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Eyrolle F, Chaboche PA, Lepage H, Gouin VN, Boyer P, De Vismes A, Seignemartin G, Badariotti D, Chabaux F, Chastanet M, Claval D, Copard Y, Coynel A, Debret M, Delus C, Euzen C, Gardes T, Giner F, Gurriaran R, Grenz C, Grosbois C, Lestel L, Losson B, Mansuy-Huault L, Montarges-Pelletier E, Morereau A, Mourier B, Mourier D, Ollive V, Papillon L, Schafer J, Schmitt L, Sempere R, Winiarski T, Zebracki M, Evrard O. Temporal trajectories of artificial radiocaesium 137Cs in French rivers over the nuclear era reconstructed from sediment cores. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14213. [PMID: 38902351 PMCID: PMC11189920 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64505-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
137Cs is a long-lived man-made radionuclide introduced in the environment worldwide at the early beginning of the nuclear Era during atmospheric nuclear testing's followed by the civil use of nuclear energy. Atmospheric fallout deposition of this major artificial radionuclide was reconstructed at the scale of French large river basins since 1945, and trajectories in French nuclearized rivers were established using sediment coring. Our results show that 137Cs contents in sediments of the studied rivers display a large spatial and temporal variability in response to the various anthropogenic pressures exerted on their catchment. The Loire, Rhone, and Rhine rivers were the most affected by atmospheric fallout from the global deposition from nuclear tests. Rhine and Rhone also received significant fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and recorded significant 137Cs concentrations in their sediments over the 1970-1985 period due to the regulatory releases from the nuclear industries. The Meuse River was notably impacted in the early 1970s by industrial releases. In contrast, the Seine River display the lowest 137Cs concentrations regardless of the period. All the rivers responded similarly over time to atmospheric fallout on their catchment, underlying a rather homogeneous resilience capacity of these river systems to this source of contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédérique Eyrolle
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France.
| | - Pierre-Alexis Chaboche
- International Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan (Standard)), Tokyo, Japan
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hugo Lepage
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Valérie Nicoulaud Gouin
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Patrick Boyer
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Anne De Vismes
- PSE-ENV, SAME/LMRE, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Bois des Rames, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Gabrielle Seignemartin
- CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69518, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Dominique Badariotti
- Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement (LIVE UMR 7362), CNRS, ENGEES, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Chabaux
- Institut Terre et Environnement de Strasbourg, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 5 rue René Descartes, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - David Claval
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Yoann Copard
- CNRS-M2C Lab. Department Geosciences and Environment, University of Rouen-Normandy, 76821, Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | | | - Maxime Debret
- CNRS-M2C Lab. Department Geosciences and Environment, University of Rouen-Normandy, 76821, Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | - Claire Delus
- EA 7304 "LOTERR", Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Cassandra Euzen
- Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement (LIVE UMR 7362), CNRS, ENGEES, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Franck Giner
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Rodolfo Gurriaran
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Christian Grenz
- CNRS, LCE, UMR 7376, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Cécile Grosbois
- UR 6293 Géohydrosystèmes Continentaux (GéHCO), Université de Tours, Parc de Grandmont, Cedex, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Laurence Lestel
- METIS - Milieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, UMR 7619, Sorbonne Université, 75252, Paris, France
| | - Benoît Losson
- EA 7304 "LOTERR", Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Laurence Mansuy-Huault
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, 54000, Nancy, France
- ZAM - Zone Atelier du Bassin de La Moselle [LTSER France], Nancy, France
| | - Emmanuelle Montarges-Pelletier
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC, 54000, Nancy, France
- ZAM - Zone Atelier du Bassin de La Moselle [LTSER France], Nancy, France
| | - Amandine Morereau
- METIS - Milieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les Hydrosystèmes et les Sols, UMR 7619, Sorbonne Université, 75252, Paris, France
| | - Brice Mourier
- CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69518, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - David Mourier
- PSE-ENV, STAAR/LRTA, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP 3, 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | | | - Laure Papillon
- CNRS, LCE, UMR 7376, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | | | - Laurent Schmitt
- Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement (LIVE UMR 7362), CNRS, ENGEES, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Richard Sempere
- CNRS, LCE, UMR 7376, Ocean Sciences Institute, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Thierry Winiarski
- CNRS, ENTPE, UMR5023 LEHNA, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69518, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Mathilde Zebracki
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, PSE-ENV/SPDR/LT2S, 13115, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Olivier Evrard
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE-IPSL), UMR 8212 (CEA/CNRS/UVSQ), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay - l'Orme des Merisiers, 91191, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
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2
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Bontrager HL, Hinton TG, Okuda K, Beasley JC. The impact of sampling scale: A comparison of methods for estimating external contaminant exposure in free-ranging wildlife. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171012. [PMID: 38369157 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171012] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The impacts of contaminants on wildlife are dose dependent, and thus being able to track or predict exposure following contamination events is important for monitoring ecosystem health. However, the ability to track exposure in free-ranging wildlife is often severely limited. Consequently, researchers have predominantly relied on simple methods for estimating contaminant exposures in wildlife with little regard for spatial contaminant heterogeneity or an animal's use of diverse habitats. We evaluated the influence sampling scale (i.e., how finely contaminant distribution and organism's spatial use of the landscape is mapped) has on (1) realism and (2) conservativeness of exposure estimates. To do this, we monitored the actual exposure of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Fukushima, Japan to radioactive contamination using GPS-coupled contaminant monitors placed on individual animals. We compared empirical exposures to estimates generated by combining varying amounts of information about an individual boar's location and/or movement, with the distribution of contamination on the landscape. We found that the most realistic exposure estimates were produced when finer-scale contaminant distribution surveys (e.g., airborne surveys) were combined with more accurate estimates of an individual's space use (e.g., home ranges or core areas). Importantly, estimates of exposure based on single point surveys at a trap site (a simple method commonly used in the literature), did not correlate with actual exposure rates, suggesting dose-effects studies using this method may result in spurious conclusions. These results suggest that researchers seeking realistic estimates of exposure, such as in dose-effect studies, should ensure they have adequately accounted for fine-scale contaminant distribution patterns and areas of higher use by study organisms. However, conservative estimates of exposure (i.e., intentionally over-predicting exposure as is done in initial tiers of ecological risk analyses) were not as scale sensitive and could be achieved with a single known location and coarse contaminant distribution maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen L Bontrager
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29808, USA
| | - Thomas G Hinton
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1433 Ås, Norway; Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan
| | - Kei Okuda
- Faculty of Human Environmental Sciences, Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima 731-3195, Japan
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29808, USA.
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3
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Tan H, Shan G. Computational screening and functional tuning of chemically stable metal organic frameworks for I 2/CH 3I capture in humid environments. iScience 2024; 27:109096. [PMID: 38380246 PMCID: PMC10877947 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
High chemical stability is of vital significance in rendering metal organic frameworks (MOFs) as promising adsorbents for capturing leaked radioactive nuclides, under real nuclear industrial conditions with high humidity. In this work, grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and density functional theory (DFT) methods have been employed to systematically evaluate I2/CH3I capture performances of 21 experimentally confirmed chemically stable MOFs in humid environments. Favorable structural factors and the influence of hydrophilicity for iodine capture were unveiled. Subsequently, the top-performing MIL-53-Al with flexible tunability was functionalized with different functional groups to achieve the better adsorption performance. It has been revealed that the adsorption affinity and pore volume were two major factors altered by the functionalization of polar functional groups, which collectively influenced the iodine adsorption properties. In general, this work has screened the chemically stable high-performance MOF iodine adsorbents and provided comprehensive insights into the key factors affecting I2/CH3I uptake and separation in humid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyi Tan
- School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-electronics Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Guangcun Shan
- School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-electronics Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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4
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Feng B, Ibesich M, Hainz D, Waidhofer D, Veit-Öller M, Trunner C, Stummer T, Foster M, Nemetz M, Welch JM, Villa M, Sterba JH, Musilek A, Renz F, Steinhauser G. Development of a Novel Passive Monitoring Technique to Showcase the 3D Distribution of Tritiated Water (HTO) Vapor in Indoor Air of a Nuclear Facility. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:20024-20033. [PMID: 37964532 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Tritiated water (HTO), a ubiquitous byproduct of the nuclear industry, is a radioactive contaminant of major concern for environmental authorities. Although understanding spatiotemporal heterogeneity of airborne HTO vapor holds great importance for radiological safety as well as diagnosing a reactor's status, comprehensive HTO distribution dynamics inside nuclear facilities has not been studied routinely yet due to a lack of appropriate monitoring techniques. For current systems, it is difficult to simultaneously achieve high representativeness, sensitivity, and spatial resolution. Here, we developed a passive monitoring scheme, including a newly designed passive sampler and a tailored analytical protocol for the first comprehensive 3D distribution characterization of HTO inside a nuclear reactor facility. The technique enables linear sampling in any environment at a one-day resolution and simultaneous preparation of hundreds of samples within 1 day. Validation experiments confirmed the method's good metrological properties and sensitivity to the HTO's spatial dynamics. The air in TU Wien's reactor hall exhibits a range of 3H concentrations from 75-946 mBq m-3 in the entire 3D matrix. The HTO release rate estimated by the mass-balance model (3199 ± 306 Bq h-1) matches the theoretical calculation (2947 ± 254 Bq h-1), suggesting evaporation as the dominant HTO source in the hall. The proposed method provides reliable and quality-controlled 3D monitoring at low cost, which can be adopted not only for HTO and may also inspire monitoring schemes of other indoor pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Feng
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Ibesich
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dieter Hainz
- TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Waidhofer
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Thomas Stummer
- TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Markus Nemetz
- TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan M Welch
- TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Villa
- TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Franz Renz
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Georg Steinhauser
- Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center Atominstitut, TU Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Stäger F, Zok D, Schiller AK, Feng B, Steinhauser G. Disproportionately High Contributions of 60 Year Old Weapons- 137Cs Explain the Persistence of Radioactive Contamination in Bavarian Wild Boars. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13601-13611. [PMID: 37646445 PMCID: PMC10501199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Radionuclides released from nuclear accidents or explosions pose long-term threats to ecosystem health. A prominent example is wild boar contamination in central Europe, which is notorious for its persistently high 137Cs levels. However, without reliable source identification, the origin of this decades old problem has been uncertain. Here, we target radiocesium contamination in wild boars from Bavaria. Our samples (2019-2021) range from 370 to 15,000 Bq·kg-1 137Cs, thus exceeding the regulatory limits (600 Bq·kg-1) by a factor of up to 25. Using an emerging nuclear forensic fingerprint, 135Cs/137Cs, we distinguished various radiocesium source legacies in their source composition. All samples exhibit signatures of mixing of Chornobyl and nuclear weapons fallout, with 135Cs/137Cs ratios ranging from 0.67 to 1.97. Although Chornobyl has been widely believed to be the prime source of 137Cs in wild boars, we find that "old" 137Cs from weapons fallout significantly contributes to the total level (10-68%) in those specimens that exceeded the regulatory limit. In some cases, weapons-137Cs alone can lead to exceedances of the regulatory limit, especially in samples with a relatively low total 137Cs level. Our findings demonstrate that the superposition of older and newer legacies of 137Cs can vastly surpass the impact of any singular yet dominant source and thus highlight the critical role of historical releases of 137Cs in current environmental pollution challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Stäger
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dorian Zok
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Schiller
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Bin Feng
- Institute
of Inorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Universität
Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
- TU
Wien, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center
Atominstitut, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Steinhauser
- TU
Wien, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center
Atominstitut, 1060 Vienna, Austria
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Kaizer J, Kontuľ I, Povinec PP. Impact of the Fukushima Accident on 3H and 14C Environmental Levels: A Review of Ten Years of Investigation. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28062548. [PMID: 36985519 PMCID: PMC10051589 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The investigation of the impact of the Fukushima accident is still going on although more than ten years have passed since the disaster. The main goal of this paper was to summarize the results of tritium and radiocarbon determinations in different environmental samples, possibly connected with the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. A document containing compiled data may serve as a solid basis for further research in the selected fields. To accomplish such effort, we went through dozens of relevant published papers, reporting 3H and 14C activity concentrations in precipitations, groundwater, seawater, river systems, tree rings, and, in some more extraordinary samples, such as herbaceous plants or debris from the damaged reactor buildings. As the referenced results would not be obtainable without adequate analytical techniques, the most common methods for routine measurement of tritium and radiocarbon concentrations are discussed as well. We believe that the correct identification of the affected environmental compartments could help quantify the released 3H and 14C activities and track their following fate, which could be especially important for plans to discharge contaminated water from the FDNPP in the upcoming years.
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Terada H, Nagai H, Kadowaki M, Tsuduki K. Dependency of the source term estimation method for radionuclides released into the atmosphere on the available environmental monitoring data and its applicability to real-time source term estimation. J NUCL SCI TECHNOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/00223131.2022.2162139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Terada
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Haruyasu Nagai
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Masanao Kadowaki
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Katsunori Tsuduki
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan
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8
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Povinec PP, Papadopoulos VP, Krokos G, Abualnaja Y, Pavlidou A, Kontuľ I, Kaizer J, Cherkinsky A, Molnár A, Molnár M, Palcsu L, Al Ghamdi AS, Anber HA, Al Othman AS, Hoteit I. Tritium and radiocarbon in the water column of the Red Sea. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 256:107051. [PMID: 36327526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107051] [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: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite being the busiest transient sea in the world due to the Suez Canal, radionuclide distribution studies in seawater and sediment of the Red Sea remain rare. A sampling expedition in the Red Sea was conducted from June 9 to July 6, 2021, visiting a transect of several deep sampling stations located along the central axis of the basin from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern Red Sea (near Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia). The collected seawater profile samples were analyzed for tritium, radiocarbon and oxygen-18. The observed tritium levels in surface waters of the Red Sea peaked at 0.3-0.4 TU, similar to the values observed in the western Arabian Sea (decay corrected). The values observed at waters below 150 m were around 0.2 TU, however, at depths of 450 and 750 m, tritium minima (<0.2 TU) were observed, which could be associated with a partial return flow of bottom waters from the southern to the northern Red Sea. At two stations at the depth of about 550 m, deep Δ14C minima were observed as well (-4‰ and -10‰), documenting ongoing transport of carbon in the water column, important for sink of anthropogenic carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- P P Povinec
- Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, 84248, Slovakia.
| | - V P Papadopoulos
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, 19013, Greece
| | - G Krokos
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, 19013, Greece; Earth Sciences and Engineering Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Y Abualnaja
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Pavlidou
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, 19013, Greece
| | - I Kontuľ
- Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, 84248, Slovakia
| | - J Kaizer
- Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, 84248, Slovakia
| | - A Cherkinsky
- Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602-4702, USA
| | - A Molnár
- Isotoptech Zrt., H-4026, Debrecen, Hungary; University of Debrecen, Doctoral School of Physics, H-4026, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - M Molnár
- University of Debrecen, Doctoral School of Physics, H-4026, Debrecen, Hungary; INTERACT Centre, Institute for Nuclear Research, H-4026, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - L Palcsu
- Institute for Nuclear Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - A S Al Ghamdi
- National Center for Environmental Compliance, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - H A Anber
- National Center for Environmental Compliance, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - A S Al Othman
- National Center for Environmental Compliance, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - I Hoteit
- Earth Sciences and Engineering Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
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9
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Kintsu H, Kodama K, Horiguchi T. Spatial distributions of and species differences in 90Sr accumulation in marine fishes from the Fukushima coastal region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 256:107055. [PMID: 36356465 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107055] [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: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Large amounts of radionuclides were released into the ocean during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. One of the released radionuclides, 90Sr, tends to accumulate in bone, and could conceivably have long-term negative impacts on fishes. Here, we investigated 90Sr radioactivity concentrations in the vertebrae of demersal fishes collected off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture in January and July 2014. High 90Sr radioactivity concentrations were detected in fish collected from central Fukushima (offshore of the FDNPP) and southern Fukushima (offshore of Iwaki City), but were almost hardly detected in northern Fukushima (offshore of Soma City). Additionally, 90Sr radioactivity concentrations were higher among rays (Okamejei kenojei and Hemitrygon akajei: from 1.1 ± 0.5 to 103.3 ± 15.1 mBq/g Ca) and soles (Cynoglossus joyneri and Paraplagusia japonica: from 18.5 ± 2.8 to 52.8 ± 11.3 mBq/g Ca) than among other species. Vertebral stable Sr/Ca ratios also differed by fish species. Ca concentrations were relatively constant among species, but Sr concentrations were higher among elasmobranchs and soles, indicating that differences in Sr/Ca might be related to differences in 90Sr accumulation in fish vertebrae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Kintsu
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Keita Kodama
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Horiguchi
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan.
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10
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Di Palma A, Adamo P, Dohi T, Fujiwara K, Hagiwara H, Kitamura A, Sakoda A, Sato K, Iijima K. Testing mosses exposed in bags as biointerceptors of airborne radiocaesium after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136179. [PMID: 36055590 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136179] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Eight years after the Fukushima nuclear accident, mosses exposed in bags were used to investigate their ability to accumulate radiocaesium and therefore to act as biointerceptors of 134Cs and 137Cs in the evacuated area of the Fukushima territory. Bags were filled with 3 widely studied moss species (Sphagnum palustre, Hypnum cupressiforme, and Hypnum plumaeforme) and exposed for 3, 6 or 9 weeks at 5 former residential sites within the Fukushima area and, for comparison, at three background sites located 700 km away. The radiocaesium activity concentrations found in moss bags were evaluated as function of exposure time, site conditions and moss species. In the Fukushima area, the moss bags accumulated 137Cs at all exposure sites and in all exposure periods, with S. palustre having the highest 137Cs accumulation ability. The 137Cs activity concentrations (from 28 to 4700 Bq kg-1) measured in moss bags increased with the exposure time and were consistent with the decontamination status of each exposure site, highlighting the big potential of moss bags to discriminate among exposure sites. Time dependency of 137Cs activity concentrations measured in mosses allowed the calculation of location-specific and species-specific factors, which can be used to predict radiocaesium accumulation trends in future biomonitoring surveys performed in the same area with the same experimental design. Autoradiography and electron microscopy analyses of the moss surfaces revealed a prevalence of soil-derived particulate form of radiocaesium, suggesting the use of moss bags as warning sensors of resuspended particles potentially harmful for local residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Di Palma
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy; Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan.
| | - P Adamo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - T Dohi
- Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - K Fujiwara
- Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - H Hagiwara
- Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - A Kitamura
- Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - A Sakoda
- Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - K Sato
- Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
| | - K Iijima
- Fukushima Environmental Evaluation Research Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan
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11
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Deji, Yao T, Thompson LG, Davis ME, Xu B, Wu G, Liang S, Zhao H, Zhu M, You C. Westerly drives long-distance transport of radionuclides from nuclear events to glaciers in the Third Pole. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 255:107016. [PMID: 36181743 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.107016] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Major nuclear bomb tests and nuclear power plant incidents release large amounts of radionuclides. This study investigates beta (β) activities of radionuclides from four ice cores in the Third Pole (TP) to understand the transport routes and related atmospheric processes affecting the radionuclides deposition in glaciers of the region. All the ice cores show three major β activity peaks in the ice layers corresponding to 1963, 1986, and 2011. The β activity peak in the 1963 ice layer is referred to as the well-known 1962 Nuclear Bomb Test. Beta activity peaks in 1986 and 2011 ice layers from the Chernobyl and Fukushima Nuclear Incidents (CNI, FNI). Hysplit forward and backward trajectory analyses suggest that the radionuclides were transported by the westerly into the stratosphere and then to the high elevation TP glaciers. In the FNI case, the radionuclides traveled over Japan, the Pacific Ocean, Europe, and central Asia before being deposited in the TP glaciers. Investigations of the atmospheric circulation confirm that the stronger northern branch of westerly is responsible for high radionuclides during the FNI in the TP. Less precipitation with water vapor flux component divergence after the FNI also contributed to the enriched radionuclides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deji
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Tandong Yao
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Lonnie G Thompson
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Mary E Davis
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Baiqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Guangjian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Sujie Liang
- Tianjin Climate Center, Tianjin, 300074, China
| | - Huabiao Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Meilin Zhu
- Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chao You
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, 400044, Chongqing, China
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12
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Hirose K, Povinec PP. Ten years of investigations of Fukushima radionuclides in the environment: A review on process studies in environmental compartments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 251-252:106929. [PMID: 35717792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106929] [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: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In March 2011, severe nuclear accident happened at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the gigantic earthquake and following huge tsunami wave. A lot of investigations to assess environmental and radiological impacts of released radionuclides have been conducted by domestic and international organizations. Environmental radioactivity research related to the FDNPP accident has spread widely over different scientific fields due to specific features of the accident, and specifically its impact on the marine environment. The present paper summarizes major lessons learned from the environmental investigations of the FDNPP accident. Environmental radioactivity studies have typical interdisciplinary character; especially physics and chemistry are fundamental as a base of process studies in the environment. In this sight, we review chemical aspects regarding FDNPP-derived radiocesium transfer within and between compartments (atmosphere, ocean and land). We also discuss future trends in investigations of behavior of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment, important not only for a better understanding of impacts of the FDNPP accident on the environment, but also for improving our general knowledge of the total environment in the Anthropocene era and its protection for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsumi Hirose
- Laboratory for Environmental Research at Mount Fuji, Okubo, Shinjyuku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Pavel P Povinec
- Comenius University, Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Kaizer J, Aoyama M, Bujdoš M, Buompane R, Pánik J, Povinec PP, Sýkora I, Tateda Y, Terrasi F. Sequential scavenging and measurement of seawater radiocesium concentrations and plutonium isotopic ratios offshore Fukushima. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 251-252:106983. [PMID: 35964527 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106983] [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: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The scientific interest in radiocesium and plutonium found in the oceans and seas has increased enormously in the past years as a consequence of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident and is expected to be ongoing due to many unresolved questions. Hence, continuous development of new and verification of old analytical methods should be at the top of the list of the community, working on the topic. In this study, we processed and analyzed several seawater samples, collected in different time frames (2011-2015) from the North Pacific Ocean offshore Fukushima, to determine their radiocesium activities, 134Cs/137Cs activity ratios and 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratios using the sequential scavenging method, gamma spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The observed radiocesium levels in seawater (0.07-0.042 Bq L-1) clearly indicated that the investigated region remained impacted by releases from the damaged power plant even after four years after the accident. Regarding plutonium, its successful separation from large volume seawater samples was confirmed by detection of 240Pu by AMS. However, several problems emerged during the analyzes, which we tried to address with the use of additional methods (e.g., measurements of uranium by ICPMS). The efficiencies of the applied methods and other issues are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kaizer
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Michio Aoyama
- Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 305-8577, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Marek Bujdoš
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Raffaele Buompane
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Ján Pánik
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, 81372, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavel P Povinec
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ivan Sýkora
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 84248, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Yutaka Tateda
- Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, 270-1194, Chiba, Japan
| | - Filippo Terrasi
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100, Caserta, Italy
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14
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Lujanienė G, Šilobritienė B, Tracevičienė D, Šemčuk S, Romanenko V, Garnaga-Budrė G, Kaizer J, Povinec PP. Distribution of 241Am and Pu isotopes in the Curonian Lagoon and the south-eastern Baltic Sea seawater, suspended particles, sediments and biota. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 249:106892. [PMID: 35525077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Distribution trends and temporal variations of 241Am and Pu isotopes in the south-eastern Baltic Sea during the study period of 1999-2001 and 2011-2015 were investigated with the aim to study temporal changes of radionuclide levels in seawater, suspended particles and sediment, to estimate 241Am and 239,240Pu levels in marine biota and to assess the radiation doses received by the biota. The activities of 241Am and 239,240Pu were measured by alpha spectrometry after radiochemical purification. 241Pu was determined radiometrically via the ingrown daughter 241Am after 10-12 years of storage, while the 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio of was measured by accelerator mass spectrometry. The 239,240Pu activities in suspended particles collected in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea decreased by a factor of ∼3 during the study period, while they decreased about fourfold in the Curonian Lagoon. This could indicate a decrease in the influx of particles containing Pu isotopes into the Baltic Sea. While in the Curonian Lagoon, the 239,240Pu activities in the sediment samples varied insignificantly during the study periods, in the Baltic Sea, the maximum activity decreased by a factor of 6, and the mean/median values decreased by ∼4 times. The assessment tool ERICA was used to calculate the dose rates for biota. The total dose rate from all analysed radionuclides was <0.1 μGy/h, therefore no risk to organisms was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Lujanienė
- SRI Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Savanorių Pr. 231, LT-02300, Lithuania.
| | | | - Diana Tracevičienė
- SRI Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Savanorių Pr. 231, LT-02300, Lithuania
| | - Sergej Šemčuk
- SRI Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Savanorių Pr. 231, LT-02300, Lithuania
| | - Vitaliy Romanenko
- SRI Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Savanorių Pr. 231, LT-02300, Lithuania
| | - Galina Garnaga-Budrė
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University, Herkaus Manto str. 84, LT-92294, Klaipėda, Lithuania
| | - Jakub Kaizer
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 842 48, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavel P Povinec
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, 842 48, Bratislava, Slovakia
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15
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Wu J, Zheng X, Chen J, Yang G, Zheng J, Aono T. Distributions and impacts of plutonium in the environment originating from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: An overview of a decade of studies. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 248:106884. [PMID: 35398758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the current knowledge on plutonium (Pu) isotopic composition (the atom or activity ratios) and activity concentrations of 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Pu resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011. In this critical review, we document the characteristic values of Pu atom or activity ratios (fingerprints) and present their spatial distributions around the FDNPP site. Based on multiple Pu fingerprints (238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio, 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio, and 241Pu/239Pu atom ratio), we clarify that Pu contamination from the FDNPP accident occurred in a restricted terrestrial area, while Pu in the Northwest Pacific Ocean is still predominately sourced from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) and global fallout. Using a simple two end-member mixing model, we calculate average contributions of Pu from the FDNPP accident of 13 ± 20% (n = 180) in soil samples, 55 ± 32% (n = 38) in leaf litter samples, and 67 ± 26% (n = 129) in air dust/black substances. In the marine environment, the PPG source average contributions are 45 ± 15% (n = 76) in seawater and 42 ± 12% (n = 48) in sediments. The spatial distributions of Pu atom or activity ratios based on existing studies suggest that: 1) in the terrestrial region investigated 80 km northwest of the FDNPP site, the Pu contamination is mainly observed in an area within a 50 km distance, and 2) in the terrestrial region investigated 60 km southwest of the FDNPP site, the Pu contamination is mainly observed in an area within a 30 km distance. Studies of Cs-bearing radioactive particles indicate that Pu occurs as Pu oxide, and the fuel fragments containing Pu that were released from the reactors to the surrounding environment are associated with micron-scale Cs-bearing radioactive particles. We note that the fractionation between Pu and other radionuclides occurred after release. These new findings about the Pu fingerprints around the FDNPP site will help researchers to establish a reference background database for future environmental risk assessment and geochemical study there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Xuemin Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Jisheng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention & Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Guosheng Yang
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Jian Zheng
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Tatsuo Aono
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
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16
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Zhou J, Chen Q, Li T, Lan T, Bai P, Liu F, Yuan Z, Zheng W, Yan W, Yan T. Porous Copper-Loaded Zeolites for High-Efficiency Capture of Iodine from Spent Fuel Reprocessing Off-Gas. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:7746-7753. [PMID: 35544682 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c03986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Capturing volatile radionuclide iodine produced in the nuclear industry is a crucial environmental issue. In previous studies, the principal efficient adsorbent for iodine capture was silver-containing zeolite. As silver-containing zeolites are expensive, alternate copper-loaded porous zeolites, including CuCl loaded NaY reduced by H2 (denoted as H2CuY) and CO (denoted as COCuY), were studied for iodine adsorption at moderate temperatures. The current work also discusses the influence of copper valency on iodine adsorption. Due to the copper sites and nanosized pore structure, H2CuY and COCuY showed high iodine adsorption capacities of 450 and 219 mg/g, respectively. The iodine adsorption capacity of H2CuY was higher than that of silver-loaded zeolites. Moreover, H2CuY and COCuY adsorbed volatile iodine through a chemical mechanism involving the copper sites of different valencies, and the Cu0 was more effective in adsorbing iodine than Cu+. These copper-loaded zeolites with strong chemical interactions with iodine and high iodine adsorption capacities provided the possibility for iodine adsorption application in the nuclear industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhou
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Tianchi Li
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Tian Lan
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Pu Bai
- Luoyang Jalon Micro-Nano New Materials Co., Ltd., Luoyang 471900, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Zhongwei Yuan
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Weifang Zheng
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Wenfu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Taihong Yan
- Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
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17
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Influence of SIC control rod material on the iodine release in case of nuclear severe accident – Chemical reactivity with fission products in thermal conditions of RCS. ANN NUCL ENERGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Unnatural Cycles: Anthropogenic Disruption to Health and Planetary Functions. GEOSCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences12030137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Natural cycles underpin the very stuff of life. In this commentary we consider unnatural cycles: that is, anthropogenic activities which have a circularity, but whose nature is to have a detrimental effect on human health, exacerbating existing problems. Natural cycles have feedback loops, some of which have recently come to light, with an understanding that everything is connected in some way. In health, feedback loops are imperative in homeostatic mechanisms. However, in the unnatural cycle the feedback loops serve to reinforce (and in some cases amplify) negative problems. We offer a commentary on an unnatural cycle moving from air quality to lung function and back to air quality; we call this the lung disease unnatural cycle. We suggest where links occur, and where wider consideration of interactions between various disciplines can lead to breaking this unnatural (or vicious) cycle, changing it to a healthy cycle where individual health can be improved, along with better global scale outcomes. We suggest that many activities within this unnatural cycle occur within silos. However, the improved cycle incorporates joint activities at geological, health, and financial levels, to the mutual benefit of all, breaking the unnatural cycle and improving health, life, and financial costs.
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19
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Uncertainty quantification study on gas phase iodine release from Fukushima Daiichi accident in unit 3. ANN NUCL ENERGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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20
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Falandysz J, Saniewski M, Fernandes AR, Meloni D, Cocchi L, Strumińska-Parulska D, Zalewska T. Radiocaesium in Tricholoma spp. from the Northern Hemisphere in 1971-2016. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 802:149829. [PMID: 34464794 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A considerable amount of data has been published on the accumulation of radiocaesium (134Cs and particularly, 137Cs) in wild fungi since the first anthropogenically influenced releases into the environment due to nuclear weapon testing, usage and subsequently from major accidents at nuclear power plants in Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011). Wild fungi are particularly susceptible to accumulation of radiocaesium and contamination persists for decades after pollution events. Macromycetes (fruiting bodies, popularly called mushrooms) of the edible fungal species are an important part of the human and forest animal food-webs in many global locations. This review discusses published occurrences of 134Cs and 137Cs in twenty four species of Tricholoma mushrooms sourced from the Northern Hemisphere over the last five decades, but also includes some recent data from Italy and Poland. Tricholoma are an ectomycorrhizal species and the interval for contamination to permeate to lower soils layers which host their mycelial networks, results in a delayed manifestation of radioactivity. Available data from Poland, over similar periods, may suggest species selective differences in accumulation, with some fruiting bodies, e.g. T. portentosum, showing lower activity levels relative to others, e.g. T. equestre. Species like T. album, T. sulphurescens and T. terreum also show higher accumulation of radiocaesium, but reported observations are few. The uneven spatial distribution of the data combined with a limited number of observations make it difficult to decipher any temporal contamination patterns from the observations in Polish regions. When data from other European sites is included, a similar variability of 137Cs activity is apparent but the more recent Ukrainian data appears to show relatively lower activities. 40K activity in mushrooms which is associated with essential potassium, remains relatively constant. Further monitoring of 137Cs activity in wild mushrooms would help to consolidate these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Falandysz
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, 1 Muszyńskiego Street, 90-151 Lódź, Poland.
| | - Michał Saniewski
- Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - Maritime Branch, National Research Institute, 42 Waszyngtona Av., 81-342 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Alwyn R Fernandes
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Daniela Meloni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Torino, Italy
| | - Luigi Cocchi
- Gruppo Micologico e Naturalistico R. Franchi, Via D. Piani, 6, I-42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy; Comitato Scientifico Nazionale dell' Associazione Micologica Bresadola, Via A.Volta, 46, I-38100 Trento, Italy
| | - Dagmara Strumińska-Parulska
- Toxicology and Radiation Protection Laboratory, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tamara Zalewska
- Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - Maritime Branch, National Research Institute, 42 Waszyngtona Av., 81-342 Gdynia, Poland
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21
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Houjeij H, Gregoire AC, Le Bourdon G, Cantrel L, Sobanska S. Interaction process between gaseous CH 3I and NaCl particles: implication for iodine dispersion in the atmosphere. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1771-1781. [PMID: 34612297 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00266j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Gaseous iodomethane (CH3I) is naturally emitted into the atmosphere by biological activity in oceans and during severe accidents (SAs) in nuclear power plants. In this latter case, a part of radioactive iodine such as 131I may be released. Improving the knowledge of CH3I transport and reactivity in the atmosphere is important since they are strongly linked to first the cycle of ozone and second to the dispersion of radioactive CH3I with potential radiological consequences on both the environment and human health. Here, the interaction process of CH3I with NaCl as a surrogate of atmospheric aerosols was investigated under ambient air conditions by using Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The DRIFTS spectra of NaCl clearly evidenced CH3I adsorption on the NaCl particle surface. A part of CH3I ((1.68 ± 0.85) × 1014 molecule per mgNaCl) was found to be strongly bonded to NaCl since no desorption was observed. The CH3I adsorption on the NaCl surface presented a 1st order kinetics relative to its gas phase concentration. The uptake coefficient was determined to be in the order of 10-11. These results show a low probability of CH3I to be taken up by halide-containing aerosols. These data are crucial for completing the iodine atmospheric chemical scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanaa Houjeij
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, Université de Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5255, Talence Cedex 33405, France.
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN-RES, SEREX, Laboratoire Expérimentation Environnement et Chimie (L2EC), St Paul Lez Durance 13115, France.
| | - Anne-Cécile Gregoire
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN-RES, SEREX, Laboratoire Expérimentation Environnement et Chimie (L2EC), St Paul Lez Durance 13115, France.
| | - Gwenaëlle Le Bourdon
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, Université de Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5255, Talence Cedex 33405, France.
| | - Laurent Cantrel
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN-RES, SEREX, Laboratoire Expérimentation Environnement et Chimie (L2EC), St Paul Lez Durance 13115, France.
| | - Sophie Sobanska
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, Université de Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5255, Talence Cedex 33405, France.
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22
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Dong X, He Q, Li M, Wang X, Wang Y, Zhang W. Fluorescence and electrochemical detection of iodine vapor in the presence of high humidity using Ln-based MOFs. Dalton Trans 2021; 50:15567-15575. [PMID: 34668002 DOI: 10.1039/d1dt02839a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Efficient detection of toxic radioiodine species emitted by nuclear-related activities and accidents is crucial for the health of the human body and safety of the environment. Herein we report that a series of stable Ln-based MOFs with BTC linkers (Ln-BTCs) could provide dual fluorescence and electrochemical response of iodine vapor in the presence of humidity. Iodine molecules could be attracted by the oxygen sites of carboxylate linkers and confined in the cavities of Ln-BTCs. Due to the photoinduced electron transfer effect, the fluorescence of Ln-BTCs is quenched drastically in the presence of iodine. Meanwhile, the conductivity of Ln-BTCs could reach an increase of 107 fold in magnitude after iodine trapping. Water molecules could also be trapped in Ln-BTCs, having interacted with the frameworks via hydrogen bonds, and reduce the iodine uptake capacity, but they cannot alter the fluorescence and conductive properties of Ln-BTCs as distinctly as iodine molecules could. Besides, Raman mapping suggests a diffusion coefficient of 1.5 × 10-14 m2 s-1 for iodine transport in the porous Eu-BTC. The dual fluorescence and electrochemical signal outputs show high sensitivity and attractive ability to reduce false positives, which could be useful for potential integration for sensing radioiodine vapor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuting Dong
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science & Desalination Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Qing He
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Menglin Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science & Desalination Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xinpeng Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science & Desalination Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science & Desalination Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science & Desalination Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
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Kim JH, Anwer H, Kim YS, Park JW. Decontamination of radioactive cesium-contaminated soil/concrete with washing and washing supernatant- critical review. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 280:130419. [PMID: 33940450 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We reviewed washing of radioactive Cs-contaminated concrete and soil based on the fate of Cs in concrete and soil, including sorption materials for treatment of supernatant solution. In non-aged cement materials (the calcium silicate hydration (C-S-H) phase), it was possible to decontaminate Cs using ion exchange with monovalent cations, such as NH4+. The clay components in the soil and aggregates were important factors in optimization of the efficiency and mechanism for Cs decontamination with washing solution. The parameters (reagent component, pH, and temperature) of the washing solution should be determined considering soil mineral type (here, weathered biotite (WB) with vermiculite), since monovalent cations such as NH4+ and K+ can inhibit Cs decontamination due to collapse of the hydrated and expanded interlayer regions with cation exchange. In this case, hydrothermal treatment or H2O2 dosing was necessary to expand the collapsed interlayer region for Cs removal by washing with cation exchange or organic acids. Acid and a chelating agent significantly enhanced Cs-release with dissolution of the adsorbent layer containing iron and aluminum oxides. The important characteristics of important and emerging sorption materials for treatment of the radioactive Cs-contaminated supernatant after washing treatment are discussed. Sorbents for treatment of washing supernatant are divided in to two main categories. Clay minerals, metal hexacyanoferrates, and ammonium molybdophosphates are discussed in the inorganic class of materials. Hypercrosslinked polymers, supramolecular sorbents, carbon nanotubes, and graphene oxide are covered in the carbon-based sorbents for Cs removal from water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hwan Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seoul, 04763, South Korea
| | - Hassan Anwer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seoul, 04763, South Korea
| | - Yong Soo Kim
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seoul, 04763, South Korea
| | - Jae-Woo Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seoul, 04763, South Korea.
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24
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Wu X, Chen L, Amigues EJ, Wang R, Pang Z, Ding L. In Silico Tuning of the Pore Surface Functionality in Al-MOFs for Trace CH 3I Capture. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:18169-18177. [PMID: 34308048 PMCID: PMC8296563 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c02072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum (Al)-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been shown to have good stability toward γ irradiation, making them promising candidates for durable adsorbents for capturing volatile radioactive nuclides. In this work, we studied a series of existing Al-MOFs to capture trace radioactive organic iodide (ROI) from a gas composition (100 ppm CH3I, 400 ppm CO2, 21% O2, and 78% N2) resembling the off-gas composition from reprocessing the used nuclear fuel using Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Based on the results and understanding established from studying the existing Al-MOFs, we proceed by functionalizing the top-performing CAU-11 with different functional groups to propose better MOFs for ROI capture. Our study suggests that extraordinary ROI adsorption and separation capability could be realized by -SO3H functionalization in CAU-11. It was mainly owing to the joint effect of the enhanced pore surface polarity arising from -SO3H functionalization and the μ-OH group of CAU-11.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, Xi’an JiaoTong-Liverpool
University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake
Higher Education Town, Jiangsu 215123, China
- Department
of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, 51 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Linjiang Chen
- Department
of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, 51 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 3NY, United Kingdom
- Leverhulme
Research Centre for Functional Materials Design, Materials Innovation
Factory and Department of Chemistry, University
of Liverpool, 51 Oxford
Street, Liverpool L7 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Jean Amigues
- Department
of Chemistry, Xi’an JiaoTong-Liverpool
University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake
Higher Education Town, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Ruiyao Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Xi’an JiaoTong-Liverpool
University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake
Higher Education Town, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Zhongfu Pang
- Department
of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, 51 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 3NY, United Kingdom
- Leverhulme
Research Centre for Functional Materials Design, Materials Innovation
Factory and Department of Chemistry, University
of Liverpool, 51 Oxford
Street, Liverpool L7 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Lifeng Ding
- Department
of Chemistry, Xi’an JiaoTong-Liverpool
University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake
Higher Education Town, Jiangsu 215123, China
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25
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Skoko B, Babić D, Franić Z, Bituh T, Petrinec B. Distribution and transfer of naturally occurring radionuclides and 137Cs in the freshwater system of the Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, and related dose assessment to wildlife by ERICA Tool. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:23547-23564. [PMID: 33452639 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12415-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the natural radioactivity of Plitvice Lakes, under the assumption that due to its status as a National Park, the area can be considered an example of a natural freshwater system. Also, considering the transfer parameter data as the largest source of uncertainty in radiological risk assessments, the impact of site-specific data on dose rate assessment, as opposed to currently available data, was investigated. The study included gamma and alpha spectrometric measurements of 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 228Ra, and 40K in water, sediment, and fish samples, as well as 137Cs due to the coinciding of the study with the Fukushima accident. The content of naturally occurring radionuclides significantly varied in sediments of different Lakes, probably as a reflection of the different underlying geology of the area. Also, the 210Pb distribution in sediments indicated an up to 312 Bq kg-1 of the allochthonous contribution of this radionuclide at the beginning of the Lake's watercourse, which probably entered into the lake system by the major inlet river with its steady decrease along downstream lakes. Low 40K activity concentrations (27.5 ± 20.1 mBq L-1) in the Lake's waters might be one of the causes of increased 137Cs activity concentrations in fish samples (1.5 ± 0.4 Bq kg-1), which was found to be an order of magnitude higher than average values for different fish species from other Croatian freshwater systems (0.2 ± 0.1 Bq kg-1). A temporary increase of 137Cs activity concentrations was measured in water samples collected immediately after the Fukushima accident. Calculated site-specific sediment/water distribution coefficients and fish/water concentration ratios for radium and caesium were on average lower than generic ones found in the literature. Background dose rate assessments performed by the ERICA Tool indicated a profound impact of different input data on assessment results with water activity concentrations resulting in significantly higher dose rates (0.1-67 μGy h-1) in comparison to sediment activity concentrations (0.03-9 μGy h-1). An incremental dose rate due to 137Cs was found to be in the range of < 0.001-0.023 μGy h-1 which, in comparison to background dose rates, can be considered negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Božena Skoko
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Dinko Babić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zdenko Franić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Bituh
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Branko Petrinec
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
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26
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Spykman I, Blenke T, Büchner S, Degering D, Eleftheriadis K, Fischer HW, Lasche G, Masson O, Mietelski JW, Ransby D, Renz F, Souti M, Zok D, Steinhauser G. Searching for the “smoking gun” of the miscarried 2019 Nenoksa nuclear cruise missile test: a null result. Z Anorg Allg Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/zaac.202000291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Imke Spykman
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection Herrenhäuser Str. 2 30419 Hannover Germany
| | - Tobias Blenke
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection Herrenhäuser Str. 2 30419 Hannover Germany
| | - Sebastian Büchner
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection Herrenhäuser Str. 2 30419 Hannover Germany
| | - Detlev Degering
- VKTA-Strahlenschutz Analytik & Entsorgung Rossendorf e.V. Germany
| | - Konstantinos Eleftheriadis
- Environmental Radioactivity Lab Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR “Demokritos” Athens Greece
| | - Helmut W. Fischer
- Radioactivity Measurements Laboratory Institute of Environmental Physics University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | | | - Olivier Masson
- Direction de l'Environnement Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire St Paul lez Durance France
| | - Jerzy W. Mietelski
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences 31-342 Krakow Poland
| | - Daniela Ransby
- Radioactivity Measurements Laboratory Institute of Environmental Physics University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Franz Renz
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Inorganic Chemistry Hannover Germany
| | - Maria‐Evangelia Souti
- Radioactivity Measurements Laboratory Institute of Environmental Physics University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Dorian Zok
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection Herrenhäuser Str. 2 30419 Hannover Germany
| | - Georg Steinhauser
- Leibniz Universität Hannover Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection Herrenhäuser Str. 2 30419 Hannover Germany
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27
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Kang TW, Han YU, Na EH, Koo BJ, Park WP. Deposition of Fukushima nuclear power plant accident-derived radiocesium in the soils of Jeju Island, Korea, and evidence for long- and short-lived radionuclides in rainwater. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 264:128457. [PMID: 33059210 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128457] [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: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the concentrations of Fukushima nuclear power plant accident (FNPPA)-derived radiocesium (134Cs, 137Cs) deposited in the topsoil of Jeju Island, Korea. We also evaluated the soil inventories of radionuclides and compared the concentrations deposited by rainwater and fallout. We present the first evidence of FNPPA-derived radionuclides directly entering the environment of Jeju Island. In the case of FNPPA-derived 134Cs in soil, only a trace amount was identified in the surface layer (1 cm depth), whereas 137Cs derived from past atmospheric deposition of nuclear testing were detected along with those derived from the nuclear power plant accident. The total measured radiocesium (134Cs + 137Cs) indicates that although the value obtained from soils was slightly lower, both values were within the same order of magnitude. Of the FNPPA-derived radiocesium deposited in the soil, the impact from April 2011 was the largest at most sampling sites indicating that the radioactive plume directly covered Jeju Island. Furthermore, a variety of long- and short-lived gamma-emitting radionuclides were detected in the rainwater samples collected on April 7, 2011. Among them, short-lived radionuclides such as 140La, 110mAg, 95Nb, 125Sb, 113Sn, 129Te, 129mTe, 132Te, 132I, and 136Cs, were observed. The findings of this study provide evidence for the direct effects of FNPPA-derived radionuclides in Jeju Island. This is the first location in Korea and the first in the entire East Asian region, excluding Japan that is confirmed to have been directly affected FNPP accident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Woo Kang
- Yeongsan River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young-Un Han
- Yeongsan River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Hye Na
- Yeongsan River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Bon-Jun Koo
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA, 92504-3297, USA
| | - Won-Pyo Park
- Major of Plant Resources and Environment, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea.
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28
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Futagami F, Soliman M, Takamiya K, Sekimoto S, Oki Y, Kubota T, Konno M, Mizuno S, Ohtsuki T. Isolation, characterization and source analysis of radiocaesium micro-particles in soil sample collected from vicinity of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 223-224:106388. [PMID: 32868095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Radioactive caesium was released during the accident of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) into the surrounding environment. In the current work, radiocaesium micro-particles (CsMPs) and radiocaesium-rich soil particles were selectively separated from soil particles as well as from each other using autoradiography-based procedure. The applied separation scheme is based on water dilution followed by drying of the soil sample prior to imaging plate autoradiography. The SEM/EDS investigation of the individual CsMPs showed that these particles have a silicate glass structure and vary in shape with a diameter less than 10 μm. For the first time, a two-stage formation mechanism was suggested for a CsMP based on shape and structure heterogeneity of its two parts. Perfect spherical core might be formed in the first stage with a remarkable lower content of Al, and relatively higher concentrations of Si and K than an outer angulated structure, which might be attached to the core sphere during a late stage. The radiocaesium-rich soil particles have bigger size than CsMPs and have a plate-like structure with cleavages inside the grains, which suggest that these particles might be a weathered biotite. The average radioactivity ratio of 134Cs/137Cs (dated March 11, 2011) in the investigated particles was found to be 1.05 ± 0.01, which confirmed that the radiocaesium in CsMPs and in the contaminated soil particles has the same source of origin, which could be unite 3 of FDNPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiya Futagami
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mohamed Soliman
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan; Egypt Second Research Reactor, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Koichi Takamiya
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shun Sekimoto
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuichi Oki
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takumi Kubota
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mitsuyuki Konno
- Citizens and Environmental Affairs Department, Ken-poku Development Bureau, Fukushima Prefecture Government, Japan
| | - Satoshi Mizuno
- Nuclear Power Safety Division, Fukushima Prefecture Government, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Ohtsuki
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan
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29
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Hirose K. Atmospheric effects of Fukushima nuclear accident: A review from a sight of atmospheric monitoring. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 218:106240. [PMID: 32421574 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, which occurred in March 2011, has released large amounts of radionuclides (such as radioiodine and radiocesium) into the atmosphere, resulting in the contamination of terrestrial and marine environments. To assess radiological and environmental effects of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides, huge amounts of radioactive monitoring activities have been conducted to environmental samples. In this paper, we review results of atmospheric radioactivity monitoring for the FDNPP accident. Learning from atmospheric radioactivity monitoring of the FDNPP accident is as follows; 1. At the initial stage of accident, large spatiotemporal variability of emitted radionuclides near the FDNPP site occurred at short (less than 1 h) time scale and small (less than 10 km) space scale due to complicated emissions of radionuclides and variable flow of Fukushima radioactive plume, 2. Chemical form of FDNPP-derived radionuclides, in which a typical example is coexistence of 137Cs-bearing submicron particles and 137Cs-bearing large hot particles in the plume, is important to have better understanding of their atmospheric behaviors as do released mechanisms and their fate in environment, 3. Atmospheric effects of the FDNPP accident continue over 8 years, in which high activity levels of the FDNPP-derived 137Cs in surface air and deposition have continued at least until the end of 2018 owing to the post-accident release and resuspension because most of the FDNPP-derived 137Cs deposited on the ground surface still remains in the soil surface as a potential source of atmospheric 137Cs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsumi Hirose
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan.
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30
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Babić D, Skoko B, Franić Z, Senčar J, Šoštarić M, Petroci L, Avdić M, Kovačić M, Branica G, Petrinec B, Bituh T, Franulović I, Marović G. Baseline radioecological data for the soil and selected bioindicator organisms in the temperate forest of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:21040-21056. [PMID: 32266621 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08369-0] [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: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide baseline radioecological data for the temperate forest ecosystem in Plitvice Lakes National Park. Emphasis was placed on the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides since there is an acknowledged lack of data for these radionuclides in non-accident conditions in wildlife, even for bioindicator organisms. Activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, 40K, 134Cs, and 137Cs were measured by gamma spectrometry in soil and bioindicators: earthworms, conifer needles, mosses, and lichens. From the measured activity concentrations, concentration ratios were calculated to quantify the transfer of these radionuclides from soil to bioindicators. Our results show that soil activity concentrations are biased toward results from other studies conducted within the Dinaric mountain region. However, in moss and lichen samples, we measured higher activity concentrations of 226Ra and lower activity concentrations of 40K and 137Cs in comparison to similar studies. Also, we estimated lower concentration ratios for all radionuclides from soil to these organisms, except for 210Pb, in comparison to generic values. The transfer of 238U was generally low for all of the bioindicator organisms. For conifer needles, a correlation was found between activity concentrations of 226Ra and 137Cs in soil and related concentration ratios. Correlation was also found between the activity concentration of 40K in soil and transfer of 40K and 137Cs to mosses and lichens. A comparison with literature data highlighted the lack of 226Ra related concentration ratios for conifer trees and especially for earthworms. Therefore, the results of this study could supplement the sparse data currently available on radionuclide background data in similar ecosystems and related soil-to-wildlife transfer of radionuclides. Dose rate assessments, performed by the ERICA Tool, estimated that 96% of the overall exposure of wildlife in the Park area is due to the background dose rates, while 0.06 μGy h-1 on average can be attributed as an incremental dose rate from 134Cs and 137Cs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinko Babić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Božena Skoko
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Zdenko Franić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jasminka Senčar
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Šoštarić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ljerka Petroci
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mak Avdić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Milica Kovačić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gina Branica
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Branko Petrinec
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Bituh
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Iva Franulović
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gordana Marović
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
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31
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Baeza A, Caballero J, Corbacho J, Ontalba M, Vasco J. Response of an automatic air monitoring gamma-spectrometry station based on sample retention to rainfall-caused dosimetric alterations and to environments with a wide range of radon levels. RADIAT MEAS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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32
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Wai KM, Krstic D, Nikezic D, Lin TH, Yu PKN. External Cesium-137 doses to humans from soil influenced by the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear power plants accidents: a comparative study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7902. [PMID: 32404910 PMCID: PMC7220933 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64812-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
External exposure to gamma-photon irradiation from soil contamination due to nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents has significant contribution to human radiation exposure in the proximity of the NPP. Detailed absorbed doses in human organs are rarely reported in the literature. We applied the Monte Carlo Neutron Particle (MCNP) transport code to calculate and compare the absorbed doses in different human organs. The absorbed doses by gamma-photon radiation were from cesium-137 (137Cs) in soil contaminated by the two major NPP accidents. More serious and wide-spread impacts of the Chernobyl NPP accident on soil contamination in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and countries as far as Sweden and Greece were due to the inland location, radiative plume transport pathway and high 137Cs emission strength (9 times the Fukushima emission). Based on our MCNP calculations, the largest absorbed dose was found in skin. The maximum calculated external 137Cs annual effective dose received from the Chernobyl accident was 10 times higher relative to the Fukushima accident. Our calculated effective doses at various influenced areas were comparable to those available in the literature. The calculated annual effective doses at areas near the Fukushima and Chernobyl NPPs exceeded the ICRP recommendation of 1 mSv yr-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka-Ming Wai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
- Intelligent Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
| | - Dragana Krstic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovica 12, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia
| | - Dragoslav Nikezic
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovica 12, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia
| | - Tang-Huang Lin
- Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Peter K N Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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RePLaT-Chaos: A Simple Educational Application to Discover the Chaotic Nature of Atmospheric Advection. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale atmospheric pollutant spreading via volcano eruptions and industrial accidents may have serious effects on our life. However, many students and non-experts are generally not aware of the fact that pollutant clouds do not disperse in the atmosphere like dye blobs on clothes. Rather, an initially compact pollutant cloud soon becomes strongly stretched with filamentary and folded structure. This is the result of the chaotic behaviour of advection of pollutants in 3-D flows, i.e., the advection dynamics of pollutants shows the typical characteristics such as sensitivity to the initial conditions, irregular motion, and complicated but well-organized (fractal) structures. This study presents possible applications of a software called RePLaT-Chaos by means of which the characteristics of the long-range atmospheric spreading of volcanic ash clouds and other pollutants can be investigated in an easy and interactive way. This application is also a suitable tool for studying the chaotic features of the advection and determines two quantities which describe the chaoticity of the advection processes: the stretching rate quantifies the strength of the exponential stretching of pollutant clouds; and the escape rate characterizes the rate of the rapidity by which the settling particles of a pollutant cloud leave the atmosphere.
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Miley HS, Burnett JL, Chepko AB, Devoy CL, Eslinger PW, Forrester JB, Friese JI, Lidey LS, Morris SJ, Schrom BT, Stokes S, Swanwick ME, Smart JE, Warren GA. Design considerations for future radionuclide aerosol monitoring systems. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 208-209:106037. [PMID: 31476609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff developed the Radionuclide Aerosol Sampler Analyzer (RASA) for worldwide aerosol monitoring in the 1990s. Recently, researchers at PNNL and Creare, LLC, have investigated possibilities for how RASA could be improved, based on lessons learned from more than 15 years of continuous operation, including during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Key themes addressed in upgrade possibilities include having a modular approach to additional radionuclide measurements, optimizing the sampling/analyzing times to improve detection location capabilities, and reducing power consumption by using electrostatic collection versus classic filtration collection. These individual efforts have been made in a modular context that might constitute retrofits to the existing RASA, modular components that could improve a manual monitoring approach, or a completely new RASA. Substantial optimization of the detection and location capabilities of an aerosol network is possible and new missions could be addressed by including additional measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry S Miley
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Jonathan L Burnett
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | | | - Clive L Devoy
- Creare, 16 Great Hollow Road, Hanover, NH, 03775, USA.
| | - Paul W Eslinger
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Joel B Forrester
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Judah I Friese
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Lance S Lidey
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Scott J Morris
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Brian T Schrom
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | | | | | - John E Smart
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
| | - Glen A Warren
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA.
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Brimo K, Gonze MA, Pourcelot L. Long term decrease of 137Cs bioavailability in French pastures: Results from 25 years of monitoring. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 208-209:106029. [PMID: 31491586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106029] [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: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Long term radioactivity monitoring programs contribute to the understanding of the behavior of radionuclides in the environment. This work aims to investigate the long term behavior of Cesium-137 in pasture ecosystem (root soil, grass and cow's milk) by using of more than twenty five years monitoring data collected at ten of French pasture sites contaminated by atmospheric fallouts from Chernobyl and nuclear atmospheric tests. We estimated with a simple exponential model the long term effective half-lives of radiocesium in root soil, grass vegetation and cow's milk along with their associated uncertainties. The average values of the effective half-lives over all the investigated sites were determined as 17, 11 and 9 years for soil, grass and milk respectively. Those values compare favorably to those estimated in previous studies in literature. These findings further enable us to quantify the decrease of 137Cs bioavailability which ranges from 0.008 to 0.044 year-1 with an average value of 0.026 year-1 (i.e. effective half lives ranging from 16 to 87 years with an average value of 26 years in soil).
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Brimo
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), LEREN, Cadarache, 13115, Saint Paul lez Durance, France.
| | - Marc André Gonze
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), LEREN, Cadarache, 13115, Saint Paul lez Durance, France
| | - Laurent Pourcelot
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), LEREN, Cadarache, 13115, Saint Paul lez Durance, France
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36
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Vargas A, Arnold D, Duch MA, Evangeliou N, Sievers K, Maurer C. Dose calculations in aircrafts after Fukushima nuclear power plant accident - Preliminary study for aviation operations. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 205-206:24-33. [PMID: 31096105 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.04.013] [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: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is little information to decision support in air traffic management in case of nuclear releases into the atmosphere. In this paper, the dose estimation due to both, external exposure (i.e. cloud immersion, deposition inside and outside the aircraft), and due to internal exposure (i.e, inhalation of radionuclides inside the aircraft) to passengers and crew is calculated for a worst-case emergency scenario. The doses are calculated for different radionuclides and activities. Calculations are mainly considered according to International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations and Monte Carlo simulations. In addition, a discussion on potential detectors installed inside the aircraft for monitoring the aerosol concentration and the ambient dose equivalent rate, H*(10), for during-flight monitoring and early warning is provided together with the evaluation of a response of a generic detector. The results show that the probability that a catastrophic nuclear accident would produce significant radiological doses to the passengers and crew of an aircraft is very low. In the worst-case scenarios studied, the maximum estimated effective dose was about 1 mSv during take-off or landing operations, which is the recommended yearly threshold for the public. However, in order to follow the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) criteria and to avoid aircraft contamination, the installation of radiological detectors is considered. This would, on one hand help the pilot or corresponding decision maker to decide about the potential change of the route and, on the other, allow for gathering of 4D data for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vargas
- Institute of Energy Technologies, Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - D Arnold
- ZAMG-Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Vienna, Austria; Arnold Scientific Consulting, ASC, Manresa, Spain
| | - M-A Duch
- Institute of Energy Technologies, Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Evangeliou
- NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Kjeller, Norway
| | - K Sievers
- Klaus Sievers Aviation Weather, Lenggries, Germany
| | - C Maurer
- ZAMG-Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Vienna, Austria
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37
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Bossew P, Gering F, Petermann E, Hamburger T, Katzlberger C, Hernandez-Ceballos MA, De Cort M, Gorzkiewicz K, Kierepko R, Mietelski JW. An episode of Ru-106 in air over Europe, September-October 2017 - Geographical distribution of inhalation dose over Europe. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 205-206:79-92. [PMID: 31121424 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.05.004] [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: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Between the end of September and early October 2017, 106Ru was recorded by air monitoring stations across parts of Europe. In the environment, this purely anthropogenic radionuclide can be detected very rarely only. As far as known, 106Ru is only used in radiotherapy and possibly in radiothermal generators. Therefore, the episode drew considerable interest in the monitoring community, although the activity concentrations and resulting exposure were far below radiological concern. Health consequences can be practically excluded except possibly near the source. 106Ru in aerosols could be detected for several weeks and in some regions of Central and Eastern Europe tens, up to over 100 mBq/m³ were measured as one-day means. Discussions about a possible source continue until today (early 2019). Atmospheric back-modelling led to trajectories likely originating in the Southern to Northern Ural region of Russia and possibly Northern Kazakhstan. Suspiciously, no other anthropogenic radionuclides have been observed alongside, except minute concentrations of comparatively short-lived 103Ru (half life 39 d vs. 376 d for 106Ru). Due to the absence of other anthropogenic radionuclides, a reactor accident can be excluded, although both Ru isotopes are fission products generated in nuclear reactors. The exposure resulting from 106Ru activity concentration in air exceeded 200 mBq × d/m³ in some parts of Central and Eastern Europe. This leads to inhalation doses of up to about 0.3 μSv regionally, assuming the radiologically most efficient speciation, lacking better information, and inhalation dose conversion factors from ICRP 119. We show an interpolated map of the dose distribution over parts of Europe where sufficient measurements are available to us. Overlaying population density, we give an estimate of collective dose. The opportunity is also used to give a short review of origin, properties and use of 106Ru, as well as of accidents which involved release of this radionuclide.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bossew
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Berlin, Germany.
| | - F Gering
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Berlin, Germany
| | - E Petermann
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Berlin, Germany
| | - T Hamburger
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Berlin, Germany
| | - C Katzlberger
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | | | - M De Cort
- European Commission, JRC, Directorate for Nuclear Safety & Security, Ispra, Italy
| | - K Gorzkiewicz
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Kraków, Poland
| | - R Kierepko
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Kraków, Poland
| | - J W Mietelski
- Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Kraków, Poland
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38
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Brudecki K, Borkowska E, Gorzkiewicz K, Kostkiewicz M, Mróz T. 99mTc activity concentrations in room air and resulting internal contamination of medical personnel during ventilation-perfusion lung scans. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2019; 58:469-475. [PMID: 30997611 PMCID: PMC6609588 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-019-00793-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents the results of measurements of 99mTc activity concentrations in indoor air in a nuclear medicine department and resulting estimated 99mTc intake by medical personnel. 99mTc air activity measurements were conducted at the Nuclear Medicine Department, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland, during ventilation-perfusion SPECT lung scans. Technetium from the air was collected by means of a mobile aerosol sampler with a Petryanov filter operating at an average flow rate of 10 dm3 min-1. Measured activities ranged from 99 ± 11 to 6.1 ± 0.5 kBq m-3. The resulting daily average intake of 99mTc by medical staff was estimated to be 5.4 kBq, 4.4 kBq, 3.0 kBq and 2.5 kBq, respectively, for male technicians, female technicians, male nurses and female nurses. Corresponding annual effective doses were 1.6 µSv for technicians and 1 µSv for nurses. The highest equivalent dose values were determined for extrathoracic (ET) airways: 5 µSv and 10 µSv for nurses and technicians, respectively. It is concluded that estimated annual absorbed doses are over three orders of magnitude lower than the dose limit established in the Polish Atomic Law Act and in recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection for medical staff.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Brudecki
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Kraków, Poland.
| | - E Borkowska
- Electroradiology Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Physiotherapy, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, Michalowskiego 12, 31-126, Kraków, Poland
- Nuclear Medicine Department, John Paul II Hospital, Prądnicka 80, Kraków, Poland
| | - K Gorzkiewicz
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342, Kraków, Poland
| | - M Kostkiewicz
- Heart and Vascular Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, Prądnicka 80, 31-202, Kraków, Poland
- Nuclear Medicine Department, John Paul II Hospital, Prądnicka 80, Kraków, Poland
| | - T Mróz
- Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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39
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Dickson RS, Glowa GA. Tellurium behaviour in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 204:49-65. [PMID: 30965216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The behaviour of tellurium radionuclides in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident was examined to determine if it is consistent with the current understanding of tellurium chemistry, and whether there is any evidence of tellurium dispersal by species other than aerosols (e.g., vapours). Previous speciation studies, hot-cell experiments, in-reactor experiments and the transport from the Chernobyl reactor accident indicated that tellurium would behave primarily as a particulate species that condensed at high temperature, although the initial chemical species may have transformed to other solid species on cooling and reaction with environmental compounds (e.g., air). The main volatile tellurium species expected would be organic tellurides, which could be produced by radiolytic or biochemical routes, and have reasonable stability under environmental conditions. The behaviour of 137Cs, which behaves exclusively as a particulate species in air at environmental temperatures, was compared with that of tellurium. The behaviour of tellurium was found to be consistent with the current understanding and no evidence of significant tellurium transport by vapour species was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond S Dickson
- Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, 286 Plant Road, Chalk River, Ontario, K0J 1J0, Canada.
| | - Glenn A Glowa
- Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, 286 Plant Road, Chalk River, Ontario, K0J 1J0, Canada
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40
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Haszpra T. Intricate features in the lifetime and deposition of atmospheric aerosol particles. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2019; 29:071103. [PMID: 31370421 DOI: 10.1063/1.5110385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The advection of particles emanated, e.g., from volcano eruptions or other pollution events exhibits chaotic behavior in the atmosphere. Due to gravity, the particles move downward on average and remain in the atmosphere for a finite time. The number of particles not yet deposited from the atmosphere decays exponentially after a while characteristic to transient chaos. The so-called escape rate describes the rapidity of the decrease, the reciprocal of which can be used to estimate the average lifetime of the particles. Based on measured wind field data, we follow aerosol particles and demonstrate that the geographical distribution of the individual lifetime of the particles distributed over the globe at different altitudes shows a filamentary, fractal distribution, typical for chaos: the lifetime of particles may be quite different at very nearby geographic locations. These maps can be considered as atlases for the potential fate of volcanic ash clouds or of particles distributed for geoengineering purposes. Particles with similar lifetime deposit also in filamentary structures, but the deposition pattern of extremely long-living particles covers more or less homogeneously the Earth. In general, particles emanated around the equator remain in the atmosphere for the longest time, even for years, e.g., for particles of 1μm radius. The escape rate does not show any considerable dependence on the particles' initial altitude, indicating that there exists a unique chaotic saddle in the atmosphere. We reconstruct this saddle and its stable and unstable manifolds on two planar slices and follow its time dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Haszpra
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and MTA-ELTE Theoretical Physics Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
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41
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Masoudi P, Le Coz M, Cazala C, Saito K. Spatial properties of soil analyses and airborne measurements for reconnaissance of soil contamination by 137Cs after Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 202:74-84. [PMID: 30832960 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Following Fukushima nuclear disaster, several data gathering campaigns surveyed the radionuclide propagation in the environment. However, the acquired datasets do not have the same sampling dimension. For example, the airborne measurements are some sort of averaging over a circular field of view, beneath the sensor; while the soil analyses are much more punctual. The objective of this work is to compare the soil samples and an airborne survey to investigate whether these two datasets reflect the same spatial patterns or not. This is prerequisite for combining the multiresolution data to create and update the contamination map in a post-accidental situation. The analyses were performed on square tiles of 20 km side to study large- and small-dimension variations in 137Cs deposition. The former was modelled by fitting a plane (called trend) to the georeferenced data points; and the latter was modelled by computing the difference (called residual) between the trend and the initial data. Dip direction and dip angle of trends as well as minimum spatial correlation distance and anisotropy of residuals were computed for both the soil and airborne datasets and compared. Dip directions are compatible in 73% of the tiles and dip angles are generally close. Anisotropy directions are compatible in 49% of the tiles and minimum spatial correlation distances are significantly more marked for the airborne dataset. The soil samples and airborne measurements are therefore more in agreement in large-dimension (trend) rather than in small-dimension (residual) variations. More generally, both the datasets allow highlighting the main contamination plumes distinguishable because of high concentration values. The airborne dataset yet appears to be more powerful to quantify spatial correlations, which could be linked to the contamination mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedram Masoudi
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 31 Avenue de la Division Leclerc, 92260, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Mathieu Le Coz
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 31 Avenue de la Division Leclerc, 92260, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Charlotte Cazala
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 31 Avenue de la Division Leclerc, 92260, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Kimiaki Saito
- Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 178-4-4 Wakashiba, Kashiwa, Chiba, 227-0871, Japan
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42
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Comparison of two methods for the rapid radiochemical analysis of air dust samples in emergency situations. Appl Radiat Isot 2019; 150:120-126. [PMID: 31132612 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The reliable determination of airborne radionuclides in air is a key aspect in decision-making for the protection against public exposure in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency. Nowadays, this needs to be done in real time and at the international level. These needs require the development of fast response protocols and the harmonisation of results. This work presents two fast radiochemical methods for the simultaneous separation of alpha and beta emitters in aerosols and their performance in a series of samples.
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43
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Külahcı F, Bilici A. Advances on identification and animated simulations of radioactivity risk levels after Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident (with a data bank): A Critical Review. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06559-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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44
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Chae N, Lee MH, Choi S, Park BG, Song JS. Aerodynamic diameter and radioactivity distributions of radioactive aerosols from activated metals cutting for nuclear power plant decommissioning. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2019; 369:727-745. [PMID: 30831525 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.02.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Radioactive aerosols from nuclear power plant decommissioning have not been actively studied compared to those from severe accidents. However, it will be more critical issues in the future. The radioactive aerosols will deposit on the surfaces of matter and disperse in the working space. Hence, the workers in nuclear power plant decommissioning may inhale some of the aerosols during the normal operation or accident. The health effects of aerosols depend not only on the particle size but also on the aerodynamic and thermodynamic characteristics. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the distribution of radioactive aerosols regarding their aerodynamic diameters, radioactive isotopes, and chemical forms to ascertain the respirable fraction. We analyze the effect of the cutting method, cutting material, and cutting conditions on the mass and radioactivity distributions of radioactive aerosols and identify the dominant factor for the safety of workers in the nuclear power plant decommissioning process. We confirm that the chemical composition and radioactive contamination in cutting material affect the aerodynamic diameter distribution and the amount of aerosol. Finally, we suggest the underwater plasma arc cutting process that could minimize the internal dose of workers at the nuclear power plant decommissioning sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nakkyu Chae
- Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Ho Lee
- Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungyeol Choi
- Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung Gi Park
- Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyang-ro, Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Soon Song
- Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
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45
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Franić Z, Branica G. Long-term Investigations of 134Cs and 137Cs Activity Concentrations in Honey from Croatia. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2019; 102:462-467. [PMID: 30789990 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-019-02571-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents the results of long-term post-Chernobyl investigations of 134Cs and 137Cs activity concentrations in multifloral and chestnut honey sampled in northwest Croatia. For both radionuclides, the activity concentrations peaked in May 1986, decreasing exponentially until the mid-1990 s, when they fell under the detection limit for both radionuclides. After the Fukushima-Daiichi accident in 2011, the presence of both radionuclides in honey was detected once again. The ecological half-life was estimated to be 1.67 and 1.45 years for 137Cs and 134Cs, respectively. The correlation between 134Cs and 137Cs activity concentrations in fallout and honey was very good, indicating fallout to be the main source of honey contamination. The observed 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio in honey was similar to the ratio found in other environmental samples. The estimated collective effective doses for the Croatian population incurred by honey consumption indicate that honey was not a critical pathway for the transfer of 134Cs and 137Cs from fallout to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenko Franić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Radiation Protection Unit, Ksaverska cesta 2, PO Box 291, 10001, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Gina Branica
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Radiation Protection Unit, Ksaverska cesta 2, PO Box 291, 10001, Zagreb, Croatia
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Tang Z, Cai J, Li Q, Zhao J. The regional scale atmospheric dispersion of radionuclide 131I: A simulation method based on WRF-Chem model. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2018.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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47
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Kierepko R, Sahoo SK, Hosoda M, Tokonami S, Sorimachi A, Kim E, Ohno M. 238Pu/ (239+240)Pu activity ratio as an indicator of Pu originating from the FDNPP accident in the terrestrial environment of Fukushima Prefecture. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 196:133-140. [PMID: 30453130 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has caused significant radionuclide contamination. Pu isotopes at the level of GBq were released from the damaged reactors to terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In this work, 35 samples were collected at different locations of Fukushima. Samples consisted of three types, soil, forest litter and alluvial dust (road dust, sludges from drainage systems and below gutter pipe outflows). The obtained activity ratios of 238Pu/(239+240)Pu ranged from 0.030 to 1.86. 14 of our samples contained trace amounts of Pu originating from the damaged reactors (2SM verification). Our study identified a few previously unknown "hot spots" of 238Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratio localized in an area between 15 and 30 km in the northwest direction from the FDNPP. Additionally, results obtained in this study combined with previously published data allowed us to prepare a map of spatial distribution of the Pu isotope fingerprints (238Pu/(239+240)Pu) in Fukushima Prefecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kierepko
- Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan; Department of Nuclear Physical Chemistry, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Radzikowskiego 152, Poland
| | - S K Sahoo
- Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
| | - M Hosoda
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan
| | - S Tokonami
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan
| | - A Sorimachi
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan; Department of Radiation Physics and Chemistry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Hikarigaoka 1, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - E Kim
- Department of Radiation Measurement and Dose Assessment, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - M Ohno
- Department of Radiation Measurement and Dose Assessment, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
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48
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Chen F, Hu J, Takahashi Y, Yamada M, Rahman MS, Yang G. Application of synchrotron radiation and other techniques in analysis of radioactive microparticles emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident-A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 196:29-39. [PMID: 30388426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
During the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, large amounts of radioactive materials were released into the environment. Among them, a large proportion of the radionuclides, such as Cs, entered into the environment as radioactive microparticles (RMs). In recent years, the characterization of RMs based on synchrotron radiation (SR) techniques has been reported, since their physical and chemical properties played an important role in evaluating the chemical reactions and physical changes that occurred when the nuclear material meltdowns took place. In this review, we summarize separation and measurement technologies used in studies of RMs, and we emphasize the application of SR-based techniques in the characterization of RMs. We report research progress, including information for elemental composition, isotopic distribution, radioactivity, and formation processes. Also, we compare the RMs from the FDNPP and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accidents. The SR-based technologies offer great improvement in the resolution and precision compared to conventional technologies, such as X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan
| | - Yoshio Takahashi
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Yamada
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan
| | - M Safiur Rahman
- Atmospheric & Environmental Chemistry Lab. Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Guosheng Yang
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, 66-1 Hon-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8564, Japan.
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Vasilakos P, Kim YΗ, Pierce JR, Yiacoumi S, Tsouris C, Nenes A. Studying the impact of radioactive charging on the microphysical evolution and transport of radioactive aerosols with the TOMAS-RC v1 framework. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 192:150-159. [PMID: 29957567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.06.014] [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: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Radioactive charging can significantly impact the way radioactive aerosols behave, and as a result their lifetime, but such effects are neglected in predictive model studies of radioactive plumes. The objective of this work is to determine the influence of radioactive charging on the vertical transport of radioactive aerosols in the atmosphere, through its effect on coagulation and deposition, as well as quantifying the impact of this charging on aerosol lifetime. The TwO-Moment Aerosol Sectional (TOMAS) microphysical model was extended to account for radioactive charging effects on coagulation in a computationally efficient way. The expanded model, TOMAS-RC (TOMAS with Radioactive Charging effects), was then used to simulate the microphysical evolution and deposition of radioactive aerosol (containing the isotopes 131I and 137Cs) in a number of idealized atmospheric transport experiments. Results indicate that radioactive charging can facilitate or suppress coagulation of radioactive aerosols, thus influencing the deposition patterns and total amount of radioactive aerosol mass available for long-range transport. Sensitivity simulations to uncertain parameters affirm the potential importance of radioactive charging effects. An important finding is that charging of neutral, coarse mode aerosol from background radiation can reduce coagulation rates and extend its lifetime in the atmosphere by up to a factor of 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Vasilakos
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA
| | - Yong-Ηa Kim
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80524, USA
| | - Sotira Yiacoumi
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA
| | - Costas Tsouris
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831-6181, USA
| | - Athanasios Nenes
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA; School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, GA, USA; Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Patras, GR 26504, Greece; National Observatory of Athens, Palea Penteli, GR 15236, Greece.
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50
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Marine radioactivity of Cs-134 and Cs-137 in the Malaysian Economic Exclusive Zone after the Fukushima accident. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-6306-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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