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Ammar A, Nouira A, El Mouridi Z, Boughribil S. Recent trends in the phytoremediation of radionuclide contamination of soil by cesium and strontium: Sources, mechanisms and methods: A comprehensive review. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 359:142273. [PMID: 38750727 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
This comprehensive review examines recent trends in phytoremediation strategies to address soil radionuclide contamination by cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr). Radionuclide contamination, resulting from natural processes and nuclear-related activities such as accidents and the operation of nuclear facilities, poses significant risks to the environment and human health. Cs and Sr, prominent radionuclides involved in nuclear accidents, exhibit chemical properties that contribute to their toxicity, including easy uptake, high solubility, and long half-lives. Phytoremediation is emerging as a promising and environmentally friendly approach to mitigate radionuclide contamination by exploiting the ability of plants to extract toxic elements from soil and water. This review focuses specifically on the removal of 90Sr and 137Cs, addressing their health risks and environmental implications. Understanding the mechanisms governing plant uptake of radionuclides is critical and is influenced by factors such as plant species, soil texture, and physicochemical properties. Phytoremediation not only addresses immediate contamination challenges but also provides long-term benefits for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development. By improving soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, phytoremediation is in line with global sustainability goals and environmental protection initiatives. This review aims to provide insights into effective strategies for mitigating environmental hazards associated with radionuclide contamination and to highlight the importance of phytoremediation in environmental remediation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayyoub Ammar
- Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnology /Eco-toxicology and Biodiversity (LVMQB/EB), Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Mohammedia, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco; National Center for Energy, Sciences, and Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN), Rabat, Morocco; Laboratory of Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, National Institute of Agronomique Research (INRA), Rabat, Morocco.
| | - Asmae Nouira
- National Center for Energy, Sciences, and Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN), Rabat, Morocco
| | - Zineb El Mouridi
- Laboratory of Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, National Institute of Agronomique Research (INRA), Rabat, Morocco
| | - Said Boughribil
- Laboratory of Virology, Microbiology, Quality and Biotechnology /Eco-toxicology and Biodiversity (LVMQB/EB), Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Mohammedia, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
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Urso L, Petermann E, Gnädinger F, Hartmann P. Use of random forest algorithm for predictive modelling of transfer factor soil-plant for radiocaesium: A feasibility study. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 270:107309. [PMID: 37837830 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
A German dataset with soil-plant transfer factors for radiocaesium including many co-variables was analysed and prepared for the application of the Random Forest (RF) algorithm using the R libraries 'party', and 'caret'. A RF predictive model for soil-plant transfer factor was created based on 10 co-variables. These are, for example, taxonomic plant family, plant part, soil type and the exchangeable potassium concentration in the soil. The RF model results were compared with the results of two (semi-)mechanistic models. Of the more than 3000 entries in the original dataset, only about 1200 could be used, as this was the largest complete dataset with the largest number of co-variables available. The obtained RF predictive model can reproduce the experimental observations better than the two (semi)-mechanistic models, which are based on many assumptions and fixed parameter values. Model performance was quantified using the metrics of Root Mean Square Error (rmse) and Mean Absolute Error (mae). The RF model was able to reproduce the variability of the data by up to 6 orders of magnitude. The categorical co-predictors, especially taxonomic plant family and plant part, have a greater influence than the numerical co-predictors, such as pH and exchangeable soil potassium concentration. This feasibility study shows that RF is a promising tool to obtain predictive models for transfer factors. However, to build a widely applicable predictive model, a dataset is needed that contains at least thousands of entries for transfer factors and for the most important co-variables and considers a large parameter space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Urso
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Unit Radioecology, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Eric Petermann
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Unit NORM and Radon, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Friederike Gnädinger
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Unit Radioecology, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Philipp Hartmann
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Unit Radioecology, Neuherberg, Germany.
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Vanheukelom M, Sweeck L, Van Hees M, Weyns N, Van Orshoven J, Smolders E. Quantitative clay mineralogy predicts radiocesium bioavailability to ryegrass grown on reconstituted soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162372. [PMID: 36828067 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Current radiocesium (137Cs) models to evaluate the risk of 137Cs transfer from soil to plants are based on the clay and exchangeable potassium (K) contents in soil. These models disregard the mineralogy of the clay fraction and are likely not capable of accurately predicting the 137Cs transfer factor (TF) in soils of contrasting parent rocks and weathering stages. The objectives of this study were to test that hypothesis and to identify whether quantitative information on mineralogy can improve the predictions. A pot cultivation experiment was set up with clay-sand mixtures in single and double clay doses that were fertilized, spiked with 137Cs and grown with ryegrass for 30 days. Four clays (illite, biotite, smectite and vermiculite) along with six deposits from clay-rich geological units were compared. The TF generally decreased with increasing clay dose for each of these ten different clay groups, however, the TF varied two orders of magnitude across clay groups and doses. The TF was highest for clays with little 137Cs specific sites such as bentonite and/or where the exchangeable K content was low compared to the other clays. The TF was well predicted from the soil solution 137Cs and K concentrations (R2 = 0.72 for log transformed TF), corroborating earlier findings in natural soils. The TF (log transformed) was statistically unrelated to total phyllosilicate content or 1:1 and 2:1:1 type phyllosilicate content while it significantly decreased with increasing 2:1 phyllosilicate content (R2 = 0.32). A multiple regression model with four different X-ray diffraction (XRD) based phyllosilicate groups yielded the strongest predictive power (R2 = 0.74). We conclude that XRD quantification is valuable for describing 137Cs bioavailability in plant substrates. These findings now await confirmation for natural soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Vanheukelom
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; Division of Soil and Water Management, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Lieve Sweeck
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - May Van Hees
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Nancy Weyns
- Division of Geology, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200e - box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jos Van Orshoven
- Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200e - box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Erik Smolders
- Division of Soil and Water Management, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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Togamura Y, Uchiyama K, Akiyama F, Hirano K, Yamada D, Shibuya T. Evaluation of tall fescue as a low radiocesium-uptake grass species to replace orchardgrass in Japan. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2021; 237:106694. [PMID: 34229188 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Grasslands in Tohoku and North Kanto, Japan were contaminated with radiocesium released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011. The dominant pasture species in the permanent grasslands of these areas is orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Two field studies were conducted to determine the potential of a low radiocesium-uptake forage grass to replace orchardgrass for remediation of contaminated grasslands. From 2012 to 2014, tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) showed lower 137Cs uptake than orchardgrass under harvesting condition. The annual mean 137Cs activity concentration and transfer factor in tall fescue were half of those in orchardgrass. There was no significant difference in the 137Cs activity concentration among the five cultivars of tall fescue at the third harvest in 2012. From 2016 to 2019, another field study was conducted in a pasture with tall fescue and orchardgrass introduced by overseeding under heavy grazing pressure after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Tall fescue and orchardgrass were collected in May, July, and September from four paddocks before rotational grazing. Three grasses that were originally present, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and white clover (Trifolium repens L.), were collected each time that tall fescue and orchardgrass were sampled in 2016-2017. They were also collected at the sampling time in May of 2018 and 2019. Tall fescue showed a consistently lower transfer factor than orchardgrass during the four years. Tall fescue had the lowest transfer factor compared with the three originally grown plant species. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan recommends an exchangeable K2O content of 0.3-0.4 g kg-1 in soil (0-15 cm depth) to keep the 137Cs activity concentration in forage grass below the provisional tolerance level for feed. The soil exchangeable K2O content in both field studies was lower than this. Tall fescue is considered a low radiocesium-uptake grass and a potential replacement for orchardgrass in Japan. The use of tall fescue might reduce the amount of potassium fertilizer needed in contaminated grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuko Togamura
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiro Uchiyama
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Akiyama
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Hirano
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan
| | - Daigo Yamada
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shibuya
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 768 Senbonmatsu, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, 329-2793, Japan
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Sweeck L, Camps J, Mikailova R, Almahayni T. Role of modelling in monitoring soil and food during different stages of a nuclear emergency. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 225:106444. [PMID: 33120028 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In case of a nuclear accident, adequate protection of the public and the environment requires timely assessment of the short- and long-term radiological exposure. Measurements of the radiation dose and the radioactive contamination in the environment are essential for the optimization of radiation protection and the decision making process. In the early phase, however, such measurements are rarely available or sufficient.To compensate for the lack of monitoring data during nuclear emergencies, especially in the early phase of the emergency, mathematical models are frequently used to assess the temporal and spatial distribution of radioactive contamination. During the transition and recovery phase, models are typically used to optimise remediation strategies by assessing the cost-effectiveness of different countermeasures. A prerequisite of course is that these models are fit for purpose. Different models may be needed during different phases of the accident. In this paper, we discuss the role of radioecological models during a nuclear emergency, and give an outlook on the scientific challenges which need to be addressed to further improve our predictions of human and wildlife exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Sweeck
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - J Camps
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - R Mikailova
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, 249032 Obninsk, Russia
| | - T Almahayni
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
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Kurokawa K, Nakao A, Wakabayashi S, Fujimura S, Eguchi T, Matsunami H, Yanai J. Advanced approach for screening soil with a low radiocesium transfer to brown rice in Fukushima based on exchangeable and nonexchangeable potassium. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140458. [PMID: 32758809 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phytoavailable K in soil is a key to control the transfer factor of radiocesium from soil to brown rice. The transfer factors were determined for paddy fields cultivated in 2017 and 2018 under different K fertilization regimes in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Two phytoavailable forms of K, the exchangeable and nonexchangeable K contents were investigated for the surface soil sampled after the transplanting and fertilization as well as after harvest of rice in the same paddy fields. The exchangeable K content largely decreased from after transplanting and fertilization to after harvest, and the exchangeable K of the soil after harvest was negatively correlated with the transfer factor (rs = -0.70, p < .001). Most soil samples after harvest showed that the transfer factors exponentially increased as the exchangeable K decreased; however, some of the samples indicated considerably low transfer factors (<0.005) despite being exchangeable K deficient, i.e., exchangeable K < 25 mg K2O 100 g-1. Even though this value before usual fertilization has been effectively used as a threshold to determine whether supplemental K fertilization is required to reduce the radiocesium content in brown rice, additional screening was needed to estimate this radiocesium transfer more precisely. Thus, we found that not only the exchangeable K but also nonexchangeable K contents had a negative correlation with the transfer factor (rs = -0.60, p < .001) of the soil samples after harvest but were not correlated with each other (rp = -0.10). Furthermore, the results revealed that soil with nonexchangeable K > 50 mg K2O 100 g-1 indicated a considerably low transfer factor, even if exchangeable K deficient. Thus, via our field-scale experiments, we concluded that the criterion nonexchangeable K > 50 mg K2O 100 g-1 can be used as another threshold for use along with that of exchangeable K to differentiate soil with a low radiocesium transfer rate from exchangeable K deficient soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Kurokawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5, Shimogamo, Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Nakao
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5, Shimogamo, Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.
| | - Shokichi Wakabayashi
- Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 50, Harajukuminami, Arai, Fukushima 960-2156, Japan.
| | - Shigeto Fujimura
- Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 50, Harajukuminami, Arai, Fukushima 960-2156, Japan.
| | - Tetsuya Eguchi
- Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 50, Harajukuminami, Arai, Fukushima 960-2156, Japan.
| | - Hisaya Matsunami
- Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO, 50, Harajukuminami, Arai, Fukushima 960-2156, Japan.
| | - Junta Yanai
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5, Shimogamo, Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.
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Almahayni T, Beresford NA, Crout NMJ, Sweeck L. Fit-for-purpose modelling of radiocaesium soil-to-plant transfer for nuclear emergencies: a review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 201:58-66. [PMID: 30776579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Numerous radioecological models have been developed to predict radionuclides transfer from contaminated soils to the food chain, which is an essential step in preparing and responding to nuclear emergencies. However, the lessons learned from applying these models to predict radiocaesium (RCs) soil-to-plant transfer following the Fukushima accident in 2011 renewed interest in RCs transfer modelling. To help guide and prioritise further research in relation to modelling RCs transfer in terrestrial environments, we reviewed existing models focussing on transfer to food crops and animal fodders. To facilitate the review process, we categorised existing RCs soil-to-plant transfer models into empirical, semi-mechanistic and mechanistic, though several models cross the boundaries between these categories. The empirical approach predicts RCs transfer to plants based on total RCs concentration in soil and an empirical transfer factor. The semi-mechanistic approach takes into account the influence of soil characteristics such as clay and exchangeable potassium content on RCs transfer. It also uses 'bioavailable' rather than total RCs in soil. The mechanistic approach considers the physical and chemical processes that control RCs distribution and uptake in soil-plant systems including transport in the root zone and root absorption kinetics. Each of these modelling approaches has its advantages and disadvantages. The empirical approach is simple and requires two inputs, but it is often associated with considerably uncertainty due to the large variability in the transfer factor. The semi-mechanistic approach factorises more soil and plant parameters than the empirical approach; therefore, it is applicable to a wider range of environmental conditions. The mechanistic approach is instrumental in understanding RCs mobility and transfer in soil-plant systems; it also helps to identify influential soil and plant parameters. However, the comlexity and the large amount of specific parameters make this approach impractical for nuclear emergency preparedness and response purposes. We propose that the semi-mechanistic approach is sufficiently robust and practical, hence more fit for the purpose of planning and responding to nuclear emergencies compared with the empirical and mechanistic approaches. We recommend further work to extend the applicability of the semi-mechanistic approach to a wide range of plants and soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talal Almahayni
- Biosphere Impact Studies Unit, The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, Mol, Belgium.
| | - Nicholas A Beresford
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, CEH Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av., Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - Neil M J Crout
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
| | - Lieve Sweeck
- Biosphere Impact Studies Unit, The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, Mol, Belgium.
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Mothersill C, Abend M, Bréchignac F, Copplestone D, Geras'kin S, Goodman J, Horemans N, Jeggo P, McBride W, Mousseau TA, O'Hare A, Papineni RVL, Powathil G, Schofield PN, Seymour C, Sutcliffe J, Austin B. The tubercular badger and the uncertain curve:- The need for a multiple stressor approach in environmental radiation protection. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 168:130-140. [PMID: 30296640 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article presents the results of a workshop held in Stirling, Scotland in June 2018, called to examine critically the effects of low-dose ionising radiation on the ecosphere. The meeting brought together participants from the fields of low- and high-dose radiobiology and those working in radioecology to discuss the effects that low doses of radiation have on non-human biota. In particular, the shape of the low-dose response relationship and the extent to which the effects of low-dose and chronic exposure may be predicted from high dose rate exposures were discussed. It was concluded that high dose effects were not predictive of low dose effects. It followed that the tools presently available were deemed insufficient to reliably predict risk of low dose exposures in ecosystems. The workshop participants agreed on three major recommendations for a path forward. First, as treating radiation as a single or unique stressor was considered insufficient, the development of a multidisciplinary approach is suggested to address key concerns about multiple stressors in the ecosphere. Second, agreed definitions are needed to deal with the multiplicity of factors determining outcome to low dose exposures as a term can have different meanings in different disciplines. Third, appropriate tools need to be developed to deal with the different time, space and organisation level scales. These recommendations permit a more accurate picture of prospective risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmel Mothersill
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1.
| | - Michael Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 Munich, Germany.
| | - Francois Bréchignac
- Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) & International Union of Radioecology, Centre du Cadarache, Bldg 229, St Paul-lez-Durance, France.
| | - David Copplestone
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Stanislav Geras'kin
- Russian Institute of Radiology & Agroecology, Kievskoe shosse, 109km, Obninsk 249020, Russia.
| | - Jessica Goodman
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Nele Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK CEN, Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Penny Jeggo
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK.
| | - William McBride
- University of California Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Timothy A Mousseau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
| | - Anthony O'Hare
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK.
| | - Rao V L Papineni
- Department of Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center - KUMC (Adjunct), and PACT & Health, Branford, CT, USA.
| | - Gibin Powathil
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK.
| | - Paul N Schofield
- Dept of Physiology Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
| | - Colin Seymour
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1.
| | - Jill Sutcliffe
- Low Level Radiation and Health Conference, Ingrams Farm Fittleworth Road, Wisborough Green RH14 0JA, West Sussex, UK.
| | - Brian Austin
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK.
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Raskob W, Almahayni T, Beresford NA. Radioecology in CONFIDENCE: Dealing with uncertainties relevant for decision making. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 192:399-404. [PMID: 30053730 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The CONFIDENCE project is performing research on uncertainties in emergency management and post-accident recovery. It concentrates on the early and transition phases of an emergency, but considers also longer-term decisions made during these phases. To ensure success, the project brings together expertise from four European Radiation Protection Research Platforms (NERIS, MELODI, ALLIANCE and EURADOS) and also from the area of social sciences and humanities. This paper presents an overview of the CONFIDENCE project with a focus on CONFIDENCE's consideration of the radioecology required to support emergency management and post-accident recovery. For instance, operational decisions concerning land and foodchain management rely on radioecological models that are at present mostly based on simple, but highly uncertain, transfer ratios to predict contamination in foodstuffs. CONFIDENCE will investigate if process-based models are better suited to reducing uncertainties associated with empirical ratio based models. Model improvements and uncertainty reduction might be also possible by better evaluating past experience from Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Raskob
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
| | - Talal Almahayni
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Nicholas A Beresford
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
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Smith JT, Tagami K, Uchida S. Time trends in radiocaesium in the Japanese diet following nuclear weapons testing and Chernobyl: Implications for long term contamination post-Fukushima. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 601-602:1466-1475. [PMID: 28605864 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Estimation of time changes in radiocaesium in foodstuffs is key to predicting the long term impact of the Fukushima accident on the Japanese diet. We have modelled >4000 measurements, spanning 50 years, of 137Cs in foodstuffs and whole diet in Japan after nuclear weapons testing (NWT) and the Chernobyl accident. Broadly consistent long term trends in 137Cs activity concentrations are seen between different agricultural foodstuffs; whole diet follows this general trend with remarkably little variation between averages for different regions of Japan. Model blind tests against post-NWT data for the Fukushima Prefecture showed good predictions for radiocaesium in whole diet, spinach and Japanese radish (for which good long term test data were available). For the post-Fukushima period to 2015, radiocaesium in the average diet followed a declining time trend consistent with that seen after NWT and Chernobyl. Data for different regions post-Fukushima show a high degree of mixing of dietary foodstuffs between regions: significant over-estimates of average dietary 137Cs were made when it was assumed that only regionally-produced food was consumed. Predictions of mean committed effective internal doses from dietary 137Cs (2011 to 2061) in non-evacuated parts of the Fukushima Prefecture show that average internal dose is relatively low. This study focused on average regional ingestion dose rates and does not attempt to make site specific predictions. However, temporal trends identified could form a basis for site specific predictions of long term activity concentrations in agricultural products and diet both outside and (to assess potential re-use) inside currently evacuated areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO1 3QL, UK.
| | - Keiko Tagami
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 2638555, Japan.
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 2638555, Japan.
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Uematsu S, Vandenhove H, Sweeck L, Hees MV, Wannijn J, Smolders E. Foliar uptake of radiocaesium from irrigation water by paddy rice (Oryza sativa): an overlooked pathway in contaminated environments. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:820-829. [PMID: 28102551 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Flooded (paddy) rice (Oryza sativa) can take up ions from the irrigation water by foliar uptake via the exposed stem base. We hypothesised that the stem base uptake of radiocaesium (RCs) is a pathway for rice grown in RCs-contaminated environments. We developed a bi-compartmental device which discriminates the stem base from root RCs uptake from solutions, thereby using RCs isotopes (137 Cs and 134 Cs) with < 2% solution leak between the compartments. Radiocaesium uptake was linear over time (0-24 h). Radiocaesium uptake to the entire plant, expressed per dry weight of the exposed parts, was sixfold higher for the roots than for the exposed stem base. At equal RCs concentrations in both compartments, the exposed stem base and root uptake contributed almost equally to the total shoot RCs concentrations. Reducing potassium supply to the roots not only increased the root RCs uptake but also increased RCs uptake by the stem base. This study was the first to experimentally demonstrate active and internally regulated RCs uptake by the stem base of rice. Scenario calculations for the Fukushima-affected area predict that RCs in irrigation water could be an important source of RCs in rice as indirectly suggested from field data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Uematsu
- Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
- Division of Soil and Water Management, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hildegarde Vandenhove
- Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Lieve Sweeck
- Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - May Van Hees
- Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jean Wannijn
- Biosphere Impact Studies, SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Erik Smolders
- Division of Soil and Water Management, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
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Beresford NA, Fesenko S, Konoplev A, Skuterud L, Smith JT, Voigt G. Thirty years after the Chernobyl accident: What lessons have we learnt? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 157:77-89. [PMID: 27018344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
April 2016 sees the 30(th) anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. As a consequence of the accident populations were relocated in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine and remedial measures were put in place to reduce the entry of contaminants (primarily (134+137)Cs) into the human food chain in a number of countries throughout Europe. Remedial measures are still today in place in a number of countries, and areas of the former Soviet Union remain abandoned. The Chernobyl accident led to a large resurgence in radioecological studies both to aid remediation and to be able to make future predictions on the post-accident situation, but, also in recognition that more knowledge was required to cope with future accidents. In this paper we discuss, what in the authors' opinions, were the advances made in radioecology as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident. The areas we identified as being significantly advanced following Chernobyl were: the importance of semi-natural ecosystems in human dose formation; the characterisation and environmental behaviour of 'hot particles'; the development and application of countermeasures; the "fixation" and long term bioavailability of radiocaesium and; the effects of radiation on plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Beresford
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - S Fesenko
- International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - A Konoplev
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Kanayagawa 1, Fukushima, 960-1296 Japan
| | - L Skuterud
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, 1332 Østerås, Norway
| | - J T Smith
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL, UK
| | - G Voigt
- r.e.m., Franz-Siegel-Gasse 26, 2380 Perchtoldsdorf, Austria
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