After the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident, wild boar was found to have greater radiocesium (137Cs) activity concentrations in their bodies than other wild animals in Japan; however, the reason for this remains unknown. To understand the mechanism of 137Cs transfer from the environment to wild boar, and the factors that affect variation in 137Cs contamination

The solid-liquid distribution coefficient (Kd) is a key input parameter in radioecological models. However, its large variability hampers its usefulness in modelling transport processes as well as its accuracy in representing soil-radionuclide interactions. For the specific case of radiocaesium, the analyses of a Cs Kd soil dataset (769 entries) showed that values varied over a five order of magnitude

Soil erosion has been associated with various negative environmental impacts foremost of which is the potential pressure it could impose on global food security. The poor conditions of our agricultural soil can be attributed to years of unsustainable farming practices occurring throughout history that has placed significant pressure on the environment. Moreover, climate change scenarios indicate further

Plutonium (Pu) interactions in the environment are highly complex. Site-specific variables play an integral role in determining the chemical and physical form of Pu, and its migration, bioavailability, and immobility. This paper aims to identify the key variables that can be used to highlight regions of radioecological sensitivity and guide remediation strategies in Australia. Plutonium is present

37Ar is a promising candidate for complementing radioxenon isotopes as indicators of underground nuclear explosions. This study evaluates its potential anthropogenic background caused by emissions from commercial pressurized water reactors. Various 37Ar production pathways, which result from activation of 36Ar and of 40Ca, respectively, are identified and their emissions quantified. In-core processes

We studied seasonal changes in radiocesium (137Cs) activity and potassium concentrations in current-year leaves and branches of Pinus densiflora (naturally regenerated saplings), Cryptomeria japonica (planted saplings) and Quercus serrata (planted saplings and coppice shoots) in Fukushima, Japan. We collected current-year shoots from 10 individuals of each species over two growing seasons at intervals

Over the past decades, radioanalytical methods for environmental monitoring of plutonium (Pu) isotopes from contaminated soils were developed to respond in case of a nuclear accident but also for routine analyses. In this paper we prove the possibility of on-site analysis of plutonium using alpha particle spectrometry. Tests are performed with two types of soils: a “brown” soil and a “sandy” soil,

The spatial variations of low-level 134Cs concentrations (activities) in seawater off the Japanese Archipelago, particularly in the eastern East China Sea (ECS), in 2018 and 2019 were examined. The 134Cs concentrations, decay-corrected to the date of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, in seawaters were 0.5–2.0 mBq/L. High 134Cs concentrations (1.1–2.0 mBq/L) of the Kuroshio Current

The Channel Islands are located in the Normand-Breton Gulf (NBG), in the mid-part of the English Channel (France, Normandy). In the northern part, off Cap La Hague, controlled amounts of radioactive liquid waste are discharged by the ORANO La Hague nuclear fuel reprocessing plant (RP). Radionuclides were monitored in the NBG to assess the dispersion of radioactive discharges from the RP in the marine

The solid-liquid distribution coefficient (Kd) is a key input parameter in radioecological risk models. However, its large variability hampers its usefulness in modelling transport processes as well as its accuracy in representing soil-radionuclide interactions. To assist in the selection of Kd values and their cumulative distribution functions for study areas without site specific information, a critically

The study of staple food products is crucial to assure public safety and provides input for predictive dose assessment models. To further this goal, the activity concentrations, transfer factors, and radiological hazards of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were studied for ten pairs of selected vegetables and soils in Tien Le near Hanoi in Vietnam. This is the first study in this area for Vietnamese vegetable

Cesium is an element that belongs to the same group as K, and is known to show similar behaviour to that of K in plants. In this study, we conducted a serial leaching test for 120 h to compare the leaching characteristics of dissolved 137Cs and K in forest litter, obtained from Japanese cedar and deciduous broadleaf forests located 40 km from the site of the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant

Adequate radiological protection requires the quantification of radionuclide transfer to the human food chain, which is essential for the estimation of ingestion doses. Transfer parameters are key inputs for the development of radioecological models and decision support systems. There are many literature compilations of these parameters, however, most of values were calculated in temperate climates

Tritium is a radioisotope of hydrogen with a half-life of 12.32 years and was used for its luminescent properties by the watchmaking industry from 1962 to the 2008. Tritiated luminescent salts were integrated in the paints applied on the index and dial of watches and clocks. French and Swiss watchmaking workshops used more than 28 000 TBq of tritium over this period of time and produced almost 350

The presence of artificial and natural radioactivity in the environment is currently a topic of great relevance and ecological interest, even in human health issue, due to the increase of different anthropogenic activities. The use of multicommuted flow analysis techniques (e.g. Multi-Syringe Flow Injection Analysis - MSFIA, Lab-On-Valve - LOV and Lab-In-Syringe - LIS) has allowed the automation of

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, immediate soil and vegetation sampling were conducted according to the action plan of nuclear emergency monitoring; however, analysing the monitoring dataset was difficult because the sampling protocols were not standardised. In this study, the sampling protocols applied just after the FDNPP accident were reviewed, and the monitoring

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

Two radionuclide transport models for the Red Sea are described: a Lagrangian model to deal with emergency situations and a Eulerian model better suited to longer term simulations, as for instance required in case of chronic radionuclide releases. Baroclinic circulation is obtained for both transport models from HYCOM ocean model. The Lagrangian model also includes tides, which are obtained from a

The contamination in the near exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (ChNPP) with 90Sr, 238-240Pu and 241Am is associated with irradiated nuclear fuel particles. Fit for purpose models enabling long term prediction of mobility and bioavailability of particle-associated radionuclides are crucial for radiation protection of humans and the environment, as well as for planning of remediation

In 2017, the Polish public consumed on average 0.61 kg of honey, while the European average consumption was 0.7 kg (Data on honey consumption in Poland, 2014) [http://www.portalspozywczy.pl]. The main point of this study was to investigate the 210Po activity concentrations in different types of floral and non-floral honey, type of clad honey is made of and honey yield in honey available on the Polish

The determination procedure of low 137Cs concentrations in air using γ-spectrometry is essential wherever the net counts are smaller than the background of the spectrum. Such measurements have performed in April 2020 during the Chernobyl wildfires period. A significant event recorded in Thessaloniki's atmosphere during April 12, 2020, with 25.7 ± 0.7 μBq m-3 of 137Cs, was measured. Besides, a minor

This study investigates temporal changes in the distribution of air dose rates at forest floors from 2012 to 2016 by measuring air dose rates at a height of 10 cm. The study was conducted at four different topography forest sites in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. At each forest site, the air dose rate was found to have decreased by 7%–22% over time from 2012 to 2016 owing to the movement of radiocesium

A general approach is presented to derive probabilistic radionuclide distribution coefficients (Kd) in soils from a Kd dataset. The main aim was to derive informed estimates with a low inherent uncertainty by restricting the Kd value data to subsets based on key soil factors and the experimental approach used to calculate the Kd value (e.g., sorption and desorption tests). As an example, the general

The European Atlas of Natural Radiation, recently published, contains a collection of maps of Europe showing the levels of natural sources of radiation. Among the lacunae of the Atlas are maps of U, Th and K concentrations in rocks due to lack of European-wide geochemical surveys of bedrock units. The objective of this paper is to investigate the usability of scattered geochemical data of rock samples

Several years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the surface mineral soil layer is believed to be the main reservoir of radiocesium (137Cs) in forest ecosystems in Japan. Dissolved 137Cs combines with clay minerals in the soil, and hence, it is not expected to easily infiltrate over time. However, previous studies have indicated that 137Cs derived from the older global fallout

210Po and 210Pb are well-known tracer pairs for some biomass and chemical processes in the marine system. In this study, 210Po and 210Pb were analyzed in surface seawater collected from the East China Sea (ECS), in atmospheric deposition, and in riverine input water collected along the ECS coast. The atmospheric fallouts of 210Po and 210Pb were higher in the dry season, due to the arrival of storm

The activity concentrations of radiocesium (137Cs) in wild mushrooms are reported to vary according to species, genus or ecological types. In addition, the concentration fluctuates among the same species collected within the same area. Therefore, we investigated whether the 137Cs concentration of wild mushrooms would be (1) spatially biased, or (2) influenced by the 137Cs or exchangeable potassium

A radiological box model of the Aegean Sea has been developed simulating the dispersion and fate of radionuclides in the marine environment. The model incorporates all transfer processes within abiotic and biotic compartments in combination with appropriate site-specific information. The model was calibrated using empirical radiological data, with the simulation of 137Cs dispersion after the Chernobyl

The purpose of this work is to highlight the effects of ionizing radiation on the genetic material in higher plants by assessing both adaptive processes as well as the evolution of plant species. The effects that the ionizing radiation has on greenery following a nuclear accident, was examined by taking the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster as a case study. The genetic and evolutionary effects

The long-term observations of the dynamics of 90Sr and 137Cs concentration, as well as the physicochemical forms of these radionuclides in 10 species of higher aquatic plants during the vegetation period of Glyboke Lake in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone were presented. The accumulation of radionuclides depends on the influence of environmental factors and species characteristics of the studied plants

Soil radon (Rn-222) has been continuously monitored at Badargadh station (23.47°N, 70.62°E) in Kutch region of Gujarat to study the pre-seismic anomalies prior to occurrence of local earthquakes. This monitoring site is in close proximity to the South Wagad Fault, a seismically active fault in the study area. The raw data of radon along with meteorological parameters such as temperature, pressure and

Behaviour of radionuclides released into environment is crucial for further evaluation of any kind of possible effects. Possibility of observation how does a radionuclide behave in natural environment is limited to very few post accidental areas. However, valuable observation can be collected at areas where enhanced concentration of natural radionuclides is presented caused by activity of non-nuclear

There are few effective technologies for the sequestration of highly water-soluble pertechnetate (TcO4−) from contaminated water despite the urgency of environmental and public health concerns. In this work, anion exchanged and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) functionalized MIL-101-Cr-NO3 were investigated for perrhenate (ReO4−), a surrogate of TcO4−, sequestration from artificial groundwater

As the number of nuclear power plants (NPPs) being decommissioned increases internationally, many issues are being raised. One such issue is related to site soil analyses for the determination of residual risk for license termination. In a typical site-cleanup analysis, the majority of soil samples at the site are at or below the detection limit (BDL). Conventional approaches to managing BDL data are

Polonium-210 and Pb-210 were measured in surficial benthic sediments and particulate matter collected in sediment traps deployed at five different locations in the Clinton River, a dynamic system, in Lake St. Clair in Southeast Michigan to quantify the sediment resuspension rates and determine the particle residence time. The mean 210Poxs/210Pbxs activity ratio of suspended trap and surficial bottom

Depleted uranium (DU) is primarily used for DU bombs and DU tanks in the military. Aerosol inhalation is considered the primary route of DU exposure. Although laboratory tests have confirmed that inhalation of DU aerosol can cause lung, kidney, and other organ damage, epidemiological studies have found no conclusive evidence that persons in areas with prolonged exposure to DU-containing bombs are affected

Data on reduction of radioactivity in plants are highly important for making decision on emergency response and remediation of contaminated areas. Dynamics of the 131I and 137Cs concentrations in the weed leaves sampled in the areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in Japan was assessed for the period March–December 2011. The effective half-lives for 131I and 137Cs

Concentration of uranium (U), a naturally encountered radioactive element in earth's crust, can be enhanced in freshwater ecosystems (μg.L−1 – mg.L−1) due to various anthropogenic activities. The consequent aquatic organism exposure to U leads to its accumulation in all organs, particularly in the gonad, and in subcellular fractions (mainly the cytosol); then it is known to affect fish at several biological

Most of environmental monitoring programs include measurements of the air dose rates and the radionuclides activity concentration in plants. Both these parameters depend on deposition density of radionuclides. Therefore, measurements of one parameter can (with some supplementary information) be used as an indicator for the other parameter. After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident

This study aims to evaluate the impacts of the activation of a hypothetical radiological dispersal device (RDD) on the urban critical infrastructure (health facilities and public transport). A densely populated urban region was chosen as a scenery. Additionally, the influence of local environmental factors in the post-detonation process was verified. The source term was Cs-137 due to its mobility in

The origin of 137Cs contamination, contamination levels, and its effective ecological half-life can differ among fish species, but until recently it was unknown whether interspecific differences in radiocaesium metabolism existed. We compare the trophic transfer of 137Cs in five salmonid species under controlled conditions. Fish were fed a diet containing 200 Bq kg−1 wet wt concentration of 137Cs for

An underground nuclear explosion (UNE) generates radioactive gases that can be transported through fractures to the ground surface over timescales of hours to months. If detected, the presence of particular short-lived radionuclides in the gas can provide strong evidence that a recent UNE has occurred. By drawing comparisons between sixteen similar historical U.S. UNEs where radioactive gas was or

Predictions of the atmospheric dispersion of radionuclides accidentally released from a nuclear power plant are influenced by two large sources of uncertainty: one associated with the meteorological data employed, and one with the source term, i.e. the temporal evolution of the amount and physical and chemical properties of the release. A methodology is presented for quantitative estimation of the

This paper presents the levels and distribution of 210Po in different compartments of a coastal lagoon on the east coast of Uruguay (South America). Activity concentrations of 210Po have been obtained in different matrices, such as water, superficial sediments, clams (Diplodon sp.), freshwaters snails (Pomacea sp.), zooplankton, and fishes (Jenynsia sp.), collected at different points of the lagoon

Early observations of the tritium (3H) activity in precipitation from Switzerland started in 1967 in Bern and a monitoring program with improved analytical techniques was carried out between 1971 and 2009. Between 2012 and 2015, we performed tritium analyses on daily precipitation samples from north-western Switzerland to better constrain the tritium variability. We also collected waters dripping inside

The gamma dose rate caused by airborne radionuclides is a major concern in the mitigation of nuclear accidents. Unfortunately, there is no fast method for calculating the three-dimensional (3D) gamma dose rate field near the source, because the corresponding airborne radionuclide distribution is usually calculated on non-equispaced grids and existing fast methods are only suitable for equispaced grids

Although biomagnification of radiocesium (137Cs) has been reported in food webs, most previous research has been limited to select trophic linkages. Few studies have included a comprehensive survey of fauna associated with aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial habitats within a single study framework. The objectives of this study were to advance our understanding of the dynamics of 137Cs accumulation

This study examined the temporal variations in radiocesium concentration associated with sinking particles in the northeastern Japan Sea between September 2010 and July 2012. We analyzed sediment trap samples from this period after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011. Cesium-134 was detected in samples collected between May and July 2011 at a depth of 1100 m (4

The activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb were modelled in Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine trees) on a uniform CaF2 sludge heap in Belgium. The aim of this work is to enhance the knowledge of how transfer factors behave in NORM landfills. The simplest possible model in radioecology is used, which is based on Concentration Ratios (CR-s) measured in equilibrium and activity concentrations of

In Japan, the radiocesium activity concentration in milk must be less than 50 Bq/kg-fresh to meet shipping standards, and the radiocesium concentration of the diet fed to dairy cattle must be less than 500 Bq/kg-dry. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, we conducted two experiments to investigate whether Prussian blue (PB) could suppress the radiocesium (134Cs + 137Cs) activity concentration

Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element commonly found at low levels in natural systems such as lacustrine or marine sediments. Anthropogenic activities including former uranium mining activities can lead to the dissemination of radium isotopes having high radiological toxicities, which potentially threaten the safety of nearby environments. Although radium mobility in oxidized environments