and microwave gave different morphologies when observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that particle sizes of all the hemihy...

Radioactivity levels in aquatic environments can be assessed through the study of superficial sediments. Anthropogenic activities may alter radioactivity levels leading to the anomalous accumulation of natural radionuclides in coastal areas. In this work, marine sediments from a significant area subjected to severe industrial development were collected in order to measure activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K by gamma spectrometry. Radium equivalent index (Ra eq ), absorbed gamma dose rate in air (D) and annual effective dose equivalent (H) were also calculated and used as risk assessment tools. Results showed low levels of radioactivity in marine sediments from the Bay of Algeciras, discarding any significant radiological risks. Furthermore, the obtained data set could be used as background levels for future research applications and development of environmental regulatory frameworks.

The Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards (ISCORS) has recently completed a study of the occurrence within the United States of radioactive materials in sewage sludge and sewage incineration ash. One component of that effort was an examination of the possible transport of radioactivity from sludge into the local environment and the subsequent exposure of humans. A stochastic environmental pathway model was applied separately to seven hypothetical, generic sludge-release scenarios, leading to the creation of seven tables of Dose-to-Source Ratios (DSR), which can be used in translating from specific activity in sludge into dose to an individual. These DSR values were then combined with the results of an ISCORS survey of sludge and ash at more than 300 publicly owned treatment works, to explore the potential for radiation exposure of sludge workers and members of the public. This paper provides a brief overview of the pathway modeling methodology employed in the exposure and dose assessments and discusses technical aspects of the results obtained.

The city of Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico is located 30 km NNE of Chihuahua city. Three high-volume collectors with PM 10 heads were placed in specific locations in Aldama during the year 2011 to measure radioisotope concentrations in the air. The city area of 16 km 2 was divided into 64 squares of 500 × 500 m. At the vertices of the grid, silt samples were taken between January and June 2011, before the rains began. The concentrations of natural, cosmogenic, and anthropogenic radioactive isotopes were calculated in both filters and silts samples. The isotopes selected for the measurement were 238 U, 232 Th, 7 Be, 137 Cs, and 40 K. Measurements of PM 10 and silts were performed during 2011, coinciding with the accident at Fukushima, Japan, on March 11. For this reason, we could see the 137 Cs in PM 10 increase between April and July; with the arrival of the rains, the 137 Cs concentration began to decrease in the air. The concentration of PM 10 measured by the equipment located at the Mexican Uranium plant (URAMEX, initials in Spanish) that was processing radioactive ores exceeded the standard values in February and March, when the air velocity increases. At City Hall, the concentration of PM 10 surpassed the value of the standard between May and July. This increased concentration is likely due to increased automobile traffic because City Hall is located in the city center. At a private home, the concentration of PM 10 surpassed the standard on several days during the year because the home is located on the outskirts of the city, where most of the streets are not paved. Due to the high concentrations of PM 10 , especially at the collection point located at the private home, it is necessary to start taking steps to mitigate their spread before they cause health problems in the younger population and in older adults. Implications: The radioisotope content found in the PM 10 confirms that the decision to place the Mexican Uranium plant (URAMEX, initials in Spanish) processing radioactive ores near the town of Aldama was not well thought out. Because the monitoring work was carried out in 2011 and coincided with the Fukushima accident, an increased concentration of 137 Cs could be detected in the PM 10 . We made recommendations to the municipal authorities of the city to mitigate the concentration of particles in the air.

Sorption of Pu(VI) onto synthesized goethite under oxidizing and normal conditions was investigated, which revealed its pH dependence on different solid/liquid ratios. Pu speciation upon sorption on the solid phase was characterized via extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, while that in solution was assessed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and liquid-liquid extraction. The obtained results demonstrate differences in plutonium behavior in the studied systems. Pu(VI) remains hexavalent on the goethite surface and in solution under oxidizing conditions. While Pu(IV) is stabilized on the mineral and Pu(V) is found in solution under normal conditions. This study provides the thermodynamic descriptions of these reactions.

Decontamination after a nuclear or radiological release requires a detailed understanding of the materials hosting the contamination, the chemistry of the radionuclide, and the chemical properties of the decontamination agent. Urban contamination via a number of radiological release scenarios may require simple decontamination methods that can be deployed for wide-area decontamination. This paper investigates a number of factors of importance for developing such decontamination methods, focusing on cesium. These factors include the influence on decontamination approaches from the cesium deposition conditions, the urban building material composition and, when washing with an ionic solution that is utilized for decontamination, the composition of the wash solutions. In summary, the sorption chemistry of cesium onto urban building materials and roadways has been studied to develop simple decontamination methods that can be deployed for wide-area decontamination efforts. To improve the understanding of the sorption of cesium onto common urban building materials and roadways the desorption of cesium deposited from solution and as a dry powder was tested. Using ammonium (NH 4 + )salt solutions, we tested the desorption of ionic cesium bound to individual components of concrete and coupons of several common building materials. While the tests on concrete aggregate suggest that a concentration >10 mM NH 4 + does not improve the desorption of cesium, tests on concrete, asphalt, marble, limestone and granite monoliths showed improved decontamination factors when the NH 4 + concentration increased from 0.1 to 0.5 M. We also found that cesium as dry particulate material could be removed quite effectively although the contamination became tenacious upon wetting the surface.

Samples of Trinitite and soil from Trinity site were studied in the radioactivity measurements laboratory at the University of Bremen and at the authors’ facilities in Anaheim (JCR) and Edgewater (WMK). Gamma spectroscopy was used to identify and quantify radionuclides in Trinitite and to perform a radiometric characterization of soil at the Trinity site. Additionally, a similar material (“atomsite“) formed during a soviet test at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was investigated. Fission products (137Cs, 155Eu) together with activation products (60Co, 133Ba, 152Eu, 154Eu, 241Am) and 239Pu were identified. A literature search including some publicly available archive sources was conducted and our data compared to previously published results. Obtained data on Trinitite were also compared to literature data on atomsite formed during atmospheric nuclear tests in Algeria. Variability of radioactivity in Trinitite and relationship of distance from the ground zero and activation were ...

At the avenue to the airport Gustavo Artunduaga Paredes of the Florencia city (Caquetá, Colombia), the alive substrate (trees) area 2 (cm ) covered by lichens (scabby) was evaluated by bifactorial ANOVA without folds Model I. The selection of the substrates was developed at random. Data collection (scabby lichens area) was made by using a non-destructive method on different trees at different distances and heights from the soil surface. Data according to the five suppositions (randomness, normality, variance homogeneity, independence and additivity) for applying ANOVA were obtained. The statistical analysis does not show significative differences among substrate areas covered by scabby lichens in relation to the height from the soil surface (cm) and distance (m) to the avenue, possibly due to a non-existence of highly polluting sources, as industrial areas, sanitary trash disposals or vehicular congestion, close to the sampling area. © 2009 Universidad de la Amazonia. All rights res...

Carbonate dramatically affects the adsorption of uranium (U(VI)) onto iron hydroxides and its mobility in the natural environment. Batch tests, zeta potential measurements, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic studies were utilized to characterize the nature of U(VI) adsorption on ferrihydrite. Adsorption isotherms demonstrated that carbonate had a negative effect on U(VI) adsorption on ferrihydrite at pH >6. Zeta potential measurements indicated that U(VI) was adsorbed as a cationic species (SO-UO 2 + ) in the absence of carbonate and as anionic U(VI) complexes in the presence of carbonate at neutral pH. FTIR spectroscopic measurement of adsorbed U(VI) suggested that it was retained as uranyl carbonate complexes in the presence of carbonate. An increase in carbonate concentration caused a shift in the antisymmetric stretching vibration of the uranyl (UO 2 2+ ) U-O bond toward lower wavenumbers, which indicated an increasing carbonate effect in the adsorbed uranyl carbonate complexes. The adsorbed U(VI) species were successfully incorporated into a surface complexation model to describe the adsorption of U(VI) by ferrihydrite from artificial solutions and contaminated water.

Members of the public are becoming increasingly interested in understanding risks associated with their exposure to radionuclides and chemicals in the environment. They also want to be more involved in decision making about future exposures to risks. This paper reviews one community's involvement in decisions about technical methods to calculate soil cleanup criteria for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site near Denver, Colorado. The public anticipated that much of the site would be available for their use following cleanup. Final decisions regarding the future use of the site have yet to be made; however, the soil action levels were developed for this eventuality. When the public expressed considerable concern about cleanup standards for the site in 1996, a community group met to focus efforts on reviewing the cleanup standards. Later, the U.S. Department of Energy officially established the community panel to oversee an independent calculation of radionuclide soil action levels that would be used as the basis for cleanup at Rocky Flats. The primary radionuclide of concern was 239؉240 Pu. The Radionuclide Soil Action Level Oversight Panel (Panel) was substantively involved in all aspects of the work, from selecting the contractor, approving the computer code that formed the basis of the calculation, and assisting in developing the exposure scenarios, to selecting the values for the numerous input parameters. Communicating the uncertainties to the public, which was a major component of the analysis of soil action levels, presented a unique challenge. Over the course of the 18-mo project, the Panel and interested members of the public gained an understanding of the technical elements of the calculation and the sensitivities of the different parameters. This project serves as an excellent model of the effectiveness of public involvement in science and decision making for the future. It also illustrates the public expectations, difficulties, and time commitments encountered when making scientific decisions in a public forum. Although the process was time consuming for the scientists responsible for the calculations, a more technically defensible as well as publicly acceptable soil action level emerged. The technical approach developed during the project has been recommended for use as a decision-making tool for cleanup of the site.

Members of the public are becoming increasingly interested in understanding risks associated with their exposure to radionuclides and chemicals in the environment. They also want to be more involved in decision making about future exposures to risks. This paper reviews one community's involvement in decisions about technical methods to calculate soil cleanup criteria for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site near Denver, Colorado. The public anticipated that much of the site would be available for their use following cleanup. Final decisions regarding the future use of the site have yet to be made; however, the soil action levels were developed for this eventuality. When the public expressed considerable concern about cleanup standards for the site in 1996, a community group met to focus efforts on reviewing the cleanup standards. Later, the U.S. Department of Energy officially established the community panel to oversee an independent calculation of radionuclide soil action levels that would be used as the basis for cleanup at Rocky Flats. The primary radionuclide of concern was 239؉240 Pu. The Radionuclide Soil Action Level Oversight Panel (Panel) was substantively involved in all aspects of the work, from selecting the contractor, approving the computer code that formed the basis of the calculation, and assisting in developing the exposure scenarios, to selecting the values for the numerous input parameters. Communicating the uncertainties to the public, which was a major component of the analysis of soil action levels, presented a unique challenge. Over the course of the 18-mo project, the Panel and interested members of the public gained an understanding of the technical elements of the calculation and the sensitivities of the different parameters. This project serves as an excellent model of the effectiveness of public involvement in science and decision making for the future. It also illustrates the public expectations, difficulties, and time commitments encountered when making scientific decisions in a public forum. Although the process was time consuming for the scientists responsible for the calculations, a more technically defensible as well as publicly acceptable soil action level emerged. The technical approach developed during the project has been recommended for use as a decision-making tool for cleanup of the site.

At present artificial radionuclides became a constant component of the environments as a result of carrying out experimental nuclear explosions, due to operation and emergences at nuclear power-engineering enterprises. In 1980-s, not far from Karachaganak oil-gas-condensate field (KOGCF) in the territory of Western Kazakhstan oblast, underground cavities (UC) TK1-TK6 at the depth of 800-930 m were created by nuclear explosions -the so called LIRA facilities. TK1-TK4 cavities contain oil-gas-condensate now which was injected from KOGCF. In view of further utilization of the oil-gas-condensate the problem how to assess radiocontamination of this hydrocarbon production placed in UC became topical now. Oil-gas-condensate was sampled from the cavities with the help of special sampler. 137Cs and 241 Am content of oil-gas-condensate was determined with the help of instrumental gammaspectrometrie method [1], 90Sr and 239+240Pu -according to analytical technique [2] including preliminary treatment by aquafortis ("wet process"). No significant values of 137Cs, 241Am, and 90Sr volume activities in oil-gas-condensate (<0.8

The dosimetry for exposure to gamma radiation in the environment is reviewed, including the factors used to convert measurements of traceable quantities to effective dose equivalent. A value of 0.70 S v Gy-' is widely used to convert air kerma or absorbed dose-to-air to effective dose equivalent, but recent work shows that a value of 0.86 S v Gy-' is more appropriate for deposited radionuclides. The arguments are reviewed and the implications of using operational dose equivalent quantities defined by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements are considered. For planar deposited sources in the environment, it is shown that the use of ambient dose equivalent quantities without applying conversion factors, could significantly overestimate effective dose equivalent. In contrast, the adoption of the new effective dose quantity defined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in Publication 60 will have a small impact on conversion factors for gamma radiation in the environment. Practical aspects of measurement are also considered, and five instruments suitable for measuring environmental gamma radiation have been evaluated in the laboratory and in field tests. The instruments include models with scintillation detectors, a Geiger-Muller detector, and a high-pressure ionization chamber, the choice being influenced by those commonly used in European Community countries for routine and emergency monitoring. The main disadvantage of all the instruments is the lack of spectral information, so a straightforward emergency instrument capable of discriminating between natural and artificial radionuclides has also been evaluated.

A plan by Indonesia to develop a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) 1750 km from the new capital city, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN), has increased the need for radiocesium (radio-Cs) sorption and diffusion studies to reduce environmental concerns during reactor operation and decommissioning. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the physical, chemical, and mineral aspects of three soil samples (HA, M, and E) from the IKN region to figure out how these characteristics affect the mobilization of radio-Cs in the soil. To achieve this, radio-Cs apparent diffusion (D a) and distribution (K d) coefficients were determined for each soil sample. Mineralogical revealed distinct characteristics among the samples, with the E sample having the highest clay content of 46.18 %, followed by HA (36.27 %) and M (23.69 %). The D a in groundwater (GW) solvent achieved at 12 × 10-12 m 2 /s for HA, 5.80 × 10-12 m 2 /s for M, and 9.91 × 10-12 m 2 /s for E sample. In Deionized water (DW) solvent, the D a obtained at 2.57 × 10-12 m 2 /s for HA, 3.10 × 10-12 m 2 /s for M, and 2.79 × 10-12 m 2 /s for E sample. The lower diffusion rates (D a) in DW compared to GW suggest reduced competition from other cations, limiting cesium ion interaction. The K d values in GW were valued at 1949.82 mL/g, 1864.60 mL/g, and 3450.83 mL/g, for HA, M, and E samples, respectively. Meanwhile, the K d values in DW increased up to 2262.73 mL/g, 2106.14 mL/g, and 3819.23 mL/g for HA, M, and E samples, respectively. The E sample offered the largest distribution coefficient (K d) across all solvents, highlighting the significant impact of clay concentration on adsorption capacity. These findings highlight the significant impact of soil features in determining the behavior of radio-Cs, which has important implications for strategies related to environmental monitoring and remediation mitigation in IKN region.

Results of all available meteorological and radiation measurements that were performed in Belarus during the first three months after the Chernobyl accident were collected from various sources and incorporated into a single database. Meteorological information such as precipitation, wind speed and direction, and temperature in localities were obtained from meteorological station facilities. Radiation measurements include gamma-exposure rate in air, daily fallout, concentration of different radionuclides in soil, grass, cow's milk and water as well as total beta-activity in cow's milk. Considerable efforts were made to evaluate the reliability of the measurements that were collected. The electronic database can be searched according to type of measurement, date, and location. The main purpose of the database is to provide reliable data that can be used in the reconstruction of thyroid doses resulting from the Chernobyl accident.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi complex in Japan, resulting in radionuclide release. In response, US officials augmented existing radiological screening at its ports of entry (POEs) to detect and decontaminate travelers contaminated with radioactive materials. During March 12 to 16, radiation screening protocols detected 3 travelers from Japan with external radioactive material contamination at 2 air POEs. Beginning March 23, federal officials collaborated with state and local public health and radiation control authorities to enhance screening and decontamination protocols at POEs. Approximately 543 000 (99%) travelers arriving directly from Japan at 25 US airports were screened for radiation contamination from March 17 to April 30, and no traveler was detected with contamination sufficient to require a large-scale public health response. The response highlighted synergistic collaboration across ...

Gamma-ray spectrometric analyses were performed on sediment samples from the coast of Khuzestan province (south west of Iran, neighbor to Iraq and Kuwait) to study the concentration of natural as well as man-made radioactive sources. The coast of Khuzestan, which extends for 400 km is mainly soft areas of mud flats within different ecosystems including river mouth, estuaries, creeps, and small bays. Suspended material from the Iranian rivers including Arvand (Karun), Bahmanshir, Jarrahi, and Zohreh has settled to form these extensive soft areas. Eighty three samples were taken at different points along the coast in undisturbed areas at intervals of about 5 km since Fall 2005 to Winter 2006. Collection was carried out during low-tide, where it was possible to collect sediments from the wet region that was covered by sea water during the high tide. At each of the sample sites, a sampling area of about 1 m 2 was considered. All samples were of a muddy nature, and were left to dry in open air before drying in the oven at 1058C for 2-3 days to remove all water content. The average activity concentration of the radionuclides 226 Ra (30 Bq/Kg), 232 Th (11 Bq/kg), 238 U (18 Bq/kg), and 137 Cs (2.6 Bq/kg) along the shore of Khuzestan reaches are much less than the values commonly assigned as the world average. Nevertheless in case of 40 K which is a long lived naturally occurring radionuclide, the result (481 Bq/kg) was higher than the world average which could be due to a large Kuwaiti oil spill and also fallout and deposition of tremendous amount of fly ashes which resulted from ignited Kuwaiti oil fields during the 2nd Persian Gulf war . For man-made 137 Cs and naturally occurring 232 Th, the western and eastern parts of Khuzestan shore showed higher concentrations than the middle part (Khooriat or creeps). For the long lived naturally occurring radionuclide 40 K and Gulf war 238 U (anti armor shells), there were no significant differences (P \ 0.05) among the three regions.

Gas-cooled nuclear power plants in the UK release sulphur-35 during their routine operation. The gas is in the form of COS which can be readily assimilated by vegetation. It is therefore necessary to be able to model the uptake of such releases in order to quantify any potential contamination of the food chain. To develop such models experimental data are required. A series of experiments was undertaken to determine the rate of deposition, the partition and subsequent loss of sulphur-35 in crops exposed to CO 35 S. The mass normalised deposition rate was similar for the range of crops tested, while the partition of the 35 S paralleled the growth of crop components. There was no significant loss of radioactivity other than that expected from radioactive decay.

In this work, an advanced analytical procedure was applied to calculate radioactivity in spiked water samples in a close geometry gamma spectroscopy. It included MCNP-CP code in order to calculate the coincidence summing correction factor (CSF). The CSF results were validated by a deterministic method using ETNA code for both p-type HPGe detectors. It showed that a good agreement for both codes. Finally, the validity of the developed procedure was confirmed by a proficiency test to calculate the activities of various radionuclides. The results of the radioactivity measurement with both detectors using the advanced analytical procedure were received the &#39;&#39;Accepted&#39;&#39; statuses following the proficiency test.

In this work, the activity concentration of some radionuclides in soil samples collected from 10 locations in Guma local government area of Benue State Nigeria have been determined using Gamma ray spectroscopy. (Model: 3M3/3). The soil activity for urban areas ranged from 38.12-58.10Bq/kg, 3.53-4.41Bq/kg, and3.35-7.11Bq/kg for 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th respectively for urban areas while in the rural areas the concentrations ranged from 54.06-76.17Bq/kg, 3.66-5.27Bq/kg and 4.74-7.18Bq/kg 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th respectively. The absorbed dose and annual effective dose range from 5.89-7.70nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y in the urban areas with mean of 6.48nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y while in the rural area, the values ranges from 7.48-8.52nGy/h and 0.01-0.02mSv/y with mean values of 8.00nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y. All the computed values are much lower than permissible value recommended by the United Nation for Scientific Committee on Effect of Atomic Radiation UNSCEAR but lower than the values reported by (Avwiri and Ononugbo, 2012) and (Ajayi et al; 2013).

In this work, the activity concentration of some radionuclides in soil samples collected from 10 locations in Guma local government area of Benue State Nigeria have been determined using Gamma ray spectroscopy. (Model: 3M3/3). The soil activity for urban areas ranged from 38.12-58.10Bq/kg, 3.53-4.41Bq/kg, and3.35-7.11Bq/kg for 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th respectively for urban areas while in the rural areas the concentrations ranged from 54.06-76.17Bq/kg, 3.66-5.27Bq/kg and 4.74-7.18Bq/kg 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th respectively. The absorbed dose and annual effective dose range from 5.89-7.70nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y in the urban areas with mean of 6.48nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y while in the rural area, the values ranges from 7.48-8.52nGy/h and 0.01-0.02mSv/y with mean values of 8.00nGy/h and 0.01mSv/y. All the computed values are much lower than permissible value recommended by the United Nation for Scientific Committee on Effect of Atomic Radiation UNSCEAR but lower than the values reported by (Avwiri and Ononugbo, 2012) and (Ajayi et al; 2013).

The decays of 214 Po into 210 Pb and of 212 Po into 208 Pb tagged by the previous decays from 214 Bi and 212 Bi have been studied inserting quartz vials inside the Counting Test Facility (CTF) at the underground laboratory in Gran Sasso (LNGS). We find that the mean lifetime of 214 Po is (236.00 AE 0.42(stat) AE 0.15(syst)) ms and that of 212 Po is (425.1 AE 0.9(stat) AE 1.2(syst)) ns. Our results are

nano-colloids by epitaxial distortion on mineral surfaces. Environ. Sci. Technol. 45, 2698 (2011).] deduced the heteroepitaxial growth of a bcc Pu 4 O 7 phase when sorbed onto goethite from d-spacing measurements obtained from selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns. The structural and/or chemical modification of Pu(IV) oxide (PO) nanocolloids upon sorption to goethite, in turn, affects colloidal-transport of Pu in the subsurface. In this study, molecular simulations were applied to investigate mechanisms affecting the formation of non-fcc PO phases and to understand the influence of goethite in stabilizing the non-fcc PO phase. Analyses of the structure, chemistry, and formation energetics for several bulk PuO 2 and PuO 2-x phases, using ab initio methods, show that the formation of a non-fcc PO can occur from the lattice distortion (LD) of fcc PuO 2 upon sorption and formation of a PO-goethite interface. To strain and non-uniformly distort the PuO 2 lattice to match that of the goethite substrate at ambient conditions would require 88 kJ/mol Pu 4 O 8 . The formation of a hypostoichiometric PuO 2-x phase, such as the experimentally-deduced bcc, Ia3̅ Pu 4 O 7 phase, requires more O-poor conditions and/or high energetic inputs ( > +365 kJ/mol Pu 4 O 7 at O-rich conditions). Empirical methods were also applied to study the effect of lattice distortion on sorption energetics and adsorbate particle growth using simple heterointerfaces between cubic salts, where KCl clusters (notated as KCl LD ) of varying size and lattice mismatch (LM) were sorbed to a NaCl cluster. When the lattice of a KCl LD cluster has < 15% LM with that of a NaCl

The US government has accumulated approximately 700,000 tons of depleted uranium. This is the result of over 50 years of enrichment operations that produced nuclear reactor fuel and material for nuclear weapons. This depleted uranium, sometimes called “enrichment ...

1.Introduction Massive earthquake attacked the eastern Japan on March 11 2011. It triggered the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Point accident, where large amount of radioactive substances were released. Released radioactive substances are diffused with atmospheric diffusion process, and eventually deposit on the ground surface and vegetation. Deposited radioactive Cs are released again from the ground surface and vegetation. Today’s main factor of atmospheric radiation concentration fluctuation is atmospheric Re-entrainment of radioactive Cs. Reentrainment mechanism of radioactive Cs is a complex and unprecedented problem. We must consider an interdisciplinary study on deposited radioactive Cs for long-term estimation. We infer that so Cs has a property that is taken in by clay minerals in soil that one of carriers of radioactive Cs is soil particles. The purpose of this study is to make clear how long does atmospheric radiation concentration increase by its re-entrainment, under w...