Title: Levels and trends of radioactive contaminants in the Greenland environment
Author: Henning Dahlgaard, Mats Eriksson, Sven P. Nielsen, Hans Pauli Joensen
Reference: Science of the Total Environment. Sep2004, Vol. 331 Issue 1-3, p53-67. 15p.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.03.023
Keywords: Caesium-137; Strontium-90; Technetium-99; Plutonium-239-240; Polonium-210; Greenland; Environmental radioactivity
Abstract: Levels of radioactive contaminants in various Greenland environments have been assessed during 1999–2001. The source of 137Cs, 90Sr and 239,240Pu in terrestrial and fresh water environments is mainly global fallout. In addition, the Chernobyl accident gave a small contribution of 137Cs. Reindeer and lamb contain the largest observed 137Cs concentrations in the terrestrial environment—up to 80 Bq kg−1 fresh weight have been observed in reindeer. Due to special environmental conditions, 137Cs is transferred to landlocked Arctic char with extremely high efficiency in South Greenland leading to concentrations up to 100 Bq kg−1 fresh weight. In these cases very long ecological half-lives are seen. Concentrations of 99Tc, 137Cs and 90Sr in seawater and in marine biota decrease in the order North-East Greenland and the coastal East Greenland current>South-West Greenland>Central West Greenland and North-West Greenland>Irmiger Sea∼Faroe Islands. The general large-scale oceanic circulation combined with European coastal discharges and previous contamination of the Arctic Ocean causes this.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969704002025
Title: Determination of plutonium from different sources in environmental samples using alpha-spectrometry and AMS
Author: Bisinger, T. ; Hippler, S. ; Michel, R. ; Wacker, L.; Synal, H.-A.
Reference: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research, Section B (Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms) April 2010, vol.268, no.7-8, pp. 1269-72.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2009.10.150
Keywords: Plutonium; Chernobyl; Fallout; AMS; Alpha-spectrometry
Abstract: A reliable and sensitive method for the determination of plutonium in environmental samples by a combined use of alpha-spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is presented. Different environmental samples contaminated with plutonium from the Chernobyl accident and other sources were investigated using both methods. Plutonium was chemically separated using extraction chromatography. As a chemical yield tracer, 242Pu was applied for both AMS and alpha-spectrometry. After the alpha-spectrometric measurements, the samples were converted to targets suitable for the AMS measurements. AMS was especially chosen in addition to alpha-spectrometry, because it allows the determination of 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratios as well as detecting the beta-emitting radionuclide 241Pu. Besides the generally used activity ratios of 238Pu/239,240Pu, there are now further optional isotopic ratios available using this method. By combining AMS with alpha-spectrometry, all relevant plutonium isotopes can be measured. Thereby a reliable distinction of different sources of plutonium in the environment is possible.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X09011999
Title: Analysis of 129I in lichens by accelerator mass spectrometry through a microwave-based sample preparation method
Author: Go´mez-Guzma´n, J.M.; Lo´pez-Guti´errez, J.M.; Pinto, A.R.; Holm, M.E.; Garci´a-Leo´n, M.
Reference: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research, Section B (Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms) April 2010, vol.268, no.7-8, pp. 1171-4.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2009.10.126
Keywords: Iodine-129; Lichen; Reprocessing plants; Fall-out; Chernobyl; AMS
Abstract: The presence of 129I in the environment has been strongly influenced by the artificial nuclear emissions since the beginning of the nuclear era in the mid 20th century. In order to know more about the different sources and their relative impact in different zones, it is necessary to complete the amount of measurements of this radionuclide in environmental samples. In this work, 129I has been determined in lichen samples (Cladonia alpestris) from Rogen Lake in Central Sweden. A method based on microwave digestion was developed for these measurements in order to improve speed and reduce contamination. Based on this method, 129I concentrations in some lichen samples from Lake Rogen (Sweden) have been measured, showing the impact of the Chernobyl accident and nuclear fuel reprocessing plants.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X09011756
Title: Meeting the energy challenge for the environment: The role of safety.
Author: Mampaey, Lucas
Reference: Nuclear Engineering & Design. Aug2006, Vol. 236 Issue 14-16, p1460-1463. 4p.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2006.02.017
Keywords:safety,
Abstract: Nuclear power has an overwhelming potential to meet the demands of an energy hungry world while protecting the environment. However, the renaissance of nuclear energy will only become true when the public can be convinced that nuclear power plants are safe and that a strong safety culture exists around the globe. While the overall safety performance of the world”s power plants had been steadily improved after the shock of Chernobyl, unfortunately, the overall plant availability has levelled off in the last few years. The main reason for this is found in a complacency toward nuclear safety issues which can be linked to the arrival of new CEOs in the nuclear industry who – all too often – have no nuclear background and who manage nuclear power plants in the same way they would manage any other industrial plants – being not at all aware of the necessity of a very special and very sensitive safety culture of nuclear installations
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029549306003219
Title: High-resolution historical records from Pettaquamscutt River basin sediments: 1. 210Pb and varve chronologies validate record of 137Cs released by the Chernobyl accident
Author: Lima, Ana Lúcia; Hubeny, J. Bradford; Reddy, Christopher M.; King, John W.; Hughen, Konrad A.; Eglinton, Timothy I.
Reference: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Apr2005, Vol. 69 Issue 7, p1803-1812. 10p.
DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2004.10.009.
Keywords: Pettaquamscutt River, 210Pb, 137Cs, sediments
Abstract: Cesium-137 derived from the explosion of the Chernobyl reactor in 1986 was preserved in anoxic sediments from a coastal environment in southern Rhode Island. Although the radioactive plume was detected in surface air samples at several locations in the United States, this is the first known record of a Chernobyl 137Cs peak in sediments from North America. The inventory of Chernobyl 137Cs that was preserved in the Pettaquamscutt River is small compared to European counterparts and should only be detectable for the next 15–20 yr. However, the presence of two 137Cs peaks (1963 and 1987) identifies a well-dated segment of the sediment column that could be exploited in understanding the decomposition and preservation of terrestrial and aquatic organic matter. Different methods for calculating the 210Pb chronology were also evaluated in this study and checked against independent varve counting. The end result is a detailed chronology of a site well suited for reconstruction of historical records of environmental change.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016703704007975
Title: MUD: a Model to investigate the migration of 137Cs in the Urban environment and Drainage and sewage treatment systems.
Author: Gallego, Eduardo.
Reference: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. Oct2005, Vol. 85 Issue 2/3, p247-264. 18p.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2004.10.017.
Keywords: Technetium-99; Chernobyl fallout; Organic soil; Plants of the understorey vegetation
Abstract: A model is presented for the migration of137Cs in the urban environment, including the drainage systems and the sewage treatment plants, with flexibility to be adapted to different configurations common in urban areas. The dynamics of137Cs is simulated both under natural evolution and in case of forced decontamination, which can have a direct impact on the radioactivity going to sewers. The model assesses the activity concentrated in sewage sludge and that discharged with the treated or untreated effluent to the receiving watercourse. Tests made for two post-Chernobyl contamination scenarios in Sweden show differences between model predictions and observed results within the range of the experimental uncertainties. An uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the main model parameters indicates that some parameters may have a significant influence on the results of the model. Moreover, the model uncertainty is driven by a few parameters; therefore, additional research could be necessary into these parameters, aiming at simplifying the model without losing its predictive power.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X05002201
Title: Separation of Tc-99 in soil and plant samples collected around the Chernobyl reactor using a Tc-selective chromatographic resin and determination of the nuclide by ICP-MS
Author: Uchida, S.; Tagami, K.; Ruhm, W.; Steiner, M.; Wirth, E.
Reference: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, July-Aug. 2000, vol.53, no.1-2, pp. 69-73
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0969-8043(00)00112-3
Keywords: Technetium-99; Chernobyl fallout; Organic soil; Plants of the understorey vegetation
Abstract: Technetium (Tc) is known to have high mobility in a soil–water system and also high bioavailability for plants, because the most stable form of Tc in natural surface environment is thought to be TcO−4 which is highly soluble. The chemical form of Tc, however, changes with environmental conditions. Thus, it is necessary, for realistic assessment, to obtain transfer parameters, such as transfer factors, under natural conditions. However, it is difficult to obtain these parameters using global fallout in actual fields due to its low concentration. In this study, concentrations in surface soil and plant leaf samples collected from forest sites within the 30-km zone around the Chernobyl reactor were measured for the first time. In the case of soil samples, a simple and rapid analytical method for determination of is used which consists of volatilizing and trapping Tc in a combustion apparatus, purifying the Tc with an extraction chromatographic resin, and measuring it by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For plant samples, a wet digestion method in combination with the resin is applied and the is measured by ICP-MS. Concentrations of in organic soil samples and leaves of strawberry (Fragaria vesca) range from 1.1–14.8 Bq kg−1 dry weight and 0.2–6.0 Bq kg−1 dry weight, respectively. Our results indicate that soil-to-plant transfer factors for Tc are similar to those for Cs.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969804300001123
Title: Transfer and behaviour of 137Cs in two Finnish lakes and their catchments
Author: Saxén, Ritva; Ilus, Erkki.
Reference: Science of the Total Environment. May2008, Vol. 394 Issue 2/3, p349-360. 12p.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.01.048.
Keywords: Caesium-137; Chernobyl fallout; Freshwater fish; Aquatic plants; Lake sediments; Mushrooms
Abstract: The long-term behaviour of 137Cs was studied in two freshwater ecosystems in southern Finland in an area most loaded by the Chernobyl fallout in 1986. Samples were taken from water, sediments, aquatic plants and fish in the lakes and from soil, mushrooms and seed plants in the catchments. The activity concentrations of 137Cs in fish have remained at a relatively high level and decreased much more slowly in these two lakes than in other lakes studied by us. One reason for the continuously high concentrations in fish is evidently the prolonged stay of caesium at a relatively high level in the water of these lakes, which is associated with a slow sedimentation rate. The hydrographical properties of the lakes, i.e. the oligotrophic character associated with a deficiency of potassium in water and a low pH are other reasons for the effective uptake and long retention time of 137Cs in fish. The effect of humic substances on the uptake and delay of caesium in fish could not be proved clearly in this study. The swampy soil type of the catchment associated with a more oligotrophic status and lower pH of the water in Lake Siikajärvi explain at least partly the difference in activity concentrations and transfer of 137Cs between the two lakes studied. This refers to the higher transfer from the catchment to the lake and the higher uptake of 137Cs by fish and other biota in Lake Siikajärvi than in Lake Vehkajärvi. Perch and pike were more efficient accumulators of caesium than the best indicators among the aquatic plants. In the terrestrial environment, caesium was most effectively accumulated by mushrooms.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969708000971
Title: Acute myeloid leukemia presenting in a mother and daughter pair with the identical acquired karyotypic abnormality consisting of inversion 3q21q26 and monosomy 7: a review of possible mechanisms
Author: Lawrie, Alastair / Stevenson, David A.J. / Doig, Tamasin N. / Vickers, Mark A. / Culligan, Dominic J
Reference: Cancer Genetics, 205 (11), p.599-602, Nov 2012
doi: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2012.09.001
Keywords: Myeloid; hereditary; monosomy 7; inversion 3q21
Abstract: The 3q21q26 inversion is associated with both myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), often in association with monosomy 7. In this report, we present a young woman and her mother, both diagnosed with AML, exhibiting similar morphological and identical cytogenetic features. AML with abnormalities of chromosome 3q is often characterized by abnormal megakaryopoeisis and diabetes insipidus, and both were seen in these cases. To our knowledge, this is the first report of familial aggregation of AML displaying an inversion of chromosome 3q and monosomy 7. We discuss possible mechanisms for the development of familial AML with identical karyotypic abnormalities and the link between 3q aberrations and monosomy 7.
…within the National Cancer Research Institute…released as a result of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, at…Increases in childhood thyroid cancer were noted in studies…exposed to radiation from Chernobyl is much less strong…
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210776212002323
Title: ICRP PUBLICATION 118: ICRP Statement on Tissue Reactions and Early and Late Effects of Radiation in Normal Tissues and Organs – Threshold Doses for Tissue Reactions in a Radiation Protection Context
Author: Stewart, F.A. / Akleyev, A.V. / Hauer-Jensen, M. / Hendry, J.H. / Kleiman, N.J. / MacVittie, T.J. / Aleman, B.M. / (…) /
Reference: Annals of the ICRP, 41 (1-2), p.1-322, Feb 2012
doi: 10.1016/j.icrp.2012.02.001
Keywords:
Abstract: This report provides a review of early and late effects of radiation in normal tissues and organs with respect to radiation protection. It was instigated following a recommendation in Publication 103 (ICRP, 2007), and it provides updated estimates of ‘practical’ threshold doses for tissue injury defined at the level of 1% incidence. Estimates are given for morbidity and mortality endpoints in all organ systems following acute, fractionated, or chronic exposure. The organ systems comprise the haematopoietic, immune, reproductive, circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and nervous systems; the digestive and urinary tracts; the skin; and the eye….
…training.seer.cancer.gov…1992) Nuclear reactor Chernobyl, 1986 n = 214 with exposure…Agency for Research on Cancer; ERR, excess…workers Jacobson (2005) Chernobyl…spermatogenesis from damage by cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy…
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146645312000024
