Tools for forming strategies for remediation of forests and park areas in northern Europe after radioactive contamination: background and techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubbard, L.; Rantavaara, A.; Andersson, K.; Roed, J.

2002-01-01

This report compiles background information that can be used in planning appropriate countermeasures for forest and park areas in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway, in case a nuclear accident results in large-scale contamination of forests. The information is formulated to inform the forestry sector and radiation protection experts about the practicality of both forest management techniques and mechanical cleanup methods, for use in their planning of specific strategies that can lead to an optimal use of contaminated forests. Decisions will depend on the site and the actual situation after radioactive deposition to forested areas, but the report provides background information from investigations performed before an accident occurs that will make the process more effective. The report also discusses the radiological consequences of producing energy from biomass contaminated by a major nuclear accident, both in the context of normal bio-fuel energy production and as a means of reducing potentially severe environmental problems in the forest by firing power plants with highly contaminated forest biomass. (au)

Power production from radioactively contaminated biomass and forest litter in Belarus - Phase 1b

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roed, J.; Andersson, K.G.; Fogh, C.L. [and others

2000-03-01

The Chernobyl accident has led to radioactive contamination of vast Belarussian forest areas. A total scheme for remediation of contaminated forest areas and utilisation of the removed biomass in safe energy production is being investigated in a Belarussian-American-Danish collaborative project. Here the total radiological impact of the scheme is considered. This means that not only the dose reductive effect of the forest decontamination is taken into account, but also the possible adverse health effects in connection with the much needed bio-energy production. This report presents the results of an in-country, commercial-scale investigation of the effect of a baghouse filter in retaining contaminants so that they are not released to the atmosphere in the biomass energy production process. Approximately 99,5 % of the activity of a commercially representative, dust-laden boiler flue gas was removed from the stream by using a combination of a cyclone and a baghouse filter. (au)

Tritium contamination of concrete walls and floors in tritium-handling laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawano, T.; Kuroyanagi, M.; Tabei, T.

2006-01-01

A tritium handling laboratory was constructed at the National Institute for Fusion Science about twenty years ago and it was recently closed down. We completed the necessary work that is legally required in Japan at the laboratory, when the use of radioisotopes is discontinued, involving measurements of radioactive contamination. We mainly used smear and direct-immersion methods for the measurements. In applying the smear method, we used a piece of filter paper to wipe up the tritium staining the surfaces. The filter paper containing the tritium was placed directly into a dedicated vial, a scintillation cocktail was then poured over it, and the tritium was measured with a liquid scintillation counter. With the direct-immersion method, a piece of concrete was placed directly into a vial containing a scintillation cocktail, and the tritium in the concrete was measured with a liquid scintillation counter. As well as these measurements, we investigated water-extraction and heating-cooling methods for measuring tritium contamination in concrete. With the former, a piece of concrete was placed into water in a tube to extract the tritium, the water containing the extracted tritium was then poured into a dedicated vial containing a scintillation cocktail, and the tritium contamination was measured. With the latter, a piece of concrete was placed into a furnace and heated to 800 degrees centigrade to vaporize the tritiated water into flowing dry air. The flowing air was then cooled to collect the vaporized tritiated water in a tube. The collected water was placed in a vial for scintillation counting. To evaluate the direct-immersion method, ratios were determined by dividing the contamination measured with the heating-cooling method by that measured with the direct-immersion method. The average ratio was about 2.5, meaning a conversion factor from contamination obtained with the direct-immersion method to that with the heating-cooling method. We also investigated the

Radioactive contamination of the forests in Southern Poland in the year 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jasinska, M.; Mietelski, J.W.; Greszta, J.; Barszcz, J.; Niemtur, S.

1989-01-01

Experimental data of caesium and ruthenium radioactivity in chosen parts of forests ecosystems in Southern Poland are presented. Samples were taken from 19 experimental areas placed in the standard net of Academy of Agriculture areas in the summer of 1987. Samples of plants and of two upper layers of forest soil were analysed. Measurements were performed with a low-background gamma-rays spectrometer with the Ge(Li) detector. Caesium and 137 activity (decay corrected for 1 August 1987) in litter reaches 2.5 kBq per kg of dry mass. The correlation factors between contamination levels in various kinds of samples were calculated. Caesium 137 contamination level before Chernobyl accident in moulder layer of soils was estimated. 15 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs. (author)

Main reabilitation principles for forest lands, contaminated by radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borodastov, G.V.; Panfilov, A.V.; Ushakov, B.A.

1992-01-01

The reabilitation principles of radionuclide contaminated forest lands are proposed, based on the reabilitation experience in the thirty kilometer zone, on materials of researches and design and research, works of the enterprise Vozrozhdenie. The work is oriented on using in the higher and middle links of the organization structure. The feature of the reabilitation system is a complex approach to solution of the problem

Balancing the risks of habitat alteration and environmental contamination in a contaminated forested wetland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bleiler, J.A.; Daukas, G.; Richardson, N.

1994-01-01

The North Lawrence Oil Dump Site (NLODS) is an inactive hazardous waste site located adjacent to an extensive palustrine forested wetland in upstate New York. Waste oil and oil sludge were disposed of in a lagoon adjacent to the wetland during the 1960s. During periods of high water, oils escaped from the lagoon and were transported into the wetlands. High concentrations of lead and PCBs were detected in NLODS wetland sediments, and contaminants from the site were present in wetland's plant and animal tissues. However, contaminated portions of the wetlands appear to be physically undisturbed and provide high quality wildlife habitat. The results of an ecological risk assessment indicated that lead and PCB contamination in NLODS sediment may be impacting some components of the wetlands community. The risk management process considered both the toxicological risks associated with lead and PCB contamination, as well as the significant habitat destruction risks associated with remediation. Six potential PCB target cleanup levels were evaluated. Following removal of sediments with PCB contamination greater than 0.5 mg/kg, 3.5 acres of sediment with lead contamination in excess of 250 mg/kg (the New York State ''Severe Effect Level'') would remain. More than 1.5 of these acres would contain lead concentrations in excess of 1,000 mg/kg. Reducing lead levels to background concentrations would require more than 50 acres of wetlands alteration. The Record of Decision at the NLODS recognized the high quality habitat provided by the site's wetlands, and attempted to balance the risks from habitat alteration with the risks of environmental contamination

Preliminary study of a blanket handling device and evaluation of the feasibility of eliminating the spread of radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leger, D.; Djerassi, H.; Maupou, M.; Charruyer, P.; Salpietro, E.

1988-01-01

A study concerning progress and future development of the BLANKET HANDLING DEVICE of NET-DN tokamak and the related potentialities against contamination dispersal during handling of internal segments. To prevent the dust dispersion during the mantainance operations, there are three options: a Tight-Intermediate Containment (TIC), a Containment Transfer Unit (CTU) or the dust fixation on the internal components. The design of the BHD takes account of multivarious dimensioning requirements (geometrical and dimensional constraints, including characteristics of the segments and torus), environmental and operational constraints (safety, lifetime, maintainability, cooling of Blanket segments, containment). The possible solutions concerning protection of special devices, during handling and travelling, are discussed

Distribution of radioactive Cesium in trees and effect of decontamination of forest contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iijima, K.; Funaki, H.; Tokizawa, T.; Nakayama, S.

2013-01-01

In decontamination pilot projects conducted by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), many different techniques were tested to determine their applicability to remediate areas evacuated after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident following the Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011. In addition to buildings, roads and farmland, the forest adjacent to living areas was one of the main decontamination targets. The projects evaluated the radioactive contamination of trees and the effectiveness of decontaminating a highly contaminated evergreen forest. This forest was located 1.3 km southwest of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and is dominated by Japanese cedar trees and fir trees. As the first step, three Japanese cedar trees and three fir trees were cut down and the distributions of radioactive cesium (Cs) were measured in each. The total concentrations of 134 Cs and 137 Cs in the leaves and branches were about 1 MBq/kg for both cedar and fir trees, and were appreciably higher than in the bark for cedar. The concentrations in the outer part of the trunks (under the bark) were lower, on the order of 10 kBq/kg, and those in the core of the trunks were lower than 1 kBq/kg for both kinds of trees. The observation that the Cs concentrations are higher in the outer part of trees, is compatible with the assumption that radio-Cs was mostly adsorbed on the surface of trees and partly penetrated into the trunks through the bark. Evolution of air dose rates in a 100 x 60 m pasture adjacent to the forest was monitored during decontamination of the forest and of the pasture itself. The dose rates in the pasture decreased drastically after stripping contaminated topsoil from the pasture and decreased slightly more after stripping contaminated topsoil of the forest floor and pruning the trees. Cutting down and removing 84 trees in the outermost area (10- m width) of the forest also slightly decreased these dose rates. After decontamination, the residual dose

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (Oh-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sucharova, Julie; Suchara, Ivan; Hola, Marie; Reimann, Clemens; Boyd, Rognvald; Filzmoser, Peter; Englmaier, Peter

2011-01-01

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the 'environmental memory' of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km 2 in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources. - Highlights: → Concentrations of 39 elements in forest floor humus are provided. → The capabilities of humus sampling for bio-monitoring purposes are demonstrated. → Geochemical anomalies are linked to known contamination sources. → The study shows the importance of scale for geochemical mapping projects. → Humus provides a picture of the long term contamination history of a country. - Forest floor humus, the atmosphere-biosphere-pedosphere interface, archives an environmental contamination signal over long time periods.

Integration of Forest Fuel Handling in the Ordinary Forestry. Studies on Forestry, Technology and Economy of Forest Fuel Production in Lithuania

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, Lars [Regional Forestry Board of Vaermland-Oerebro, Karlstad (Sweden); Budrys, Renatas [Lithuanian Forest Research Inst. (Lithuania)

2002-07-01

During the year 2000, The Swedish Forest Administration and Forest Department, Ministry of Environment in Lithuania, started a bilateral co-operation project, named: 'Swedish Lithuanian Wood Fuel Development Project', financed by the Swedish Energy Agency. The project was divided into 2 phases. The first phase objectives were to make a feasibility study in the eastern part of Lithuania and to identify the present conditions for the utilization of wood fuel within seven state forest enterprises and to define a demonstration and experimental area for the phase 2. The purpose of this work was to find solutions for creating horizontal and vertical integration in the handling of forest fuels in ordinary forestry and supply systems. The aim would be to give specific recommendations on which methods are the most suitable and profitable and on what type of equipment to use for various conditions and by the means of demonstrations to show how to integrate the positive results into the ordinary forestry activities. Different kinds of activities have been carried out to ensure capacity building and development on other levels within the system. 3 activity groups were established and have been working side by side with the appointed team leaders for each activity group from the institutions leading in the specific area within the forest sector in Lithuania. Swedish specialists from the Swedish Forest Administration were involved into the project and the activity groups as well. Lithuanian Forest Research Institute was involved into the project with research support. Additional to the project a mobile drum wood chipper was purchased from Sweden. 3 separate investigations have been conducted, one by Kaunas Univ. of Tech. on the analysis and estimation of material balance in Lithuania saw milling industry, another by Forest Economy Centre on wood fuel produced in industry in Lithuania and the third one by Lithuanian Energy Institute and AF international on Bio fuel

Behaviour of radiocesium in forest ecosystem contaminated during a nuclear accident; Comportement du radiocesium en ecosysteme forestier contamine lors d'un accident nucleaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thiry, Y. [Univ. Catholique de Louvain, Lab. de Physiologie Vegetale, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Ronneau, C. [Univ. Catholique de Louvain, Lab. de Chimie Inorganique, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Myttenaere, C. [Univ. Catholique de Louvain, Lab. de Physiologie Vegetale, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)

1992-07-01

Vegetation and soils sampling were realized in 2 forest zones near the accidented power plant of Chernobyl. The {sup 137}Cs distribution in a red pine stand is established; many specific measures of wood complete the study. Results discussion point out the difficulties to manage the contaminated forest area without a good knowledge of the radioelement biochemical cycle. (author)

Surface contamination effects on leaf chemical composition in the Atlantic Forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrari, A.A.; Franca, E.J.; Fernandes, E.A.N.; Bacchi, M.A.

2006-01-01

The exogenous material that adheres to the leaf surface affects the elemental composition of the plant itself, thereby constituting one of the major error sources in plant analysis. The present work investigated the surface contamination of leaves from the Atlantic Forest. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to assess the efficiency of leaf EDTA-washing. Chemical element concentrations were corrected using Sc (soil tracer) since resuspended soil is the main source of contamination in leaves. As a result, EDTA-washing should be used mainly for the evaluation of terrigenous elements, while the Sc-corrected concentrations are considered satisfactory for the other elements. (author)

Soil-plant transfer of radiocaesium in slightly contaminated forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamarque, S.; Lucot, E.; Badot, P.M.

2004-01-01

During Chernobyl's accident, large areas of Western European countries, particularly forests, were contaminated with radiocaesium fallouts. Soil-plant transfer is often the first step by which 137 Cs enters the food chains and flows through the biogeochemical cycle. The present work is devoted to document the soil-plant transfer of radiocaesium in slightly contaminated forest areas. Twelve sites, representative of the various functional features and great diversity of ecological contexts of Franche-Comte region (France), were selected to sample soils and forest trees: three species (Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica, Corylus avellana) and two organs (leaves or needles and young branches) were measured. Radiocaesium activities in soils have been observed to vary in range of 61 to 280 Bq.kg -1 DW at 0-5 cm depth (8500 to 14280 Bq.m -2 ). A great correlation exists between organic carbon content and soil total radiocaesium concentration (r 2 = 0,60). The studied soils have large organic carbon contents (2,7 to 28%) and large water pH values (3,1 to 6,1). Radiocaesium activities in leaves, needles and branches varied in range of 0 to 128 Bq.kg -1 DW, 0 to 163 Bq.kg -1 DW and 0 to 180 Bq.kg -1 DW respectively. We reported a large variability of Transfer Factors, TFs (0.02 to 0.58) with respect to vegetation type, organ type and soil features. The activity concentration in the leaves and needles were generally found to be greater than those measured in the branches. No correlation was found between soil radiocaesium activity and vegetation radiocaesium activity. TFs values could be related to variations in the radiocaesium bioavailability function of the soil features. (author)

Recent history of sediment metal contamination in Lake Macquarie, Australia, and an assessment of ash handling procedure effectiveness in mitigating metal contamination from coal-fired power stations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, Larissa, E-mail: Larissa.Schneider@canberra.edu.au [Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Maher, William [Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Potts, Jaimie [New South Wales Office of Environmental and Heritage, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141 Australia (Australia); Gruber, Bernd [Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Batley, Graeme [CSIRO Land and Water, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234 (Australia); Taylor, Anne [Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Chariton, Anthony [CSIRO Land and Water, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234 (Australia); Krikowa, Frank [Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Zawadzki, Atun; Heijnis, Henk [Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234 (Australia)

2014-08-15

This study assessed historical changes in metal concentrations in sediments of southern Lake Macquarie resulting from the activities of coal-fired power stations, using a multi-proxy approach which combines {sup 210}Pb, {sup 137}Cs and metal concentrations in sediment cores. Metal concentrations in the lake were on average, Zn: 67 mg/kg, Cu: 15 mg/kg, As: 8 mg/kg, Se: 2 mg/kg, Cd: 1.5 mg/kg, Pb: 8 mg/kg with a maximum of Zn: 280 mg/kg, Cu: 80 mg/kg, As: 21 mg/kg, Se: 5 mg/kg, Cd: 4 mg/kg, Pb: 48 mg/kg. The ratios of measured concentrations in sediment cores to their sediment guidelines were Cd 1.8, As 1.0, Cu 0.5, Pb 0.2 and Zn 0.2, with the highest concern being for cadmium. Of special interest was assessment of the effects of changes in ash handling procedures by the Vales Point power station on the metal concentrations in the sediments. Comparing sediment layers before and after ash handling procedures were implemented, zinc concentrations have decreased 10%, arsenic 37%, selenium 20%, cadmium 38% and lead 14%. An analysis of contaminant depth profiles showed that, after implementation of new ash handling procedures in 1995, selenium and cadmium, the main contaminants in Australian black coal had decreased significantly in this estuary. - Highlights: • The main sources of metals to Southern Lake Macquarie are coal-fired power stations. • The metal of highest concern in this estuary is cadmium. • Arsenic was mobile in sediments. • Selenium and cadmium decreased in sediments following new ash handling procedures.

Recent history of sediment metal contamination in Lake Macquarie, Australia, and an assessment of ash handling procedure effectiveness in mitigating metal contamination from coal-fired power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, Larissa; Maher, William; Potts, Jaimie; Gruber, Bernd; Batley, Graeme; Taylor, Anne; Chariton, Anthony; Krikowa, Frank; Zawadzki, Atun; Heijnis, Henk

2014-01-01

This study assessed historical changes in metal concentrations in sediments of southern Lake Macquarie resulting from the activities of coal-fired power stations, using a multi-proxy approach which combines 210 Pb, 137 Cs and metal concentrations in sediment cores. Metal concentrations in the lake were on average, Zn: 67 mg/kg, Cu: 15 mg/kg, As: 8 mg/kg, Se: 2 mg/kg, Cd: 1.5 mg/kg, Pb: 8 mg/kg with a maximum of Zn: 280 mg/kg, Cu: 80 mg/kg, As: 21 mg/kg, Se: 5 mg/kg, Cd: 4 mg/kg, Pb: 48 mg/kg. The ratios of measured concentrations in sediment cores to their sediment guidelines were Cd 1.8, As 1.0, Cu 0.5, Pb 0.2 and Zn 0.2, with the highest concern being for cadmium. Of special interest was assessment of the effects of changes in ash handling procedures by the Vales Point power station on the metal concentrations in the sediments. Comparing sediment layers before and after ash handling procedures were implemented, zinc concentrations have decreased 10%, arsenic 37%, selenium 20%, cadmium 38% and lead 14%. An analysis of contaminant depth profiles showed that, after implementation of new ash handling procedures in 1995, selenium and cadmium, the main contaminants in Australian black coal had decreased significantly in this estuary. - Highlights: • The main sources of metals to Southern Lake Macquarie are coal-fired power stations. • The metal of highest concern in this estuary is cadmium. • Arsenic was mobile in sediments. • Selenium and cadmium decreased in sediments following new ash handling procedures

Emerging contaminants related to the occurrence of forest fires in the Spanish Mediterranean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Campo, J.; Lorenzo, M.; Cammeraat, E.L.H.; Picó, Y.; Andreu, V.

2017-01-01

Forest fires can be a source of contamination because, among others, of the use of chemicals to their extinction (flame retardants, FRs), or by the production of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from high temperature alteration of organic matter. Up to our knowledge, this study is the

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (O{sub h}-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sucharova, Julie; Suchara, Ivan; Hola, Marie [Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Kvetnove namesti 391, 252 43 Pruhonice (Czech Republic); Reimann, Clemens, E-mail: Clemens.Reimann@ngu.no [Geological Survey of Norway, P.O. Box 6315 Sluppen, 7491 Trondheim (Norway); Boyd, Rognvald [Geological Survey of Norway, P.O. Box 6315 Sluppen, 7491 Trondheim (Norway); Filzmoser, Peter [Institute for Statistics and Probability Theory, Vienna University of Technology, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10, 1040 Wien (Austria); Englmaier, Peter [Faculty of Life Science, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

2011-05-15

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the 'environmental memory' of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km{sup 2} in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources. - Highlights: > Concentrations of 39 elements in forest floor humus are provided. > The capabilities of humus sampling for bio-monitoring purposes are demonstrated. > Geochemical anomalies are linked to known contamination sources. > The study shows the importance of scale for geochemical mapping projects. > Humus provides a picture of the long term contamination history of a country. - Forest floor humus, the atmosphere-biosphere-pedosphere interface, archives an environmental contamination signal over long time periods.

Dispersal of radioactivity by wildlife from contaminated sites in a forested landscape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garten, C.T. Jr.

1992-01-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is located within the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of eastern Tennessee (USA). This area is characterized by deciduous forests dominated by hardwood and mixed mesophytic tree species. Wildlife populations have access to some radioactively contaminated sites at ORNL, and contaminated animals or animal nests within the Laboratory's boundaries have been found to contain on the order of 10 -12 to 10 -6 Ci/g of 90 Sr or 137 Cs, and trace amounts of other radionuclides (including transuranic elements). Theoretical calculations indicate that nanocurie levels of 90 Sr in bone can arise from relatively small amounts (1%) of contaminated browse vegetation in a deer's diet. Measures that have been undertaken at ORNL to curtail the dispersal of radioactivity by animals are briefly reviewed

Decontamination manual of RI handling laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadachi, Yoshiki

2004-01-01

Based on experiences in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), the essential and practical knowledge of radioactive contamination and its decontamination, and the method and procedure of floor decontamination are described for researcher and managing person in charge of handling radioisotopes (RI) in RI handling laboratories. Essential knowledge concerns the uniqueness of solid surface contamination derived from RI half lives and quantities, surface contamination density limit, and mode/mechanism of contamination. The principle of decontamination is a single conduct with recognition of chemical form of the RI under use. As the practical knowledge, there are physical and chemical methods of solid surface decontamination. The latter involves use of inorganic acids, chelaters and surfactants. Removal and replacement of contaminated solid like floor material are often effective. Distribution mapping of surface contamination can be done by measuring the radioactivity in possibly contaminated areas, and is useful for planning of effective decontamination. Floor surface decontamination is for the partial and spread areas of the floor. It is essential to conduct the decontamination with reagent from the highly to less contaminated areas. Skin decontamination with either neutral detergent or titanium oxide is also described. (N.I.)

Confinement facilities for handling plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maraman, W.J.; McNeese, W.D.; Stafford, R.G.

1975-01-01

Plutonium handling on a multigram scale began in 1944. Early criteria, equipment, and techniques for confining contamination have been superseded by more stringent criteria and vastly improved equipment and techniques for in-process contamination control, effluent air cleaning and treatment of liquid wastes. This paper describes the evolution of equipment and practices to minimize exposure of workers and escape of contamination into work areas and into the environment. Early and current contamination controls are compared. (author)

Development of a telerobotic system for handling contaminated process equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, J.J.; Ward, C.R.; Schuler, T.F.

1987-01-01

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company is evaluating a unique eight-degree-of-freedom Telerobot manipulator to perform size-reduction and material handling operations on contaminated process equipment at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). The Telerobot will be installed in the proposed Transuranic (TRU) Waste Processing Facility, which is scheduled to be operational by 1990. A full-scale prototype Telerobot, manufactured by GCA Corporation, St. Paul, MN is being tested with other process equipment in the Components Test Facility at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL). All telerobotic operations required in the TRU Waste Facility such as crate unpacking, equipment dismantling, material size-reduction, and selected maintenance operations are being tested. This paper discusses the major mechanical and control features of the Telerobot system. Several system enhancements were added by SRL, including a new quick-hand-change coupling and expanded software control functions. The new software enables a system operator to perform both teleoperated and automatic tasks through several operating modes. These enhancements, as well as future mechanical, control system, and software features, are reviewed

Effects of local-scale decontamination in a secondary forest contaminated after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayabe, Yoshiko; Hijii, Naoki; Takenaka, Chisato

2017-09-01

We investigated whether local-scale decontamination (removal of the litter layer, superficial soil layer, and understory) in a secondary forest contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident reduced 137 Cs contamination of the soil and litter. We also measured 137 Cs concentrations in plants and in the web-building spider Nephila clavata (Nephilidae: Arachnida), as an indicator species, to examine 137 Cs contamination in arthropods. One month after decontamination, the total 137 Cs contamination (soil + litter) was reduced by 20% (100 kBq·m -2 ) relative to that in an adjacent untreated (i.e., contaminated) area, which was however not statistically significant. Four months after decontamination, 137 Cs in the decontaminated area had increased to a level similar to those in the untreated area, and the air radiation dose in the decontaminated area was about 2.1 μSv·h -1 , significantly higher than that in the untreated area (1.9 μSv·h -1 ). This may have been attributed to a torrential rain event. Although no statistically significant reduction was observed, most spiders had a lower 137 Cs contamination than that before the decontamination. This implied that the decontamination may have reduced 137 Cs transfer from soil via litter to N. clavata through the detrital food chains, but may not have reduced the amount of 137 Cs transfer through grazing food chains because the concentration of 137 Cs in living tree leaves was not reduced by the decontamination. In autumn, about 2 kBq·m -2 of 137 Cs was supplied from foliage to the ground by litterfall. The results suggested that removal of the litter and superficial soil layers in a contaminated forest may be ineffective. The present study suggests that the local-scale decontamination in a secondary forest had no effect on the reduction of 137 Cs contamination in the treated area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The radium contamination in the Southern Black Forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuettelkopf, H.; Kiefer, H.

1980-01-01

The high natural radium contamination prevailing in the Southern Black Forest was used to assess the degree of contamination of the environment, the mechanisms of radium transport to man, as well as the radiation impact on the population from natural Ra-226. The Ra-226 concentration was determined in samples of soil, river and lake water, ground and spring water, drinking water and foodstuffs including potatoes, corn, flour, meat, milk, vegetables, fish, eggs and entrails; these values were compared to a summary of values taken from the literature. Ra-226 concentrations were also determined in the environmental air, grass and hay samples and wild plants. Transfer factors were calculated for fish/water, sediment/water, grass/milk, grass/soil, milk/soil and the individual foodstuffs. The maximum permissible intake per annum for the population living in this region was calculated to be 7.1 nCi/a, assuming that the total demand for foodstuffs is satisfied by local produces; this corresponds to a body burden of 7.4 nCi of Ra-226. Whole-body counting of a sample of the population showed the calculated level of Ra-226 intake to be an overestimate. (UK)

An autoradiographical method using an imaging plate for the analyses of plutonium contamination in a plutonium handling facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takasaki, Koji; Sagawa, Naoki; Kurosawa, Shigeyuki; Mizuniwa, Harumi

2011-01-01

An autoradiographical method using an imaging plate (IP) was developed to analyze plutonium contamination in a plutonium handling facility. The IPs were exposed to ten specimens having a single plutonium particle. Photostimulated luminescence (PSL) images of the specimens were taken using a laser scanning machine. One relatively large spot induced by α-radioactivity from plutonium was observed in each PSL image. The plutonium-induced spots were discriminated by a threshold derived from background and the size of the spot. A good relationship between the PSL intensities of the spots and α-radioactivities measured using a radiation counter was obtained by least-square fitting, taking the fading effect into consideration. This method was applied to workplace monitoring in an actual uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication facility. Plutonium contaminations were analyzed in ten other specimens having more than two plutonium spots. The α-radioactivities of plutonium contamination were derived from the PSL images and their relative errors were evaluated from exposure time. (author)

Forestry on the contamination territories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavrov, A.I.; Kovalev, S.D.; Zhukovskaya, O.V.; Drobyshevskaya, N.M.

1995-01-01

The common characteristic of a contamination of the Belarus' forests by radionuclides after the Chernobyl accident is indicated. The recommendations for population about the picking up the mushrooms, berries, juices, medicinal herbs, preparation of forages, wood and other production in the contaminated forests are given. The information about the using of forests in depending on a level of the soil contamination is given. 5 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Modeling the potential role of a forest ecosystem in phytostabilization and phytoextraction of 90Sr at a contaminated watershed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garten, C.T. Jr.

1999-01-01

The behavior of 90 Sr at forest sites in the White Oak Creek watershed, near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was simulated with a simple, site-specific, multicompartment model that linked biomass and element cycling dynamics. The model was used to predict the role of forest cover in mitigating hydrologic losses of 90 Sr from contaminated soils (i.e. phytostabilization) under conditions where contaminant transport is governed mainly by shallow subsurface flow. The model was also used to predict the removal of 90 Sr from soil (i.e. phytoextraction) through the growth and harvest of short rotation woody crops over a period of 30 years. Simulations with the model indicated that (1) forest preservation on the watershed is a form of phytostabilization because forest cover helps to minimize hydrologic losses of 90 Sr and (2) an attempt to significantly reduce amounts of 90 Sr in soil through phytoextraction would be unsuccessful. Over a period of 30 years, and under various management strategies, the model predicted that 90 Sr initially present in soil at a contaminated site was lost through hydrologic transport and <53% was lost by radioactive decay. Phytostabilization may be important in the management of radioactive land when issues like waste minimization and pollution prevention affect the selection of technologies to be used in environmental restoration. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

PECULIARITIES OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Varfolomeeva

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Chernobyl accident has influenced greatly all spheres of life of the affected territories, changing the life-style of the local population. [1, 2]. Investigation of the radionuclides behavior in natural conditions becomes more and more important which is connected with the fact that radionuclides are drawn into substances rotation and are actively accumulated by the plants and animals, that means that they become integral link of the food chains and are of a great importance in the functioning of the ecosystems. Deposition of radionuclides in the forest system is often higher than in agricultural arrears. Specific ecological features of the forests often lead to the high degree of accumulation of contaminating radionuclides. Organic matter high content in the forest soil and its stability increase the transfer of radionuclides from soil into plans which lead to high content of radionuclides in lichens, mosses, mushrooms and berries. Radionuclides transfer to game in such conditions could bring to the situation when some people actively consuming game meet will be highly exposured.

Human radiation dose resulting from forests contaminated by radionuclides: generic model and applications to the Chernobyl ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linkov, I.; Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA; Schell, W.R.

1996-01-01

Forest ecosystems have been found to contribute significantly to the human radiation dose in the intermediate and long teens following radionuclide releases. Evaluation of the internal and external radiation dose for these critical population groups requires knowledge of radionuclide transport processes in forest ecosystems, as well as the extent of forest utilization by these populations. The high complexity of the problem requires the use of models to define and analyze the properties of the forest as well as to evaluate the ecosystem response to possible human intervention. A generic FORESTPATH model is used to calculate the internal and external radiation doses for different critical groups of consumers at different times following radionuclide release. The model is tested using the information available for contaminated forests in Belarus. Uncertainty of the model predictions are estimated by means of Monte-Carlo simulations. (author)

Forests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melin, J.

1997-01-01

Forests have the capacity to trap and retain radionuclides for a substantial period of time. The dynamic behaviour of nutrients, pollution and radionuclides in forests is complex. The rotation period of a forest stand in the Nordic countries is about 100 years, whilst the time for decomposition of organic material in a forest environment can be several hundred years. This means that any countermeasure applied in the forest environment must have an effect for several decades, or be reapplied continuously for long periods of time. To mitigate the detrimental effect of a contaminated forest environment on man, and to minimise the economic loss in trade of contaminated forest products, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of transfer of radionuclides through the forest environment. It must also be stressed that any countermeasure applied in the forest environment must be evaluated with respect to long, as well as short term, negative effects, before any decision about remedial action is taken. Of the radionuclides studied in forests in the past, radiocaesium has been the main contributor to dose to man. In this document, only radiocaesium will be discussed since data on the impact of other radionuclides on man are too scarce for a proper evaluation. (EG)

Emergency handling of radiation accident cases: firemen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Procedures for the emergency handling of persons exposed to radiation or radioactive contamination are presented, with emphasis on information needed by firemen. The types of radiation accident patients that may be encountered are described and procedures for first aid, for preventing the spread of radioactive contamination, and for reporting the accident are outlined

Genetics and Forest Seed Handling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Lars Holger

2016-01-01

High genetic quality seed is obtained from seed sources that match the planting site, have a good outcrossing rate, and are superior in some desirable characters. Non-degraded natural forests and plantations may be used as untested seed sources, which can sometimes be managed to promote outbreeding...... and increase seed production. Planted seed orchards aim at capturing large genetic variation and are planted in a design that facilitates genetic evaluation and promotes outbred seed production. Good seed production relies upon success of the whole range of reproductive events from flower differentiation...

Ways for forestry management in radioactive contamination zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaletnik, N.N.; Pasternak, P.S.; Kiselevskij, R.G.; Molotkov, P.I.; Kuchma, N.D.; Landin, V.P.; Matukhno, Yu.D.; Shlonchak, G.L.; Podkur, P.P.; Khudolej, V.I.

1989-01-01

The necessity of realization of forestry protection measures in the radioactive contamination zone is determined by the forest ecological part and the problems of elimination of the territory secondary contamination in the process of radionuclide migration. The damage of forest tracts in the zone is analyzed. The data on pine surface contamination levels, needles appearance in forests with different degree of damage and crown phytomass, growth for pines 20 years old in forests with different damage degrees are considered. The index of pine forest state is obtained. The data discussed reveal the complicated situation, which takes place in the 30-km zone forests. It is shown that the depth of radionuclide migration into soil for forest areas is twice lower as compared with that for open places. 6 tabs

Probabilistic Round Trip Contamination Analysis of a Mars Sample Acquisition and Handling Process Using Markovian Decompositions

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Nicolas; Lin, Ying; Barengoltz, Jack

2010-01-01

A method for evaluating the probability of a Viable Earth Microorganism (VEM) contaminating a sample during the sample acquisition and handling (SAH) process of a potential future Mars Sample Return mission is developed. A scenario where multiple core samples would be acquired using a rotary percussive coring tool, deployed from an arm on a MER class rover is analyzed. The analysis is conducted in a structured way by decomposing sample acquisition and handling process into a series of discrete time steps, and breaking the physical system into a set of relevant components. At each discrete time step, two key functions are defined: The probability of a VEM being released from each component, and the transport matrix, which represents the probability of VEM transport from one component to another. By defining the expected the number of VEMs on each component at the start of the sampling process, these decompositions allow the expected number of VEMs on each component at each sampling step to be represented as a Markov chain. This formalism provides a rigorous mathematical framework in which to analyze the probability of a VEM entering the sample chain, as well as making the analysis tractable by breaking the process down into small analyzable steps.

Evaluation of diminished microbial contamination in handling of a novel daily disposable flat pack contact lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Nomachi, Miya; Sakanishi, Kotaro; Ichijima, Hideji; Cavanagh, H Dwight

2013-05-01

To evaluate the efficacy of a novel daily disposable (DD) flat package in regard to microbial contamination on the anterior and posterior surfaces of a contact lens (CL) during handling of the lens for insertion. Four kinds of commercially available general blister-packed daily disposable contact lenses (DD CLs) as controls and a novel Magic 1-day Menicon Flat Pack as a test lens were used for this in vitro study. Lenses were removed from their packages using fingers coated with fluorescein 3 to 5 μm beads or an approximately 7×10(2) to 2×10(3) colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL Staphylococcus aureus suspension. The transfer of fluorescein beads to the surface of the lenses was then observed by fluorescence microscopy. Microbial contamination on the lenses was observed by light microscopy after a 2-day incubation period; and, the number of colonies isolated from the contaminated lenses was determined after 4 days of incubation. The number of fluorescein beads on the Magic lens was significantly less (p<0.05) than that of the general blister-packed control lenses. Adherence of microbial colonies was observed on both inner and outer surfaces of general blister-packed lenses, whereas no colony formation was found on the inner surface of the Magic lens, and the lowest bacterial adherence was observed for the Magic lens. The data demonstrated that placement of the Magic DD lens onto the eye is accompanied by diminished microbial contamination compared with general blister-packed DD CLs. Eye care professionals; however, should instruct patients to comply with intended use of DD CLs to prevent CL-associated microbial keratitis. In all cases, hand washing is mandated prelens insertion.

Forest report 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This forest condition report of Hesse (Germany) includes the following topics: forest condition survey for all tree species, forest in the in the Rhine-Main area, weather and climate, soil water balance and drought stress, insects and fungi, Forestry Environment Monitoring, infiltrated substances, main results of Forest soil survey in Hesse (BZE II), the substrate group red sandstone, heavy metal contamination of forests.

Involvement of the ORNL Chemical Technology Division in contaminated air and water handling at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooksbank, R.E.; King, L.J.

1979-08-01

The President's Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island requested that Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) generate documents concerning two areas in which ORNL personnel provided on-site assistance following the accident on March 28, 1979. These are: instrumentation diagnostics, and the treatment of radioactive wastes and liquid effluents stemming from the accident. This report describes the involvement of the ORNL Chemical Technology Division (CTD) in contaminated air and water handling at Three Mile Island

Air contaminants and litter fall decomposition in urban forest areas: The case of São Paulo - SP, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamano Ferreira, Maurício; Portella Ribeiro, Andreza; Rodrigues Albuquerque, Caroline; Ferreira, Ana Paula do Nascimento Lamano; Figueira, Rubens César Lopes; Lafortezza, Raffaele

2017-05-01

Urban forests are usually affected by several types of atmospheric contaminants and by abnormal variations in weather conditions, thus facilitating the biotic homogenization and modification of ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling. Peri-urban forests and even natural forests that surround metropolitan areas are also subject to anthropogenic effects generated by cities, which may compromise the dynamics of these ecosystems. Hence, this study advances the hypothesis that the forests located at the margins of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), Brazil, have high concentrations of atmospheric contaminants leading to adverse effects on litter fall stock. The production, stock and decomposition of litter fall in two forests were quantified. The first, known as Guarapiranga forest, lies closer to the urban area and is located within the MRSP, approximately 20km from the city center. The second, Curucutu forest, is located 70km from the urban center. This forest is situated exactly on the border of the largest continuum of vegetation of the Atlantic Forest. To verify the reach of atmospheric pollutants from the urban area, levels of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu) adsorbed on the litter fall deposited on the soil surface of the forests were also quantified. The stock of litter fall and the levels of heavy metals were generally higher in the Guarapiranga forest in the samples collected during the lower rainfall season (dry season). Non-metric multidimensional scaling multivariate analysis showed a clear distinction of the sample units related to the concentrations of heavy metals in each forest. A subtle difference between the units related to the dry and rainy seasons in the Curucutu forest was also noted. Multivariate Analysis of Variance revealed that both site and season of the year (dry or rainy) were important to differentiate the quantity of heavy metals in litter fall stock, although the analysis did not show the interaction between these two

Safe handling of tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The main objective of this publication is to provide practical guidance and recommendations on operational radiation protection aspects related to the safe handling of tritium in laboratories, industrial-scale nuclear facilities such as heavy-water reactors, tritium removal plants and fission fuel reprocessing plants, and facilities for manufacturing commercial tritium-containing devices and radiochemicals. The requirements of nuclear fusion reactors are not addressed specifically, since there is as yet no tritium handling experience with them. However, much of the material covered is expected to be relevant to them as well. Annex III briefly addresses problems in the comparatively small-scale use of tritium at universities, medical research centres and similar establishments. However, the main subject of this publication is the handling of larger quantities of tritium. Operational aspects include designing for tritium safety, safe handling practice, the selection of tritium-compatible materials and equipment, exposure assessment, monitoring, contamination control and the design and use of personal protective equipment. This publication does not address the technologies involved in tritium control and cleanup of effluents, tritium removal, or immobilization and disposal of tritium wastes, nor does it address the environmental behaviour of tritium. Refs, figs and tabs

Correlations in the three-dimensional Lyman-alpha forest contaminated by high column density absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Keir K.; Bird, Simeon; Peiris, Hiranya V.; Pontzen, Andrew; Font-Ribera, Andreu; Leistedt, Boris

2018-05-01

Correlations measured in three dimensions in the Lyman-alpha forest are contaminated by the presence of the damping wings of high column density (HCD) absorbing systems of neutral hydrogen (H I; having column densities N(H I) > 1.6 × 10^{17} atoms cm^{-2}), which extend significantly beyond the redshift-space location of the absorber. We measure this effect as a function of the column density of the HCD absorbers and redshift by measuring three-dimensional (3D) flux power spectra in cosmological hydrodynamical simulations from the Illustris project. Survey pipelines exclude regions containing the largest damping wings. We find that, even after this procedure, there is a scale-dependent correction to the 3D Lyman-alpha forest flux power spectrum from residual contamination. We model this residual using a simple physical model of the HCD absorbers as linearly biased tracers of the matter density distribution, convolved with their Voigt profiles and integrated over the column density distribution function. We recommend the use of this model over existing models used in data analysis, which approximate the damping wings as top-hats and so miss shape information in the extended wings. The simple `linear Voigt model' is statistically consistent with our simulation results for a mock residual contamination up to small scales (|k| account for the effect of the highest column density absorbers on the smallest scales (e.g. |k| > 0.4 h Mpc^{-1} for small damped Lyman-alpha absorbers; HCD absorbers with N(H I) ˜ 10^{21} atoms cm^{-2}). However, these systems are in any case preferentially removed from survey data. Our model is appropriate for an accurate analysis of the baryon acoustic oscillations feature. It is additionally essential for reconstructing the full shape of the 3D flux power spectrum.

Radiocesium leaching from contaminated litter in forest streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Masaru; Gomi, Takashi; Naito, Risa S.; Negishi, Junjiro N.; Sasaki, Michiko; Toda, Hiroto; Nunokawa, Masanori; Murase, Kaori

2015-01-01

In Japanese forests suffering from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, litter fall provides a large amount of radiocesium from forests to streams. Submerged litter is processed to become a vital food resource for various stream organisms through initial leaching and subsequent decomposition. Although leaching from litter can detach radiocesium similarly to potassium, radiocesium leaching and its migration are poorly understood. We examined both radiocesium and potassium leaching to the water column and radiocesium allocation to minerals (glass beads, silica sand, and vermiculite) in the laboratory using soaked litter with and without minerals on a water column. The mineral types did not affect radiocesium leaching from litter, but soaking in water for 1, 7, and 30 days decreased the radiocesium concentration in litter by ×0.71, ×0.66, and ×0.56, respectively. Meanwhile, the 1-, 7-, and 30-day experiments decreased potassium concentration in litter by ×0.17, ×0.11, and ×0.09, respectively. Leached radiocesium remained in a dissolved form when there was no mineral phases present in the water, whereas there was sorption onto the minerals when they were present. In particular, vermiculite adsorbed radiocesium by two to three orders of magnitude more effectively than the other minerals. Because radiocesium forms (such as that dissolved or adsorbed to organic matter or minerals) can further mobilize to ecosystems, our findings will increase our understanding regarding the dynamics of radiocesium in stream ecosystems. - Highlights: • Radiocesium in contaminated litter was leached when soaked in water. • Radiocesium in litter leached slowly compared to potassium. • Minerals adsorbed dissolved radiocesium that was leached from litter. • Vermiculite effectively adsorbed radiocesium leached from litter

Contamination confinement system of irradiated materials handling laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobao, A. dos S.T.; Araujo, J.A. de; Camilo, R.L.

1988-06-01

A study to prevent radioctivity release in lab scale is presented. As a basis for the design all the limits established by the IAEA for ventilation systems were observed. An evaluation of the different parameters involved in the design have been made, resulting in the especification of the working areas, ducts and filtering systems in order to get the best conditions for the safe handling of irradiated materials. (author) [pt

Use of forest biomass to provide energy in a context of sustainable rural development - Three case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa Lopera, Jose Antonio

2000-01-01

The author includes topics like energy and global climatic change; sustainable development and study of cases (conservation and restoration of forests in the Atrato, pacific Colombian, forest handling, forest handling and forest systems in the Colombian Amazonian and conversion of subjected lands to cattle rising and itinerant agriculture to forest and other systems

Human dose pathways of radionuclides in forests; Forests ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rantavaara, A. (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Research and Environmental Surveillance, Helsinki (Finland))

2009-06-15

Forest soil, understorey vegetation and trees are all sources of radionuclides and human radiation doses after contaminating atmospheric deposition. People are exposed to radiation externally from sources outside the body and internally via ingestion and inhalation of radionuclides. Understorey vegetation contributes to ingestion doses through berries, herbs, wild honey, mushrooms and game meat; also trees provide feed to terrestrial birds and big game. During stay in forests people are subject to external radiation from forest floor and overstorey, and they may inhale airborne radioactive aerosol or gaseous radionuclides in ground level air. In the early phase of contamination also resuspended radionuclides may add to the internal dose of people via inhalation. People in Nordic countries are most exposed to radiation via ingestion of radionuclides in wild foods. The distribution of radionuclides in forests is changed by environmental processes, and thereby also the significance of various dose pathways to humans will change with time. External exposure is received in living environment from contaminated stemwood used as building timber and for manufacturing of furniture and other wood products. The aim of this paper is to outline the significance of various human dose pathways of radionuclides in forests considering the public and workers in forestry and production of bioenergy. Examples on effective doses are given based on two historical events, atmospheric nuclear weapon tests (mostly in 1950's and in 1960's) and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. (au)

Bacterial Contamination and Disinfection Status of Laryngoscopes Stored in Emergency Crash Carts

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung Won; Shin, Hee Bong; Lee, In Kyung

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify bacterial contamination rates of laryngoscope blades and handles stored in emergency crash carts by hospital and area according to the frequency of intubation attempts. Methods One hundred forty-eight handles and 71 blades deemed ready for patient use from two tertiary hospitals were sampled with sterile swabs using a standardized rolling technique. Samples were considered negative (not contaminated) if no colonies were present on the blood agar plate after an 18-hour incubation period. Samples were stratified by hospital and according to the frequency of intubation attempts (10 attempts per year) using the χ2-test and Fisher exact test. Results One or more species of bacteria were isolated from 4 (5.6%) handle tops, 20 (28.2%) handles with knurled surfaces, and 27 (18.2%) blades. No significant differences were found in microbial contamination levels on the handle tops and blades between the two hospitals and two areas according to the frequency of intubation attempts. However, significant differences were found between the two hospitals and two areas in the level of microbial contamination on the handles with knurled surfaces (pdisinfect laryngoscope blades and handles; handles should be re-designed to eliminate points of contact with the blade; and single-use, one-piece laryngoscopes should be introduced. PMID:28605891

Contamination and ecological risk assessment of trace elements in sediments of the rivers of Sundarban mangrove forest, Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M A; Al-Mamun, A; Hossain, F; Quraishi, S B; Naher, K; Khan, R; Das, S; Tamim, U; Hossain, S M; Nahid, F

2017-11-15

In this study, total concentrations of 16 trace elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, Pb, Th and U) in sediments of the rivers of the Sundarban mangrove forest, after the catastrophic oil spill accident in the Sela river of Sundarban, were determined. The overall mean concentrations of V, Cr, Fe and Cd in surface sediments of the Sundarban are remarkably higher than available literature data of those elements. Trace element contamination assessment, using different environmental contamination indices, reveals that As, Sb, Th and U are low to moderately contaminated while Cd is moderately to severely contaminated in the sediments of this area. The multivariate statistical analyses were applied to reveal the origin and behavior of the elements during their transport in the mangrove ecosystem. High Cr, Ni, Cu and As concentrations suggest the risk of potentially adverse biological effects in the ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality concerns due to forest fires: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contamination of groundwater from mountain areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansilha, C; Carvalho, A; Guimarães, P; Espinha Marques, J

2014-01-01

Water quality alterations due to forest fires may considerably affect aquatic organisms and water resources. These impacts are cumulative as a result of pollutants mobilized from fires, chemicals used to fight fire, and postfire responses. Few studies have examined postfire transport into water resources of trace elements, including the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are organic pollutants produced during combustion and are considered carcinogenic and harmful to humans. PAH are also known to adversely affect survival, growth, and reproduction of many aquatic species. This study assessed the effects of forest wildfires on groundwater from two mountain regions located in protected areas from north and central Portugal. Two campaigns to collect water samples were performed in order to measure PAH levels. Fifteen of 16 studied PAH were found in groundwater samples collected at burned areas, most of them at concentrations significantly higher than those found in control regions, indicating aquifer contamination. The total sum of PAH in burned areas ranged from 23.1to 95.1 ng/L with a median of 62.9 ng/L, which is one- to sixfold higher than the average level measured in controls (16.2 ng/L). In addition, in control samples, the levels of light PAH with two to four rings were at higher levels than heavy PAH with five or six rings, thus showing a different profile between control and burned sites. The contribution of wildfires to groundwater contamination by PAH was demonstrated, enabling a reliable assessment of the impacts on water quality and preparation of scientifically based decision criteria for postfire forest management practices.

Research Progress of Artificial Forest in the Remediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Jiafang, MA; Guangtao, MENG; Liping, HE; Guixiang, LI

2017-01-01

(1) Remediation of soil contaminated by heavy metals has become a hot topic in the world, and phytoremediation technology is the most widely used. (2) In addition to traditional economic benefits, ecological benefits of artificial forest have been more and more important, which are very helpful to soil polluted with heavy metals in the environment. (3) The characteristics of heavy metal pollution of soil and plantations of repair mechanism have been reviewed, and the current mining areas, wetlands, urban plantations on heavy metal elements have enriched the research results. The purpose is to find a new path for governance of heavy metal soil pollution.

Biogeochemical cycles of Chernobyl-born radionuclides in the contaminated forest ecosystems: long-term dynamics of the migration processes

Science.gov (United States)

Shcheglov, Alexey; Tsvetnova, Ol'ga; Klyashtorin, Alexey

2013-04-01

Biogeochemical migration is a dominant factor of the radionuclide transport through the biosphere. In the early XX century, V.I. Vernadskii, a Russian scientist known, noted about a special role living things play in transport and accumulation of natural radionuclide in various environments. The role of biogeochemical processes in migration and redistribution of technogenic radionuclides is not less important. In Russia, V. M. Klechkovskii and N.V. Timofeev-Ressovskii showed some important biogeochemical aspects of radionuclide migration by the example of global fallout and Kyshtym accident. Their followers, R.M. Alexakhin, M.A. Naryshkin, N.V. Kulikov, F.A. Tikhomirov, E.B. Tyuryukanova, and others also contributed a lot to biogeochemistry of radionuclides. In the post-Chernobyl period, this area of knowledge received a lot of data that allowed building the radioactive element balance and flux estimation in various biogeochemical cycles [Shcheglov et al., 1999]. Regrettably, many of recent radioecological studies are only focused on specific radionuclide fluxes or pursue some applied tasks, missing the holistic approach. Most of the studies consider biogeochemical fluxes of radioactive isotopes in terms of either dose estimation or radionuclide migration rates in various food chains. However, to get a comprehensive picture and develop a reliable forecast of environmental, ecological, and social consequences of radioactive pollution in a vast contaminated area, it is necessary to investigate all the radionuclide fluxes associated with the biogeochemical cycles in affected ecosystems. We believe such an integrated approach would be useful to study long-term environmental consequences of the Fukushima accident as well. In our long-term research, we tried to characterize the flux dynamics of the Chernobyl-born radionuclides in the contaminated forest ecosystems and landscapes as a part of the integrated biogeochemical process. Our field studies were started in June of

Predicting redox-sensitive contaminant concentrations in groundwater using random forest classification

Science.gov (United States)

Tesoriero, Anthony J.; Gronberg, Jo Ann; Juckem, Paul F.; Miller, Matthew P.; Austin, Brian P.

2017-08-01

Machine learning techniques were applied to a large (n > 10,000) compliance monitoring database to predict the occurrence of several redox-active constituents in groundwater across a large watershed. Specifically, random forest classification was used to determine the probabilities of detecting elevated concentrations of nitrate, iron, and arsenic in the Fox, Wolf, Peshtigo, and surrounding watersheds in northeastern Wisconsin. Random forest classification is well suited to describe the nonlinear relationships observed among several explanatory variables and the predicted probabilities of elevated concentrations of nitrate, iron, and arsenic. Maps of the probability of elevated nitrate, iron, and arsenic can be used to assess groundwater vulnerability and the vulnerability of streams to contaminants derived from groundwater. Processes responsible for elevated concentrations are elucidated using partial dependence plots. For example, an increase in the probability of elevated iron and arsenic occurred when well depths coincided with the glacial/bedrock interface, suggesting a bedrock source for these constituents. Furthermore, groundwater in contact with Ordovician bedrock has a higher likelihood of elevated iron concentrations, which supports the hypothesis that groundwater liberates iron from a sulfide-bearing secondary cement horizon of Ordovician age. Application of machine learning techniques to existing compliance monitoring data offers an opportunity to broadly assess aquifer and stream vulnerability at regional and national scales and to better understand geochemical processes responsible for observed conditions.

Revision and partial analysis of the information of Forestall Reserves, Districts of Integrated Handling of renewable natural resources and special handling areas, declared in Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortes Martinez, Ingrid Vanesa

2002-01-01

A revision and a partial analysis is made of the information of Forestall Reserves, Districts of Integrated Handling of renewable natural resources and Areas of Special Handling in Colombia whose main purpose is the conservation and the sustainable handling of the natural resources for the maintenance of the goods and services, derived of the forest, however, these areas are under constant intervention that which has caused the subtraction of considerable regions of the forestall reserves. With this revision and analysis it is looked for to support to the General Address of Ecosystems of the Environment Ministry, with the purpose of impelling the process of consolidation of an upgraded of information system that it guides the classification, handling and administration of these Areas

Forest report 2016; Waldzustandsbericht 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2016-07-01

This forest condition report of Hesse (Germany) includes the following topics: forest condition survey for all tree species, forest in the in the Rhine-Main area, weather and climate, soil water balance and drought stress, insects and fungi, Forestry Environment Monitoring, infiltrated substances, main results of Forest soil survey in Hesse (BZE II), the substrate group red sandstone, heavy metal contamination of forests.

Nuclear fuel handling grapple carriage with self-lubricating bearing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

This invention relates to the provision of a fuel handling grapple carriage for a sodium cooled fast breeder reactor with sodium coolant lubricated bearings in which contamination of the bearings is prevented. (UK)

Solid Waste Management in Recreational Forest Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Spooner, Charles S.

The Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, requested the Bureau of Solid Waste Management to conduct a study of National Forest recreation areas to establish waste generation rates for major recreation activities and to determine the cost of solid waste handling for selected Forest Service Districts. This report describes the 1968 solid…

Radioecology of human food chains and forests in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rantavaara, Aino H.

2003-01-01

Ageing of radioactive fallout also signifies that contributions of various foodstuffs to the human ingestion dose will change with time. The long-term contamination of forest vegetation has motivated studies on contribution of wild food to dietary radiocaesium and radiostrontium. Consumption rates of these foodstuffs have shown variation by geographical regions in Finland, the loss of radiocaesium during cooking of mushrooms has been found significant, and the approximation of the loss using survey data on the actual practices in households was also shown important for dietary assessment. Forest industry needs information for planning its own emergency response, particularly concerning production of acceptable timber after contamination of forests by radioactive fallout. In recent years experimental evidence has been obtained for the mitigating effect of forest management methods, namely soil preparation and fertilisation, on radioactive contamination of forest vegetation. Thereby realistic options for intervention have been suggested. Further testing will improve the information on effectiveness of different methods and duration of management influence in different types of forests. Results from systematic field experiments have also provided data and conceptual views for forest modelling, e.g. for RODOS, a European decision support system for off-site emergency preparedness. The future topics in terrestrial radioecology will altogether support production of safe foodstuffs and safe use of forests after contamination of rural areas. Evaluation of practicability of countermeasures will greatly benefit from measured radioecological parameters in the contaminated areas and from additional field tests. Natural radionuclides and their connection to both agricultural and semi-natural dose pathways ought to be studied. Radiation impact due to bioenergy production and use of ash is close to forest ecosystem studies. Returning of wood ash to forests will maintain and

Radionuclides in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strebl, F.; Bossew, P.; Kienzl, K.; Hiesel, E.

2000-01-01

Some regions within Austria were highly contaminated (> 50 kBq m -2 ) with radiocaesium by the deposition event following the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986. Monitoring carried out by several Austrian institutions showed that in contrast to agricultural products radiocaesium levels in wild berries, mushrooms and game meat from forest ecosystems remained considerably higher over the years. To find reasons for this contrasting radioecological behavior and for the derivation of model input parameters, an extended study about the distribution of 137 Cs within three Austrian forest stands was carried out between 1987 and 1997. Results of this and subsequent studies are summarized and include the following ecosystem compartments: forest soils, litter, trees, bilberry, mushrooms, mosses, ferns, lichen, other vegetation, insects, small mammals, game animals and surface water. Besides the investigation of radioecological behavior an estimation of pool sizes and transfer rates as well as radioecological residence half times for 137 Cs in different forest species was used to compile a radiocaesium balance for the years 1988 and 1996. Soil proved to be an effective sink for radiocaesium contamination, but in long-term perspective it can act as a source for the contamination of vegetation and higher levels of the food-chain as well. Due to the high standing biomass trees represent the largest 'living' radiocaesium pool within the investigated forest stand. Dose estimations based on average consume habits gave no significant increase (less than 0.4 %) of the annual average population radiation dose due to the ingestion of forest products from the investigated forest stands. (author)

Safe handling of plutonium: a panel report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1974-01-01

This guide results from a meeting of a Panel of Experts held by the International Atomic Energy Agency on 8 to 12 November 1971. It is directed to workers in research laboratories handling plutonium in gram amounts. Contents: aspects of the physical and chemical properties of plutonium; metabolic features of plutonium; facility design features for safe handling of plutonium (layout of facility, working zones, decontamination room, etc.); glove boxes; health surveillance (surveillance of environment and supervision of workers); emergencies; organization. Annexes: types of glove boxes; tables; mobile ..cap alpha.. air sampler; aerosol monitor; bio-assay limits of detection; examples of contamination control monitors.

Using wood-based structural products as forest management tools to improve forest health, sustainability and reduce forest fuels : a research program of the USDA Forest Service under the National Fire Plan

Science.gov (United States)

John F. Hunt; Jerrold E. Winandy

2002-01-01

Currently, after logging or thinning operations much of the low value timber is either left standing or is felled and left on the ground, chipped, or burned because most North American mills are not equipped to handle this material. In many areas of Western U.S., this forest residue does not decompose if felled and it soon becomes susceptible to forest insect or...

Cleanup of contaminated areas; La bonifica di aree contaminate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beone, G; Carbone, A I; Zagaroli, M [ENEA - Dipartimento Protezione Ambientale e Salute dell' Uomo, Centro Ricerche Energia, Casaccia (Italy)

1989-01-15

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

Handling and Transport Problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pomarola, J. [Head of Technical Section, Atomic Energy Commission, Saclay (France); Savouyaud, J. [Head of Electro-Mechanical Sub-Division, Atomic Energy Commission, Saclay (France)

1960-07-01

Arrangements for special or dangerous transport operations by road arising out of the activities of the Atomic Energy Commission are made by the Works and Installations Division which acts in concert with the Monitoring and Protection Division (MPD) whenever radioactive substances or appliances are involved. In view of the risk of irradiation and contamination entailed in handling and transporting radioactive substances, including waste, a specialized transport and storage team has been formed as a complement to the emergency and decontamination teams.

Contamination measurements on persons after a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maushart, R.

1992-01-01

The purpose of contamination measurements after accidents is threefold: to detect and localize contaminations; to determine the level of contamination as a base for medical decisions; and to check the scope and efficiency of the decontamination measures. Persons involved in accidents should never measure their contamination themselves. The radiation protection personnel, whether it belongs to the medical team or to the disaster control squads, must be familiar with the measuring instruments and experienced in handling these instruments. A high priority has to be placed on training and constant practice. The monitors used must meet the special requirements of an emergency situation. This includes resistance against environmental factors - temperature, humidity, vibrations - as well as the simplicity of handling the instrument, and the clear presentation of the results. (author)

Containment system of contamination in irradiated materials handling laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobao, A.S.T.; Araujo, J.A. de; Camilo, R.L.

1988-01-01

A study to prevent radiactivity release in lab scale is presented. As a basis for the design all the limits established by the IAEA for ventilation systems were observed. An evaluation of the different parameters involved in the design have been made, resulting in the specification of the working areas, ducts and filtering systems in order to get the best conditions for the safe handling of irradiated materials. (author) [pt

Advanced Curation Protocols for Mars Returned Sample Handling

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, M.; Mickelson, E.; Lindstrom, D.; Allton, J.

Introduction: Johnson Space Center has over 30 years experience handling precious samples which include Lunar rocks and Antarctic meteorites. However, we recognize that future curation of samples from such missions as Genesis, Stardust, and Mars S mple Return, will require a high degree of biosafety combined witha extremely low levels of inorganic, organic, and biological contamination. To satisfy these requirements, research in the JSC Advanced Curation Lab is currently focused toward two major areas: preliminary examination techniques and cleaning and verification techniques . Preliminary Examination Techniques : In order to minimize the number of paths for contamination we are exploring the synergy between human &robotic sample handling in a controlled environment to help determine the limits of clean curation. Within the Advanced Curation Laboratory is a prototype, next-generation glovebox, which contains a robotic micromanipulator. The remotely operated manipulator has six degrees-of- freedom and can be programmed to perform repetitive sample handling tasks. Protocols are being tested and developed to perform curation tasks such as rock splitting, weighing, imaging, and storing. Techniques for sample transfer enabling more detailed remote examination without compromising the integrity of sample science are also being developed . The glovebox is equipped with a rapid transfer port through which samples can be passed without exposure. The transfer is accomplished by using a unique seal and engagement system which allows passage between containers while maintaining a first seal to the outside environment and a second seal to prevent the outside of the container cover and port door from becoming contaminated by the material being transferred. Cleaning and Verification Techniques: As part of the contamination control effort, innovative cleaning techniques are being identified and evaluated in conjunction with sensitive cleanliness verification methods. Towards this

Microbiological quality and safe handling of enteral diets in a hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Raquel Oliveira Medrado; Correia, Eliznara Fernades; Pereira, Keyla Carvalho; Costa Sobrinho, Paulo de Souza; da Silva, Daniele Ferreira

2015-06-01

Contamination of enteral diets represents a high risk of compromising the patient's medical condition. To assess the microbiological quality and aseptic conditions in the preparation and administration of handmade and industrialized enteral diets offered in a hospital in the Valley of Jequitinhonha, MG, Brazil, we performed a microbiological analysis of 50 samples of diets and 27 samples of surfaces, utensils, and water used in the preparation of the diets. In addition, we assessed the good handling practices of enteral diets according to the requirements specified by the Brazilian legislation. Both kinds of enteral diets showed contamination by coliforms and Pseudomonas spp. No sample was positive for Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. On the other hand, Listeria spp. was detected in only one sample of handmade diets. Contamination was significantly higher in the handmade preparations (p Nonconformities were detected with respect to good handling practices, which may compromise the diet safety. The results indicate that the sanitary quality of the enteral diets is unsatisfactory, especially handmade diets. Contamination by Pseudomonas spp. is significant because it is often involved in infection episodes. With regard to aseptic practices, it was observed the need of implementing new procedures for handling enteral diets.

Safe handling of cytotoxic compounds in a biopharmaceutical environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hensgen, Miriam I; Stump, Bernhard

2013-01-01

Handling cytotoxic drugs such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in a biopharmaceutical environment represents a challenge based on the potency of the compounds. These derivatives are dangerous to humans if they accidentally get in contact with the skin, are inhaled, or are ingested, either as pure compounds in their solid state or as a solution dissolved in a co-solvent. Any contamination of people involved in the manufacturing process has to be avoided. On the other hand, biopharmaceuticals need to be protected simultaneously against any contamination from the manufacturing personnel. Therefore, a tailor-made work environment is mandatory in order to manufacture ADCs. This asks for appropriate technical equipment to keep potential hazardous substances contained. In addition, clearly defined working procedures based on risk assessments as well as proper training for all personnel involved in the manufacturing process are needed to safely handle these highly potent pharmaceuticals.

Dynamics of radionuclides in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, M.

2004-01-01

The unique physiology and the layered structure of forest ecosystems result in dynamic transport and transfer processes which greatly differ from those in agricultural ecosystems. Radionuclides are retained in the upper organic horizons of forest soil for several decades and remain highly available for uptake by fungi and green plants. Contamination levels of mushrooms and game may therefore by far exceed those of agricultural produce. The efficient cycling of nutrients and radionuclides, which is characteristic for ecosystems poor in nutrients, can largely be attributed to forest soil with its complex and multi-layered structure and fungal activity. Fungi directly affect dynamic processes, playing a key role in the mobilization, uptake and translocation of nutrients and radionuclides. Fungal fruit bodies may be highly contaminated foodstuff and fodder. They are most likely the cause of the surprising trend of increasing contamination of wild boar which has been observed in the last few years in Germany. This paper is intended to give a qualitative survey of dynamic transport processes in forests and their relevance for radiation exposure to man. (orig.)

Assessment and treatment of external and internal radionuclide contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-04-01

The most serious problems arise from accidents involving radionuclide contamination. This was demonstrated by experience from the Chernobyl and Goiania accidents, where large groups of people were externally and internally contaminated and which demanded significant management efforts from the health and other authorities. It is important that radionuclide contamination be minimized, not only by preventive measures, but also by good medical management when an exposure has occurred. This is an updated Technical Document based upon the IAEA Safety Series No. 88 ''Medical Handling of Accidentally Exposed Individuals'' and IAEA-TECDOC-366 ''What the General Practitioner (MD) Should Know about Medical Handling of Overexposed Individuals''. 26 refs, 3 figs, 2 tabs

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (Oh-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Sucharova, Julie; Suchara, Ivan; Hola, Marie; Reimann, Clemens; Boyd, Rognvald; Filzmoser, Peter; Englmaier, Peter

2011-05-01

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the "environmental memory" of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km2 in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Animal Products and Handling: A Caution for Consumers and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study reviewed pertinent literature on edible animal products and handling with respect to contaminations and adulterations. Animal products include eggs, meat, milk, fish, skin/hide that are processed into other by products for human consumption. There is the need for awareness campaignsto consumers and ...

Modification of soil microbial activity and several hydrolases in a forest soil artificially contaminated with copper

Science.gov (United States)

Bellas, Rosa; Leirós, Mā Carmen; Gil-Sotres, Fernando; Trasar-Cepeda, Carmen

2010-05-01

Soils have long been exposed to the adverse effects of human activities, which negatively affect soil biological activity. As a result of their functions and ubiquitous presence microorganisms can serve as environmental indicators of soil pollution. Some features of soil microorganisms, such as the microbial biomass size, respiration rate, and enzyme activity are often used as bioindicators of the ecotoxicity of heavy metals. Although copper is essential for microorganisms, excessive concentrations have a negative influence on processes mediated by microorganisms. In this study we measured the response of some microbial indicators to Cu pollution in a forest soil, with the aim of evaluating their potential for predicting Cu contamination. Samples of an Ah horizon from a forest soil under oakwood vegetation (Quercus robur L.) were contaminated in the laboratory with copper added at different doses (0, 120, 360, 1080 and 3240 mg kg-1) as CuCl2×2H2O. The soil samples were kept for 7 days at 25 °C and at a moisture content corresponding to the water holding capacity, and thereafter were analysed for carbon and nitrogen mineralization capacity, microbial biomass C, seed germination and root elongation tests, and for urease, phosphomonoesterase, catalase and ß-glucosidase activities. In addition, carbon mineralization kinetics were studied, by plotting the log of residual C against incubation time, and the metabolic coefficient, qCO2, was estimated. Both organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization were lower in polluted samples, with the greatest decrease observed in the sample contaminated with 1080 mg kg-1. In all samples carbon mineralization followed first order kinetics; the C mineralization constant was lower in contaminated than in uncontaminated samples and, in general, decreased with increasing doses of copper. Moreover, it appears that copper contamination not only reduced the N mineralization capacity, but also modified the N mineralization process, since in

Forest and Chernobyl: forest ecosystems after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident: 1986-1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ipatyev, V.; Bulavik, I.; Baginsky, V.; Goncharenko, G.; Dvornik, A.

1999-01-01

This paper reports basic features of radionuclide migration and the prediction of the radionuclide redistribution and accumulation by forest phytocoenoses after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) accident. The current ecological condition of forest ecosystems is evaluated and scientific aspects of forest management in the conditions of the large-scale radioactive contamination are discussed. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Microbiological quality and safe handling of enteral diets in a hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Oliveira Medrado Pinto

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Contamination of enteral diets represents a high risk of compromising the patient's medical condition. To assess the microbiological quality and aseptic conditions in the preparation and administration of handmade and industrialized enteral diets offered in a hospital in the Valley of Jequitinhonha, MG, Brazil, we performed a microbiological analysis of 50 samples of diets and 27 samples of surfaces, utensils, and water used in the preparation of the diets. In addition, we assessed the good handling practices of enteral diets according to the requirements specified by the Brazilian legislation. Both kinds of enteral diets showed contamination by coliforms and Pseudomonas spp. No sample was positive for Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. On the other hand, Listeria spp. was detected in only one sample of handmade diets. Contamination was significantly higher in the handmade preparations (p < 0.05. Nonconformities were detected with respect to good handling practices, which may compromise the diet safety. The results indicate that the sanitary quality of the enteral diets is unsatisfactory, especially handmade diets. Contamination by Pseudomonas spp. is significant because it is often involved in infection episodes. With regard to aseptic practices, it was observed the need of implementing new procedures for handling enteral diets.

Monitoring of radioactive pollution of forest ecosystems after accident on Chernobyl NPP. Rehabilitation with mushrooms harvesting in forest ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarubina, Nataliia

2016-01-01

The project main objective was to forecast the behavior and redistribution of 137 Cs in the contaminated areas, using mathematical and statistical analysis of the data and the model. This forecast can help to develop recommendations for the use of different parts of forest ecosystems. Data on content of 137 Cs in the fruit bodies of mushrooms of different species and weight of different species of mushrooms per 1 sq. km is to be obtained in different forest ecosystems of Fukushima Prefecture. These data enable us to determine species of mushrooms-concentrators of this radionuclide in the forests of Japan and to forecast the expediency of remediation of forest soils in Japan with the help of mushrooms. Advantages of mycoextraction (harvesting of fungi fruit bodies) are as follows. (1) Minimum influence on the forest ecosystem. (2) High specific activity of the fungi fruit bodies allows extracting considerable amount of 137 Cs from contaminated territories. (3) During rich years, 0.5 -2 % and more of the total 137 Cs content in soil could be extracted using the fungi fruit bodies at contaminated territories and so on. But disadvantages of mycoextraction are somewhat. (N.T.)

Design of remote handling equipment for the ITER NBI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oka, Kiyoshi; Tada, Eisuke [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1999-08-01

The ITER machine has three Neutral Beam Injectors (NBIs) placed tangential to the plasma at a minimum radius of 6.25 m. During operation, neutrons produced by the D-T reactions will irradiate the NBI structure and it will become radioactive. Radiation levels will be such that all subsequent maintenance of the NBIs must be carried out remotely. The presence of tritium and possibly radioactive dust requires that precautions be taken during maintenance to prevent the escape of these contaminants beyond the prescribed boundaries. The scope of this task is both the development of remote maintenance procedures and the design of the remote handling equipment to handle the NBIs. This report describes the design of remote handling tools for the ion source and its filaments, transfer cask, maintenance time, manufacturing schedule and cost estimation. (author)

Radio-ecological conditions of band coniferous forests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strilchuk, Yu.G.; Osintsev, A.Yu.; Kuzin, D.E.; Bryantseva, N.V.; Tonevitskaya, O.V.; Zhadyranova, A.A.; Kashirskij, V.V.; Korovina, O.Yu.; Lukashenko, S.N.

2008-01-01

Full text: Band coniferous forests are located at the right bank of Irtysh river in two oblasts of Kazakhstan - East Kazakhstan and Pavlodar.This is a unique and only forest of this type. Something similar to this natural treasure with climate-regulating, sanitary, soil-protective, water-preserving functions can be found in Canada only. Total area of the band forest comprises 870500 hectares. The forest is mainly presented by pines (Pinus silvestris). These forests are of relict nature and are of great environmental, social and economic value. The band forests located in northern, north-western and western parts of SNTS were subjected several time to radioactive impacts from atmospheric nuclear tests performed at SNTS. Nuclear clouds from 12 ground and 28 atmospheric explosions passed over these territories. Four nuclear tests performed on 29th of August 1949, 29th of July 1955, 7th of August 1962 and 26th of November 1962 resulted in higher radiation dose rates registered on land there. It seems that this particular tests stipulated radioactive contamination of the forests. The first nuclear test performed on 29th of August 1949 resulted in considerable radioactive contamination of the band forests. Contamination was registerd in Novopokrovskij and Beskaragajskij districts of Semipalatinsk oblast as well as in several districts of Altai Territory. The second test that could bring radioactive contamination to the forests was performed on 7th of August 1962 when instead of planned atmospheric explosion, there was achieved surface explosion with comparatively high radioactive contamination of the lands towards Altai Territory. Within the State program ''Forest preservation and expansion of forest in the Republic of Kazakhstan'' there was performed in 2006 a radiological surveying of the lands in pipe forest of near-Irtysh region. There were studied soil and vegetation as well as woods of the band coniferous forests. Part of territory, wherethrough nuclear clouds went

Application of mapped plots for single-owner forest surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Paul C. Van Deusen; Francis Roesch

2009-01-01

Mapped plots are used for the nation forest inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. Mapped plots are also useful foro single ownership inventoires. Mapped plots can handle boundary overlap and can aprovide less variable estimates for specified forest conditions. Mapping is a good fit for fixed plot inventories where the fixed area plot is used for both mapping...

Evolving Random Forest for Preference Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abou-Zleikha, Mohamed; Shaker, Noor

2015-01-01

This paper introduces a novel approach for pairwise preference learning through a combination of an evolutionary method and random forest. Grammatical evolution is used to describe the structure of the trees in the Random Forest (RF) and to handle the process of evolution. Evolved random forests ...... obtained for predicting pairwise self-reports of users for the three emotional states engagement, frustration and challenge show very promising results that are comparable and in some cases superior to those obtained from state-of-the-art methods....

Modelling radiocesium fluxes in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, G.; Kliashtorin, A.; Mamikhin, S.; Shcheglov, A.; Rafferty, B.; Dvornik, A.; Zhuchenko, T.; Kuchma, N.

1996-01-01

Monitoring of radiocesium inventories and fluxes has been carried out in forest ecosystems in Ukraine, Belarus and Ireland to determine distributions and rates of migration. This information has been used to construct and calibrate mathematical models which are being used to predict the likely longevity of contamination of forests and forest products such as timber following the Chernobyl accident

Radiation dose from Chernobyl forests: assessment using the 'forestpath' model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schell, W.R.; Linkov, I.; Belinkaia, E.; Rimkevich, V.; Zmushko, Yu.; Lutsko, A.; Fifield, F.W.; Flowers, A.G.; Wells, G.

1996-01-01

Contaminated forests can contribute significantly to human radiation dose for a few decades after initial contamination. Exposure occurs through harvesting the trees, manufacture and use of forest products for construction materials and paper production, and the consumption of food harvested from forests. Certain groups of the population, such as wild animal hunters and harvesters of berries, herbs and mushrooms, can have particularly large intakes of radionuclides from natural food products. Forestry workers have been found to receive radiation doses several times higher than other groups in the same area. The generic radionuclide cycling model 'forestpath' is being applied to evaluate the human radiation dose and risks to population groups resulting from living and working near the contaminated forests. The model enables calculations to be made to predict the internal and external radiation doses at specific times following the accident. The model can be easily adjusted for dose calculations from other contamination scenarios (such as radionuclide deposition at a low and constant rate as well as complex deposition patterns). Experimental data collected in the forests of Southern Belarus are presented. These data, together with the results of epidemiological studies, are used for model calibration and validation

Cleanup of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beone, G.; Carbone, A.I.; Zagaroli, M.

1989-01-01

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

The care and handling of the forest gene pool

Science.gov (United States)

Roy R. Silen; Ivan Doig

1976-01-01

What must be the world's most magnificent pool of forest genes has timbered our Pacific slopes.Why else do the tallest firs, pines, spruces, hemlocks, redwoods, and larches all rise along the Pacific Coast of North America? Does their hugeness simply thrust up from our deep soils and mild, rainy climate? From a vantage point of three...

Advanced dust monitoring system applied to new TRU handling facility of JAERI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yabuta, H.; Shigeta, Y.; Sawahata, K.; Hasegawa, K.

1993-01-01

In JAERI, a large, scale multipurpose facility is under construction, which consists of a TRU waste management testing installation, a solution fuel treatment installation and critical assemblies with uranium and/or plutonium solution fuel. The facility is also equipped with a lot of gloveboxes for handling and treatment of solution fuel and hot cells for research on reprocessing process. As there may be a relatively high potential of air contamination, it is important to monitor air contamination effectively and efficiently. An advanced dust monitoring system was introduced for convenience of handling and automatical measurement of filter papers, by developing a filter-holder with an IC memory and a radioactivity measuring device with an automatic filter-holder changing mechanism as a part of a centralized monitoring system with a computer

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (O-h-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sucharova, J.; Suchara, I.; Hola, M.; Reimann, C.; Boyd, R.; Filzmoser, P.; Englmaier, P. [Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim (Norway)

2011-05-15

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the 'environmental memory' of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km{sup 2} in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources.

21 CFR 203.32 - Drug sample storage and handling requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Drug sample storage and handling requirements. 203.32 Section 203.32 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... contamination, deterioration, and adulteration. (b) Compliance with compendial and labeling requirements...

Guidelines of handling and management of forest fragments in the municipality of Murcia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapata Perez, V. M.; Robledano, F.; Jimenez, M. V.; Farinos, P.

2009-01-01

Most forest systems in the municipality of Murcia are old afforestations with Pinus halepensis. In many sites, the unsuitability of the habitat for this species has led to a poor tree development, and to a strong competence for resources that increases environmental stress. We have studied patches of forests protected by the municipality of Murcia (Forest Parks of Majal Blanco, Montepinar and Los Polvorines) and other unprotected patches close to these. The objective was to study their composition, structure and ecological dynamics. (Author) 3 refs.

Monitoring of radioactive pollution of forest ecosystems after accident on Chernobyl NPP. Rehabilitation with mushrooms harvesting in forest ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarubina, Nataliia

2016-01-01

The project main objective was to forecast the behavior and redistribution of "1"3"7Cs in the contaminated areas, using mathematical and statistical analysis of the data and the model. This forecast can help to develop recommendations for the use of different parts of forest ecosystems. Data on content of "1"3"7Cs in the fruit bodies of mushrooms of different species and weight of different species of mushrooms per 1 sq. km is to be obtained in different forest ecosystems of Fukushima Prefecture. These data enable us to determine species of mushrooms-concentrators of this radionuclide in the forests of Japan and to forecast the expediency of remediation of forest soils in Japan with the help of mushrooms. Advantages of mycoextraction (harvesting of fungi fruit bodies) are as follows. (1) Minimum influence on the forest ecosystem. (2) High specific activity of the fungi fruit bodies allows extracting considerable amount of "1"3"7Cs from contaminated territories. (3) During rich years, 0.5 -2% and more of the total "1"3"7Cs content in soil could be extracted using the fungi fruit bodies at contaminated territories and so on. But disadvantages of mycoextraction are somewhat. (N.T.)

Effect of industrial pollution on behaviour of radionuclides in forest ecosystems; Forests ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Outola, I. (STUK-Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki (Finland))

2009-06-15

To investigate how and to what extent industrial pollution affects the behaviour of radionuclides in forest ecosystems, studies were conducted in the vicinity of two Cu-Ni smelters: one in a pine forest at Harjavalta, Finland, and the other in a spruce forest at Monchegorsk, Russia. Industrial pollution had significant effects on the distribution of radionuclides in soil horizons. With the increase in pollution towards the smelter, radionuclides were accumulated more in the litter layer because the conversion of litter into organic material was diminished due to inhibited microbial activity. As a result, the organic layer contained less radionuclides towards the smelter. The effect of industrial pollution on soil-to-plant transfer was complex. The effect varied with radionuclide, plant species and also on forest type. For 137Cs, soil-to-plant transfer decreased significantly as industrial pollution increased in pine forest, whereas the decrease was less pronounced in spruce forest. Root uptake of 239,240Pu by plants is extremely small, and plant contamination by resuspended soil is an important factor in considering the soil-to-plant transfer of this radionuclide. In spruce forest, more plutonium was transferred into plants when pollution load increased due to resuspension of litter particles, which contained higher concentrations of plutonium in the vicinity of the smelter. Soil-to-plant transfer of plutonium was much less affected in pine forests contaminated with industrial pollution. This research clearly indicates the sensitivity of the northern forest ecosystem to inorganic pollutants. Prediction of the soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides in industrially polluted forest ecosystems requires detailed information on the total deposition, vertical distribution of radionuclides in soil, soil microbiological factors, other soil parameters as well as the rooting depths of the plants. (LN)

Unique problems of hydrocarbon contamination for ports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, D.W.

1991-01-01

Since the early 1900s, port facilities in the United States have been involved in the import and export of petroleum products. The WORLDPORT L.A. is a 7,000 acre land and water area that is administered by the Department of The City of Los Angeles under a tidelands grant from the State of California for the purposes of commerce, navigation, and fisheries. Over half of the oil-refining of California lies within 20 miles of WORLDPORT L.A. It is therefore not surprising that the port is a major hub for the handling of crude oil and petroleum products, including gasoline, aviation gas/jet fuel, and marine fuels. This paper reports that it is also not surprising that port facilities, given their long history of handling petroleum products, contain areas where soils and groundwater are contaminated with hydrocarbons. This contamination is localized but can be extensive. Petroleum and petrochemical products are handled at terminal facilities that are leased to oil companies

Cycling of radiocesium in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myttenaere, C.; Sombre, L.; Thiry, Y.; Brouwer, S. de; Ronneau, C.

1993-01-01

A review is given of results on 137 Cs and potassium behavior in forest ecosystems following an atmospheric contamination after an accidental release. Data are given on the correlation coefficients 137 Cs versus K in the Belgian Ardennes forest in the period December 1988 to March 1990. Experiments were performed in Norwegian spruce and oak stands. Data are also given on 137 Cs distribution in soil layers of Bourakovka and Novo-Shepelichi polygons in the Chernobyl-contaminated area, and on radiocesium contamination of the red pine stand in Bourakovka. A correlation was found in the behavior of both elements in plants. Observations and studies of their behavior in multilayer soils, however, showed some discrepancies. (J.B.) 4 tabs., 2 figs., 20 refs

Consumer food handling in the home: a review of food safety studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Redmond, Elizabeth C; Griffith, Christopher J

2003-01-01

Epidemiological data from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand indicate that a substantial proportion of foodborne disease is attributable to improper food preparation practices in consumers' homes. International concern about consumer food safety has prompted considerable research to evaluate domestic food-handling practices. The majority of consumer food safety studies in the last decade have been conducted in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (48%) and in the United States (42%). Surveys (questionnaires and interviews), the most frequent means of data collection, were used in 75% of the reviewed studies. Focus groups and observational studies have also been used. One consumer food safety study examined the relationship between pathogenic microbial contamination from raw chicken and observed food-handling behaviors, and the results of this study indicated extensive Campylobacter cross-contamination during food preparation sessions. Limited information about consumers' attitudes and intentions with regard to safe food-handling behaviors has been obtained, although a substantial amount of information about consumer knowledge and self-reported practices is available. Observation studies suggest that substantial numbers of consumers frequently implement unsafe food-handling practices. Knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and self-reported practices did not correspond to observed behaviors, suggesting that observational studies provide a more realistic indication of the food hygiene actions actually used in domestic food preparation. An improvement in consumer food-handling behavior is likely to reduce the risk and incidence of foodborne disease. The need for the development and implementation of food safety education strategies to improve specific food safety behaviors is reviewed in this paper.

Hygienic food handling behaviours. An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullan, Barbara A; Wong, Cara L

2009-06-01

It is estimated that 5.4 million Australians get sick annually from eating contaminated food and that up to 20% of this illness results from food handling behaviour. A study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) including past behaviour in predicting safe food handling intention and behaviour. One hundred and nine participants completed questionnaires regarding their attitudes, perceived behavioural control (PBC), subjective norm, intentions and past behaviour. Behaviour was measured 4 weeks later. The TPB predicted a high proportion of variance in both intentions and behaviour, and past behaviour/habit was found to be the strongest predictor of behaviour. The results of the present study suggest interventions aimed at increasing safe food handling intentions should focus on the impact of normative influences and perceptions of control over their food handling environment; whereas interventions to change actual behaviour should attempt to increase hygienic food handling as a habitual behaviour.

Test installation for separation of contaminated/activated concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klok, H.; Peeze Binkhorst, I.A.G.M.

1993-01-01

Large amounts of contaminated concrete are released when dismantling nuclear power plants. Volume reduction of contaminated concrete has economic and environmental advantages. A test facility has been built by which contaminated concrete can be separated in clean aggregate and contaminated cement. During the tests a considerable amount of dust accumulated in the valve construction of the test installation. This could result in an unacceptable accumulation of contaminated dust, blocking of the handle and emission of dust and grit during the operation of the test facility. The design of the valve construction was adjusted by using and testing flexible materials

Sample handling and chemical procedures for efficacious trace analysis of urine by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blotcky, A.J.; Rack, E.P.; Roman, F.R.

1988-01-01

Important for the determination of trace elements, ions, or compounds in urine by chemical neutron activation analysis is the optimization of sample handling, preirradiation chemistry, and radioassay procedures necessary for viable analysis. Each element, because of its natural abundance in the earth's crust and, hence, its potential for reagent and environmental contamination, requires specific procedures for storage, handling, and preirradiation chemistry. Radioassay techniques for radionuclides vary depending on their half-lives and decay characteristics. Described in this paper are optimized procedures for aluminum and selenium. While 28 Al (T 1/2 = 2.24 min) and 77m Se(T 1/2 = 17.4s) have short half-lives, their gamma-ray spectra are quite different. Aluminum-28 decays by a 1779-keV gamma and 77m Se by a 162-keV gamma. Unlike selenium, aluminum is a ubiquitous element in the environment requiring special handling to minimize contamination in all phases of its analytical determination

Problems of rehabilitation of radiation-contaminated forests in Belarus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulavik, I.M.; Perevolotskij, A.N.

2002-01-01

The paper reports potential forestry objects to be rehabilitated. Measures which are being offered to decrease radioactivity levels in timber and forest-derived foodstuffs are analyzed. The authors arrive at the conclusion that in the foreseeable future the only means to decrease radioactivity in forest ecosystems will be self-decontamination through the decay of radioactive isotopes

Assessment of Environmental Contamination with Pathogenic Bacteria at a Hospital Laundry Facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael, Karen E; No, David; Daniell, William E; Seixas, Noah S; Roberts, Marilyn C

2017-11-10

Little is known about exposure to pathogenic bacteria among industrial laundry workers who work with soiled clinical linen. To study worker exposures, an assessment of surface contamination was performed at an industrial laundry facility serving hospitals in Seattle, WA, USA. Surface swab samples (n = 240) from the environment were collected during four site visits at 3-month intervals. These samples were cultured for Clostridium difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Voluntary participation of 23 employees consisted of nasal swabs for detection of MRSA, observations during work, and questionnaires. Contamination with all three pathogens was observed in both dirty (laundry handling prior to washing) and clean areas (subsequent to washing). The dirty area had higher odds of overall contamination (≥1 pathogen) than the clean area (odds ratio, OR = 18.0, 95% confidence interval 8.9-36.5, P contamination were high for each individual pathogen: C. difficile, OR = 15.5; MRSA, OR = 14.8; and VRE, OR = 12.6 (each, P contamination occurred in the primary and secondary sort areas where soiled linens were manually sorted by employees (OR = 63.0, P contaminated by soiled linens. Workers who handle soiled linen may have a higher risk of exposure to C. difficile, MRSA, and VRE than those who handle clean linens. Improved protocols for prevention and reduction of environmental contamination were implemented because of this study. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Assessment and Remediation of Lead Contamination in Senegal

OpenAIRE

Donald E. Jones, MS; Assane Diop, BS; Meredith Block, MPA; Alexander Smith-Jones, BS; Andrea Smith-Jones, MS

2011-01-01

Background. This paper describes the impact of improper used lead-acid battery (ULAB) handling and disposal. A specific case study is presented describing the field assessment and remediation of lead contamination in a community in Senegal where at least 18 children died from lead poisoning. Objectives. The assessment and remediation process utilized to address the Senegal lead contamination has been used as a model approach to solving used lead-acid battery (ULAB) contamination in other e...

36 CFR 1254.36 - What care must I take when handling documents?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What care must I take when... Room Rules Rules Relating to Using Original Documents § 1254.36 What care must I take when handling... must not use paper clips, rubber bands, self-stick notes or similar devices to identify documents. (e...

Human dose pathways of radionuclides in forests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rantavaara, A.

2009-01-01

Forest soil, understorey vegetation and trees are all sources of radionuclides and human radiation doses after contaminating atmospheric deposition. People are exposed to radiation externally from sources outside the body and internally via ingestion and inhalation of radionuclides. Understorey vegetation contributes to ingestion doses through berries, herbs, wild honey, mushrooms and game meat; also trees provide feed to terrestrial birds and big game. During stay in forests people are subject to external radiation from forest floor and overstorey, and they may inhale airborne radioactive aerosol or gaseous radionuclides in ground level air. In the early phase of contamination also resuspended radionuclides may add to the internal dose of people via inhalation. People in Nordic countries are most exposed to radiation via ingestion of radionuclides in wild foods. The distribution of radionuclides in forests is changed by environmental processes, and thereby also the significance of various dose pathways to humans will change with time. External exposure is received in living environment from contaminated stemwood used as building timber and for manufacturing of furniture and other wood products. The aim of this paper is to outline the significance of various human dose pathways of radionuclides in forests considering the public and workers in forestry and production of bioenergy. Examples on effective doses are given based on two historical events, atmospheric nuclear weapon tests (mostly in 1950's and in 1960's) and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. (au)

Proceedings of the 1999 Sustainable Forest Management Network conference: science and practice : sustaining the boreal forest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veeman, S.; Smith, D.W.; Purdy, B.G.; Salkie, F.J.; Larkin, G.A. [eds.

1999-05-01

The wide range and complex nature of research in sustainable forest management, supported cooperatively by the forest products industry, governments, the universities, First Nations and other groups, is reflected in the 128 papers presented at this conference. The range of topics discussed include historical perspectives of forest disturbances, including fires and harvesting, biological diversity, gaseous, liquid and solid wastes, community sustainability, public involvement, land aquatic interfaces, forest management planning tools, contaminant transfer, First Nations issues, certification, monitoring and resource trade-offs. The theme of the conference {sup S}cience and practice: sustaining the boreal forest` was selected to identify the key efforts of the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Network on boreal forest research. The objective of the conference was to exchange knowledge and integrate participants into a better working network for the improvement of forest management. refs., tabs., figs.

Cycling of radiocesium in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myttenaere, C.; Sombre, L.; Thiry, Y.; De brouwer, S.; Ronneau, C.

1993-01-01

The behaviour of 137 Cs in forest ecosystems following an atmospheric contamination presents certain peculiarities which make these ecosystems an important compartment to consider in the framework of the protection of man and populations. Among these properties, the very high filtering capacity of the forest cover and the increased deposition velocities justify a higher contamination level of the forest green surfaces after an atmospheric release. In these conditions the forest management thus requires a good understanding of the cycle of the deposited radiocesium. To a certain extent comparing the behaviour of K that may be analogous to Cs may help the radioecologist in its understanding of the 137 Cs behaviour. Such a conclusion may also be drawn for other radionuclides and we surely have to regret that the mineral nutrition principles are often ignored in radioecology. The results of the observations in field and controlled conditions which are described in this paper are in favor of a good analogy between these two elements as soon as they are cycling in the plant

Observed forest sensitivity to climate implies large changes in 21st century North American forest growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Charney, Noah D; Babst, Flurin; Poulter, Benjamin; Record, Sydne; Trouet, Valerie M; Frank, David; Enquist, Brian J; Evans, Margaret E K

2016-09-01

Predicting long-term trends in forest growth requires accurate characterisation of how the relationship between forest productivity and climatic stress varies across climatic regimes. Using a network of over two million tree-ring observations spanning North America and a space-for-time substitution methodology, we forecast climate impacts on future forest growth. We explored differing scenarios of increased water-use efficiency (WUE) due to CO2 -fertilisation, which we simulated as increased effective precipitation. In our forecasts: (1) climate change negatively impacted forest growth rates in the interior west and positively impacted forest growth along the western, southeastern and northeastern coasts; (2) shifting climate sensitivities offset positive effects of warming on high-latitude forests, leaving no evidence for continued 'boreal greening'; and (3) it took a 72% WUE enhancement to compensate for continentally averaged growth declines under RCP 8.5. Our results highlight the importance of locally adapted forest management strategies to handle regional differences in growth responses to climate change. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Bacterial contamination of surgeons' gloves during shunt insertion; a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Preben; Ejlertsen, Tove; Aaen, Dorte

2008-01-01

antibiotics and double gloving, by surgeons experienced in shunt surgery. Surgical incision, dissection and tunnelling were done. Then the surgeon, the scrub-nurse and, in three cases, the assistant made an imprint of their outer gloves on agar plates. Hereafter, they changed the outer pair of gloves before...... handling the shunt and completing the operation. The plates were cultured for 6 days in both aerobic and anaerobic environment. In all cases the surgeons gloves were contaminated, and in six cases also the nurses' gloves were contaminated, as well as all three assistants. Propionebacterium acnes were...... nurse and assistant were contaminated with micro-organisms less than 15 min after surgery has been commenced and before the shunts were handled. This study offers a feasible, simple and logical explanation of how shunts may become contaminated and infected. A simple measure would be to change the outer...

The dynamics of radionuclides in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, M.

2003-01-01

Foodstuff from forests, notably mushrooms and game, is still much higher contaminated than agricultural products. The dynamic transport and transfer processes relevant to radiocesium in forest ecosystems will be discussed. Fungi, notably their mycelia, and migration processes in forest soil play a key role. In the first phase after deposition, radiocesium is very mobile and infiltrates forest soil after direct deposition or weathering from the canopy, where it is quickly immobilized. Subsequently, it moves to deeper soil layers due to decomposition and mineralization of organic matter. This downward migration of radiocesium is almost completely compensated by an upward transport in fungal mycelia. Whereas the specific activities in the uppermost organic horizons decrease comparatively fast, the radiocesium content in deeper horizons may remain almost constant or even increase at the beginning. Fungi which specific to their species take up nutrients from different soil layers, reflect the different trends with time in their fruit bodies. Fungal mycelia play an important role not only in the vertical migration, but also in the horizontal transport of radiocesium in forest soil and the uptake by green plants. Most green plants of the forest ecosystem poor in nutrients take up nutrients and radiocesium through symbiotic fungi. The fruit bodies of Deer Truffle which grow below ground can exhibit activity levels one order of magnitude higher than those of edible mushrooms. At present there is a debate, whether highly contaminated Deer Truffle eaten by wild boar as a delicacy, can explain the trend of increasing contamination of wild boar which has been observed in the last few years in different regions of Germany. (orig.)

Behavioral Observation and Microbiological Analysis of Older Adult Consumers' Cross-Contamination Practices in a Model Domestic Kitchen.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Ellen W; Redmond, Elizabeth C

2018-04-01

The incidence of foodborne illness is higher in older adults because of their increased susceptibility; therefore, food safety practices are important. However, inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward food safety have been reported, which may increase use of unsafe food handling practices. Data on the actual food safety behaviors of older adults are lacking. In this study, food safety practices of older adults were observed and linked to microbiological analysis of kitchen surfaces to identify suspected routes of contamination. Older adults (≥60 years, n = 100) prepared a set meal in a model domestic kitchen sanitized according to a validated protocol to ensure minimal and consistent microbiological loads. Food safety behaviors were observed using ceiling-mounted cameras and recorded using a predetermined behavioral checklist. Surface microbiological contamination also was determined after food preparation. Overall, older adults frequently implemented unsafe food handling practices; 90% failed to implement adequate hand decontamination immediately after handling raw chicken. For older adults who used a larger number of adequate hand decontamination attempts, microbiological contamination levels in the kitchen following the food preparation session were significantly lower ( P food handling practices as suspected routes of microbiological cross-contamination in a model domestic kitchen. Findings indicate the potential impact on domestic food safety of unsafe food handling practices used by older adult consumers. This innovative approach revealed that a large proportion of older adults implement behaviors resulting in microbiological cross-contamination that may increase the risk of foodborne illness in the home.

Waste Handling in SVAFO's Hot Cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeller, Jennifer; Ekenborg, Fredrik; Hellsten, Erik

2016-01-01

The decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear installations entails the generation of significant quantities of radioactive waste that must be accepted for disposal. In order to optimise the use of the final repositories for radioactive waste it is important that the waste be sent to the correct repository; that is, that waste containing short-lived radionuclides not be designated as long-lived due to conservative characterisation procedures. The disposal of short-lived waste in a future Swedish repository for long-lived waste will result in increased costs, due to the higher volumetric cost of the disposal as well as costs associated with decades of interim storage before disposal can occur. SVAFO is a non-profit entity that is responsible for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities from historical research and development projects in Sweden. They provide interim storage for radioactive waste arising from research activities until the final repository for long-lived waste is available. SVAFO's offices and facilities are located on the Studsvik site on the east coast of Sweden near the town of Nykoeping. Some of the retired facilities that SVAFO is in the process of decommissioning are located elsewhere in Sweden. The HM facility is a small waste treatment plant owned and operated by SVAFO. The plant processes both liquid and solid radioactive wastes. The facility includes a hot cell equipped with a compactor, a saw and other tools as well as manipulators for the handling and packaging of waste with high dose rates. The cell is fitted with special systems for transporting waste in and passing it out in drums. As with most hot cells there has been an accumulation of surface contamination on the walls, floor and other surfaces during decades of operation. Until recently there has been no attempt to quantify or characterize this contamination. Current practices dictate that after waste is handled in the hot cell it is conservatively designated as long

The influence of tree species composition on the storage and mobility of semivolatile organic compounds in forest soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komprdová, Klára, E-mail: komprdova@recetox.muni.cz [RECETOX (Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Kamenice 753/5, CZ-625 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Komprda, Jiří [RECETOX (Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Kamenice 753/5, CZ-625 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Menšík, Ladislav [Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Zemědělská 3, Brno 613 00 (Czech Republic); Vaňková, Lenka [RECETOX (Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Kamenice 753/5, CZ-625 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Kulhavý, Jiří [Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Zemědělská 3, Brno 613 00 (Czech Republic); Nizzetto, Luca [RECETOX (Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment), Kamenice 753/5, CZ-625 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalleen 21, NO-0349 Oslo (Norway)

2016-05-15

Soil contamination with PCBs and PAHs in adjacent forest plots, characterized by a distinct composition in tree species (spruce only, mixed and beech only), was analyzed to investigate the influence of ecosystem type on contaminant mobility in soil under very similar climate and exposure conditions. Physical-chemical properties and contaminant concentrations in litter (L), organic (F, H) and mineral (A, B) soil horizons were analyzed. Contaminant distribution in the soil core varied both in relation to forest type and contaminant group/properties. Contaminant mobility in soil was assessed by examining the ratios of total organic carbon (TOC)-standardized concentrations across soil horizons (Enrichment factors, EF{sub TOC}) and the relationship between EF{sub TOC} and the octanol-water equilibrium partitioning coefficient (K{sub OW}). Contaminant distribution appeared to be highly unsteady, with pedogenic/biogeochemical drivers controlling contaminant mobility in organic layers and leaching controlling accumulation in mineral layers. Lighter PCBs displayed higher mobility in all forest types primarily controlled by leaching and, to a minor extent, diffusion. Pedogenic processes controlling the formation of soil horizons were found to be crucial drivers of PAHs and heavier PCBs distribution. All contaminants appeared to be more mobile in the soil of the broadleaved plot, followed by mixed canopy and spruce forest. Increasing proportion of deciduous broadleaf species in the forest can thus lead to faster degradation or the faster leaching of PAHs and PCBs. The composition of humic substances was found to be a better descriptor of contaminant concentration than TOC. - Highlights: • Tree species composition influences vertical distribution of PCBs and PAHs in soils. • PCBs and PAHs were more mobile in the soil of the broadleaved plot. • Low molecular weight PCBs displayed higher mobility in all forest types. • Humic substances were important descriptors of

The influence of tree species composition on the storage and mobility of semivolatile organic compounds in forest soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komprdová, Klára; Komprda, Jiří; Menšík, Ladislav; Vaňková, Lenka; Kulhavý, Jiří; Nizzetto, Luca

2016-01-01

Soil contamination with PCBs and PAHs in adjacent forest plots, characterized by a distinct composition in tree species (spruce only, mixed and beech only), was analyzed to investigate the influence of ecosystem type on contaminant mobility in soil under very similar climate and exposure conditions. Physical-chemical properties and contaminant concentrations in litter (L), organic (F, H) and mineral (A, B) soil horizons were analyzed. Contaminant distribution in the soil core varied both in relation to forest type and contaminant group/properties. Contaminant mobility in soil was assessed by examining the ratios of total organic carbon (TOC)-standardized concentrations across soil horizons (Enrichment factors, EF_T_O_C) and the relationship between EF_T_O_C and the octanol-water equilibrium partitioning coefficient (K_O_W). Contaminant distribution appeared to be highly unsteady, with pedogenic/biogeochemical drivers controlling contaminant mobility in organic layers and leaching controlling accumulation in mineral layers. Lighter PCBs displayed higher mobility in all forest types primarily controlled by leaching and, to a minor extent, diffusion. Pedogenic processes controlling the formation of soil horizons were found to be crucial drivers of PAHs and heavier PCBs distribution. All contaminants appeared to be more mobile in the soil of the broadleaved plot, followed by mixed canopy and spruce forest. Increasing proportion of deciduous broadleaf species in the forest can thus lead to faster degradation or the faster leaching of PAHs and PCBs. The composition of humic substances was found to be a better descriptor of contaminant concentration than TOC. - Highlights: • Tree species composition influences vertical distribution of PCBs and PAHs in soils. • PCBs and PAHs were more mobile in the soil of the broadleaved plot. • Low molecular weight PCBs displayed higher mobility in all forest types. • Humic substances were important descriptors of contaminant

Different cesium-137 transfers to forest and stream ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Masaru; Gomi, Takashi; Negishi, Junjiro N.; Iwamoto, Aimu; Okada, Kengo

2016-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of "1"3"7Cs movement across different ecosystems is crucial for projecting the environmental impact and management of nuclear contamination events. Here, we report differential movement of "1"3"7Cs in adjacent forest and stream ecosystems. The food webs of the forest and stream ecosystems in our study were similar, in that they were both dominated by detrital-based food webs and the basal energy source was terrestrial litter. However, the concentration of "1"3"7Cs in stream litter was significantly lower than in forest litter, the result of "1"3"7Cs leaching from litter in stream water. The difference in "1"3"7Cs concentrations between the two types of litter was reflected in the "1"3"7Cs concentrations in the animal community. While the importance of "1"3"7Cs fallout and the associated transfer to food webs has been well studied, research has been primarily limited to cases in a single ecosystem. Our results indicate that there are differences in the flow of "1"3"7Cs through terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and that "1"3"7Cs concentrations are reduced in both basal food resources and higher trophic animals in aquatic systems, where primary production is subsidized by a neighboring terrestrial ecosystem. - Highlights: • Detrital-based food web structure was observed in both forest and stream ecosystems. • The "1"3"7Cs concentration in litter was 4 times lower in stream than in forest. • The difference of "1"3"7Cs concentration in litter reflected in animal contamination. • "1"3"7Cs leaching from litter decreases contamination level of stream food web. - Leaching from litter in stream decreases "1"3"7Cs concentration in litter, and the contamination level of food web in stream ecosystem is lower than that in adjacent forest ecosystem.

Occupational exposure at a contemplated Belarussian power plant fired with contaminated biomass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Kasper Grann; Fogh, C.L.; Roed, Jørn

1999-01-01

To meet the current demand in Belarus for remediation of the vast forest areas that were contaminated by the Chernobyl accident and at the same time establish a much needed energy production, applying contaminated forest biomass as fuel in special power plants is being considered. This paper......-called 'big bags' filled with fly ash waste. Inhalation doses were estimated to be low. External doses received while working at the power plant do not appear to be highly significant compared with the doses from environmental contamination in the area where the power plant is expected to be constructed....

Wildfires in Chernobyl-contaminated forests and risks to the population and the environment: a new nuclear disaster about to happen?

Science.gov (United States)

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Balkanski, Yves; Cozic, Anne; Hao, Wei Min; Møller, Anders Pape

2014-12-01

Radioactive contamination in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia after the Chernobyl accident left large rural and forest areas to their own fate. Forest succession in conjunction with lack of forest management started gradually transforming the landscape. During the last 28 years dead wood and litter have dramatically accumulated in these areas, whereas climate change has increased temperature and favored drought. The present situation in these forests suggests an increased risk of wildfires, especially after the pronounced forest fires of 2010, which remobilized Chernobyl-deposited radioactive materials transporting them thousand kilometers far. For the aforementioned reasons, we study the consequences of different forest fires on the redistribution of (137)Cs. Using the time frequency of the fires that occurred in the area during 2010, we study three scenarios assuming that 10%, 50% and 100% of the area are burnt. We aim to sensitize the scientific community and the European authorities for the foreseen risks from radioactivity redistribution over Europe. The global model LMDZORINCA that reads deposition density of radionuclides and burnt area from satellites was used, whereas risks for the human and animal population were calculated using the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the computerized software ERICA Tool, respectively. Depending on the scenario, whereas between 20 and 240 humans may suffer from solid cancers, of which 10-170 may be fatal. ERICA predicts insignificant changes in animal populations from the fires, whereas the already extreme radioactivity background plays a major role in their living quality. The resulting releases of (137)Cs after hypothetical wildfires in Chernobyl's forests are classified as high in the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES). The estimated cancer incidents and fatalities are expected to be comparable to those predicted for Fukushima. This is attributed to the fact that the distribution of radioactive fallout after the

Wildfires in Chernobyl-contaminated forests and risks to the population and the environment: A new nuclear disaster about to happen?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Balkanski, Yves; Cozic, Anne

2014-01-01

Radioactive contamination in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia after the Chernobyl accident left large rural and forest areas to their own fate. Forest succession in conjunction with lack of forest management started gradually transforming the landscape. During the last 28 years dead wood and litter have dramatically accumulated in these areas, whereas climate change has increased temperature and favored drought. The present situation in these forests suggests an increased risk of wildfires, especially after the pronounced forest fires of 2010, which re-mobilized Chernobyl-deposited radioactive materials transporting them thousand kilometers far. For the aforementioned reasons, we study the consequences of different forest fires on the redistribution of 137 Cs. Using the time frequency of the fires that occurred in the area during 2010, we study three scenarios assuming that 10%, 50% and 100% of the area are burnt. We aim to sensitize the scientific community and the European authorities for the foreseen risks from radioactivity redistribution over Europe. The global model LMDZORINCA that reads deposition density of radionuclides and burnt area from satellites was used, whereas risks for the human and animal population were calculated using the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the computerized software ERICA Tool, respectively. Depending on the scenario, whereas between 20 and 240 humans may suffer from solid cancers, of which 10-170 may be fatal. ERICA predicts insignificant changes in animal populations from the fires, whereas the already extreme radioactivity background plays a major role in their living quality. The resulting releases of 137 Cs after hypothetical wildfires in Chernobyl's forests are classified as high in the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES). The estimated cancer incidents and fatalities are expected to be comparable to those predicted for Fukushima. This is attributed to the fact that the distribution of radioactive fallout after the

How to manage forest environments after a nuclear accident? Lessons learned from the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-03-01

Based on several published studies, this report proposes a synthetic overview of observations made on the fate of radionuclides in contaminated forests, like in forest environments which represent a great part of highly contaminated areas about Chernobyl and Fukushima. It appears that the main characteristics of forest ecosystems impacted by radioactive fallouts are different (there is no 'red' (dead) forest around Fukushima), that processes governing the fate of radionuclides in forest ecosystems imply a high remanence of radioactive contamination in these environments. It also appears that the interception of radioactive fallouts by the canopy and radionuclide transfers towards the litter and the soil are the most important processes during the early phase and during the first months after the accident. Thus, the soil becomes the main reservoir in which radio-caesium can be found. Some studies outline that the management of contaminated forest ecosystems after the Fukushima accident differs from that applied in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Others notice that the fire risk is higher in the Chernobyl exclusion zone

Plutonium in biota from an east Tennessee floodplain forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garten, C.T. Jr.; Dahlman, R.C.

1978-01-01

239 240 Pu concentrations were measured in biota from a 30-year-old contaminated floodplain forest in Tennessee. Concentration ratios relative to soil, for plutonium in litter, invertebrate cryptozoans, herbaceous ground vegetation, orthoptera and small mammals were approximately 10 -1 , 10 -2 , 10 -3 , and 10 -4 , respectively. Concentration ratios (CR) for plutonium in biota from the floodplain forest are less than CR values from other contaminated ecosystems in the USA. Presumably, this is due to humid conditions and greater rainfall which minimize resuspension as a physical transport mechanism to biota. Plutonium and radiocesium concentrations are correlated in biota from the forest at Oak Ridge and also from Mortandad Canyon in New Mexico. The cause of the covariance between concentrations of these elements is unknown. Nevertheless, the existence of these relationships suggests that it is possible to predict plutonium in biota from radiocesium concentrations when both nuclides have a common origin and occur together in a contaminated terrestrial environment. (author)

Demonstration of remotely operated TRU waste size reduction and material handling equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Looper, M.G.; Charlesworth, D.L.

1988-01-01

The Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) is developing remote size reduction and material handling equipment to prepare 238 Pu contaminated waste for permanent disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. The waste is generated at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) from normal operation and decommissioning activity and is retrievably stored onsite. A Transuranic Waste Facility for preparing, size-reducing, and packaging this waste for disposal is scheduled for completion in 1995. A cold test facility for demonstrating the size reduction and material handling equipment was built, and testing began in January 1987. 9 figs., 1 tab

Effects of radionuclide contamination on leaf litter decomposition in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonzom, Jean-Marc; Hättenschwiler, Stephan; Lecomte-Pradines, Catherine; Chauvet, Eric; Gaschak, Sergey; Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Della-Vedova, Claire; Dubourg, Nicolas; Maksimenko, Andrey; Garnier-Laplace, Jacqueline; Adam-Guillermin, Christelle

2016-08-15

The effects of radioactive contamination on ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition remain largely unknown. Because radionuclides accumulated in soil and plant biomass can be harmful for organisms, the functioning of ecosystems may be altered by radioactive contamination. Here, we tested the hypothesis that decomposition is impaired by increasing levels of radioactivity in the environment by exposing uncontaminated leaf litter from silver birch and black alder at (i) eleven distant forest sites differing in ambient radiation levels (0.22-15μGyh(-1)) and (ii) along a short distance gradient of radioactive contamination (1.2-29μGyh(-1)) within a single forest in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In addition to measuring ambient external dose rates, we estimated the average total dose rates (ATDRs) absorbed by decomposers for an accurate estimate of dose-induced ecological consequences of radioactive pollution. Taking into account potential confounding factors (soil pH, moisture, texture, and organic carbon content), the results from the eleven distant forest sites, and from the single forest, showed increased litter mass loss with increasing ATDRs from 0.3 to 150μGyh(-1). This unexpected result may be due to (i) overcompensation of decomposer organisms exposed to radionuclides leading to a higher decomposer abundance (hormetic effect), and/or (ii) from preferred feeding by decomposers on the uncontaminated leaf litter used for our experiment compared to locally produced, contaminated leaf litter. Our data indicate that radio-contamination of forest ecosystems over more than two decades does not necessarily have detrimental effects on organic matter decay. However, further studies are needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the results reported here, in order to draw firmer conclusions on how radio-contamination affects decomposition and associated ecosystem processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiocesium accumulation in the anuran frog, Rana tagoi tagoi, in forest ecosystems after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Teruhiko; Endo, Satoru; Takada, Momo; Oba, Yurika; Nursal, Wim Ikbal; Igawa, Takeshi; Doi, Hideyuki; Yamada, Toshihiro; Okuda, Toshinori

2015-01-01

Amphibians are key components in forest food webs. When examining radioactive contamination in anurans, it is important to understand how radiocesium transfer occurs from lower to higher trophic levels in forest ecosystems. We investigated the activity concentration of radiocesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs) in Tago's brown frog (Rana tagoi tagoi) captured on the forest floor approximately 2.5 years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident. We collected 66 R. tagoi tagoi at different distances from the FNPP. Radiocesium accumulation showed positive correlations with the air radiation dose rate and litter contamination but not with distance from the FNPP. Whole-body radioactivity showed no correlation with body mass or length. Our results suggest that differences in the available food items result in large variability in individual contamination. Contamination level monitoring in terrestrial and aquatic amphibian is necessary for clarifying the processes and mechanisms of radiocesium transfer through forest food webs. - Highlights: • Radiocesium level in Rana tagoi tagoi from forests near Fukushima was assessed. • Radiocesium accumulation was related to air dose rate and litter contamination. • Differences in dietary intake might lead to variability in individual contamination. • Transfer of radiocesium among trophic levels can occur via anurans. - Rana tagoi tagoi accumulates radiocesium in forest floor habitats near Fukushima

Comments and Guidance to the Regulations and General Advice from the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority on the handling of Ashes Contaminated by Caesium-137; Kommentarer och vaegledning till foereskrifter och allmaenna raad om hantering av aska som aer kontaminerad med cesium-137

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moere, Hans; Hubbard, Lynn Marie

2005-05-01

The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority has issued Regulations and General Advice on the handling of Ashes Contaminated by Caesium-137, in SSI FS 2005:1. In this document the separate paragraphs are explained to facilitate their practical implementation.

Characterization and handling solutions through development and adaptation of available technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, W.S.; Frazee, C.

1998-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) faces unique challenges in characterizing and handling its mixed wastes. Mixed waste is low-level or transuranic (TRU) contaminated wastes containing Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous materials. Characterization and material handling technologies will be required to solve pretreatment and disposal needs, and to meet transportation requirements. The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) will fund the development and demonstration of characterization and material handling technologies to ensure the availability to support the DOE mixed waste needs. The MWFA will be evaluating commercially available and laboratory developed technologies for applicability in meeting these needs. Improved systems will be developed, on the commercial or laboratory side, as needed to address unmet needs. Studies/demonstrations are taking place this year to evaluate the capabilities of existing systems and identify technology gaps. Calls for proposals will be made to both industry and laboratory to identify work to address those gaps. Prioritization of applicable proposals will take place and activities funded appropriately to address characterization and material handling needs

Erratum: potential microbial contamination during sampling of permafrost soil assessed by tracers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bang-Andreasen, Toke; Schostag, Morten Dencker; Priemé, Anders

2017-01-01

Drilling and handling of permanently frozen soil cores without microbial contamination is of concern because contamination e.g. from the active layer above may lead to incorrect interpretation of results in experiments investigating potential and actual microbial activity in these low microbial b...

Technology status report: Transuranic contamination control at INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loomis, G.G.

1991-09-01

This report summarizes proposed FY-92 work at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in the field of contamination control during transuranic waste handling operations. The proposed work is both applied research and demonstration testing. The INEL needs for contamination control applied research and demonstration testing are listed along with a description of past accomplishments. The INEL proposal is compared to other proposals for contamination control work that are under consideration for funding by the Department of Energy. Benefits of this work and impacts of not sponsoring this work are also given. 21 refs

Plutonium safe handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tvehlov, Yu.

2000-01-01

The abstract, prepared on the basis of materials of the IAEA new leadership on the plutonium safe handling and its storage (the publication no. 9 in the Safety Reports Series), aimed at presenting internationally acknowledged criteria on the radiation danger evaluation and summarizing the experience in the safe management of great quantities of plutonium, accumulated in the nuclear states, is presented. The data on the weapon-class and civil plutonium, the degree of its danger, the measures for provision of its safety, including the data on accident radiation consequences with the fission number 10 18 , are presented. The recommendations, making it possible to eliminate the super- criticality danger, as well as ignition and explosion, to maintain the tightness of the facility, aimed at excluding the radioactive contamination and the possibility of internal irradiation, to provide for the plutonium security, physical protection and to reduce irradiation are given [ru

Experience in handling core subassemblies in sodium cooled reactor KNK and test rigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Althaus; Jansing; Kesseler; Kirchner; Menck

1974-01-01

Compared with a water cooled reactor plant a sodium cooled reactor plant presents a number of problems which result from the specific nature of sodium. These problems that must be faced during all handling operations are mainly: 1. The rapid reaction of sodium in air requires handling to be done only under cover gas. 2. The temperature of all sodium-wetted components is to be kept above the melting point of sodium. 3. Poor draining of removed reactor components due to the high surface tension of sodium and the associated danger of dripping radioactive sodium may produce radiation or contamination problems. 4. Sodium is not transparent. The sum of these and further influences dictate that the general handling usually is carried out without visual means, though a method is under development in the USA to use ultrasonic for under sodium 'viewing'. These limitations to sodium component handling are applicable to all sodium reactor plants, several of which are discussed in this report. After the description of the handling systems of the KNK plant now operating at Karlsruhe, the experience with the SNR test rig and finally the handling systems for SNR 300 and SNR 2 are discussed

Control of everyday contamination problems in a hot cell laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buch, R.

1983-01-01

For handling unsealed radioactive materials, contamination monitoring and the application of appropriate methods for the prevention of contamination are essential measures to achieve radiation protection safety at the working place and during operation. It is essential to know which are the contamination sources and which circumstances may lead to contamination release and diffusion. Depending on the kind of contamination and the extent of the resulting radiation exposure, suitable easy-to-use measuring equipment is necessary. The lecture shows how contamination release can be limited or prevented, and detected in due time by the use of appropriate measuring instruments, so that contaminations and the ways of decontaminating do not necessarily cause increased dose rates. (orig.) [de

Flexible Electrostatic Technologies for Capture and Handling, Phase 1

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Thomas

2015-01-01

Fundamental to many of NASA's in-space transportation missions is the capture and handling of various objects and vehicles in various orbits for servicing, debris disposal, sample retrieval, and assembly without the benefit of sufficient grapple fixtures and docking ports. To perform similar material handling tasks on Earth, pincher grippers, suction grippers, or magnetic chucks are used, but are unable to reliably grip aluminum and composite spacecraft, insulation, radiators, solar arrays, or extra-terrestrial objects in the vacuum of outer space without dedicated handles in the right places. The electronic Flexible Electrostatic Technologies for space Capture and Handling (FETCH) will enable reliable and compliant gripping (soft dock) of practically any object in various orbits or surfaces without dedicated mechanical features, very low impact capture, and built-in proximity sensing without any conventional actuators. Originally developed to handle semiconductor and glass wafers during vacuum chamber processing without contamination, the normal rigid wafer handling chucks are replaced with thin metal foil segments laminated in flexible insulation driven by commercial off-the-shelf solid state, high-voltage power supplies. Preliminary testing in NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) Flat Floor Robotics Lab demonstrated compliant alignment and gripping with a full-sized, 150-lb microsat mockup and translation before a clean release with a flip of a switch. The flexible electrostatic gripper pads can be adapted to various space applications with different sizes, shapes, and foil electrode layouts even with openings through the gripper pads for addition of guidance sensors or injection of permanent adhesives. With gripping forces estimated between 0.5 and 2.5 lb/in2 or 70-300 lb/ft2 of surface contact, the FETCH can turn on and off rapidly and repeatedly to enable sample handling, soft docking, in-space assembly, precision relocation, and surface translation

Modelling the fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants in a boreal forest catchment: A cross disciplinary approach to assessing diffuse pollution to surface waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergknut, Magnus; Meijer, Sandra; Halsall, Crispin; Agren, Anneli; Laudon, Hjalmar; Koehler, Stephan; Jones, Kevin C.; Tysklind, Mats; Wiberg, Karin

2010-01-01

The fate of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in soils and waters in a northern boreal catchment was explored through the development of a chemical fate model in a well-characterised catchment system dominated by two land types: forest and mire. Input was based solely on atmospheric deposition, dominated by accumulation in the winter snowpack. Release from soils was governed by the HOC concentration in soil, the soil organic carbon fraction and soil-water DOC content. The modelled export of selected HOCs in surface waters ranged between 11 and 250 ng day -1 during the snow covered period, compared to 200 and 9600 ng/d during snow-melt; highlighting the importance of the snow pack as a source of these chemicals. The predicted levels of HOCs in surface water were in reasonable agreement to a limited set of measured values, although the model tended to over predict concentrations of HOCs for the forested sub-catchment, by over an order of magnitude in the case of hexachlorobenzene and PCB 180. This possibly reflects both the heterogeneity of the forest soils and the complicated and changing hydrology experienced between the different seasons. - The fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants in a boreal forest catchment is connected to the flux of dissolved organic carbon and seasonal deposition.

Modelling of 137Cs behaviour in forest ecosystems and prediction of its accumulation in forest products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiridonov, S.I.; Fesenko, S.V.; Gontarenko, I.A.; Avila, R.

2001-01-01

A mathematical model of 137 Cs migration in forest ecosystem contaminated due to the Chernobyl accident presented, which describes the behaviour of this radionuclide in the forest litter-soil system, tress, and forest animals. The model's parameters for different types of forest ecosystems are estimated and model's adequacy is tested through the use of independent experimental data. The sensitivity of the model's output variables is analyzed to variations in the most significant parameters. The differences in the seasonal and mean annual dynamics of 137 Cs concentration in muscles of roe deers and mooses are shown to be defined by specific features of the diets of these animals and variations in 137 Cs content in the main diet components [ru

Sources of calicivirus contamination in foodborne outbreaks, Denmark, 2005-2011 - the role of the asymptomatic food handler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Franck, Kristina T.; Lisby, Morten; Fonager, Jannik

2015-01-01

Background. Norovirus is the predominant cause of foodborne disease outbreaks. Virus contamination may occur during all steps of food processing from production to preparation and serving. The relative importance of these different routes of contamination is unknown. Methods. The purpose...... of contamination. Results. In 64 (34%) of the outbreaks, contamination from food handlers took place during preparation or serving of food. In the majority of these outbreaks (n=41; 64%), the food handlers were asymptomatic during food handling. Some had been in contact with ill household members before handling...... the food and remained asymptomatic; others developed symptoms shortly after or were post-symptomatic. In 51 (27%) of the outbreaks, contamination occurred during production of the food and in 55 (29%) of the outbreaks, contamination had supposedly occurred after serving via a guest at a self-serving buffet...

Transfer parameter values in temperate forest ecosystems: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calmon, Philippe; Thiry, Yves; Zibold, Gregor; Rantavaara, Aino; Fesenko, Sergei

2009-01-01

Compared to agricultural lands, forests are complex ecosystems as they can involve diverse plant species associations, several vegetative strata (overstorey, shrubs, herbaceous and other annual plant layer) and multi-layered soil profiles (forest floor, hemi-organic and mineral layers). A high degree of variability is thus generally observed in radionuclide transfers and redistribution patterns in contaminated forests. In the long term, the soil compartment represents the major reservoir of radionuclides which can give rise to long-term plant and hence food contamination. For practical reasons, the contamination of various specific forest products has commonly been quantified using the aggregated transfer factor (T ag in m 2 kg -1 ) which integrates various environmental parameters including soil and plant type, root distribution as well as nature and vertical distribution of the deposits. Long lasting availability of some radionuclides was shown to be the source of much higher transfer in forest ecosystems than in agricultural lands. This study aimed at reviewing the most relevant quantitative information on radionuclide transfers to forest biota including trees, understorey vegetation, mushrooms, berries and game animals. For both radiocaesium and radiostrontium in trees, the order of magnitude of mean T ag values was 10 -3 m 2 kg -1 (dry weight). Tree foliage was usually 2-12 times more contaminated than trunk wood. Maximum contamination of tree components with radiocaesium was associated with (semi-)hydromorphic areas with thick humus layers. The transfer of radionuclides to mushrooms and berries is high, in comparison with foodstuffs grown in agricultural systems. Concerning caesium uptake by mushrooms, the transfer is characterized by a very large variability of T ag , from 10 -3 to 10 1 m 2 kg -1 (dry weight). For berries, typical values are around 0.01-0.1 m 2 kg -1 (dry weight). Transfer of radioactive caesium to game animals and reindeer and the rate of

Transfer parameter values in temperate forest ecosystems: a review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calmon, Philippe [Department of Radioecology, Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, CE Cadarache, BP 3, 13115 Saint Paul-les-Durance Cedex (France)], E-mail: philippe.calmon@irsn.fr; Thiry, Yves [Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK.CEN, Foundation of Public Utility), 2400 Mol (Belgium); Zibold, Gregor [Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten, University of Applied Sciences, 88250 Weingarten (Germany); Rantavaara, Aino [Research and Environmental Surveillance, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), BP 14, FIN-00881 Helsinki (Finland); Fesenko, Sergei [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 1400 Vienna (Austria)

2009-09-15

Compared to agricultural lands, forests are complex ecosystems as they can involve diverse plant species associations, several vegetative strata (overstorey, shrubs, herbaceous and other annual plant layer) and multi-layered soil profiles (forest floor, hemi-organic and mineral layers). A high degree of variability is thus generally observed in radionuclide transfers and redistribution patterns in contaminated forests. In the long term, the soil compartment represents the major reservoir of radionuclides which can give rise to long-term plant and hence food contamination. For practical reasons, the contamination of various specific forest products has commonly been quantified using the aggregated transfer factor (T{sub ag} in m{sup 2} kg{sup -1}) which integrates various environmental parameters including soil and plant type, root distribution as well as nature and vertical distribution of the deposits. Long lasting availability of some radionuclides was shown to be the source of much higher transfer in forest ecosystems than in agricultural lands. This study aimed at reviewing the most relevant quantitative information on radionuclide transfers to forest biota including trees, understorey vegetation, mushrooms, berries and game animals. For both radiocaesium and radiostrontium in trees, the order of magnitude of mean T{sub ag} values was 10{sup -3} m{sup 2} kg{sup -1} (dry weight). Tree foliage was usually 2-12 times more contaminated than trunk wood. Maximum contamination of tree components with radiocaesium was associated with (semi-)hydromorphic areas with thick humus layers. The transfer of radionuclides to mushrooms and berries is high, in comparison with foodstuffs grown in agricultural systems. Concerning caesium uptake by mushrooms, the transfer is characterized by a very large variability of T{sub ag}, from 10{sup -3} to 10{sup 1} m{sup 2} kg{sup -1} (dry weight). For berries, typical values are around 0.01-0.1 m{sup 2} kg{sup -1} (dry weight). Transfer

Environmental contamination, product contamination and workers exposure using a robotic system for antineoplastic drug preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sessink, Paul J M; Leclercq, Gisèle M; Wouters, Dominique-Marie; Halbardier, Loïc; Hammad, Chaïma; Kassoul, Nassima

2015-04-01

Environmental contamination, product contamination and technicians exposure were measured following preparation of iv bags with cyclophosphamide using the robotic system CytoCare. Wipe samples were taken inside CytoCare, in the clean room environment, from vials, and prepared iv bags including ports and analysed for contamination with cyclophosphamide. Contamination with cyclophosphamide was also measured in environmental air and on the technicians hands and gloves used for handling the drugs. Exposure of the technicians to cyclophosphamide was measured by analysis of cyclophosphamide in urine. Contamination with cyclophosphamide was mainly observed inside CytoCare, before preparation, after preparation and after daily routine cleaning. Contamination outside CytoCare was incidentally found. All vials with reconstituted cyclophosphamide entering CytoCare were contaminated on the outside but vials with powdered cyclophosphamide were not contaminated on the outside. Contaminated bags entering CytoCare were also contaminated after preparation but non-contaminated bags were not contaminated after preparation. Cyclophosphamide was detected on the ports of all prepared bags. Almost all outer pairs of gloves used for preparation and daily routine cleaning were contaminated with cyclophosphamide. Cyclophosphamide was not found on the inner pairs of gloves and on the hands of the technicians. Cyclophosphamide was not detected in the stationary and personal air samples and in the urine samples of the technicians. CytoCare enables the preparation of cyclophosphamide with low levels of environmental contamination and product contamination and no measurable exposure of the technicians. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Earthworm populations in soils contaminated by the Chernobyl atomic power station accident, 1986-1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krivolutzkii, D.A.; Pokarzhevskii, A.D.; Viktorov, A.G.

1992-01-01

A study of earthworm populations in the 30 km zone around the Chernobyl atomic power station was carried out in 1986-1988. Significant differences in earthworm population numbers were found between highly contaminated and control plots in summer and autumn 1986 and in April 1987. But in the autumn of 1988 the earthworm population numbers in contaminated plots were higher than in the control plots. The ratio of mature to immature specimens was higher in 1986 in the contaminated plots in comparison with the control plots. Only one species of earthworms, Dendrobaena octahedra, was found in contaminated forest plots during the first 2 yr following the accident but in the control forest plots Apporectodea caliginosa was also found. (author)

Radiation safety for incineration of radioactive waste contaminated by cesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veryuzhs'kij, Yu.V.; Gryin'ko, O.M.; Tokarevs'kij, V.V.

2016-01-01

Problems in the treatment of radioactive waste contaminated by cesium nuclides are considered in the paper. Chornobyl experience in the management of contaminated soil and contaminated forests is analyzed in relation to the accident at Fukushima-1. The minimization of release of cesium aerosols into atmosphere is very important. Radiation influence of inhaling atmosphere aerosols polluted by cesium has damage effect for humans. The research focuses on the treatment of forests contaminated by big volumes of cesium. One of the most important technologies is a pyro-gasification incineration with chemical reactions of cesium paying attention to gas purification problems. Requirements for process, physical and chemical properties of treatment of radioactive waste based on the dry pyro-gasification incineration facilities are considered in the paper together with the discussion of details related to incineration facilities. General similarities and discrepancies in the environmental pollution caused by the accidents at Chornobyl NPP and Fukushima-1 NPP in Japan are analyzed

Effects of post-harvest handling conditions on internalization and growth of Salmonella enterica in tomatoes

Science.gov (United States)

Internalization during post-harvest handling is a significant route of tomato contamination by phytopathogens and foodborne human pathogens. This study was conducted to determine the effect of immersion time, immersion depth, and the temperature differential between bacterial suspension and tomato p...

Guide to Radiation Safety regulations and guidelines (SSMFS 2012:3) on the management of contaminated ash

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moere, Hans

2012-06-01

Energy producers burning peat or wood fuel can obtain ash that is contaminated with cesium-137 from Tjernobyl accident or naturally occurring uranium, thorium and potassium, from some peat bogs. Regulations (SSMFS 2012:3) have been developed which regulates how the contaminated ash should be handled. The regulations affect all who handle contaminated ash in incinerators, landfills, public works, ash recycling, transportation or recycling of ash in other ways. Radiation Safety regulations and guidelines (SSMFS 2012:3) on the management of contaminated ash will apply from 1 September 2012. At that time Regulations (SSMFS 2008:16) on the management of ash that is contaminated with cesium-137, ceases to apply. The contents have been incorporated into the new regulations. This report provides explanations and guidance to the Regulations in order to facilitate the practical application. This guidance is not legally binding

The secondary forests of tropical America, Perspectives for their sustainable handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De las salas, Gonzalo

2000-01-01

The paper treats about of the enormous benefits of the secondary forests as producer of goods and services, among these they stand out the following ones: Reservoir of organic and nutritious matter, regulation of the hydric flows, maintenance of the biodiversity; drains of carbon, genes reservoir and fruits source, nutritious and medicinal plants, wood and fuel

Dosimetry and therapy of skin contaminations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piechowski, J.; Menoux, B.; Chaptinel, Y.; Durand, F.

1988-10-01

This study has been developed to provide guidance to physicians on the handling of skin contaminations in some accidental circumstances. The first stage of diagnosis and consequently of the possible therapy in order to avoid or mitigate radiodermatitis is to appreciate the importance of the contaminations and to foresee their local consequences. Two theoretical cases have been considered: a) strictly superficial contamination; b) deep contamination with homogeneous penetration of the contaminant into the epidermis. The superficial and deep theoretical distributions correspond respectively to the lower and upper absorbed doses in the basal layer. Tables of dose equivalent rates and committed dose equivalents to the skin are supplied for a large number of radionuclides likely to be met in the nuclear industry as well as in various fields of research, medicine and pharmacology using radioactive techniques. Besides these theoretical dose factors, the practitioner will find monitoring procedures, dose calculations and practical data concerning decontamination [fr

Test and evaluation of radioactively contaminated transducers and transmitters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strahm, R.C.

1983-01-01

People in the nuclear industries face some unique problems when handling, testing, or examining transducers and transmitters that have been radioactively contaminated. Although many people and organizations, including EG and G Idaho, have performed such work for many years, there are no set, structured approaches or procedures. This paper discusses a disciplined laboratory approach to contaminated transducer testing and evaluation, utilizing equipment and facilities developed specifically for this type of work

Effects of radionuclide contamination on leaf litter decomposition in the Chernobyl exclusion zone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonzom, Jean-Marc, E-mail: jean-marc.bonzom@irsn.fr [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Hättenschwiler, Stephan [Centre d' Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS–Université de Montpellier–Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier–EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier (France); Lecomte-Pradines, Catherine [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Chauvet, Eric [EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, INPT, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex (France); Gaschak, Sergey [Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych (Ukraine); Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Della-Vedova, Claire; Dubourg, Nicolas [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-ENV/SERIS, Cadarache, Bât. 183, BP 3, 13115 St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Maksimenko, Andrey [Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, International Radioecology Laboratory, 07100 Slavutych (Ukraine); and others

2016-08-15

The effects of radioactive contamination on ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition remain largely unknown. Because radionuclides accumulated in soil and plant biomass can be harmful for organisms, the functioning of ecosystems may be altered by radioactive contamination. Here, we tested the hypothesis that decomposition is impaired by increasing levels of radioactivity in the environment by exposing uncontaminated leaf litter from silver birch and black alder at (i) eleven distant forest sites differing in ambient radiation levels (0.22–15 μGy h{sup −1}) and (ii) along a short distance gradient of radioactive contamination (1.2–29 μGy h{sup −1}) within a single forest in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In addition to measuring ambient external dose rates, we estimated the average total dose rates (ATDRs) absorbed by decomposers for an accurate estimate of dose-induced ecological consequences of radioactive pollution. Taking into account potential confounding factors (soil pH, moisture, texture, and organic carbon content), the results from the eleven distant forest sites, and from the single forest, showed increased litter mass loss with increasing ATDRs from 0.3 to 150 μGy h{sup −1}. This unexpected result may be due to (i) overcompensation of decomposer organisms exposed to radionuclides leading to a higher decomposer abundance (hormetic effect), and/or (ii) from preferred feeding by decomposers on the uncontaminated leaf litter used for our experiment compared to locally produced, contaminated leaf litter. Our data indicate that radio-contamination of forest ecosystems over more than two decades does not necessarily have detrimental effects on organic matter decay. However, further studies are needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the results reported here, in order to draw firmer conclusions on how radio-contamination affects decomposition and associated ecosystem processes. - Highlights: • The effects of radioactivity on

Effects of radionuclide contamination on leaf litter decomposition in the Chernobyl exclusion zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonzom, Jean-Marc; Hättenschwiler, Stephan; Lecomte-Pradines, Catherine; Chauvet, Eric; Gaschak, Sergey; Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Della-Vedova, Claire; Dubourg, Nicolas; Maksimenko, Andrey

2016-01-01

The effects of radioactive contamination on ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition remain largely unknown. Because radionuclides accumulated in soil and plant biomass can be harmful for organisms, the functioning of ecosystems may be altered by radioactive contamination. Here, we tested the hypothesis that decomposition is impaired by increasing levels of radioactivity in the environment by exposing uncontaminated leaf litter from silver birch and black alder at (i) eleven distant forest sites differing in ambient radiation levels (0.22–15 μGy h −1 ) and (ii) along a short distance gradient of radioactive contamination (1.2–29 μGy h −1 ) within a single forest in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In addition to measuring ambient external dose rates, we estimated the average total dose rates (ATDRs) absorbed by decomposers for an accurate estimate of dose-induced ecological consequences of radioactive pollution. Taking into account potential confounding factors (soil pH, moisture, texture, and organic carbon content), the results from the eleven distant forest sites, and from the single forest, showed increased litter mass loss with increasing ATDRs from 0.3 to 150 μGy h −1 . This unexpected result may be due to (i) overcompensation of decomposer organisms exposed to radionuclides leading to a higher decomposer abundance (hormetic effect), and/or (ii) from preferred feeding by decomposers on the uncontaminated leaf litter used for our experiment compared to locally produced, contaminated leaf litter. Our data indicate that radio-contamination of forest ecosystems over more than two decades does not necessarily have detrimental effects on organic matter decay. However, further studies are needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the results reported here, in order to draw firmer conclusions on how radio-contamination affects decomposition and associated ecosystem processes. - Highlights: • The effects of radioactivity on ecosystem processes

Modeling dynamics of {sup 137}Cs in forest surface environments: Application to a contaminated forest site near Fukushima and assessment of potential impacts of soil organic matter interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ota, Masakazu, E-mail: ohta.masakazu@jaea.go.jp; Nagai, Haruyasu; Koarashi, Jun

2016-05-01

A process-based model for {sup 137}Cs transfer in forest surface environments was developed to assess the dynamic behavior of Fukushima-derived {sup 137}Cs in a Japanese forest. The model simulation successfully reproduced the observed data from 3 year migration of {sup 137}Cs in the organic and mineral soil layers at a contaminated forest near Fukushima. The migration of {sup 137}Cs from the organic layer to the mineral soil was explained by the direct deposition pattern on the forest floor and the turnover of litter materials in the organic layer under certain ecological conditions. Long-term predictions indicated that more than 90% of the deposited {sup 137}Cs would remain within the top 5 cm of the soil for up to 30 years after the accident, suggesting that the forest acts as an effective long-term reservoir of {sup 137}Cs with limited transfer via the groundwater pathway. The model was also used to explore the potential impacts of soil organic matter (SOM) interactions on the mobility and bioavailability of {sup 137}Cs in the soil–plant system. The simulation results for hypothetical organic soils with modified parameters of {sup 137}Cs turnover revealed that the SOM-induced reduction of {sup 137}Cs adsorption elevates the fraction of dissolved {sup 137}Cs in the soil solution, thereby increasing the soil-to-plant transfer of {sup 137}Cs without substantially altering the fractional distribution of {sup 137}Cs in the soil. Slower fixation of {sup 137}Cs on the flayed edge site of clay minerals and enhanced mobilization of the clay-fixed {sup 137}Cs in organic-rich soils also appeared to elevate the soil-to-plant transfer of {sup 137}Cs by increasing the fraction of the soil-adsorbed (exchangeable) {sup 137}Cs. A substantial proportion (approximate 30%–60%) of {sup 137}Cs in these organic-rich soils was transferred to layers deeper than 5 cm decades later. These results suggested that SOM influences the behavior of {sup 137}Cs in forests over a prolonged

Remote handling installation of diagnostics in the JET Tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allan, P., E-mail: Peter.Allan@ccfe.ac.uk [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Loving, A.B. [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Omran, H. [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Oxford Technologies Ltd, 7 Nuffield Way, Abingdon OX14 1RJ (United Kingdom); Collins, S.; Thomas, J. [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Parsloe, A.; Merrigan, I. [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); British Nuclear Services, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Hassall, I. [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Oxford Technologies Ltd, 7 Nuffield Way, Abingdon OX14 1RJ (United Kingdom)

2011-10-15

The requirement for an upgrade of the diagnostics for the JET ITER Like Wall (ILW) while maintaining personnel exposure to contamination as low as reasonably practicable or ALARP, has necessitated the development of a bespoke set of diagnostic components. These components, by virtue of their design and location, require a versatile yet comprehensive suite of remote handling tools to undertake their in-vessel installation. The installation of the various diagnostic components is covered in multiple tasks. Each task requires careful assessment and design of tools that can successfully interface with the components and comply with the handling and installation requirements. With remote maintenance a requirement, the looms/conduits were designed to be modular with connections which are electrically connected when the module is fitted or conversely disconnected when removed. The shape of each complex and often bulky component is verified during the design phase, to ensure that it can be delivered and installed to its specified location in the torus. This is done by matching the kinematic capabilities of the remote handling system and the path of the component through the torus by using a state of the art virtual reality system.

Decision Support Systems in Forest Management: An Integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Decision making process - especially in natural resources management, encounters myriad of challenges to objective decisions, significant decision depends on amount of information and capability of decision makers to handle massive data. In forest management, these challenges such as lack of enough data and cost ...

Fuel handling machine and auxiliary systems for a fuel handling cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suikki, M.

2013-10-01

This working report is an update for as well as a supplement to an earlier fuel handling machine design (Kukkola and Roennqvist 2006). A focus in the earlier design proposal was primarily on the selection of a mechanical structure and operating principle for the fuel handling machine. This report introduces not only a fuel handling machine design but also auxiliary fuel handling cell equipment and its operation. An objective of the design work was to verify the operating principles of and space allocations for fuel handling cell equipment. The fuel handling machine is a remote controlled apparatus capable of handling intensely radiating fuel assemblies in the fuel handling cell of an encapsulation plant. The fuel handling cell is air tight space radiation-shielded with massive concrete walls. The fuel handling machine is based on a bridge crane capable of traveling in the handling cell along wall tracks. The bridge crane has its carriage provided with a carousel type turntable having mounted thereon both fixed and telescopic masts. The fixed mast has a gripper movable on linear guides for the transfer of fuel assemblies. The telescopic mast has a manipulator arm capable of maneuvering equipment present in the fuel handling cell, as well as conducting necessary maintenance and cleaning operations or rectifying possible fault conditions. The auxiliary fuel handling cell systems consist of several subsystems. The subsystems include a service manipulator, a tool carrier for manipulators, a material hatch, assisting winches, a vacuum cleaner, as well as a hose reel. With the exception of the vacuum cleaner, the devices included in the fuel handling cell's auxiliary system are only used when the actual encapsulation process is not ongoing. The malfunctions of mechanisms or actuators responsible for the motion actions of a fuel handling machine preclude in a worst case scenario the bringing of the fuel handling cell and related systems to a condition appropriate for

Fuel handling machine and auxiliary systems for a fuel handling cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suikki, M. [Optimik Oy, Turku (Finland)

2013-10-15

This working report is an update for as well as a supplement to an earlier fuel handling machine design (Kukkola and Roennqvist 2006). A focus in the earlier design proposal was primarily on the selection of a mechanical structure and operating principle for the fuel handling machine. This report introduces not only a fuel handling machine design but also auxiliary fuel handling cell equipment and its operation. An objective of the design work was to verify the operating principles of and space allocations for fuel handling cell equipment. The fuel handling machine is a remote controlled apparatus capable of handling intensely radiating fuel assemblies in the fuel handling cell of an encapsulation plant. The fuel handling cell is air tight space radiation-shielded with massive concrete walls. The fuel handling machine is based on a bridge crane capable of traveling in the handling cell along wall tracks. The bridge crane has its carriage provided with a carousel type turntable having mounted thereon both fixed and telescopic masts. The fixed mast has a gripper movable on linear guides for the transfer of fuel assemblies. The telescopic mast has a manipulator arm capable of maneuvering equipment present in the fuel handling cell, as well as conducting necessary maintenance and cleaning operations or rectifying possible fault conditions. The auxiliary fuel handling cell systems consist of several subsystems. The subsystems include a service manipulator, a tool carrier for manipulators, a material hatch, assisting winches, a vacuum cleaner, as well as a hose reel. With the exception of the vacuum cleaner, the devices included in the fuel handling cell's auxiliary system are only used when the actual encapsulation process is not ongoing. The malfunctions of mechanisms or actuators responsible for the motion actions of a fuel handling machine preclude in a worst case scenario the bringing of the fuel handling cell and related systems to a condition appropriate for

Radiological surveillance of airborne contaminants in the working environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

Contamination of the air of the working environment may result from incidental or accidental releases during the handling of radioactive materials. Representative sampling and measurement are complicated by a variety of factors, arising mainly from the physical and chemical properties of radioactive aerosols. The following topics are presented in detail: sources and types of airborne contaminants, sampling techniques and instruments, measurement techniques and instruments, interpretation of measurements, examples of air monitoring programmes

Using a risk assessment approach to handle 'hot spot' remediation in an environmentally-sensitive habitat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BenKinney, M.T.; Guiseppi-Eli, A.; Novick, N.J.; Naro, P.A.

1993-01-01

A number of different approaches have been used to address site restoration following an accidental discharge or spill. Removal of all contamination with subsequent site restoration has been a favored approach. The authors' presentation will focus on a case study where a risk assessment approach was used to establish the criteria for is the restoration. Waste oil from a gasoline service station had leaked, over time, into a swale system in an ecologically-sensitive coastal forested habitat. The initial regulatory recommendation was to excavate all soils and restore the area. Their initial investigations revealed that only a limited area was heavily contaminated, predominantly with paraffinic hydrocarbons. They used a risk assessment approach coupled with sediment elutriate testing to demonstrate that leaving the lightly contaminated material in place would not present an environmental hazard from the waste oil, while causing less damage to the swale bed and forested area. Bioassay tests were conducted on sediments collected along the length of the swale from the areas with the highest remaining hydrocarbon concentrations using fathead minnow and Daphnia magna. The bioassay studies confirmed the results of the risk assessment which determined that no environmental toxicity would be expected from allowing lightly contaminated material to remain in-place at this site

Protection in handling ionizing radiation sources in national economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The collection of study texts is divided into 13 chapters giving an explanation of the structure of the atom, the properties of ionizing radiation and its interactions, quantities and units used, basic dosimetric methods, biological radiation effects, the sources of population exposure, the principles of radiation protection, technological applications of ionizing radiation, the monitoring of personnel and environment, the method of recording and filing, the method of protection from external radiation and internal contamination, health care, and requirements for protection in handling nonsealed sources. (M.D.)

Modeling dynamics of "1"3"7Cs in forest surface environments: Application to a contaminated forest site near Fukushima and assessment of potential impacts of soil organic matter interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ota, Masakazu; Nagai, Haruyasu; Koarashi, Jun

2016-01-01

A process-based model for "1"3"7Cs transfer in forest surface environments was developed to assess the dynamic behavior of Fukushima-derived "1"3"7Cs in a Japanese forest. The model simulation successfully reproduced the observed data from 3 year migration of "1"3"7Cs in the organic and mineral soil layers at a contaminated forest near Fukushima. The migration of "1"3"7Cs from the organic layer to the mineral soil was explained by the direct deposition pattern on the forest floor and the turnover of litter materials in the organic layer under certain ecological conditions. Long-term predictions indicated that more than 90% of the deposited "1"3"7Cs would remain within the top 5 cm of the soil for up to 30 years after the accident, suggesting that the forest acts as an effective long-term reservoir of "1"3"7Cs with limited transfer via the groundwater pathway. The model was also used to explore the potential impacts of soil organic matter (SOM) interactions on the mobility and bioavailability of "1"3"7Cs in the soil–plant system. The simulation results for hypothetical organic soils with modified parameters of "1"3"7Cs turnover revealed that the SOM-induced reduction of "1"3"7Cs adsorption elevates the fraction of dissolved "1"3"7Cs in the soil solution, thereby increasing the soil-to-plant transfer of "1"3"7Cs without substantially altering the fractional distribution of "1"3"7Cs in the soil. Slower fixation of "1"3"7Cs on the flayed edge site of clay minerals and enhanced mobilization of the clay-fixed "1"3"7Cs in organic-rich soils also appeared to elevate the soil-to-plant transfer of "1"3"7Cs by increasing the fraction of the soil-adsorbed (exchangeable) "1"3"7Cs. A substantial proportion (approximate 30%–60%) of "1"3"7Cs in these organic-rich soils was transferred to layers deeper than 5 cm decades later. These results suggested that SOM influences the behavior of "1"3"7Cs in forests over a prolonged period through alterations of adsorption and fixation in

Application of boreal forest toxicity data in the decision-making process for contaminated soil clean-up remediation at oil and gas fields in Western Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scroggins, R.; Princz, J.; Moody, M.; Olsgard-Dumanski, M.; Haderlein, L.; Moore, B.

2010-01-01

This presentation reported on a multi-year research project in which a broad range of boreal forest test methods for assessing petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) toxicity in contaminated soil were used to show that clean-up decisions can be made on a field-wide basis through focused biological testing of typical drill sump and flare pit locations within an oil and gas field. Remediation at most sites will likely be limited to the Alberta soil eco-contact guidelines for PHC F2 and F3 fractions. Since Tier 1 eco-contact guidelines are derived using toxicity data from fresh crude and using agricultural plant species, it was more logical to follow a Tier 2 eco-contact pathway approach because most contamination was related to drilling sumps and flare pits containing highly weathered PHCs and species native to the boreal eco-zone of Canada. The site-specific remedial objective (SSRO) option within the Tier 2 guideline was used because of the large number of sites requiring remediation, and the similarity of sites within pre-determined Risk Assessment Zones. For representative contaminated soils, a SSRO was derived from the twenty-fifth percentile of the estimated species sensitivity distribution of all acceptable boreal plant, earthworm, springtail and mite test endpoints. The purpose of the project was to reduce soil volumes sent to landfill during site remediation by showing that residual impacts from weathered PHC in soil do not have damaging effects on boreal forest receptors following remediation. Data was included to show the value of this approach and the variability between sites and their effect on regionalizing a Tier 2 eco-contact guideline.

Application of boreal forest toxicity data in the decision-making process for contaminated soil clean-up remediation at oil and gas fields in Western Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scroggins, R.; Princz, J. [Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Moody, M. [Saskatchewan Research Council, Regina, SK (Canada); Olsgard-Dumanski, M.; Haderlein, L. [WorleyParsons Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada); Moore, B. [Devon Canada Corp., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2010-07-01

This presentation reported on a multi-year research project in which a broad range of boreal forest test methods for assessing petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) toxicity in contaminated soil were used to show that clean-up decisions can be made on a field-wide basis through focused biological testing of typical drill sump and flare pit locations within an oil and gas field. Remediation at most sites will likely be limited to the Alberta soil eco-contact guidelines for PHC F2 and F3 fractions. Since Tier 1 eco-contact guidelines are derived using toxicity data from fresh crude and using agricultural plant species, it was more logical to follow a Tier 2 eco-contact pathway approach because most contamination was related to drilling sumps and flare pits containing highly weathered PHCs and species native to the boreal eco-zone of Canada. The site-specific remedial objective (SSRO) option within the Tier 2 guideline was used because of the large number of sites requiring remediation, and the similarity of sites within pre-determined Risk Assessment Zones. For representative contaminated soils, a SSRO was derived from the twenty-fifth percentile of the estimated species sensitivity distribution of all acceptable boreal plant, earthworm, springtail and mite test endpoints. The purpose of the project was to reduce soil volumes sent to landfill during site remediation by showing that residual impacts from weathered PHC in soil do not have damaging effects on boreal forest receptors following remediation. Data was included to show the value of this approach and the variability between sites and their effect on regionalizing a Tier 2 eco-contact guideline.

Contamination study of forest track soils located in a recreational area and filled with steel industry waste 30years ago.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Nubla, Leticia; Aramendia, Julene; Fdez-Ortiz de Vallejuelo, Silvia; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2017-11-15

The reuse of waste is increasingly widespread in order to avoid the exploitation of natural resources and to reduce costs. An example of that reuse is the employment of steel slag, a by-product from the steel making process. When the steel is produced through an electric arc furnace (EAF), two types of slag are generated: black and white slag. One application rarely used for this waste is as filler in forest tracks. In this work, two forest tracks of the Basque Country (northern Spain) filled with black and white slag 19 and 35years ago, respectively, have been studied. Leaching tests were performed using Milli-Q water and acetic acid over the slags collected in that area. Additionally, soil samples collected near the slags were subjected to acid digestion. In these soil samples, there were elements of natural origin and others that could come from the leaching of the slag. Some of the more leached elements from the black slag (Ca, Fe, K, Cr, Se, W, Mn and Mo) and white slag (Mg, Al, Na, Co, Ni and Cu) coincided with the elements of highest concentration found in the soil samples. Moreover, there were differences in some elemental concentrations of soil samples with only black slag (higher presence of Ca and Mg) and soil samples with a mixture of both types of slag. It was noticeable that the highest concentration values of the measured elements were found on a specific side of the forest tracks, possibly due to the runoff water or the higher inclination of that side. On the other hand, some areas of both forest tracks could be considered contaminated by Cr according to a standard values from the Basque regulation, posing a risk to human health since they are recreational areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remote waste handling and feed preparation for Mixed Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Couture, S.A.; Merrill, R.D.; Densley, P.J.

1995-05-01

The Mixed Waste Management Facility (MWMF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will serve as a national testbed to demonstrate mature mixed waste handling and treatment technologies in a complete front-end to back-end --facility (1). Remote operations, modular processing units and telerobotics for initial waste characterization, sorting and feed preparation have been demonstrated at the bench scale and have been selected for demonstration in MWMF. The goal of the Feed Preparation design team was to design and deploy a robust system that meets the initial waste preparation flexibility and productivity needs while providing a smooth upgrade path to incorporate technology advances as they occur. The selection of telerobotics for remote handling in MWMF was made based on a number of factors -- personnel protection, waste generation, maturity, cost, flexibility and extendibility. Modular processing units were selected to enable processing flexibility and facilitate reconfiguration as new treatment processes or waste streams are brought on line for demonstration. Modularity will be achieved through standard interfaces for mechanical attachment as well as process utilities, feeds and effluents. This will facilitate reconfiguration of contaminated systems without drilling, cutting or welding of contaminated materials and with a minimum of operator contact. Modular interfaces also provide a standard connection and disconnection method that can be engineered to allow convenient remote operation

Occupational radioactive contamination of cement handlers of the civil construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Pedro Lopes dos; Gouvea, Rita de Cassia dos Santos; Kelecom, Alphonse; Dutra, Iedo Ramos

1999-01-01

Due to their occupational activities, several classes of workers are exposed to radioactive contamination by materials they handle and that contain traces of uranium and its descendants. This is the case of people that work in the civil construction and that currently handle Portland cement. Among other radioactive elements, cement contains the highly radiotoxic polonium-210 which may promote skin cancer because of its high specific activity and high LET α-particle it emits. Concentrations of polonium-210 are reported for urine, hair and skin smear of workers of the civil construction that usually handle cement. The results are compared to a control group. (author)

Radiation risks to human health during air pollution from wildfires in contaminated zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dvornik, A.A.

2016-01-01

The results of the investigation of radiation hazard of forest fires in the radioactive contaminated areas are presented in the article. Airborne concentration of Cs 137 produced by the combustion of forest fuel materials with different contamination density can exceed the permissible activity levels of Cs 137 in air. The emission containing radionuclides deposited on the fine aerosol fractions is particularly dangerous. Inhalation of radionuclides can generate additional internal doses both for fire-fighters, near the source of ignition, and for citizens, at a distance from the source. (authors)

Certification Plan, Radioactive Mixed Waste Hazardous Waste Handling Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albert, R.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this plan is to describe the organization and methodology for the certification of radioactive mixed waste (RMW) handled in the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL). RMW is low-level radioactive waste (LLW) or transuranic (TRU) waste that is co-contaminated with dangerous waste as defined in the Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) Solid Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and the Washington State Dangerous Waste Regulations, 173-303-040 (18). This waste is to be transferred to the Hanford Site Central Waste Complex and Burial Grounds in Hanford, Washington. This plan incorporates the applicable elements of waste reduction, which include both up-front minimization and end-product treatment to reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste; segregation of the waste as it applies to certification; an executive summary of the Waste Management Quality Assurance Implementing Management Plan (QAIMP) for the HWHF (Section 4); and a list of the current and planned implementing procedures used in waste certification

Modelling of radionuclide migration in forest ecosystems. A literature review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avila, R.; Moberg, L.; Hubbard, L.

1998-03-01

The Chernobyl accident has clearly shown the long-term effects of a radioactive contamination of forest ecosystems. This report is based on a literature review of models which describe the migration of radionuclides, radioactive caesium in particular, in forest ecosystems. The report describes the particularities of the forest ecosystem, the time dynamics of the contamination, the transfer processes and factors influencing caesium migration. This provides a basis for a discussion of different approaches for modelling caesium migration in the forest. It is concluded that the studied dynamic models include the most relevant transfer processes both for the acute and the long-term phase after a radioactive deposition. However, most models are site specific and do not consider some of the factors responsible for the differences in radionuclide behaviour and distribution in different types of forests. Although model improvements are constrained by the availability of experimental data and by the lack of knowledge of the migration mechanisms some possible improvements are discussed. This report is part of the LANDSCAPE project. -An integrated approach to radionuclide flow in the semi-natural ecosystems underlying exposure pathways to man. 42 refs, 3 tabs, 9 figs.

Modelling of radionuclide migration in forest ecosystems. A literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avila, R.; Moberg, L.; Hubbard, L.

1998-03-01

The Chernobyl accident has clearly shown the long-term effects of a radioactive contamination of forest ecosystems. This report is based on a literature review of models which describe the migration of radionuclides, radioactive caesium in particular, in forest ecosystems. The report describes the particularities of the forest ecosystem, the time dynamics of the contamination, the transfer processes and factors influencing caesium migration. This provides a basis for a discussion of different approaches for modelling caesium migration in the forest. It is concluded that the studied dynamic models include the most relevant transfer processes both for the acute and the long-term phase after a radioactive deposition. However, most models are site specific and do not consider some of the factors responsible for the differences in radionuclide behaviour and distribution in different types of forests. Although model improvements are constrained by the availability of experimental data and by the lack of knowledge of the migration mechanisms some possible improvements are discussed. This report is part of the LANDSCAPE project. -An integrated approach to radionuclide flow in the semi-natural ecosystems underlying exposure pathways to man

New, clean handling process introduced to improve cable quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, C G

1990-05-01

The clean room system introduced by Canada Wire and Cable Limited in its Toronto plant for its cable manufacturing operation is described. While clean room technology is common in the food processing industry, optical and aerospace manufacturing processes, this is the first time it has been applied to wire and cable extrusion in North America. The purpose of the clean compound handling system is to prevent particle contamination in the shielding and cable insulation materials, as part of an effort to prevent premature underground electric cable failures. Two rooms are dedicated to handling different types of insulation compound, two are dedicated to receiving semi-conducting shielding material, and the fifth room functions as an air lock for the two insulation rooms. The atmosphere is highly regulated with programmable logic control. The air supply filters capture 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns or larger. The system also maintains air temperature, relative humidity and static pressure. The life variability of cross-linked polyethylene primary distribution cable is dependant on five factors: material purity, extra clean compound handling, cable design, manufacturing process, and installation and operation practices. The clean room system is expected to result in cable that is more resistant to water treeing failures. 2 figs.

Secondary limits of exposure in facilities handling uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghavayya, M.

1999-08-01

Annual limits of exposure and intake for radiation workers in nuclear installations have been recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection and the same have been adopted by the Indian Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for all the radionuclides of interest. The prescribed limits cannot be directly used for day to day radiation protection work. Hence secondary limits have to be derived for routine applications. The modeling steps may be simple in some situations and more complicated in some others. The limits recommended are for individual radionuclides. But in facilities handling natural or enriched uranium the radionuclides (isotopes of uranium and its decay products) generally occur together in specific ratios. Derivation of secondary limits has to take this into consideration. The present document is an attempt at deriving the secondary limits required for routine application in facilities handling uranium (Mine, mill, refineries and fuel fabrication etc.). Secondary limits of exposure have been derived in this document for air borne activity, activity in water, surface contamination and internal exposures. (author)

Safe handling of renewable fuels and fuel mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilen, C; Rautalin, A [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

1997-12-01

VTT Energy has for several years carried out co-operation with many European research institutes on contractional basis on safety issues of fuels handling. A two-year co-operational project between VTT Energy and these research institutes was started in EU`s JOULE 3 programme in 1996, the total budget of which is 6.9 million FIM. Dust explosion testing method for `difficult` fuels, and for tests at elevated pressures and temperatures, will be developed in the task `Safe handling of renewable fuels and fuel mixtures`. Self- ignition and dust-explosion characteristics will be generated for wood and agro-biomass based biomasses and for the mixtures of them and coal. Inertization requirements will be studied, and the quenching method, combined with partial inertization, will be tested in 1.0 m{sup 3} test equipment. The ignition properties of the fuels under normal and elevated pressures will be characterised with thermobalances. The self-ignition tests with wood and forest residue dusts at 25 bar pressure have been carried out as scheduled. In addition to this, several fuels have undergone thermobalance tests, sieve analyses and microscopic studies for the characterisation of the fuels

Detection of Listeria spp. in food handling areas of retail food stores in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Gomes Ferreira Machado de Siqueira

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract The identification of Listeria spp. in food handling areas is of great concern to health surveillance agencies, and their control is often hampered by the ability of the bacteria to grow and maintain themselves even under adverse conditions. The present study aimed to isolate and identify Listeria spp. in the food handling areas of 10 retail food stores in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Eighty-six swab samples were collected from equipment, utensils and surfaces used for processing ready-to-eat meat products. The Dry and Wet Swabbing Methods (3M™ Quick Swabs and 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates were used to identify Listeria spp. Contamination by Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed by the Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR. The hygienic and sanitary conditions of the food handling areas of each store were also assessed. Listeria spp. was isolated in eight stores (80%. Of the 86 swab samples analyzed, 27 (31.2% [confidence interval 21.81% to 42.30%] were positive for Listeria spp. and only one (3.7% was confirmed as Listeria monocytogenes. The main contamination sites were the floor (50.0%, the plastic cutting board (42.9% and the knife (40.0%. None of the hygienic and sanitary conditions assessed in the present study were associated with contamination by Listeria spp. (p = 0.700. It was concluded that Listeria spp. was widely distributed in the retail food stores studied, being a possible risk factor for public health.

Handling and transport problems (1960)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pomarola, J.; Savouyaud, J.

1960-01-01

I. The handling and transport of radioactive wastes involves the danger of irradiation and contamination. It is indispensable: - to lay down a special set of rules governing the removal and transport of wastes within centres or from one centre to another; - to give charge of this transportation to a group containing teams of specialists. The organisation, equipment and output of these teams is being examined. II. Certain materials are particularly dangerous to transport, and for these special vehicles and fixed installations are necessary. This is the case especially for the evacuation of very active liquids. A transport vehicle is described, consisting of a trailer tractor and a recipient holding 500 litres of liquid of which the activity can reach 1000 C/l; the decanting operation, the route to be followed by the vehicle, and the precautions taken are also described. (author) [fr

Viral Contamination Source in Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin Ling; Song, Juan; Song, Qin Qin; Yu, Jie; Luo, Xiao Nuan; Wu, Gui Zhen; Han, Jun

2016-08-01

To understand the potential causes of laboratory-acquired infections and to provide possible solutions that would protect laboratory personnel, samples from a viral laboratory were screened to determine the main sources of contamination with six subtypes of Rhinovirus. Rhinovirus contamination was found in the gloves, cuffs of protective wear, inner surface of biological safety cabinet (BSC) windows, and trash handles. Remarkably, high contamination was found on the inner walls of the centrifuge and the inner surface of centrifuge tube casing in the rotor. Spilling infectious medium on the surface of centrifuge tubes was found to contribute to contamination of centrifuge surfaces. Exposure to sodium hypochlorite containing no less than 0.2 g/L available chlorine decontaminated the surface of the centrifuge tubes from Rhinovirus after 2 min. Copyright © 2016 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Forest ecosystems functioning of and conducting of forestry in the zones of absolute alienation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yirklyienko, S.P.; Buzun, V.O.; Dmitrenko, O.G.; Turchak, F.M.

2001-01-01

The main regularities of forest ecosystems functioning in the zone of absolute alienation were shown. The radio contamination mozaicity of forest ecosystems was underlined. Regularities of 137 Cs accumulation in the wood of the main arboreous species were analyzed. The detailed measures of forestry conducting and forests rehabilitation were proposed

[Routes of pathogenic staphylococcal contamination of slaughter poultry].

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, L; Zakhartsev, Ts; Baĭl'ozov, D

1977-01-01

The contamination of birds with pathogenic staphylococci was followed up during their slaughter handling and trimming at two poultry-dressing houses. It was found that water cooling and evisceration were mostly contributing to contamination. Taking part in the dissemination of Staphylococcus infection were also the female workers on the slaughter belt, especially those that had wounds on their hands. Studied were the properties of a total of 881 strains of staphylococci, 43.35 per cent of them being defined as Staph. aureus, and 56.64 per cent--as Staph. edidermidis.

Radioactive contamination of workers. General recommendation and procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastro, N.L. del; Santos, O.R. dos; Silva, E.N.D.; Santos, A.J. dos.

1987-09-01

The present publication has an objective to provide data and information to be used by workers who handle with or eventually could enter in touch with radioactives substances. The authors have made a compilation of subjects got from the literature on several aspects about radiocontamination, physical and chemical characteristics of radioisotopes, main sources of radioactive contamination, biological basis and treatement of internal and external decontamination. Special attention was paid to iodine and actinides contamination, particularly to uranium and plutonium. The conclusion are presented as general recommendation and synoptic tables. (Author) [pt

Molds contamination of raw milk and dairy products: Occurrence, diversity and contamination source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T Moshtaghi Maleki

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the occurrence and diversity of mold species in raw milk and its products along with the identification of potential contamination sources. For this reason, a total of 260 samples consisting of 80 raw milk, 100 dairy products (i.e., pasteurized milk, yoghurt, cheese and buttermilk and 80 environmental (i.e. ingredients, packaging materials, surface of processing equipments and air specimens were collected. Using culture assay and microscopic observation, the occurrence as well as the diversity of mold species was investigated. According to the results, 82.3% of the samples were identified as positive for mold contamination. The percentage of mold contamination for raw milk was estimated as 97.5%. In the case of pasteurized milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, cheese and environmental samples, it was determined as 52%, 76%, 52%, 56% and 96.25%, respectively. Mold diversity among various samples consisted of Aspergillus, Geotrichum, Penicillium, Mucor, Alternaria, Rhizopus, Stemphylium, Cladosporium, and Fusarium. Results revealed a significant (p < 0.01 correlation between kind of mold species isolated from raw milk and dairy products. Similarly, a correlation was observed between dairy products and environmental sources. Regarding the high occurrence of mold contamination in raw milk and environmental sources, it seems that in some instances heat treatment was not effective enough to inactivate all molds; whereas in some other cases, cross contamination may have resulted in mold contamination. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain hygienic conditions during raw milk handling as well as processing steps. These practices could efficiently reduce the occurrence of mold contaminations in dairy products.

Organic Contamination Baseline Study on NASA JSC Astromaterial Curation Gloveboxes

Science.gov (United States)

Calaway, Michael J.; Allton, J. H.; Allen, C. C.; Burkett, P. J.

2013-01-01

Future planned sample return missions to carbon-rich asteroids and Mars in the next two decades will require strict handling and curation protocols as well as new procedures for reducing organic contamination. After the Apollo program, astromaterial collections have mainly been concerned with inorganic contamination [1-4]. However, future isolation containment systems for astromaterials, possibly nitrogen enriched gloveboxes, must be able to reduce organic and inorganic cross-contamination. In 2012, a baseline study was orchestrated to establish the current state of organic cleanliness in gloveboxes used by NASA JSC astromaterials curation labs that could be used as a benchmark for future mission designs.

Hazard and precautionary measures in connection with negligent or wilful contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlfaenger, Rainer; Scheidegger, Roland

2009-01-01

Handling open radioactive substances requires extensive precautionary measures in order to avoid any danger. During the past 100 years many persons were injured or killed due to unintended external irradiation, contamination of the skin or uptake of radioactive substances. With the help of organisational measures with users of sources and with operators of radionuclide laboratories or nuclear installations numerous accidents can be avoided or their consequences can be mitigated. Also the government itself is challenged in order to register and secure radioactive sources and maintaining the national safeguard. Education of personnel handling radioactive substances plays an important role when it comes to precautionary measures. In combination with suitable technical equipment it is possible to obtain a high degree of protection against the hazard from negligent or wilful contamination. (orig.)

Abundance and diversity of n-alkane-degrading bacteria in a forest soil co-contaminated with hydrocarbons and metals: a molecular study on alkB homologous genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-de-Mora, Alfredo; Engel, Marion; Schloter, Michael

2011-11-01

Unraveling functional genes related to biodegradation of organic compounds has profoundly improved our understanding of biological remediation processes, yet the ecology of such genes is only poorly understood. We used a culture-independent approach to assess the abundance and diversity of bacteria catalyzing the degradation of n-alkanes with a chain length between C(5) and C(16) at a forest site co-contaminated with mineral oil hydrocarbons and metals for nearly 60 years. The alkB gene coding for a rubredoxin-dependent alkane monooxygenase enzyme involved in the initial activation step of aerobic aliphatic hydrocarbon metabolism was used as biomarker. Within the area of study, four different zones were evaluated: one highly contaminated, two intermediately contaminated, and a noncontaminated zone. Contaminant concentrations, hydrocarbon profiles, and soil microbial respiration and biomass were studied. Abundance of n-alkane-degrading bacteria was quantified via real-time PCR of alkB, whereas genetic diversity was examined using molecular fingerprints (T-RFLP) and clone libraries. Along the contamination plume, hydrocarbon profiles and increased respiration rates suggested on-going natural attenuation at the site. Gene copy numbers of alkB were similar in contaminated and control areas. However, T-RFLP-based fingerprints suggested lower diversity and evenness of the n-alkane-degrading bacterial community in the highly contaminated zone compared to the other areas; both diversity and evenness were negatively correlated with metal and hydrocarbon concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis of alkB denoted a shift of the hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial community from Gram-positive bacteria in the control zone (most similar to Mycobacterium and Nocardia types) to Gram-negative genotypes in the contaminated zones (Acinetobacter and alkB sequences with little similarity to those of known bacteria). Our results underscore a qualitative rather than a quantitative response of

The behavior of 137Cs in the soil-forest plants system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiridonov, S.; Fesenko, S.; Avila, R.

1999-01-01

A model has been developed which simulates the behavior of 137 Cs in forest litter and soil, as well as seasonal and long-term dynamics of 137 CS content in forest plants. The long-term cycles of 137 CS migration are described as an integrated result of multiple annual cycles. The model results demonstrate a satisfactory coincidence with the experimental data. A set of model parameters is provided for each of four different types of forest (coniferous and deciduous forest; automorphic and semi-hydromorphic landscapes). The model allows an evaluation of the effects of countermeasures implemented in the contaminated forest. Refs. 1 (author)

Optimal management routes for the restoration of territories contaminated during and after the Chernobyl accident: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, G.

1997-01-01

This report identifies optimised restoration strategies for contaminated territories (actually private agricultural lands and forests) in Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation resulting from the Chernobyl accident. The evaluation of restoration strategies is based on economic and radiological criteria. For this purpose a methodology involving the subdivision of the territories into categories based on doses was developed. Remediation strategies for agricultural lands involves many options; for example, extensive resettlement, supply of clean milk, radical improvement of land, etc. For contaminated forests the potential radiological impact resulting from a selection of countermeasures like incineration of contaminated wood has been thoroughly evaluated

From dust to dose: Effects of forest disturbance on increased inhalation exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Whicker, Jeffrey J; Pinder, John E; Breshears, David D; Eberhart, Craig F

2006-09-15

Ecosystem disturbances that remove vegetation and disturb surface soils are major causes of excessive soil erosion and can result in accelerated transport of soils contaminated with hazardous materials. Accelerated wind erosion in disturbed lands that are contaminated is of particular concern because of potential increased inhalation exposure, yet measurements regarding these relationships are lacking. The importance of this was highlighted when, in May of 2000, the Cerro Grande fire burned over roughly 30% of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), mostly in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest, and through areas with soils containing contaminants, particularly excess depleted and natural uranium. Additionally, post-fire thinning was performed in burned and unburned forests on about 25% of LANL land. The first goal of this study was to assess the potential for increased inhalation dose from uranium contaminated soils via wind-driven resuspension of soil following the Cerro Grande Fire and subsequent forest thinning. This was done through analysis of post-disturbance measurements of uranium air concentrations and their relationships with wind velocity and seasonal vegetation cover. We found a 14% average increase in uranium air concentrations at LANL perimeter locations after the fire, and the greatest air concentrations occurred during the months of April-June when wind velocities are highest, no snow cover, and low vegetation cover. The second goal was to develop a methodology to assess the relative contribution of each disturbance type towards increasing public and worker exposure to these resuspended soils. Measurements of wind-driven dust flux in severely burned, moderately burned, thinned, and unburned/unthinned forest areas were used to assess horizontal dust flux (HDF) in these areas. Using empirically derived relationships between measurements of HDF and respirible dust, coupled with onsite uranium soil concentrations, we estimate relative increases in

Map of radioactive contamination in mushrooms of Poland in 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mietelski, J.W.; Jasinska, M.; Kubica, B.; Kozak, K.; Macharski, P.

1992-01-01

Results from part of the Polish Government programme for forests radioactive contamination studies are presented. 278 samples of edible mushroom (Xerocomus badius) were analysed for radiocesium 137 Cs and 134 Cs) and 40 K using low-background gamma spectrometer with a germanium detector. Samples were collected from all districts of Poland in October 1991 by forest inspectors. In consequence maps of 137 Cs, 134 Cs and for 40 K concentration in ''Xerocomus badius'' are presented. The method of measurements is also presented. Large differences in radiocesium contamination levels are observed for various parts of the country. The higher radiocesium contamination level is observed in Czestochowa-Opole region. Maximum value for 137 Cs is equal to 157 kBq/kg d.m. and that for 134 Cs is equal to 16.3 kBq/kg d.m. The 40 K content level is nearly constant and equal to c.a. 1.3 kBq/kg d.m. Minimum values for caesium contamination were observed in the Bieszczady Mountains. The effective dose equivalent estimation due to the consumption of mushrooms is performed. The limits of ingestion amounts are calculated. (author). 15 refs, 15 figs, 6 tabs

Closed-system drug-transfer devices plus safe handling of hazardous drugs versus safe handling alone for reducing exposure to infusional hazardous drugs in healthcare staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Best, Lawrence Mj; Tanguay, Cynthia; Lennan, Elaine; Korva, Mika; Bussières, Jean-François

2018-03-27

Occupational exposure to hazardous drugs can decrease fertility and result in miscarriages, stillbirths, and cancers in healthcare staff. Several recommended practices aim to reduce this exposure, including protective clothing, gloves, and biological safety cabinets ('safe handling'). There is significant uncertainty as to whether using closed-system drug-transfer devices (CSTD) in addition to safe handling decreases the contamination and risk of staff exposure to infusional hazardous drugs compared to safe handling alone. To assess the effects of closed-system drug-transfer of infusional hazardous drugs plus safe handling versus safe handling alone for reducing staff exposure to infusional hazardous drugs and risk of staff contamination. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, OSH-UPDATE, CINAHL, Science Citation Index Expanded, economic evaluation databases, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov to October 2017. We included comparative studies of any study design (irrespective of language, blinding, or publication status) that compared CSTD plus safe handling versus safe handling alone for infusional hazardous drugs. Two review authors independently identified trials and extracted data. We calculated the risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using both fixed-effect and random-effects models. We assessed risk of bias according to the risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) tool, used an intracluster correlation coefficient of 0.10, and we assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE. We included 23 observational cluster studies (358 hospitals) in this review. We did not find any randomised controlled trials or formal economic evaluations. In 21 studies, the people who used the intervention (CSTD plus safe handling) and control (safe handling alone) were pharmacists or pharmacy

Radioactive standards and calibration methods for contamination monitoring instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshida, Makoto [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1997-06-01

Contamination monitoring in the facilities for handling unsealed radioactive materials is one of the most important procedures for radiation protection as well as radiation dose monitoring. For implementation of the proper contamination monitoring, radiation measuring instruments should not only be suitable to the purpose of monitoring, but also be well calibrated for the objective qualities of measurement. In the calibration of contamination monitoring instruments, quality reference activities need to be used. They are supplied in different such as extended sources, radioactive solutions or radioactive gases. These reference activities must be traceable to the national standards or equivalent standards. On the other hand, the appropriate calibration methods must be applied for each type of contamination monitoring instruments. In this paper, the concepts of calibration for contamination monitoring instruments, reference sources, determination methods of reference quantities and practical calibration methods of contamination monitoring instruments, including the procedures carried out in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute and some relevant experimental data. (G.K.)

Dose estimate for effective internal contamination in the occupationally exposed workers(OEW) that handling open sources for thyroid therapy using 131 I (3779)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lecuna, J.A.; Carrizales, L.I.; Dantas, B.M.

2013-01-01

Handling of a variety of unsealed sources in Nuclear Medicine has led a significant risk of internal exposure of workers. 131 I stands out among the radionuclides of frequent use due its wide application in diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases. The increasing radionuclide use for medical purposes and treatment of diseases creates a need for capable methodologies of controlling the internal contamination of work. Currently, in Venezuela, there are about 17 Nuclear Medicine Services between public and private, of which 5 are operating; however, individual monitoring is still limited in the control of internal exposure. This work presents the development of bioassay techniques 'in vivo', in order to quantify the incorporation of 131 I used in Nuclear Medicine. It also presents the research results of internal exposure of a group of workers involved in handling of therapeutic dose of 131 I . The 'in vivo' detection system was calibrated with the thyroid simulator developed at the Institute of Radiologic Protection and Dosimetry (IRD, Rio de Janeiro - Brazil) and which also has the UTN-IVIC (Caracas - Venezuela). The results showed that the bioassay method developed in this work has sufficient sensitivity for its use in routine intake survey of workers in Nuclear Medicine. Between the two workers controlled in this study, both had measurable results in terms of incorporation. Therefore, it is important to keep control of it and also gives us the possibility to evaluate the incorporations in suspected accident. The highest estimate of the effective dose was 1,28x10 -5 Sv by inhalation and 1,27x10 -5 Sv by ingestion

Thermal remediation of tar-contaminated soil and oil-contaminated gravel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anthony, E.J.; Wang, J.

2005-01-01

High temperature treatments are commonly considered for the decontamination of soil as they have the advantages of reliability, high capacity, and effective destruction of hazardous materials with reduced long-term liability. This paper examined the remediation of soil contaminated by coal tar as well as gravel contaminated by oil. Pilot plant studies were conducted using 2 representative incineration technologies: rotary kiln and fluidized bed. The coal tar contaminated soil had accumulated over a few decades at a calcination plant in western Canada. The soil was sticky and could not be handled by conventional feeding and combustion systems. Crushed lignite was mixed with the soil as an auxiliary fuel and to reduce stickiness. A pilot plant furnace was used to evaluate the potential of decontamination in a rotary calciner. An analysis of both a modelling study and the test results showed that complete decontamination could be achieved in the targeted calciner. The results suggested that energy recovery was also possible, which could in turn make the remediation process more cost-effective. Decontamination of oil-contaminated gravel was conducted with a pilot plant fluidized bed combustor to study the feasibility of using incineration technology in the remediation of gravel and debris contaminated by oil spills. Results indicated that the gravel was decontaminated with acceptable emission performance. It was concluded that the study will be valuable to the application of commercial incineration processes for the remediation of polluted soils. It was observed that the weathering of the oiled gravel lowered the rate of decontamination. A small amount of salt water resulted in lowered decontamination rates, which may be an important factor for situations involving the remediation of shoreline gravel contaminated by oil. 24 refs., 6 tabs., 7 figs

Benchmarking the Remote-Handled Waste Facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendiratta, O.P.; Ploetz, D.K.

2000-01-01

ABSTRACT Facility decontamination activities at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), the site of a former commercial nuclear spent fuel reprocessing facility near Buffalo, New York, have resulted in the removal of radioactive waste. Due to high dose and/or high contamination levels of this waste, it needs to be handled remotely for processing and repackaging into transport/disposal-ready containers. An initial conceptual design for a Remote-Handled Waste Facility (RHWF), completed in June 1998, was estimated to cost $55 million and take 11 years to process the waste. Benchmarking the RHWF with other facilities around the world, completed in November 1998, identified unique facility design features and innovative waste processing methods. Incorporation of the benchmarking effort has led to a smaller yet fully functional, $31 million facility. To distinguish it from the June 1998 version, the revised design is called the Rescoped Remote-Handled Waste Facility (RRHWF) in this topical report. The conceptual design for the RRHWF was completed in June 1999. A design-build contract was approved by the Department of Energy in September 1999

Benchmarking the Remote-Handled Waste Facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O. P. Mendiratta; D. K. Ploetz

2000-02-29

ABSTRACT Facility decontamination activities at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), the site of a former commercial nuclear spent fuel reprocessing facility near Buffalo, New York, have resulted in the removal of radioactive waste. Due to high dose and/or high contamination levels of this waste, it needs to be handled remotely for processing and repackaging into transport/disposal-ready containers. An initial conceptual design for a Remote-Handled Waste Facility (RHWF), completed in June 1998, was estimated to cost $55 million and take 11 years to process the waste. Benchmarking the RHWF with other facilities around the world, completed in November 1998, identified unique facility design features and innovative waste pro-cessing methods. Incorporation of the benchmarking effort has led to a smaller yet fully functional, $31 million facility. To distinguish it from the June 1998 version, the revised design is called the Rescoped Remote-Handled Waste Facility (RRHWF) in this topical report. The conceptual design for the RRHWF was completed in June 1999. A design-build contract was approved by the Department of Energy in September 1999.

Handling of multiassembly sealed baskets between reactor storage and a remote handling facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massey, J.V.; Kessler, J.H.; McSherry, A.J.

1989-06-01

The storage of multiple fuel assemblies in sealed (welded) dry storage baskets is gaining increasing use to augment at-reactor fuel storage capacity. Since this increasing use will place a significant number of such baskets on reactor sites, some initial downstream planning for their future handling scenarios for retrieving multi-assembly sealed baskets (MSBs) from onsite storage and transferring and shipping the fuel (and/or the baskets) to a federally operated remote handling facility (RHF). Numerous options or at-reactor and away-from-reactor handling were investigated. Materials handling flowsheets were developed along with conceptual designs for the equipment and tools required to handle and open the MSBs. The handling options were evaluated and compared to a reference case, fuel handling sequence (i.e., fuel assemblies are taken from the fuel pool, shipped to a receiving and handling facility and placed into interim storage). The main parameters analyzed are throughout, radiation dose burden and cost. In addition to evaluating the handling of MSBs, this work also evaluated handling consolidated fuel canisters (CFCs). In summary, the handling of MSBs and CFCs in the store, ship and bury fuel cycle was found to be feasible and, under some conditions, to offer significant benefits in terms of throughput, cost and safety. 14 refs., 20 figs., 24 tabs

Nuclear fuel handling apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrea, C.; Dupen, C.F.G.; Noyes, R.C.

1977-01-01

A fuel handling machine for a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor in which a retractable handling tube and gripper are lowered into the reactor to withdraw a spent fuel assembly into the handling tube. The handling tube containing the fuel assembly immersed in liquid sodium is then withdrawn completely from the reactor into the outer barrel of the handling machine. The machine is then used to transport the spent fuel assembly directly to a remotely located decay tank. The fuel handling machine includes a decay heat removal system which continuously removes heat from the interior of the handling tube and which is capable of operating at its full cooling capacity at all times. The handling tube is supported in the machine from an articulated joint which enables it to readily align itself with the correct position in the core. An emergency sodium supply is carried directly by the machine to provide make up in the event of a loss of sodium from the handling tube during transport to the decay tank. 5 claims, 32 drawing figures

Melting of contaminated metallic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.-S.; Cheng, S.-Y.; Kung, H.-T.; Lin, L.-F.

2004-01-01

Approximately 100 tons of contaminated metallic wastes were produced each year due to maintenance for each TPC's nuclear power reactor and it was roughly estimated that there will be 10,000 tons of metallic scraps resulted from decommissioning of each reactor in the future. One means of handling the contaminated metal is to melt it. Melting process owns not only volume reduction which saves the high cost of final disposal but also resource conservation and recycling benefits. Melting contaminated copper and aluminum scraps in the laboratory scale have been conducted at INER. A total of 546 kg copper condenser tubes with a specific activity of about 2.7 Bq/g was melted in a vacuum induction melting facility. Three types of products, ingot, slag and dust were derived from the melting process, with average activities of 0.10 Bq/g, 2.33 Bq/g and 84.3 Bq/g respectively. After the laboratory melting stage, a pilot plant with a 500 kg induction furnace is being designed to melt the increasingly produced contaminated metallic scraps from nuclear facilities and to investigate the behavior of different radionuclides during melting. (author)

Bag-like contaminant control work module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchanan, H.; Jacobson, E.B.

1982-01-01

A bag-like contaminant control work module is formed from a flexible impervious membrane which is inflated inside of an enclosed workspace to protect workers in the module from contaminants. The workspace, such as in a nuclear power steam generator, has a portal or manway opening into the workspace into which the module is secured by a module passageway. The module includes one or more glove boxes, in which the workers perform their assigned tasks after passing through the passageway and portal. The module includes one or more absolute filters allowing passage of air flow through the module passageway and into the workspace only through the filters. The module may include an auxiliary passageway secured to the outside of the module passageway and also secured in the portal opening and through which items can be passed back and forth to the worker in the glove box from outside the portal. The module is invertible so that it can be pulled out of the workspace trapping all the contaminants therein and disposed of without handling the contaminants

Practical Field Survey Approach with Handle Device for Lead Contamination Assessment in Kabwe, Zambia

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, S.; Hirose, K.; Takeda, T.; Uchida, Y.; Nakata, H.; Nakayama, S.; Ishizuka, M.; Yabe, J.; Ito, M.; Igarashi, T.

2017-12-01

International joint research project for assessing lead soil contamination in Kabwe, Zambia was started by Zambian and Japanese scientists in 2008. Various scientific data and results have been obtained up to now. Data sharing among researchers and government officials is necessary for understanding current situation of lead contamination in Kabwe comprehensively. As lead contamination affects on local communities seriously, local community participation is important to solve the environmental issue in near future. This study, therefore, aims to develop GIS Data Integration System (GDIS as followed) consisted of GIS Data Sharing System (GDSS as followed) as web-GIS, FIELDNAUT as Android App for field survey and opensource SNS instance named Mastodon. GDIS will provide local communities to participate easily and support researchers to collect and understand about everyday situation and visualize lead contamination status in Kabwe, Zambia. GDIS is developed with opensource programs. GDSS was simply designed and developed on one desktop PC (Hirose et al., 2015) although common web-GIS requires many servers (Suresh et al., 2015). FIELDNAUT was developed in 2016. FIELDNAUT provides researchers plotting their locations on satellite images and thematic maps, filming and texting with their locations, and compiling and sharing data through GDSS. Mastodon will be used as a new FIELDNAUT communication function between local communities and researchers. It is an independent SNS instance, and the closed and secure communication system will be able to be developed. With this function, local communities will share photos and texts about their daily lives and situation around Kabwe by FIELDNAUT, and those data will be collected into GDSS. Researchers provide their results as hazard maps to local communities through FIELDNAUT. GDIS consisted of GDSS, FIELDNAUT and Mastodon encourages local community participation and let local communities be interested in their environmental issues

Contamination of Ethiopian paper currency notes from various food ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Contamination rate of Ethiopian paper currency notes handled by various food handlers with E. coli and antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed. A total of 384 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) notes were randomly sampled from meat handlers at butchers, bread and the related food handlers at cafeteria, fruit and vegetables handlers ...

Radionuclide migration in forest ecosystems - results of a model validation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, G.; Venter, A.; Avila, R.; Bergman, R.; Bulgakov, A.; Calmon, P.; Fesenko, S.; Frissel, M.; Goor, F.; Konoplev, A.; Linkov, I.; Mamikhin, S.; Moberg, L.; Orlov, A.; Rantavaara, A.; Spiridonov, S.; Thiry, Y.

2005-01-01

The primary objective of the IAEA's BIOMASS Forest Working Group (FWG) was to bring together experimental radioecologists and modellers to facilitate the exchange of information which could be used to improve our ability to understand and forecast radionuclide transfers within forests. This paper describes a blind model validation exercise which was conducted by the FWG to test nine models which members of the group had developed in response to the need to predict the fate of radiocaesium in forests in Europe after the Chernobyl accident. The outcomes and conclusions of this exercise are summarised. It was concluded that, as a group, the models are capable of providing an envelope of predictions which can be expected to enclose experimental data for radiocaesium contamination in forests over the time scale tested. However, the models are subject to varying degrees of conceptual uncertainty which gives rise to a very high degree of divergence between individual model predictions, particularly when forecasting edible mushroom contamination. Furthermore, the forecasting capability of the models over future decades currently remains untested

Reuse of contaminated material from nuclear-power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melichar, Z.

1988-01-01

Some building structures of decommissioned nuclear power plants are contaminated to a very low extent. Little experience is so far available concerning the recycling and furher exploitation of such materials, the majority of which is constituted by concrete and steel. The mass and activities of the metal parts of the Bohunice A-1 nuclear power plant are estimated and the major contaminant radionuclides are listed. Czechoslovak as well as foreign regulations concerning radioactive material handling are cited and criteria for releasing such materials for further use are discussed. (M.D.). 7 tabs., 3 figs, 28 refs

Transdermal nicotine absorption handling e-cigarette refill liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Maina, Giovanni; Castagnoli, Carlotta; Passini, Valter; Crosera, Matteo; Adami, Gianpiero; Mauro, Marcella; Filon, Francesca Larese

2016-02-01

The concentrated nicotine in e-cigarette refill liquids can be toxic if inadvertently ingested or absorbed through the skin. Reports of poisonings due to accidental ingestion of nicotine on refill liquids are rapidly increasing, while the evaluation of nicotine dermally absorbed still lacks. For that reason we studied transdermal nicotine absorption after the skin contamination with e-liquid. Donor chambers of eight Franz diffusion cells were filled with 1 mL of 0.8 mg/mL nicotine e-liquid for 24 h. The concentration of nicotine in the receiving phase was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (LOD:0.1 μg/mL). Nicotine was detectable in receiving solution 2 h after the start of exposure and increased progressively. The medium flux calculated was 4.82 ± 1.05 μg/cm(2)/h with a lag time of 3.9 ± 0.1 h. After 24 h, the nicotine concentration in the receiving compartment was 101.02 ± 22.35 μg/cm(2) corresponding to 3.04 mg of absorbed nicotine after contamination of a skin surface of 100 cm(2). Skin contamination with e-liquid can cause nicotine skin absorption: caution must be paid when handling refill e-liquids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transfer of radio-cesium from forest soil to woodchips using fungal activities

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Nobuhiro; Huang, Yao; Tanaka, Yoichiro; Fujiwara, Yoshihiro; Sasaki, Michiko; Toda, Hiroto; Takahashi, Terumasa; Kobayashi, Tatsuaki; Harada, Naoki; Nonaka, Masahiro

2014-05-01

Raido-cesium released to terrestrial ecosystems by nuclear accidents is know to accumulate forest soil and organic layer on the soil. Forests in Japan are not exceptions. Practically it is impossible to decontaminate large area of forests. However, there is a strong demand from local people, who has been using secondary forests (Satoyama) around croplands in hilly areas, to decontaminate radio-cesium, because those people used to collect wild mushrooms and edible plants, and there are active cultures of mushrooms using logs and sawdusts. These natural resource uses consist substantial part of their economical activities, Therefore it is needed to decontaminate some selected part of forests in Japan to local economy. Clear cutting and scraping surface soil and organic matter are common methods of decontamination. However the efficiency of decontamination is up to 30% reduction of aerial radiation, and the cost to preserve contaminated debris is not affordable. In this study we used wood chips as a growth media for saprotrophic fungi which are known to accumulate redio-cesium. There are many studies indicated that mushrooms accumulated redio-cesium from forest soil and organic layer. It is not practical to collect mushrooms to decontaminate redio-cesium, because biomass of mushrooms are not enough to collect total contaminants. Mushrooms are only minor part of saprotrophic fungi. Fungal biomass in forest soil is about 1% of dead organic matter on forest floor. Our previous study to observe Cs accumulation to decomposing leaf litter indicated 18% absorption of total soil radio-Cs to litter during one year field incubation (Kaneko et al., 2013), and Cs concentration was proportional to fungal biomass on litter. This result indicated that fungi transferred radio-cesium around newly supplied leaf litter free of contamination. Therefore effective decontamination will be possible if we can provide large amount of growth media for saprotrophic fungi, and the media can be

Overcoming of Soil Contamination with Pesticides in Forest Nurseries Using the Activity of Microorganisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina A. Freiberg

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The use of pesticides during cultivation of pine seedlings in forest nurseries resultsin the formation two phenotypes of teratomorph seedlings – conditionally normal andabnormal. Growing forest cultures from teratomorph seedlings leads to their low survivalrate. It is known that pesticides and their metabolic products can remain in soil for manyyears. It is therefore impossible to rely only on natural degradation of pesticides in soil. Apromising way of removing pesticides from soil is their microbiological decomposition.This method is preferable because there is a meliorative organic substance not far from forestnurseries – i.e. forest litter rich in microorganisms. The purpose of these experimentswas to examine the influence of forest litter applied on pesticide decomposition in soil andmorphology of pine seedlings. The rates of forest litter that were most effective in decompositionof pesticides and the activity of microbial communities in litter, depending on foreststand structure, were determined. Estimation of that action was based on the morphologyof seedlings (rate of pine seedlings with normal, conditionally normal and abnormalphenotypes, intensity of CO2 emission from soil and catalase activity, which correlates withthe number of soil microorganisms. The results of these experiments showed the mosteffective activity of forest litter at the application rate of 20 kg/m2. The number of seedlingswith normal phenotype rose from 32% up to 40%. Besides, it was noted that saprophyteswere most effective in pine forest litter, which is characterized by a more acid reaction ofsoil solution, while most others were rich in fungi. The highest number of normal phenotypeseedlings, intensity of CO2 emission and activity of soil catalase were correlated withthe microbiological activity of the applied pine forest litter.

Forest type effects on the retention of radiocesium in organic layers of forest ecosystems affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident

Science.gov (United States)

Koarashi, Jun; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Matsunaga, Takeshi; Sanada, Yukihisa

2016-12-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster caused serious radiocesium (137Cs) contamination of forest ecosystems over a wide area. Forest-floor organic layers play a key role in controlling the overall bioavailability of 137Cs in forest ecosystems; however, there is still an insufficient understanding of how forest types influence the retention capability of 137Cs in organic layers in Japanese forest ecosystems. Here we conducted plot-scale investigations on the retention of 137Cs in organic layers at two contrasting forest sites in Fukushima. In a deciduous broad-leaved forest, approximately 80% of the deposited 137Cs migrated to mineral soil located below the organic layers within two years after the accident, with an ecological half-life of approximately one year. Conversely, in an evergreen coniferous forest, more than half of the deposited 137Cs remained in the organic layers, with an ecological half-life of 2.1 years. The observed retention behavior can be well explained by the tree phenology and accumulation of 137Cs associated with litter materials with different degrees of degradation in the organic layers. Spatial and temporal patterns of gamma-ray dose rates depended on the retention capability. Our results demonstrate that enhanced radiation risks last longer in evergreen coniferous forests than in deciduous broad-leaved forests.

The radioecological consequences of the Kyshtym and Chernobyl radiation accidents for forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tikhomirov, F.A.; Shcheglov, A.I.

1991-01-01

Following the Urals and Chernobyl accidents 60 to 90% of the radioactive fallout was retained by the above-ground part of forest stands. In the Urals the period for semi-removal of contamination from crowns ranged from 6 to 8 months, compared to around one month in the Chernobyl region - due to different seasonal conditions during the fallout period. The bulk of the dose burden in woody plants' critical organs built up over one to six months. The minimum lethal dose for pine tree needles in the Urals was around 50 Gy, and 25 Gy for the apical meristem; the corresponding figures for Chernobyl were 100 Gy and 25-30 Gy. At lower doses we observed morphological disturbances, reduced growth and suppressed reproductive capability in pines. The resistance to radioactive contamination of deciduous forest was 10-20 times greater than that of conifers. We studied the irradiation doses of the different groups of organisms living in the various forest storeys, and the effects of irradiation (changes in species composition, prevalence and productivity) in communities of herbaceous plants and soil invertebrates. Specific examples are given to highlight the secondary changes in these communities stemming from radiation damage in species sensitive to radioactive contamination. We studied the dynamics of dispersion and migration of the long-lived radionuclides 90 Sr and 137 Cs in the various components of the biogeocenoses and in the network of geochemically interconnected forest landscapes, and their content in forestry produce. Some six to ten years after the deposition of radioactive fallout in forest ecosystems the radionuclides were more or less evenly spread throughout the soil-woody plant system. Thus, overall 90 Sr content in the arboreal storey amounts to 1-2% in coniferous forests, and 5-10% in deciduous forests (Urals accident), while the corresponding figures for 137 Cs (Chernobyl accident) are 2 to 3 times higher. (author)

Potential Indoor Worker Exposure From Handling Area Leakage: Dose Calculation Methodology and Example Consequence Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nes, Razvan; Benke, Roland R.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently considering design options for preclosure facilities in a license application for a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) developed the PCSA Tool Version 3.0.0 software for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to aid in the regulatory review of a potential DOE license application. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate PCSA Tool modeling capabilities (i.e., a generic two-compartment, mass-balance model) for estimating radionuclide concentrations in air and radiological dose consequences to indoor workers in a control room from potential leakage of radioactively contaminated air from an adjacent handling area. The presented model computes internal and external worker doses from inhalation and submersion in a finite cloud of contaminated air in the control room and augments previous capabilities for assessing indoor worker dose. As a complement to the example event sequence frequency analysis in the companion paper, example consequence calculations are presented in this paper for the postulated event sequence. In conclusion: this paper presents a model for estimating radiological doses to indoor workers for the leakage of airborne radioactive material from handling areas. Sensitivity of model results to changes in various input parameters was investigated via illustrative example calculations. Indoor worker dose estimates were strongly dependent on the duration of worker exposure and the handling-area leakage flow rate. In contrast, doses were not very sensitive to handling-area exhaust ventilation flow rates. For the presented example, inhalation was the dominant radiological dose pathway. The two companion papers demonstrate independent analysis capabilities of the regulator for performing confirmatory calculations of frequency and consequence, which assist the assessment of worker

Assessment of hygienic practices and faecal contamination of beef ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Animals were slaughtered, dressed and meat handled in dirty environment that caused gross contamination of meat. The drainage system was dilapidated and there were no defined means of waste disposal. E. coli Escherichia coli was isolated in all the samples analysed. However, E. coli O157 strain was not isolated in all ...

Effect of industrial pollution on behaviour of radionuclides in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Outola, I.

2009-01-01

To investigate how and to what extent industrial pollution affects the behaviour of radionuclides in forest ecosystems, studies were conducted in the vicinity of two Cu-Ni smelters: one in a pine forest at Harjavalta, Finland, and the other in a spruce forest at Monchegorsk, Russia. Industrial pollution had significant effects on the distribution of radionuclides in soil horizons. With the increase in pollution towards the smelter, radionuclides were accumulated more in the litter layer because the conversion of litter into organic material was diminished due to inhibited microbial activity. As a result, the organic layer contained less radionuclides towards the smelter. The effect of industrial pollution on soil-to-plant transfer was complex. The effect varied with radionuclide, plant species and also on forest type. For 137 Cs, soil-to-plant transfer decreased significantly as industrial pollution increased in pine forest, whereas the decrease was less pronounced in spruce forest. Root uptake of 239,240 Pu by plants is extremely small, and plant contamination by resuspended soil is an important factor in considering the soil-to-plant transfer of this radionuclide. In spruce forest, more plutonium was transferred into plants when pollution load increased due to resuspension of litter particles, which contained higher concentrations of plutonium in the vicinity of the smelter. Soil-to-plant transfer of plutonium was much less affected in pine forests contaminated with industrial pollution. This research clearly indicates the sensitivity of the northern forest ecosystem to inorganic pollutants. Prediction of the soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides in industrially polluted forest ecosystems requires detailed information on the total deposition, vertical distribution of radionuclides in soil, soil microbiological factors, other soil parameters as well as the rooting depths of the plants. (LN)

Prediction of N2O emission from local information with Random Forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philibert, Aurore; Loyce, Chantal; Makowski, David

2013-01-01

Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 298 times greater than that of CO 2 . In agricultural soils, N 2 O emissions are influenced by a large number of environmental characteristics and crop management techniques that are not systematically reported in experiments. Random Forest (RF) is a machine learning method that can handle missing data and ranks input variables on the basis of their importance. We aimed to predict N 2 O emission on the basis of local information, to rank environmental and crop management variables according to their influence on N 2 O emission, and to compare the performances of RF with several regression models. RF outperformed the regression models for predictive purposes, and this approach led to the identification of three important input variables: N fertilization, type of crop, and experiment duration. This method could be used in the future for prediction of N 2 O emissions from local information. -- Highlights: ► Random Forest gave more accurate N 2 O predictions than regression. ► Missing data were well handled by Random Forest. ► The most important factors were nitrogen rate, type of crop and experiment duration. -- Random Forest, a machine learning method, outperformed the regression models for predicting N 2 O emissions and led to the identification of three important input variables

Forest food chain and dose model (FDMF) for RODOS. Model description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rantavaara, A.; Vetikko, V.; Calmon, P.; Wendt, J.

2001-12-01

In the early phase of a large-scale fallout situation, both access to forests and the use of wild foods may need temporal restrictions. In a later phase wild foods and internal doses received through them may still need surveillance of radioactivity. After accidental fallout a major source of external radiation are the ground deposits, and in forests contaminated overstorey can also be a considerable source. For consideration of dose pathways related to forests during a nuclear emergency the Forest Food Chain and Dose Model (FDMF) was developed. It is an integral part of RODOS, a real-time, on-line decision support system for off-site emergency management in Europe. The forest module FDMF receives radionuclide concentrations in air as input from the air dispersion model of RODOS, and calculates activities deposited on various parts of the forest. The model simulates the transfer of radionuclides in the forest ecosystem. It quantifies the dynamic changes for three types of forests, typical of a region. The model gives the contamination of forest products and dose rate for external radiation as a function of time. External and internal radiation doses for various population groups according to their stay in forests and their use of forest products can be assessed since the first year until the 50 th year after the fallout event. Doses are calculated for children and adults representing the public, and ingestion doses also for pickers of berries and mushrooms, and hunters. Forest workers are a special group due to their potentially enhanced external dose from outdoor working. The model results can be shown as spatial distributions on top of geographical maps. Many parameters in the FDMF database are regional and have to be adjusted when the model is adapted for local conditions or new radioecological regions. Long-term predictions will be considerably improved when site-specific parameters are used. STUK developed the forest module together with IPSN (Institut de

Handling of tritium-bearing wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The generation of nuclear power and reprocessing of nuclear fuel results in the production of tritium and the possible need to control the release of tritium-contaminated effluents. In assessing the need for controls, it is necessary to know the production rates of tritium at different nuclear facilities, the technologies available for separating tritium from different gaseous and liquid streams, and the methods that are satisfactory for storage and disposal of tritiated wastes. The intention in applying such control technologies and methods is to avoid undesirable effects on the environment, and to reduce the radiation burden on operational personnel and the general population. This technical report is a result of the IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Handling of Tritium-bearing Effluents and Wastes, which was held in Vienna, 4 - 8 December 1978. It summarizes the main topics discussed at the meeting and appends the more detailed reports on particular aspects that were prepared for the meeting by individual participants

Evaluation of radionuclide migration in forest ecosystems in TEMAS project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claver, F.; Vazquez, C.

1998-01-01

The applicability study of the best countermeasures for the restoration of environments contaminated by the accidental liberation of radionuclides, requires the assessment of the space and the temporal flow of radionuclides. The objective of the multinational project TEMAS (Techniques and Management Strategies for environmental restoration and their ecological consequences), that is carried out under EU-CIEMAT contract n. TI4-CT95-0021, is the development of management tool that provides the necessary support in the selection of the best strategies of environmental restoration after a nuclear accident, considering all the possible affected environments (urban, agricultural, semi natural and forest). In the forest environment,CIEMAT is working with the University of Lund (Sweden) and the Physical Science Faculty of the University of Seville in the prognosis of the distribution of Cesium and Strontium in forest ecosystems and through the associated production systems. This paper summarizes the study of the response of two different models, FORM and FORESTPATH to predict the radionuclides flow in the event of an accidental contamination of a forest. The comparison of results has been carried out over a period of 100 years after deposition on a coniferous forest. Although the approaches are different, the results obtained (using generic parameters) indicate that either model could to be selected for the analysis of the intervention in TEMAS. (Author) 14 refs

Spacecraft contamination programs within the Air Force Systems Command Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Murad, Edmond

1990-01-01

Spacecraft contamination programs exist in five independent AFSC organizations: Geophysics Laboratory (GL), Arnold Engineering and Development Center (AEDC), Rome Air Development Center (RADC/OSCE), Wright Research and Development Center (MLBT), Armament Laboratory (ATL/SAI), and Space Systems Division (SSD/OL-AW). In addition, a sizable program exists at Aerospace Corp. These programs are complementary, each effort addressing a specific area of expertise: GL's effort is aimed at addressing the effects of on-orbit contamination; AEDC's effort is aimed at ground simulation and measurement of optical contamination; RADC's effort addresses the accumulation, measurement, and removal of contamination on large optics; MLBT's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of contamination on materials; ATL's effort is aimed at understanding the effect of plume contamination on systems; SSD's effort is confined to the integration of some contamination experiments sponsored by SSD/CLT; and Aerospace Corp.'s effort is aimed at supporting the needs of the using System Program Offices (SPO) in specific areas, such as contamination during ground handling, ascent phase, laboratory measurements aimed at understanding on-orbit contamination, and mass loss and mass gain in on-orbit operations. These programs are described in some detail, with emphasis on GL's program.

Investigation of Contaminated Groundwater at Solid Waste Management Unit 12, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Vroblesky, Don A.; Petkewich, Matthew D.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast investigated natural and engineered remediation of chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) groundwater contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12 at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, beginning in 2000. The primary contaminants of interest in the study are tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene. Engineered remediation aspects at the site consist of a zero-valent-iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) installed in December 2002 intercepting the contamination plume and a phytoremediation test stand of loblolly pine trees planted in the source area in May 2003. The U.S. Geological Survey planted an additional phytoremediation test stand of loblolly pine trees on the upgradient side of the southern end of the PRB in February 2008. At least once during the summer, however, the trees were inadvertently mowed during lawn cutting activity. The PRB along the main axis of the contaminant plume appears to be actively removing contamination. In contrast to the central area of the PRB, the data from the southern end of the PRB indicate that contaminants are moving around the PRB. Concentrations in wells upgradient from the PRB showed a general decrease in VOC concentrations. VOC concentrations in some wells in the forest downgradient from the PRB showed a sharp increase in 2005, followed by a decrease in 2006. Farther downgradient in the forest, the VOC concentrations began to increase in 2007 and continued to increase into 2008. The VOC-concentration changes in groundwater beneath the forest appear to indicate movement of a groundwater-contaminant pulse through the forest. It also is possible that the data may represent lateral shifting of the plume in response to changes in groundwater-flow direction.

Plutonium contaminated solid waste programs at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johson, L.J.; Jordan, H.S.

1975-01-01

Development of handling and storage criteria for plutonium contaminated solid waste materials is discussed. Data from corrosion and radiolytic attack studies are reviewed. Instrumentation systems developed for solid waste management applications at the 10nCi Pu/g waste material level is described and their sensitivity and operational limitations reviewed. Current programs for the environmental risk analysis of past waste disposal areas and for development of technology for the volume reduction and chemical stabilization of transuranic contaminated solid waste is outlined

Bacterial contamination of surgeons' gloves during shunt insertion; a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Preben; Ejlertsen, Tove; Aaen, Dorte

2008-01-01

Bacterial infection is a major cause of shunt dysfunction. It is well-known that the majority of pathogenic micro-organisms are low-virulent bacteria normally found on intact skin. Probably shunts become contaminated during surgery either by contact to the patient skin, or contact from contaminated...... gloves or instruments. This study was performed to find out to what extent gloves become contaminated during shunt surgery. Gloves used during shunt implantation were examined in 10 operations. Shunt implantation was done using recommended precautions to avoid infection, including prophylactic...... nurse and assistant were contaminated with micro-organisms less than 15 min after surgery has been commenced and before the shunts were handled. This study offers a feasible, simple and logical explanation of how shunts may become contaminated and infected. A simple measure would be to change the outer...

Fruits contamination in Poland after Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubik, M.; Michalczuk, L.; Dzieciol, U.; Bem, H.; Kusmierek, E.

1996-01-01

The content of Cs 137, Cs 134 and Ru 106 have been measured in samples of different fruits, mushrooms and honey taken from many farms selected at whole territory of Poland. The research has been carried out during the period of 1986-1991. The soils contamination in farms and forests area has been also done. 2 figs, 2 tabs

Recommendations for cask features for robotic handling from the Advanced Handling Technology Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drotning, W.

1991-02-01

This report describes the current status and recent progress in the Advanced Handling Technology Project (AHTP) initiated to explore the use of advanced robotic systems and handling technologies to perform automated cask handling operations at radioactive waste handling facilities, and to provide guidance to cask designers on the impact of robotic handling on cask design. Current AHTP tasks have developed system mock-ups to investigate robotic manipulation of impact limiters and cask tiedowns. In addition, cask uprighting and transport, using computer control of a bridge crane and robot, were performed to demonstrate the high speed cask transport operation possible under computer control. All of the current AHTP tasks involving manipulation of impact limiters and tiedowns require robotic operations using a torque wrench. To perform these operations, a pneumatic torque wrench and control system were integrated into the tool suite and control architecture of the gantry robot. The use of captured fasteners is briefly discussed as an area where alternative cask design preferences have resulted from the influence of guidance for robotic handling vs traditional operations experience. Specific robotic handling experiences with these system mock-ups highlight a number of continually recurring design principles: (1) robotic handling feasibility is improved by mechanical designs which emphasize operation with limited dexterity in constrained workspaces; (2) clearances, tolerances, and chamfers must allow for operations under actual conditions with consideration for misalignment and imprecise fixturing; (3) successful robotic handling is enhanced by including design detail in representations for model-based control; (4) robotic handling and overall quality assurance are improved by designs which eliminate the use of loose, disassembled parts. 8 refs., 15 figs

Future of forest energy in Europe in 2030

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riala, M.; Asikainen, A.

2012-07-01

The need to increase the use of forest energy is connected to the EU goals for use of renewable energy. If the targets are to be reached, forest energy should play a role. The share of forest energy out of all renewable energy will vary between countries. This study focuses on the future of forest energy. The method chosen was a two-round dissensus-based Delphi. The respondents consisted of members of the COST action FP 0902 and in the second round also of members of the RoK-FOR programme. Most of the respondents were experts in the field of forestry, from more than 20 countries. The first section of the survey addressed the issue of trends and operational environment. The respondents assessed the likelihood and desirability of several trends happening by 2030. They also, for example, estimated the increase in use of forest energy and the constraints to its use. There seemed to be a strong belief in technological development and beneficial policy interventions, but the respondents also recognised the problematic competitive situation in relation to other sources of energy. In terms of technological development, the experts saw that the main challenge to address is transport and logistics. This included a wide range of different issues, such as the handling of bulky, low-value product in an efficient way. The experts saw greatest development potential in improving energy density before transport, and multi-tree handling. Driver-assisting systems would be particularly useful in helping with the planning of felling, e.g. in the case of placing of tracks. Labour shortages are also a pertinent issue. The respondents gave many suggestions on ways to attract new workers to forestry, for example by increasing the salary to the level of manufacturing industry, and by promoting forestry as an environmentally friendly and technologically advanced employer. Overall, this report describes some alternative future prospects, which could be achieved by decisive action. Hopefully

CERES: a model of forest stand biomass dynamics for predicting trace contaminant, nutrient, and water effects. I. Model description

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dixon, K R; Luxmoore, R J; Begovich, C L

1978-06-01

CERES is a forest stand growth model which incorporates sugar transport in order to predict both short-term effects and long-term accumulation of trace contaminants and/or nutrients when coupled with the soil chemistry model (SCHEM), and models of solute uptake (DIFMAS and DRYADS) of the Unified Transport Model, UTM. An important feature of CERES is its ability to interface with the soil--plant--atmosphere water model (PROSPER) as a means of both predicting and studying the effects of plant water status on growth and solute transport. CERES considers the biomass dynamics of plants, standing dead and litter with plants divided into leaves, stems, roots, and fruits. The plant parts are divided further into sugar substrate, storage, and in the case of stems and roots, heartwood components. Each ecosystem omponent is described by a mass balance equation written as a first-order ordinary differential equation.

Environmental re-adaptations of farms seeking to the water contamination reduction (Itaipu/UNIOESTE integrated project); Readequacao ambiental de propriedades rurais visando a reducao de contaminacao das aguas (Projeto integrado Itaipu/UNIOESTE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daga, Jacir; Campos, Alessandro Torres; Navarini, Franciele; Matsuo, Melissa [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana (UNIOESTE), Marechal Candido Rondon, PR (Brazil). Grupo de Pesquisas em Ambiencia; Feiden, Armin [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paran (UNIOESTE), Marechal Candido Rondon, PR (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Agrarias

2004-07-01

The work is destined to diagnose and to elaborate environmental adaptation projects in agricultural properties located in the micro basins: Arroio Fundo, Corregos Curvado and Ajuricaba, selected and located in the Rio Sao Francisco Verdadeiro basin, in the west Parana State area, by means of accord between ITAIPU Binational and UNIOESTE (West Parana State University). Four hundred and forty farms properties will be visited in a eleven months period. It will be lifted up environmental problems, in what it refers the ciliary forest, law reserves, fishing, crops, production and handling of dejections by: swine, dairy cattle, as well as readaptations projects of the farms in the areas of the micro basins, seeking to the environmental adaptation, reducing, consequently, the contamination of the waters that provisions the ITAIPU reservoir. The projects will be leaded to the IAP (Parana State environmental organ), by ITAIPU, for the environmental norms adaptation of the farms. Besides the environmental preservation and sustainability, with the environmental adaptations, ITAIPU will also benefit with the reduction of the ITAIPU lake water contamination, which arrives to the turbines. (author)

Determination of the external contamination and cross-contamination by cytotoxic drugs on the surfaces of vials available on the Swiss market.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleury-Souverain, Sandrine; Nussbaumer, Susanne; Mattiuzzo, Marc; Bonnabry, Pascal

2014-04-01

The external contamination and cross-contamination by cytotoxic drugs on the surface (outside and septum) of 133 vials from various manufacturers and available on the Swiss market were evaluated. All of the tested vials contained one of the following active ingredients: cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, etoposide phosphate, gemcitabine, ifosfamide, irinotecan, methotrexate or vincristine. The validated wiping liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method used in this study allowed for the simultaneous determination of these 10 cytotoxic drugs in less than 30 min. External contamination by cytotoxic drugs was detected on 63% of tested vials (outside and septum). The highest contamination level was observed on etoposide phosphate vials with 1896.66 ng of active ingredient on the outside of the vial. Approximately 20% of the contaminated vials had greater than 10 ng of cytotoxic drugs. Chemical contamination on the septum was detected on 38% of the vials. No contamination or very low levels of cytotoxic drugs, less than 1 ng per vial, were detected on the vials protected by plastic shrink-wrap. Traces of cytotoxic drugs different from the active ingredient were detected on 35% of the tested vials. Handling cytotoxic vials with gloves and having a procedure for the decontamination of vials are of the utmost importance for reducing exposure to cytotoxic drugs. Moreover, manufacturers must improve their procedures to provide products free from any contamination.

Environmental safety of the disposal system for radioactive substance-contaminated wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oosako, Masahiro

2012-01-01

In accordance with the full-scale enforcement of 'The Act on Special Measures concerning the Handling of Radioactive Pollution' in 2012, the collective efforts of entire Japan for dealing with radioactive pollutants began. The most important item for dealing with radioactive pollution is to control radioactive substances that polluted the global environment and establish a contaminated waste treatment system for risk reduction. On the incineration system and landfill disposal system of radioactive waste, this paper arranges the scientific information up to now, and discusses the safety of the treatment / disposal systems of contaminated waste. As for 'The Act on Special Measures concerning the Handling of Radioactive Pollution,' this paper discusses the points of the Act and basic policy, roadmap for the installation of interim storage facilities, and enforcement regulations (Ordinance of the Ministry of the Environment). About the safety of waste treatment system, it discusses the safety level of technical standards at waste treatment facilities, safety of incineration facilities, and safety of landfill disposal sites. (O.A.)

A Cross Sectional Study of Microbial Contamination of Medical Students’ White Coat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhadi, S. A.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to determine the incidence of microbial contamination on medical students’ white coats, the way they handle and clean their white coats and their perception towards contamination. For this purpose, cross sectional survey of the bacterial contamination of white coats in a medical college has been carried out in 3 different locations; Royal College of Medicine, Perak, University of Kuala Lumpur and a private college attached to Ipoh General Hospital. It was found that the incidence of Staphylococus aureus, was 32% on short-sleeved and 54% on long-sleeved white coats. Bacillus species was the second most common type of bacteria found. Male collars and female pockets had higher microbial contaminations (p=0.01, 0.03 respectively. Clinical students’ white coats were significantly less contaminated than non-clinical students (p=0.001 although they tend to wear it for a longer period (5.75 ± 2.19 h vs. 2.32 ± 0.81 h (p=0.001. Clinical students owned more short-sleeved coats (p=0.001 and washed their coats more often (p=0.01 than non-clinical ones. More than eighty one percent of clinical students wear their white coats in the college the majority of whom were females (p=0.005. Perception of clinical and non-clinical students towards white coat contamination was similar. Medical students’ white coats are contaminated with bacteria and they are potentially source of cross infection. Student’s way of handling and washing white coats should be corrected by issuing and following standard guidelines. Students should be bared from wearing white coats in non-clinical areas. Washing hands and using plastic aprons is highly recommended before examining wounds.

Characterization of aerosols in uranium handling facilities and its impact on the assessment of internal dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Ankush; Rao, D.D.; Sawant, Pramilla D.; Khan, Arshad; Srinivasan, P.; Chandrashekara, A.

2016-01-01

In nuclear facilities, compounds of uranium such as Magnesium DiUranate (MDU) U 3 O 8 , UO 2 etc. are handled in different stages of operation. There may be a possibility of intake of these compounds by radiation workers during the course of their work. The internal doses received by the workers depend not only on the quantity but also the physiochemical characteristics of the radioactive contaminant. The depositions in different regions of lung of these inhaled aerosols depend on their particle size; whereas the clearance is dependent upon the chemical nature. In this study, aerosol characterization is carried out in four different Uranium Handling Facilities (UF) for realistic assessment of internal dose to the radiation worker

Preparation of hospitals for handling victims of radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vince, M.A.

1985-01-01

This chapter is devoted to a generalized discussion of the inter-and intraorganizational structure of hospitals for handling radiation emergencies of the kind suggested above as well as the isolated remote minor accident involving radiation. The general elements of hospital planning for radiation accidents have been discussed and a detailed protocol for handling the radioactive patient is presented. Minor additions and emphasis to parts of these earlier works are summarized, reflecting experiences gained in receiving simulated radioactively contaminated victims in drills at St. Luke's Hospital of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Two accidents were simulated involving mock radioactive materials over a two year period. One such ''accident'' was staged at A-B-E Airport, Lehigh County, in 1981 and the other in the Saucon Valley in 1983. It should be mentioned that in neither case was the release of radioactive material possible, in reality, as portrayed. In planning mock radiation accident drills for emergency care units and support staff, one is best-advised not to pay too much attention to the logic of how the release occurred but rather that there are victims who must be treated, decontaminated and evaluated for the necessity of continued medical care

Determination of contamination operational value by routine monitoring in research laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomao, Edeilson; Medeiros, Regina Bitelli; Mattos, Maria Fernanda S.S.; Daros, Kellen Adriana Curci

2008-01-01

The radioisotopes have a large spectrum of applicability in many areas of science, as in medicine, agriculture and industry in general. In the biological area, the radioisotopes have brought many benefits to study physiological processes in living organisms and in vitro. The most radioisotopes used in biological research are emitters of radiation of low energy, mainly β, and are used as unsealed sources. The manipulation of these radioisotopes generates radioactive wastes and eventually can cause contamination in the areas of handling or even occasionally in areas to which access is not controlled. According to CNEN-NE-3.02 standard is necessary and mandatory the exposure and contamination levels control in the areas of handling of unsealed sources. The goal of the work is to establish how often the monitoring should be done through the survey of the contamination and exposure levels, in areas designed to manipulate 32 P and how this monitoring can contribute to the improvement the conditions of radiological protection. From the twenty eight research laboratories registered by 'Nucleo de Protecao Radiologica' (NPR) were selected four where the activities are not restrict to 32 P biological assays. The levels of contamination and exposure were evaluated using monitors GM and the layout of laboratories containing the points to be tracker defined based on the researchers' routine. At each point three values were obtained to measure the rate of contamination on the surface and exposure rate. The measures were made twice a week before and after the radioisotope manipulation. Based on these data was possible to establish the range from 0,306 to 0,678 Bq.cm -2 as operational average level to the superficial contamination. The average exposure rate measured was 5.16 n C/Kg.h. The results were important to demonstrating to researchers how they can contribute to the improvement of radiological protection conditions. (author)

Modelling accumulation of radionuclides in terrestrial ecosystems originating from a long-term groundwater contamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaerdenaes, Annemieke I. [Dept. of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7001, 750 07 Uppsala (Sweden); Eckersten, Henrik [Dept. of Ecology and Crop Production, SLU, P.O. Box 7042, 750 07 Uppsala (Sweden); Reinlert, Andre [Dept. of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, 223 62 Lund (Sweden); MMT, Sven Kaellfelts Gata 11 SE 426 71 Vaestra Froelunda (Sweden); Gustafsson, David; Jansson, Per-Erik [Dept. Land and Water Resources, KTH, SE 100 44, Stockholm (Sweden); Ekstroem, Per-Anders [Facilia AB, Gustavlundsvaegen 151A, 167 51 Bromma (Sweden); Greger, Maria [Dept. of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm (Sweden)

2014-07-01

This study was conducted as part of the risk assessment of final deposits of nuclear fuel waste. The overall objective is to assess the possible accumulation of radionuclides in terrestrial ecosystems after an eventual long-term groundwater contamination. The specific objectives are to assess: i) What proportion of the contamination will accumulate in the soil-plant-system? ii) Where in the soil-plant- system will it accumulate? iii) Which ecosystem characteristics and radionuclides properties are important for the accumulation? and iv) Under which circumstances do losses from the ecosystems occur? We developed the dynamic model Tracey (Gaerdenaes et al. 2009) describing cycling of radionuclides in terrestrial ecosystems with high temporal resolution (1 day). The model is a multi-compartmental model in which fluxes and storage of radionuclides are described for different plant parts and soil pools in each of the 10 soil layers. The radionuclide fluxes are driven either by water or carbon fluxes. The water and the carbon fluxes are simulated with the dynamic, bio-geophysical Coup Model (Jansson and Karlberg, 2004). Tracey includes two root uptake approaches of radionuclides; (i) passive uptake driven by root water uptake and (ii) active uptake driven by plant growth. A linear approach describes the adsorption of radionuclides to soil particles and organic matter. Tracey was applied on two ecosystems with contrasting hydrology, the mixed Pinus-Picea forests found in the dry, elevated areas and the Alnus forests found in the wet, low-land areas of Uppland in central east Sweden. Different varieties of the two forest types were created by varying the root depth and radiation use efficiency. The climate was cold-temperate and based on 30-year daily weather data from Uppsala. The assumed groundwater contamination was close to 1 mg of an unspecified radionuclide per m2 and year. This load corresponds to 1 Bq per m{sup 2} and year of {sup 238}U, a common long

METHODOLOGY TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL FOR GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION FROM GEOTHERMAL FLUID RELEASES

Science.gov (United States)

This report provides analytical methods and graphical techniques to predict potential ground water contamination from geothermal energy development. Overflows and leaks from ponds, pipe leaks, well blowouts, leaks from well casing, and migration from injection zones can be handle...

Aspects of chronic ingestion of contaminated food in cattle and game

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prochazka, H.; Jandl, J.; Jirasek, V.; Francova, J.; Sekera, K.

1989-01-01

Following the Chernobyl accident, meat of grazing stock and of game was contaminated via the food chain. 134 Cs and 137 Cs, in the acute phase also iodine isotopes were measured in various samples of meat, milk, feeds and soil. The samples were first counted using a well-type large-volume NaI(Tl) detector and then by gamma spectrometric analysis using a semiconductor Ge/Li or HPGe detector. Contamination exceeding the international derived action level was only observed in game. Untilled meadows and forests are a long-term source of contamination. (M.D.). 5 figs., 3 tabs., 7 refs

From dust to dose: Effects of forest disturbance on increased inhalation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whicker, Jeffrey J.; Pinder, John E.; Breshears, David D.; Eberhart, Craig F.

2006-01-01

Ecosystem disturbances that remove vegetation and disturb surface soils are major causes of excessive soil erosion and can result in accelerated transport of soils contaminated with hazardous materials. Accelerated wind erosion in disturbed lands that are contaminated is of particular concern because of potential increased inhalation exposure, yet measurements regarding these relationships are lacking. The importance of this was highlighted when, in May of 2000, the Cerro Grande fire burned over roughly 30% of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), mostly in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest, and through areas with soils containing contaminants, particularly excess depleted and natural uranium. Additionally, post-fire thinning was performed in burned and unburned forests on about 25% of LANL land. The first goal of this study was to assess the potential for increased inhalation dose from uranium contaminated soils via wind-driven resuspension of soil following the Cerro Grande Fire and subsequent forest thinning. This was done through analysis of post-disturbance measurements of uranium air concentrations and their relationships with wind velocity and seasonal vegetation cover. We found a 14% average increase in uranium air concentrations at LANL perimeter locations after the fire, and the greatest air concentrations occurred during the months of April-June when wind velocities are highest, no snow cover, and low vegetation cover. The second goal was to develop a methodology to assess the relative contribution of each disturbance type towards increasing public and worker exposure to these resuspended soils. Measurements of wind-driven dust flux in severely burned, moderately burned, thinned, and unburned/unthinned forest areas were used to assess horizontal dust flux (HDF) in these areas. Using empirically derived relationships between measurements of HDF and respirible dust, coupled with onsite uranium soil concentrations, we estimate relative increases in

The climate and the forest - basis for national research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonesson, Johan

2006-01-01

This report describes a proposed interdisciplinary research program to develop support tools to help decision-makers in forestry to adapt forest management practices to meet challenges posed by anticipated, but uncertain, climatic changes. The Climate and the forest Committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA) invited around 30 scientists from different disciplines to a two-day workshop. During the workshop objectives, goals, and methods for a research program were formulated. The participants of the workshop subsequently made contributions to this document, which has been completed by the four named editors. Climate changes would inevitably affect Swedish forestry. The forests have a direct effect on the climate and forestry may have to adapt to the new conditions. Uncertainties about the future climate pose new challenges for forest management of which we have no experience. To support decision-making in this new situation we need new knowledge as well as rational methods to handle uncertainty and risk. Despite uncertainties in the climate scenarios and lack of knowledge about the responses of forests to likely climatic changes, we can still predict some probable effects of anticipated warming on the Swedish forests. Increased potential for biomass production can be expected, as well as greater opportunities to utilise new tree species in commercial forestry. At the same time, the risks for several kind of damage is likely to increase. The basic assumption underlying this research program is that knowledge of likely climate changes and associated uncertainties will increase the possibility to achieve forestry objectives. We advocate a research program consisting of the following three modules, each focusing on different aspects of these issues: Module 1 FORESTRY with the objectives to: Develop a framework to handle uncertainty and risks in forestry. Develop decision-maps that systematically describe the consequences of both single and

Design and safety evaluation of radioactive gas handling and storage in the FFTF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, G.R.; Hale, J.P.; Halverson, T.G.

1976-01-01

During the operation of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), radioactive gases, primarily xenon and krypton, will be produced which will require processing and storing. Two systems have been installed in the FFTF for handling these gases: (1) one to handle, primarily, the reactor cover gas system, and (2) a second to handle the cells and cover gas systems, other than the reactor, whose atmosphere may become contaminated. The system that processes the reactor cover gas, which is argon, is called the Radioactive Argon Processing System (RAPS). The effluent argon from RAPS will normally be sufficiently decontaminated to allow its reuse as the reactor cover gas. If the radioactive level in the RAPS becomes too high, the exhaust stream will be diverted to the Cell Atmosphere Processing System (CAPS), a system which can function as a backup to RAPS. The design and operation of the RAPS and CAPS systems are described and certain safety aspects of the systems are discussed. It is shown that these systems adequately provide the cleanup services required and that they provide the safety margins necessary to assure adequate safety to the public

Bloodborne Viral Pathogen Contamination in the Era of Laboratory Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Andrew; Cook, Linda; Atienza, Ederlyn E; Kuypers, Jane; Cent, Anne; Baird, Geoffrey S; Coombs, Robert W; Jerome, Keith R; Wener, Mark H; Butler-Wu, Susan M

2016-07-01

The CDC states that laboratory testing for persons under investigation for Ebola virus disease can be safely performed using automated laboratory instruments by adhering to bloodborne pathogen practices. We therefore sought to investigate the levels of viral contamination of a total laboratory automation (TLA) system to guide risk mitigation strategies for handling infectious agents. Environmental swabs followed by PCR for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses were taken from a chemistry TLA system during routine clinical use and after running a small number of high-titer HCV samples. Control experiments were performed to ensure the recovery of DNA and RNA viruses by swabs from a representative nonporous surface. Of 79 baseline swabs for nucleic acids performed on the TLA system, 10 were positive for HBV and 8 for HCV. Viral nucleic acid was consistently detected from swabs taken from the distal inside surface of the decapper discharge chute, with areas adjacent to the decapper instrument and the centrifuge rotor also positive for HBV or HCV nucleic acid. Contamination was occasionally detected on exposed surfaces in areas without protective barriers between samples and personnel. After running known HCV-positive samples, at least one additional site of contamination was detected on an exposed area of the line. A low level of viral contamination of automated clinical laboratory equipment occurs in clinical use. Given the risks associated with highly infectious agents, there is a need for risk-mitigation procedures when handling all samples. © 2016 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Dynamics of radionuclides in forest environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belli, M.; Tikhomirov, F.A.; Kliashtorin, A.; Shcheglov, A.; Rafferty, B.; Shaw, G.; Wirth, E.; Kammerer, L.; Ruehm, W.; Steiner, M.; Delvaux, B.; Maes, E.; Kruyts, N.; Bunzl, K.; Dvornik, A.M.; Kuchma, N.

1996-01-01

In the CIS countries, during the Chernobyl accident, more than 30000 km 2 of forested areas received a 137 Cs deposition higher than 37 kBq m -2 and about 1000 km 2 a deposition of radiocesium higher than 1.5 MBq m -2 . Before the accident only few data were available on the behaviour of radionuclides in forests and during last eight years, the understanding of the fate of radionuclides in these ecosystems has been improved significantly. This paper reports the results achieved in the frame of 1991-1996 EU/CIS collaborative project on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. The ECP-5 project deals with the impact of radioactive contamination on natural and semi-natural environment. The investigations were carried out in different forest ecosystems, located in the near field (within the 30-km zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) as well as in the far field in the CIS and in the western Europe countries. The results achieved have been used to develop a simplified model representation of the behaviour of radiocesium within forest ecosystems

Decontamination method for radioactively contaminated material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoji, Yuichi; Mizuguchi, Hiroshi; Sakai, Hitoshi; Komatsubara, Masaru

1998-01-01

Radioactively contaminated materials having surfaces contaminated by radioactive materials are dissolved in molten salts by the effect of chlorine gas. The molten salts are brought into contact with a low melting point metal to reduce only radioactive materials by substitution reaction and recover them into the low melting point metal. Then, a low melting point metal phase and a molten salt phase are separated. The low melting point metal phase is evaporated to separate the radioactive materials from molten metals. On the other hand, other metal ions dissolved in the molten salts are reduced into metals by electrolysis at an anode and separated from the molten salts and served for regeneration. The low melting point metals are reutilized together with contaminated lead, after subjected to decontamination, generated from facilities such as nuclear power plant or lead for disposal. Since almost all materials including the molten salts and the molten metals can be enclosed, the amount of wastes can be reduced. In addition, radiation exposure of operators who handle them can be reduced. (T.M.)

The effect of contaminated groundwater on tree growth: A tree-ring analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeBlanc, D.C.; Loehle, C.

1990-10-01

A study was conducted on the effect of contaminated groundwater seepage on tree growth downslope from F- and H-Area seepage basins of the Savannah River Site. Trees in wetlands along Four Mile Creek began to show localized stress and mortality in the late 1970s. Extreme winter temperatures and high rainfall were ruled out as potential causal factors of tree stress. Drought was shown to affect trees in both contaminated and uncontaminated zones, but trees in uncontaminated areas exhibit better recovery after drought than trees in contaminated areas. Pollution-mediated alteration of soil acidity and aluminum, sodium, and heavy metal concentrations likely acted to predispose trees to decline, with severe drought acting as the trigger for decline initiation and tree death. Thus, a moderate pollution loading, not sufficient to cause visible damage of itself, may create conditions in which sudden, severe decline could result from natural stresses. This mechanism of forest decline is common, and should be considered in evaluations of the impact of pollution on wetland forest systems. 28 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs

Radiocaesium levels in roe deer and wild boar in two large forest areas in Austria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tataruch, F.; Klansek, E.; Schoenhofer, F.

1996-01-01

A report is given on the course of radiocaesium contamination in roe deer and wild boar in two large forest areas in Austria. In autumn 1987 and winter 1987/88 radiocaesium levels rose to values higher than those recorded in 1986 in these regions. The reason for this increase was the very specific feeding selection of roe deer in these forest areas resulting in the ingestion of an unusual high amount of blueberries, ferns and mushrooms. An explanation for the changes of wild boar's contamination has not been found yet, but possible reasons are discussed. (author)

Investigation of Contaminated Ground Water at Solid Waste Management Unit 12, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, 2006-2007

Science.gov (United States)

Vroblesky, Don A.; Petkewich, Matthew D.; Lowery, Mark A.; Conlon, Kevin J.; Harrelson, Larry G.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey investigated natural and engineered remediation of chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) ground-water contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12 at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina, beginning in 2000. The primary contaminants of interest in the study are tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene. The permeable reactive barrier (PRB) along the main axis of the contaminant plume appears to be actively removing contamination. In contrast to the central area of the PRB, the data from the southern end of the PRB indicate that contaminants are moving around the PRB. Concentrations in wells 12MW-10S and 12MW-03S, upgradient from the PRB, showed a general decrease in VOC concentrations. VOC concentrations in some wells in the forest showed a sharp increase, followed by a decrease. In 2007, the VOC concentrations began to increase in well 12MW-12S, downgradient from the PRB and thought to be unaffected by the PRB. The VOC-concentration changes in the forest, such as at well 12MW-12S, may represent lateral shifting of the plume in response to changes in ground-water-flow direction or may represent movement of a contamination pulse through the forest.

Full scale tests on remote handled FFTF fuel assembly waste handling and packaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, C.R.; Cash, R.J.; Dawson, S.A.; Strode, J.N.

1986-01-01

Handling and packaging of remote handled, high activity solid waste fuel assembly hardware components from spent FFTF reactor fuel assemblies have been evaluated using full scale components. The demonstration was performed using FFTF fuel assembly components and simulated components which were handled remotely using electromechanical manipulators, shielding walls, master slave manipulators, specially designed grapples, and remote TV viewing. The testing and evaluation included handling, packaging for current and conceptual shipping containers, and the effects of volume reduction on packing efficiency and shielding requirements. Effects of waste segregation into transuranic (TRU) and non-transuranic fractions also are discussed

Modeling radionuclide Cs and C dynamics in an artificial forest ecosystem in Japan -FoRothCs ver1.0-

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuya eNishina

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Predicting the environmental fate of Cs radionuclides in forest ecosystems is important for the effective management and assessment of radioactively contaminated forest areas. A large proportion of the radioactively contaminated areas in Japan consist of forest ecosystems, and most of these areas are artificial forests that are used for timber production (e.g., Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica and red pine (Pinus densiflora. Determining the long-term redistribution of 137Cs in forest ecosystems is important for estimating human doses and understanding the ecological impacts and challenges associated with managing contaminated forests. To facilitate the management and 137Cs decontamination of these forests, we developed a new open-source 137Cs cycling model, ForRothCs, that considers C cycling within forests, as well as biomass production and soil decomposition processes. For the 137Cs inventory, this model estimates the dynamics (Bq m−2 and activity (Bq kg−2 of 137Cs on a decadal time scale, primarily in the leaves, branches, stems, litter layer, and the soil. This model is based on the biomass production and the dynamics of the C cycle models. We tested the model by considering a simple scenario of forest management, i.e., thinning and harvesting, for the first five years following a fallout event. The results showed that these activities have a limited impact on the 137Cs inventory due to the rapid migration of 137Cs from vegetation to soil. Our projections also showed the examined forest management practices resulted in reduced litterfall, which in turn reduced C input to the forest floor and increased the concentration of 137Cs in the litterfall and soil organic layer. Although further validation of the ForRothCs model is required using field observation data, the model can be used to evaluate long-term 137Cs dynamics associated with commonly used forest and decontamination management scenarios.

Public health implications of contamination of Franc CFA (XAF) circulating in Buea (Cameroon) with drug resistant pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Akoachere, Jane-Francis Tatah Kihla; Gaelle, Nana; Dilonga, Henry Meriki; Nkuo-Akenji, Theresa K

2014-01-08

Studies in different parts of the world have implicated money as a vehicle for transmission of pathogens. Such information which is necessary to facilitate infection control strategies is lacking in many sub-Saharan countries including Cameroon. This study analyzed the Franc de la Communauté Financiere d'Afrique (Franc CFA), the currency used in Cameroon and other countries in the Central African sub-region, as a potential vehicle for transmission of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, particularly drug-resistant strains, to generate findings which could create awareness on currency contamination and serve as a guide when formulating health policies on currency. Two hundred and thirteen currency samples representing various denominations of notes and coins randomly collected from diverse sources in Buea, Cameroon were analyzed for bacteria and fungi. The sensitivity of bacterial isolates to antibiotics was tested using the disc diffusion method. The relationship between contamination and physical state, source or denomination of currency was assessed using the χ2 test. All statistics were discussed at 0.05 significance level. Two hundred (93.9%) samples were contaminated with notes (96.6%) showing higher contamination than coins (88.2%). Uncirculated (mint) samples showed no contamination. There was a significant difference (PCFA franc circulating in Buea could serve as a vehicle for transmission of drug resistant pathogenic or potential organisms and contamination could be due to currency usage and handling as mint notes were not contaminated. Hygiene practices during or after handling currency is greatly encouraged to prevent infection.

Microbial behaviour and cross contamination between cargoes in containerized transportation of food

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abban, Stephen

Transportation is central to the global food and feed supply chain. Thus issues of safety, especially cross contamination with pathogens during food transit should be important in food handling operations. A large proportion of the worlds’ food cargo is moved using intermodal cargo containers...... chain, its role in food safety cannot be ignored. Unfortunately not much effort has been put, scientifically, into understanding the role of the various features of the transportation links in food cross contamination (compared to studies for homes, processing factories and farm yards). The PhD project...... has attempted to shed light on containerized food transport and some of its important attributes as regards hygiene and cross contamination. The overall aim of the study was to ‘identify possible microbial hazards and ways of cross contamination during containerized transportation of foods...

SRTC criticality technical review: Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-18 Uranium Solidification Facility's Waste Handling Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathbun, R.

1993-01-01

Separate review of NMP-NCS-930058, open-quotes Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-18 Uranium Solidification Facility's Waste Handling Facility (U), August 17, 1993,close quotes was requested of SRTC Applied Physics Group. The NCSE is a criticality assessment to determine waste container uranium limits in the Uranium Solidification Facility's Waste Handling Facility. The NCSE under review concludes that the NDA room remains in a critically safe configuration for all normal and single credible abnormal conditions. The ability to make this conclusion is highly dependent on array limitation and inclusion of physical barriers between 2x2x1 arrays of boxes containing materials contaminated with uranium. After a thorough review of the NCSE and independent calculations, this reviewer agrees with that conclusion

The sample handling system for the Mars Icebreaker Life mission: from dirt to data.

Science.gov (United States)

Davé, Arwen; Thompson, Sarah J; McKay, Christopher P; Stoker, Carol R; Zacny, Kris; Paulsen, Gale; Mellerowicz, Bolek; Glass, Brian J; Willson, David; Bonaccorsi, Rosalba; Rask, Jon

2013-04-01

The Mars Icebreaker Life mission will search for subsurface life on Mars. It consists of three payload elements: a drill to retrieve soil samples from approximately 1 m below the surface, a robotic sample handling system to deliver the sample from the drill to the instruments, and the instruments themselves. This paper will discuss the robotic sample handling system. Collecting samples from ice-rich soils on Mars in search of life presents two challenges: protection of that icy soil--considered a "special region" with respect to planetary protection--from contamination from Earth, and delivery of the icy, sticky soil to spacecraft instruments. We present a sampling device that meets these challenges. We built a prototype system and tested it at martian pressure, drilling into ice-cemented soil, collecting cuttings, and transferring them to the inlet port of the SOLID2 life-detection instrument. The tests successfully demonstrated that the Icebreaker drill, sample handling system, and life-detection instrument can collectively operate in these conditions and produce science data that can be delivered via telemetry--from dirt to data. Our results also demonstrate the feasibility of using an air gap to prevent forward contamination. We define a set of six analog soils for testing over a range of soil cohesion, from loose sand to basalt soil, with angles of repose of 27° and 39°, respectively. Particle size is a key determinant of jamming of mechanical parts by soil particles. Jamming occurs when the clearance between moving parts is equal in size to the most common particle size or equal to three of these particles together. Three particles acting together tend to form bridges and lead to clogging. Our experiments show that rotary-hammer action of the Icebreaker drill influences the particle size, typically reducing particle size by ≈ 100 μm.

Tchernobyl: life after horror. Towards the reconquest of contaminated lands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laramee, V.; Tannenberg, P. de.

1996-01-01

This paper is a brief environmental and socio-economical statement of Bielorussia ten years after the Tchernobyl's Reactor 4 accident. The first part of the paper gives a brief overview of the radiological impact of the accident on land and inhabitants, of the government policy about people evacuation and relocation and of the economical impact of the accident on the agriculture. It summarizes also the financial and administrative advantages given to the people who participated to the emergency operations. The second part of the paper deals with the techniques used in Bielorussia for the exploitation of contaminated lands. Agriculture and farming have started again taking precautionary measures concerning the alimentation of pigs and cattle. About 20000 km 2 of forests are contaminated and could be energetically valorized with the production of electric power or producer gas and partially used in paper industry. However the use of contaminated wood requires the filtering of radioactive aerosols and the processing of ashes for which Bielorussia has not been equipped yet. No satisfactory solution have been proposed so far for the forest litter which is the most contaminated part of the ecosystem. The management of the radioactive wastes generated by the catastrophe is another huge problem recalled in this paper. Most of these wastes were buried in about 800 trenches from which only 200 are known. The remaining could be recovered only with the help of geophysical techniques. (J.S.). 2 refs., 3 photos

An innovative container supply chain for forest chips

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karttunen, Kalle; Korpinen, Olli-Jussi; Laettilae, Lauri; Foehr, Jarno; Ranta, Tapio [Lappeenranta Univ. of Technology, Mikkeli (Finland)], e-mail: kalle.karttunen@lut.fi

2012-11-01

Most forest chips are transported by trucks with a solid frame. Forest-chip volumes will at least double before 2020, which means longer transport distances from the supply areas to the largest demand sites in Finland. The study concentrates on an innovative container solution based on a channel composite structure, creating a lighter, temperature-isolated, and more durable structure. In addition to the structural benefits, the container includes an innovative supply chain with a beneficial handling operation, interchangeability and maximising of the payload capacity, resulting in an energy- and cost-efficient solution. This innovative-container-based supply chain for forest chips has been studied via cost analysis, GIS analysis, and discrete-event simulation methods. The purpose of the study was to compare a truck of interchangeable containers with solid-frame trucks. The option of interchangeable containers allows combining truck logistics with other modes of transport, such as trains and waterways. The study showed the cost-efficiency potential of container truck logistics, stemming from the cost and payload savings and the supply-chain productivity advantages over solid-frame trucks. The innovative solution for interchangeable-container logistics is an option for large-scale supply of forest chips.

Flexible Electrostatic Technology for Capture and Handling Project

Science.gov (United States)

Keys, Andrew; Bryan, Tom; Horwitz, Chris; Rakoczy, John; Waggoner, Jason

2015-01-01

To NASA unfunded & planned missions: This new capability to sense proximity, flexibly align to, and attractively grip and capture practically any object in space without any pre-designed physical features or added sensors or actuators will enable or enhance many of MSFC's strategic emphasis areas in space transportation, and space systems such as: 1. A Flexible Electrostatic gripper can enable the capture, gripping and releasing of an extraterrestrial sample of different minerals or a sample canister (metallic or composite) without requiring a handle or grapple fixture.(B) 2. Flexible self-aligning in-space capture/soft docking or berthing of ISS resupply vehicles, pressurized modules, or nodes for in-space assembly and shielding, radiator, and solar Array deployment for space habitats (C) 3. The flexible electrostatic gripper when combined with a simple steerable extendible boom can grip, position, and release objects of various shapes and materials with low mass and power without any prior handles or physical accommodations or surface contamination for ISS experiment experiments and in-situ repair.(F)(G) 4. The Dexterous Docking concept previously proposed to allow simple commercial resupply ships to station-keep and capture either ISS or an Exploration vehicle for supply or fluid transfer lacked a self-sensing, compliant, soft capture gripper like FETCH that could retract and attach to a CBM. (I) 5. To enable a soft capture and de-orbit of a piece of orbital debris will require self-aligning gripping and holding an object wherever possible (thermal coverings or shields of various materials, radiators, solar arrays, antenna dishes) with little or no residual power while adding either drag or active low level thrust.(K) 6. With the scalability of the FETCH technology, small satellites can be captured and handled or can incorporate FETCH gripper to dock to and handle other small vehicles and larger objects for de-orbiting or mitigating Orbital debris (L) 7. Many of

Ergonomic material-handling device

Science.gov (United States)

Barsnick, Lance E.; Zalk, David M.; Perry, Catherine M.; Biggs, Terry; Tageson, Robert E.

2004-08-24

A hand-held ergonomic material-handling device capable of moving heavy objects, such as large waste containers and other large objects requiring mechanical assistance. The ergonomic material-handling device can be used with neutral postures of the back, shoulders, wrists and knees, thereby reducing potential injury to the user. The device involves two key features: 1) gives the user the ability to adjust the height of the handles of the device to ergonomically fit the needs of the user's back, wrists and shoulders; and 2) has a rounded handlebar shape, as well as the size and configuration of the handles which keep the user's wrists in a neutral posture during manipulation of the device.

Test of active coal capacity for retaining gaseous effluents contaminated by 131 I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campeanu, Catalina; Cruceru, Madalina; Neacsu, Elena

1999-01-01

The aim of this paper is to test the retaining capacity of the active coal of the filters for gaseous effluents contaminated by 131 I. The active coal filters are design for equipping ventilation installations of nuclear plants in which radioactive iodine and combination of it were produced and handled. Such active coal filters are provided also to sorbonnes for radiochemical and physical handling of radioactive iodine. Testing the retaining capacity of active coal for filters is an obvious step, particularly, when the material was stored long time after preparation

Comparative behavior of three long-lived radionuclides in forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auerbach, S.I.

1986-01-01

This paper deals with studies in three forest ecosystems in eastern Tennessee, an area of rich temperate deciduous forests, sometimes referred to as mixed mesophytic forests. Two of these forest ecosystems were contaminated as a result of waste disposal operations. The third was experimentally tagged with millicurie quantities of 137 Cs. One of these ecosystems is a floodplain forest that is typical of this region. This forest has been growing on alluvial soils since 1944. Prior to that time the area was a temporary holding pond within White Oak Creek which received radioactive effluents from ORNL. Radiocesium was deposited in the pond sediments as were 90 Sr, 239 Pu, 241 Am, and other radionuclides. The dam which created the pond failed in late 1944, and the area was allowed to revert to natural conditions. The result was the development of a floodplain forest consisting of three different forest communities. The soils are fertile alluvials representative of bottomlands. The overstory tree species are principally ash, sycamore, boxelder, willow, and sweetgum (Fraxinus americana L., Plantanus occidentalis L., Acer negundo L., Salix nigra Marsh, and Liquidambar styraciflua L., respectively)

Preliminary Engineering Report contaminated groundwater seeps 317/319/ENE area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

When the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Investigation (RFI) in the 317/319/ENE Area of Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) was being completed, groundwater was discovered moving to the surface through a series of seeps. The seeps are located approximately 600 ft south of the ANL fence line in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. Samples of this water were collected and analyzed for selected parameters. Two of five seeps sampled were found to contain detectable levels of organic contaminants. Three chemical species were identified: chloroform (14-25 μg/L), carbon tetrachloride (56-340 μg/L), and tetrachloroethylene (3-6 μg/L). The other seeps did not contain detectable levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The water issuing from these two contaminated seeps flows into a narrow ravine, where it is visible as a trickle of water flowing through sand and gravel deposits on the floor of the ravine. Approximately 100-ft downstream of the seep area, the contaminated water is no longer visible, having drained back into the soil in the bed of the ravine. Figure 1 shows the location of the 317/319/ENE Area in relation to the ANL-E site and the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

Radiocesium migration in the litter layer of different forest types in Fukushima, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurihara, Momo; Onda, Yuichi; Kato, Hiroaki; Loffredo, Nicolas; Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Coppin, Frederic

2018-07-01

Cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) migration in the litter layer consists of various processes, such as input via throughfall, output via litter decomposition, and input from deeper layers via soil organism activity. We conducted litter bag experiments over 2 years (December 2014-November 2016) to quantify the inputs and outputs of 137 Cs in the litter layer in a Japanese cedar plantation (Cryptomeria japonica) and a mixed broadleaf forest dominated by Quercus serrata located 40 km northwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The experiments included four conditions, combining contaminated and non-contaminated litter and deeper layer material, and the inputs and outputs were estimated from the combination of 137 Cs increases and decreases in the litter layer under each condition. The 137 Cs dynamics differed between the two forests. In the C. japonica forest, some 137 Cs input via throughfall remained in the litter layer, and downward 137 Cs flux passed through the litter layer was 0.42 (/year).Upward flux of 137 Cs from the deeper layer was very restricted, layers was restricted, downward 137 Cs flux was less than 0.003 (/year).Upward input of 137 Cs from the deeper layer was prominent, 0.037 (/year). 137 Cs output via litter decomposition was observed in both forests. The flux in the C. japonica forest was slower than that in the broadleaf forest, 0.12 and 0.15 (/year), respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal and household hygiene, environmental contamination, and health in undergraduate residence halls in New York City, 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Miko, Benjamin A; Cohen, Bevin; Haxall, Katharine; Conway, Laurie; Kelly, Nicole; Stare, Dianne; Tropiano, Christina; Gilman, Allan; Seward, Samuel L; Larson, Elaine

2013-01-01

While several studies have documented the importance of hand washing in the university setting, the added role of environmental hygiene remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the personal and environmental hygiene habits of college students, define the determinants of hygiene in this population, and assess the relationship between reported hygiene behaviors, environmental contamination, and health status. 501 undergraduate students completed a previously validated survey assessing baseline demographics, hygiene habits, determinants of hygiene, and health status. Sixty survey respondents had microbiological samples taken from eight standardized surfaces in their dormitory environment. Bacterial contamination was assessed using standard quantitative bacterial culture techniques. Additional culturing for coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and coliforms was performed using selective agar. While the vast majority of study participants (n = 461, 92%) believed that hand washing was important for infection prevention, there was a large amount of variation in reported personal hygiene practices. More women than men reported consistent hand washing before preparing food (p = .002) and after using the toilet (p = .001). Environmental hygiene showed similar variability although 73.3% (n = 367) of subjects reported dormitory cleaning at least once per month. Contamination of certain surfaces was common, with at least one third of all bookshelves, desks, refrigerator handles, toilet handles, and bathroom door handles positive for >10 CFU of bacteria per 4 cm(2) area. Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus was detected in three participants' rooms (5%) and coliforms were present in six students' rooms (10%). Surface contamination with any bacteria did not vary by frequency of cleaning or frequency of illness (p>.05). Our results suggest that surface contamination, while prevalent, is unrelated to reported hygiene or health in the university setting

Sources of Calicivirus contamination in foodborne outbreaks in Denmark, 2005-2011--the role of the asymptomatic food handler.

Science.gov (United States)

Franck, Kristina T; Lisby, Morten; Fonager, Jannik; Schultz, Anna C; Böttiger, Blenda; Villif, Annette; Absalonsen, Helle; Ethelberg, Steen

2015-02-15

Norovirus (NoV) is the predominant cause of foodborne disease outbreaks. Virus contamination may occur during all steps of food processing, from production to preparation and serving. The relative importance of these different routes of contamination is unknown. The purpose of this study was to estimate the proportions of outbreaks caused by asymptomatic and symptomatic food handlers (FHs). Reports of foodborne NoV and sapovirus outbreaks (n=191) that occurred over a 7-year period were extracted, reviewed, and categorized according to the available evidence for source of contamination. In 64 (34%) of the outbreaks, contamination from FHs took place during preparation or serving of food. In the majority of these outbreaks (n=41; 64%), the FHs were asymptomatic during food handling. Some had been in contact with ill household members before handling the food and remained asymptomatic; others developed symptoms shortly after or were post-symptomatic. In 51 (27%) of the outbreaks, contamination occurred during production of the food, and in 55 (29%) of the outbreaks, contamination had supposedly occurred after serving a guest at a self-serve buffet. Guidelines regarding exclusion of FHs where household members suffer from gastroenteritis could limit the number of outbreaks. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Eutrophication of an Urban Forest Ecosystem: Causes and Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Bednova, O. V.; Kuznetsov, V. A.; Tarasova, N. P.

2018-01-01

The combined use of methods of passive dosimetry of the status of atmospheric air, phytoindication, and cartographic visualization of data made it possible to elaborate and substantiate approaches to evaluation of the effect of atmospheric air contamination on the eutrophication of forest ecosystems under urban conditions.

Proposed training program for construction personnel involved in remedial action work at sites contaminated by naturally occurring radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berven, B.A.; Goldsmith, W.A.; Haywood, F.F.; Schiager, K.J.

1979-01-01

Many sites used during the early days of the US atomic energy program are contaminated with radionuclides of the primordial decay chains (uranium, thorium, and actinium series). This contamination consists of residues resulting from refining and processing uranium and thorium. Preparation of these sites for release to unrestricted private use will involve the assistance of construction workers, many of whom have limited knowledge of the hazards associated with radioactive materials. Therefore, there is a need to educate these workers in the fundamentals of radioactive material handling to minimize exposures and possible spread of contamination. This training should disseminate relevant information at an appropriate educational level and should instill a cautious, common-sense attitude toward the handling of radioactive materials. The training should emphasize basic information concerning environmental radiation within a context of relative risk. A multi-media format, including colorful visual aids, demonstration, and discussion, should be used to maximize motivation and retention. A detailed, proposed training program design is presented

Nutrient balances in the forest energy cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsson, Bengt

2006-02-01

or wood in fuel mixture). Losses of P at harvesting, fuel storage or transportation, and contamination (soil) or additions of lime are possible causes. To a less extent, also K losses seem to occur in the process. On average, the recommended highest dose of ash to forest (3000 kg d.w./ha) over-compensate for alkalinity but under-compensate for K and P. There is thus a risk that standard values of ash doses will not result in the target compensation, in particular if the aim is to compensate for specific elements. The nutrient compensation needs can be defined to two levels (compensate for slash, or for slash and stem harvesting, respectively), and to four aims: (1) improve forest tree nutrient status and growth, (2) increase base saturation of forest soils and increase soil nutrient pools, (3) increase alkalinity in run-off water to counteract acidification of surface waters, and (4) as a complement to nitrogen fertilisation. Increasing the alkalinity of soils and soil water is the aim that can be most easily reached by ash application, due to the relatively high Ca and Mg contents in ashes. Compensation of ash for K losses is complicated by the high mobility of K ion in ecosystems and because its high solubility even in stabilised ashes. K in logging residues and ashes tend to be leached out and lost. Management for maintaining high availability of K in forest ecosystems should include several aspects, in particular the de sign of clear-fellings, timing of ash recycling and handling of slash and ashes. Compensation for P by application of stabilised wood-ashes is normally in efficient in the short time perspective, due to low P content in ashes and the bonding of P into poorly soluble apatite. However, in the long run P in ashes may improve forest P nutrition. New research is needed to estimate P-fluxes associated with harvesting, storage and transport of forest biomass in realistic situations, and to evaluate if P availability will be deteriorated in the long run

Wildfires in Chernobyl-contaiminated forests and risks to the population and the environment: A new nuclear disaster about to happen?

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaos Evangeliou; Yves Balkanski; Anne Cozic; Wei Min Hao; Anders Pape Moller

2014-01-01

Radioactive contamination in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia after the Chernobyl accident left large rural and forest areas to their own fate. Forest succession in conjunction with lack of forest management started gradually transforming the landscape. During the last 28 years dead wood and litter have dramatically accumulated in these areas, whereas climate change has...

Remote handling equipment for the decommissioning of the Windscale Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barker, A.; Birss, I.R.; Fish, G.

1984-01-01

A decision to decommission the Windscale Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor was taken shortly after reactor shutdown in 1981. The fuel has now been discharged and the decommissioning programme will last about 10-12 years. The paper describes the programme and objectives and deals with methods of handling and disposing of the radioactive waste material. The main new facility required is a Waste Packaging Building adjacent to the existing reactor in which the waste boxes will be filled, active waste encapsulated in concrete and the boxes cleaned, swabbed and monitored to comply with IAEA transport regulations. The handling machine concept and features are described. The assaying and packaging of the waste material, the control of box movement and the process of concrete encapsulation is described. The paper concludes with a description of the development programme to support the Project. The tasks include a study of cutting techniques, production and control of dust and smoke, viewing and lighting methods, filtration, decontamination and fixing of contamination

30o inclination in handles of plastic boxes can reduce postural and muscular workload during handling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana C. C. B. Silva

2013-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The handling of materials, which occurs in the industrial sector, is associated with lesions on the lumbar spine and in the upper limbs. Inserting handles in industrial boxes is a way to reduce work-related risks. Although the position and angle of the handles are significant factors in comfort and safety during handling, these factors have rarely been studied objectively. OBJECTIVE: To compare the handling of a commercial box and prototypes with handles and to evaluate the effects on upper limb posture, muscle electrical activity, and perceived acceptability using different grips while handling materials from different heights. METHOD: Thirty-seven healthy volunteers evaluated the handles of prototypes that allowed for changes in position (top and bottom and angle (0°, 15°, and 30°. Wrist, elbow, and shoulder movements were evaluated using electrogoniometry and inclinometry. The muscle electrical activity in the wrist extensors, biceps brachii, and the upper portion of the trapezius was measured using a portable electromyographer. The recorded data on muscle movements and electrical activity were synchronized. Subjective evaluations of acceptability were evaluated using a visual analog scale. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The prototypes with handles at a 30° angle produced the highest acceptability ratings, more neutral wrist positions, lower levels of electromyographic activity for the upper trapezius, and lower elevation angles for the arms. The different measurement methods were complementary in evaluating the upper limbs during handling.

Contamination as the Cause of Erroneous Records of Brochosomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman Rakitov

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Brochosomes are ultramicroscopic particles produced in large quantities by the Malpighian tubules of leafhoppers (Insecta, Hemiptera, and Cicadellidae and applied by leafhoppers as a coat to their integuments. A recent study has described brochosomes on museum specimens of Heteroptera and Psylloidea, suggesting a wider distribution of brochosomes among Hemiptera. Here, I report that the majority of adult Sthenarus rotermundi (Scholtz (Miridae and Kleidocerys resedae (Panzer (Lygaeidae reared in captivity and handled with clean tools had no brochosomes on them, suggesting that the earlier records of brochosomes in these and perhaps other species outside of the Cicadellidae were due to contamination. Additionally, simple experiments demonstrated that insects can become contaminated with brochosomes via entomological tools that had been in contact with leafhoppers and via preservation in ethanol together with leafhoppers. Contamination of host plants, predators, and parasites of leafhoppers with brochosomes is also expected but remains to be demonstrated.

New transport and handling contract

CERN Multimedia

SC Department

2008-01-01

A new transport and handling contract entered into force on 1.10.2008. As with the previous contract, the user interface is the internal transport/handling request form on EDH: https://edh.cern.ch/Document/TransportRequest/ To ensure that you receive the best possible service, we invite you to complete the various fields as accurately as possible and to include a mobile telephone number on which we can reach you. You can follow the progress of your request (schedule, completion) in the EDH request routing information. We remind you that the following deadlines apply: 48 hours for the transport of heavy goods (up to 8 tonnes) or simple handling operations 5 working days for crane operations, transport of extra-heavy goods, complex handling operations and combined transport and handling operations in the tunnel. For all enquiries, the number to contact remains unchanged: 72202. Heavy Handling Section TS-HE-HH 72672 - 160319

Relating injury to the forest ecosystem near Palmerton, PA, to zinc contamination from smelting.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, W Nelson; Krafft, Cairn; Klassen, Stephen; Green, Carrie E; Chaney, Rufus L

2011-10-01

The forest on Blue Mountain, near Lehigh Gap, has been injured by emissions from two historical zinc (Zn) smelters in Palmerton, PA, located at the northern base of the mountain. The uppermost mineral soil and lower litter from sites along a transect, just south of the ridgetop, contained from 64 to 4400 mg/kg Zn. We measured forest metrics at 15 sampling sites to ascertain how forest structure, species composition and regeneration are related to soil concentrations of Zn, the probable principal cause of the injury. Understanding how ecotoxicological injury is related to soil Zn concentrations helps us quantify the extent of injury to the ecosystem on Blue Mountain as well as to generalize to other sites. The sum of canopy closure and shrub cover, suggested as a broadly inclusive measure of forest structure, was decreased to half at approximately 2060 mg/kg Zn (102 mg/kg Sr(N0(3))(2)-extractable Zn). Tree-seedling density was decreased by 80% (from 10.5/m(2) to 2.1/m(2)) at a much lower concentration: 1080 mg/kg Zn (59 mg/kg Sr(N0(3))(2)-extractable Zn). Changes in species composition and richness were not as useful for quantifying injury to the forest. Phytotoxicity, desiccation from exposure, and a gypsy moth infestation combined to form a barren area on the ridgetop. Liming the strongly acid Hazleton soils at the sites would partially ameliorate the observed phytotoxicity and should be considered in planning restoration. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC (outside the USA) 2011

Exposures from consumption of forest produce

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenigsberg, J.; Buglova, E.; Shevchuk, V.; Belli, M.; Tikhomirov, P.; Renaud, Ph.; Maubert, H.; Bruk, G.; Shutov, V.

1996-01-01

Traditionally, the diet of people from a number of regions of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine includes the foodstuffs from natural environment. After the Chernobyl accident there are some increase of forest gifts consumption for several categories of population in these countries. As these products very often have the relatively high level of radioactivity compared with agricultural foods, they may play an important role in the intake of radioactivity and in the infernal dose formation. Data about the values of the transfer factor for different forest gifts during the years after the Chernobyl accident were obtained. For mushrooms two types of species according to high and low values of transfer factor were identified. For berries the dearly distinction in the transfer factor of different species were obtained also. The transfer factor for different species, gathered on hydromorphic soil higher than those gathered on automorphic soil. For game one transfer factor for all species was obtained. We examined the modification of the radioactivity contamination of forest gifts during processing and culinary preparation and determined data about the frequencies of usage of different types of culinary practices for forest gifts. On the basis of obtained data the model for the calculation of the radiocesium intake due to the forest gifts were proposed. The created model may be useful for the purpose of calculation of radiocesium intake due to forest gifts consumption in the time of accidental situation

Indexing contamination surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.L.

1998-01-01

The responsibility for safely managing the Tank Farms at Hanford belongs to Lockheed Martin Hanford Corporation which is part of the six company Project Hanford Management Team led by Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc.. These Tank Farm Facilities contain numerous outdoor contamination areas which are surveyed at a periodicity consistent with the potential radiological conditions, occupancy, and risk of changes in radiological conditions. This document describes the survey documentation and data tracking method devised to track the results of contamination surveys this process is referred to as indexing. The indexing process takes a representative data set as an indicator for the contamination status of the facility. The data are further manipulated into a single value that can be tracked and trended using standard statistical methodology. To report meaningful data, the routine contamination surveys must be performed in a manner that allows the survey method and the data collection process to be recreated. Three key criteria are necessary to accomplish this goal: Accurate maps, consistent documentation, and consistent consolidation of data meeting these criteria provides data of sufficient quality to be tracked. Tracking of survey data is accomplished by converting the individual survey results into a weighted value, corrected for the actual number of survey points. This information can be compared over time using standard statistical analysis to identify trends. At the Tank Farms, the need to track and trend the facility's radiological status presents unique challenges. Many of these Tank Farm facilities date back to the second world war. The Tank Farm Facilities are exposed to weather extremes, plant and animal intrusion, as well as all of the normal challenges associated with handling radiological waste streams. Routine radiological surveys did not provide a radiological status adequate for continuing comparisons

Transport behavior of radioactive caesium from forests contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident through river water system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iijima, K.; Funaki, H.; Ohyama, T.; Niizato, T.; Sato, H.; Yui, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (Japan)

2014-07-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has carried out 'the project on the Long-term Assessment of Transport of Radioactive Contaminant in the Environment of Fukushima (F-TRACE project)' since the end of 2012. Radioactive caesium (Cs) has been distributed by the fallout by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F-NPP) accident, and forests in mountain areas have large amount of inventory of radioactive Cs and cover relatively large part of contaminated area of Fukushima. In this project, the transport behavior of radioactive Cs from the forests to biosphere and sea is evaluated by computer simulation based on the results of field observation and laboratory experiments. The results are used to predict evolution of effective dose of the residents in the affected area due to the transport, specify the dominant pathway of Cs, and propose effective methodology to constrain the transport along the pathway. This study reports the specific transport behavior of Cs observed in the basins of five rivers by means of the field investigation and laboratory experiments during the first year of the project. Radioactive Cs located at the crown was considered to be transported to the soil surface by litter fall, stem flow and canopy drip in the Japanese cedar tree forests. Even after two years since the accident, more than 90% of radioactive Cs was still been remained within 5 cm depth from the top of the soil, indicating that the distribution coefficient of radioactive Cs onto the specific minerals such as clay was significantly high. In the river, relatively higher dose rate was observed at the flood channel where fine-grained soil particles were trapped by growing vegetation, while low dose rate was observed beside the river channel where coarse sand or gravel accumulated. The results suggested that fine-grained soil particles containing minerals adsorbing large amount of radioactive Cs were transported in high water level and trapped by the vegetation. In the dam

The low-level waste handling challenge at the Feed Materials Production Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmon, J.E.; Diehl, D.E.; Gardner, R.L.

1988-02-01

The management of low-level wastes from the production of depleted uranium at the Feed Materials Production Center presents an enormous challenge. The recovery of uranium from materials contaminated with depleted uranium is usually not economical. As a result, large volumes of wastes are generated. The Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio has established an aggressive waste management program. Simple solutions have been applied to problems in the areas of waste handling and waste minimization. The success of this program has been demonstrated by the reduction of low-level waste inventory at the Feed Materials Production Center. 8 refs., 4 figs

The low-level waste handling challenge at the Feed Materials Production Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmon, J.E.; Diehl, D.E.; Gardner, R.L.

1988-01-01

The management of low-level wastes from the production of depleted uranium at the Feed Materials Production Center presents an enormous challenge. The recovery of uranium from materials contaminated with depleted uranium is usually not economical. As a result, large volumes of wastes are generated. The Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio has established an aggressive waste management program. Simple solutions have been applied to problems in the areas of waste handling and waste minimization. The success of this program has been demonstrated by the reduction of low-level waste inventory at the Feed Materials Production Center

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant contact-handled transuranic waste preoperational checkout: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-07-01

This report documents the results of the WIPP CH TRU Preoperational Checkout which was completed between June 8 and June 14, 1988 during which period, a total of 10 TRUPACT shipping containers were processed from site receipt through emplacement of the simulated waste packages in the underground storage area. Since the design of WIPP includes provisions to unload an internally contaminated TRUPACT, in the controlled environment of the Overpack and Repair Room, one TRUPACT was partially processed through this sequence of operations to verify this portion of the waste handling process as part of the checkout. The successful completion of the CH TRU Preoperational Checkout confirmed the acceptability of WIPP operating procedures, personnel, equipment, and techniques. Extrapolation of time-line data using a computer simulation model of the waste handling process has confirmed that WIPP operations can achieve the design throughput capability of 500,000 ft 3 /year, if required, using two waste handling shifts. The single shift throughput capability of 273,000 ft 3 /year exceeds the anticipated operating receival rate of about 230,000 ft 3 /year. At the 230,000 ft 3 /year rate, the combined CH TRU annual operator dose and the average individual dose (based on minimum crew size) is projected to be 13.7 rem and 0.7 rem, respectively. 6 refs., 27 figs., 3 tabs

Radionuclide fractionation in a forest soil profile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rigol, A.; Vidal, M.; Rauret, G.

1996-01-01

Two alternative approaches, a sequential extraction scheme and the calculation of the variation of the distribution coefficient of radiocaesium in different K-Ca N H 4 scenarios, were used to study the behaviour and fractionation of this radionuclide in a forest soil profile. The first approach was applied to samples originating from an experiment in which the original L(litter) layer was replaced by an L layer contaminated with a radioactive aerosol, allowing a downward migration of radiocaesium. The samples belonged to different stages after the contamination. The second approach was applied to samples contaminated with soluble radiocaesium. The results indicate that the mineral matter seems to govern the behaviour of radiocaesium in case of direct condensed deposition or when radiocaesium is released from structural components of the organic matter phase. (author). 16 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

GPS-based handheld device for mapping contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paridaens, J.

2005-01-01

Sometimes one is confronted with the challenge to map large areas with enhanced radioactivity. Examples are mine tailings or waste rock piles, deposits of the phosphate industry, flooding zones contaminated by effluents of plants processing ores containing enhanced natural radiation, nuclear accident sites etc. Car borne measuring equipment is not always an option, as the terrain might be rough and only accessible by foot. Airborne mapping with helicopters on the other hand is fast, but expensive, not readily available, shows difficulties with complex topography and lacks the necessary detail. The objective of this study was to create a portable and easily usable tool for the real time logging of radiation and location data, allowing mapping the radioactivity by simply walking over any kind of terrain with the portable equipment and post processing the data in the office. We also assessed the performance of the GPS based system on contaminated sites with areas varying from less than a hectare to several tens of hectares, with respect to speed, precision and ease of use. At sites of large scale mining and processing of uranium ore, tailings and waste rock piles are today the most visible relics of the uranium extractive industry. These mining relics are constantly subjected to weathering and leaching processes causing the dissemination of radioactive and toxic elements and sometimes requiring remedial operations. The in situ remediation of waste rock piles usually includes their revegetation for minimizing the water infiltration and for increasing surface soil stability. Thanks to its biomass density and longevity, the perennial vegetation plays an important role in stabilisation of the water cycling. The buffer role of forest vegetation can reduce water export from watersheds as well as erosion and hydrological losses of chemicals including radionuclides from contaminated sites. If long term reduction of contaminant dispersion at revegetated uranium mining sites is

Fire protection considerations in the design of plutonium handling and storage facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, A.

2000-01-01

Unwanted fire in a facility that handles plutonium must be addressed early in the facility design. Such fires have the potential for transporting radioactive contamination throughout the building and widespread downwind dispersal. Features that mitigate such events can be severely challenged during the fire. High temperatures can cause storage containers to burst; a very efficient dispersal mechanism for radioactive contamination. The fire will also establish ventilation patterns that cause the migration of smoke and radioactive contamination throughout the facility. The smoke and soot generated by the fire will enter the exhaust system and travel to the filtration system where it will deposit on the filters. The quantity of smoke generated during a typical multi-room fire is expected to blind most High Efficiency Particulate Airfilter (HEPA) media. The blinding can have two possible outcomes. (1) The air movement though the facility is reduced, compromising the negative pressure containment and allowing contamination to leave the building though doors and other openings; or (2) the filters collapse allowing the contamination to bypass the filtration media and exit the building through the filter plenum. HEPA filter blinding during severe fires can be prevented or mitigated. Increasing the face surface area of HEPA filters will increase the smoke filtration capacity of the system, thus preventing blinding. As an alternative sandfilters can be provided to mitigate the effects of the HEPA filter bypass. Both concepts have distinct advantages. This paper will explore these two design concepts and two others; it will describe the design requirements necessary for each concept to prevent unacceptable contamination spread. The intent is to allow the filter media selection to be based on a comprehensive understanding of the four different design concepts

Main investigation results on the forest radioecology in the Kyshtym and Chernobyl accident zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tikhomirov, F.A.; Shcheglov, A.I.

1994-01-01

As a result of the long-term studies of radionuclide migration in forest ecosystems in zones of radioactive contamination after the Kyshtym and Chernobyl accidents, the following trends were revealed: (1) High retention capacity of stand canopy with respect to radioactive fallout. This leads to high doses absorbed by apical and leaf meristems, β-radiation giving the main part of the dose; (2) Fast self-decontamination of crowns during the growth period and relatively slow decontamination in the phase of physiological rest, regardless of amount of atmospheric precipitation. The rate of crown decontamination determines the value and duration of radiation stress on woody plants; (3) Accumulation not less than 95% of the total radionuclide amount in the forest litter 1-2 years after the cessation of radioactive fallout; (4) Relatively slow migration of strontium and cesium radionuclides along the forest soil profile; (5) High capacity of the forest when serving as a biogeochemical barrier to the routes of horizontal and vertical radionuclide migration and export out of the zone of initial contamination, including migration into the river water; (6) Considerable difference between strontium and cesium when migrating in forest soils and in the soil-plant system; (7) Broad variations in transfer factors for uptake of cesium-137 from soil into forest plants depending on the plant species and soil type. The primary radiobiological effects connected with irradiation of organisms are considered and secondary disturbances due to changes of ecological bonds between the components of irradiated forest ecosystem are discussed

Fecal Contamination on Produce from Wholesale and Retail Food Markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Angela R; Islam, Mohammad Aminul; Unicomb, Leanne; Boehm, Alexandria B; Luby, Stephen; Davis, Jennifer; Pickering, Amy J

2018-01-01

Fresh produce items can become contaminated with enteric pathogens along the supply chain at the preharvest (e.g., irrigation water, soil, fertilizer) or postharvest (e.g., vendor handling or consumer handling) stages. This study assesses the concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli , enterococci (ENT), and Bacteriodales on surfaces of carrots, eggplants, red amaranth leaves, and tomatoes obtained from both a wholesale market (recently harvested) and neighborhood retail markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We detected E. coli in 100% of carrot and red amaranth rinses, 92% of eggplant rinses, and 46% of tomato rinses. Using a molecular microbial source tracking assay, we found that 32% of produce samples were positive for ruminant fecal contamination. Fecal indicator bacteria were more likely to be detected on produce collected in retail markets compared with that in the wholesale market; retail market produce were 1.25 times more likely to have E. coli detected ( P = 0.03) and 1.24 times more likely to have ENT detected ( P = 0.03) as compared with wholesale market produce. Bacteriodales was detected in higher concentrations in retail market produce samples compared with wholesale market produce samples (0.40 log 10 gene copies per 100 cm 2 higher, P = 0.03). Our results suggest that ruminant and general fecal contamination of produce in markets in Dhaka is common, and suggest that unsanitary conditions in markets are an important source of produce fecal contamination postharvest.

Trends in Modern Exception Handling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Kuta

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Exception handling is nowadays a necessary component of error proof information systems. The paper presents overview of techniques and models of exception handling, problems connected with them and potential solutions. The aspects of implementation of propagation mechanisms and exception handling, their effect on semantics and general program efficiency are also taken into account. Presented mechanisms were adopted to modern programming languages. Considering design area, formal methods and formal verification of program properties we can notice exception handling mechanisms are weakly present what makes a field for future research.

Some experiences in controlling contamination of environmental materials during sampling and processing for low-level actinide analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvey, B.R.; Lovett, M.B.; Boggis, S.J.

1987-01-01

Selected experiences in the control of contamination and the threat it poses to the quality of analytical data are discussed in the context of the whole analytical process from collection of marine enviromental samples, through handling and radiochemical separation, to the final interpretation of results. Examples include a demonstration of the contamination introduced during sediment core sectioning, contamination of sea water by a ship's pumping system, and the effect of filtration on the apparent partioning of radionuclides between solid and liquid phases of sea water. (author) 11 refs.; 4 tabs

Some experiences in controlling contamination of environmental materials during sampling and processing for low-level actinide analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harvey, B R; Lovett, M B; Boggis, S J

1987-10-01

Selected experiences in the control of contamination and the threat it poses to the quality of analytical data are discussed in the context of the whole analytical process from collection of marine enviromental samples, through handling and radiochemical separation, to the final interpretation of results. Examples include a demonstration of the contamination introduced during sediment core sectioning, contamination of sea water by a ship's pumping system, and the effect of filtration on the apparent partioning of radionuclides between solid and liquid phases of sea water. (author) 11 refs.; 4 tabs.

Helium leak testing of a radioactive contaminated vessel under high pressure in a contaminated environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, M.E.

1996-01-01

At ANL-W, with the shutdown of EBR-II, R ampersand D has evolved from advanced reactor design to the safe handling, processing, packaging, and transporting spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. New methods of processing spent fuel rods and transforming contaminated material into acceptable waste forms are now in development. Storage of nuclear waste is a high interest item. ANL-W is participating in research of safe storage of nuclear waste, with the WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) site in New Mexico the repository. The vessel under test simulates gas generated by contaminated materials stored underground at the WIPP site. The test vessel is 90% filled with a mixture of contaminated material and salt brine (from WIPP site) and pressurized with N2-1% He at 2500 psia. Test acceptance criteria is leakage -7 cc/seconds at 2500 psia. The bell jar method is used to determine leakage rate using a mass spectrometer leak detector (MSLD). The efficient MSLD and an Al bell jar replaced a costly, time consuming pressure decay test setup. Misinterpretation of test criterion data caused lengthy delays, resulting in the development of a unique procedure. Reevaluation of the initial intent of the test criteria resulted in leak tolerances being corrected and test efficiency improved

Survey of current lead use, handling, hygiene, and contaminant controls among New Jersey industries.

Science.gov (United States)

Blando, James D; Lefkowitz, Daniel K; Valiante, David; Gerwel, Barbara; Bresnitz, Eddy

2007-08-01

In 2003, a chemical handling and use survey was mailed to New Jersey employers identified as currently using lead in their industrial processes. This survey was used to ascertain characteristics about lead use, handling, and protection of employees during manufacturing operations. The survey included a diverse group of current lead users with a total lead use range from less than 1 pound to more than 63 million pounds of lead per year. The survey allowed for a comprehensive characterization of hazards and protective measures associated with this metal, still commonly used in many products and industrial processes. Forty-five surveys were returned by companies that are listed in the New Jersey Adult Blood Lead Registry, which is part of the New Jersey Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program. This program records and investigates cases of adults with greater than 25 mu g/dL of lead in their blood; most cases are related to occupational exposures. This survey found that greater than 25% of these surveyed companies with significant potential for lead exposure did not employ commonly used and basic industrial hygiene practices. In addition, the survey found that 24% of these companies had not conducted air sampling within the last 3 years. Air sampling is the primary trigger for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) general industry lead standard. Only 17% of the companies have ever been cited for a violation of the OSHA lead standard, and only 46% of these companies have ever had an OSHA inspection. State-based surveillance can be a useful tool for OSHA enforcement activities. Elevated blood lead values in adults should be considered as a trigger for required compliance with an OSHA general industry lead standard.

A compartment model of plutonium dynamics in a deciduous forest ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garten, C.T. Jr.; Gardner, R.H.; Dahlman, R.C.

1978-01-01

A linear compartment donor-controlled model was designed to describe and simulate the behaviour of plutonium ( 239 , 240 Pu) in a contaminated deciduous forest ecosystem at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. At steady states predicted by the model, less than 0.25% of the Pu in the ecosystem resides in forest biota. Soil is the major repository of Pu in the forest, and reciprocal exchanges of Pu between soil and litter or soil and tree roots were dominant transfers affecting the ecosystem distribution of Pu. Variation in predicted steady state amounts of Pu in the forest, given variability in the model parameters, indicated that ones ability to develop reliable models of Pu transport in ecosystems will improve with greater precision in data from natural environments and a better understanding of sources of variation in Pu data. (author)

Potential Indoor Worker Exposure From Handling Area Leakage: Example Event Sequence Frequency Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benke, Roland R.; Adams, George R.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently considering design options for the facilities that will handle spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The license application must demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 63, which include occupational dose limits from 10 CFR Part 20. If DOE submits a license application under 10 CFR Part 63, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct a risk-informed, performance-based review of the DOE license application and its preclosure safety analysis, in which in-depth technical evaluations are focused on technical areas that are significant to preclosure safety and risk. As part of pre-licensing activities, the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) developed the Preclosure Safety Analysis Tool software to aid in the regulatory review of a DOE license application and support any independent confirmatory assessments that may be needed. Recent DOE information indicates a primarily canister-based handling approach that includes the wet transfer of individual assemblies where Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems may be relied on to provide confinement and limit the spread of any airborne radioactive material from handling operations. Workers may be involved in manual and remote operations in handling transportation casks, canisters, waste packages, or bare spent nuclear fuel assemblies inside facility buildings. As part of routine operations within these facilities, radioactive material may potentially become airborne if canisters are opened or bare fuel assemblies are handled. Leakage of contaminated air from the handling area into adjacent occupied areas, therefore, represents a potential radiological exposure pathway for indoor workers. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate modeling capabilities that can be used by the regulator to estimate frequencies of

Consumer Poultry Handling Behavior in the Grocery Store and In-Home Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Donelan, Amy K; Chambers, Delores H; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria L; Cates, Sheryl C

2016-04-01

Considerable work on consumers' food safety habits has highlighted issues associated with home food preparation. However, consumer handling of foods, such as poultry, during shopping and storage has not been noted. The objective of this study was to determine consumer behaviors during purchasing and initial storage of raw poultry to determine potential cross-contamination issues. A shop-along observational study was conducted to determine actual shopping, transportation, and storage behavior of consumers who purchase raw poultry products. Neither hand sanitizer nor wipes were observed in 71% of grocery store meat sections of stores visited. Plastic bags could be found in the meat section 85% of the time, but only 25% of shoppers used the bag for their raw poultry purchases. During checkout, the poultry was bagged separately from other products 71% of the time. A majority of shoppers stored raw poultry in the original package without an additional container or overwrap. Overall, there needs to be an increase in food safety education on the handling of poultry during purchasing, transportation, and storage.

Remote handling machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Shinri

1985-01-01

In nuclear power facilities, the management of radioactive wastes is made with its technology plus the automatic techniques. Under the radiation field, the maintenance or aid of such systems is important. To cope with this situation, MF-2 system, MF-3 system and a manipulator system as remote handling machines are described. MF-2 system consists of an MF-2 carrier truck, a control unit and a command trailer. It is capable of handling heavy-weight objects. The system is not by hydraulic but by electrical means. MF-3 system consists of a four-crawler truck and a manipulator. The truck is versatile in its posture by means of the four independent crawlers. The manipulator system is bilateral in operation, so that the delicate handling is made possible. (Mori, K.)

Allowable residual contamination levels of radionuclides in soil from pathway analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyquist, J.E.; Baes, C.F. III

1987-01-01

The Remedial Action Program (RAP) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will include well drilling, facility upgrades, and other waste management operations likely to involve soils contaminated with radionuclides. A preliminary protocol and generalized criteria for handling contaminated soils is needed to coordinate and plan RAP activities, but there exists only limited information on contaminate nature and distribution at ORNL RAP sites. Furthermore, projections of long-term decommissioning and closure options for these sites are preliminary. They have adapted a pathway analysis model, DECOM, to quantify risks to human health from radionuclides in soil and used it to outline preliminary criteria for determining the fate of contaminated soil produced during RAP activities. They assumed that the site could be available for unrestricted use immediately upon decontamination. The pathways considered are consumption of food grown on the contaminated soil, including direct ingestion of soil from poorly washed vegetables, direct radiation from the ground surface, inhalation of resuspended radioactive soil, and drinking water from a well drilled through or near the contaminated soil. We will discuss the assumptions and simplifications implicit in DECOM, the site-specific data required, and the results of initial calculations for the Oak Ridge Reservation

The environmental handling in the Oil Wells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carta Petrolera

1998-01-01

The oil industry bears environmental impacts related to the resources, soil, air, water, fauna and the socioeconomic aspects of the environment; for this reason the search of the petroleum goes beyond what is believed, it embraces other spheres because, after discovery, it is necessary to extract it, to transport it and to treat it to put it to the service of the humanity's development and in all this long and complex process, is the environmental responsibility, a serious concern as the same discovery of the hydrocarbons. In the beginnings of the oil industry in Colombia this activity was approached without the biggest forecasts as for contamination it refers; however, the environmental laws of the world and the constant concern to preserve the environment, it took to our country to the creation of severe legislations in the matter. In Colombia today in day an environmental legislation exists in all the related with the handling of waters, air and soils inside the oil activity

Contaminated site risk and uncertainty assessment for impacts on surface and groundwater

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Nanna Isbak

available between sites and choosing between the need for further investigation or remediation. This is a question of prioritizing the sites that pose the greatest risk, and it is a matter of making decisions under uncertainty. Both tasks require a structured assessment of the risk posed by the contaminated...... sites. In a conventional risk assessment of a contaminated site, risk is evaluated by assessing whether a concentration guideline is exceeded at a specific point of compliance in the water resource of interest. If the guideline is exceeded, it is concluded that the site poses a risk. However......, a contaminated site may pose a threat to multiple water resources, or multiple contaminated sites may threaten a single water resource. For more advanced risk assessments, it is therefore relevant to develop methods that can handle this challenge. In this thesis, four contributions are made to the field...

Experiences with decontaminating tritium-handling apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maienschein, J.L.; Garcia, F.; Garza, R.G.; Kanna, R.L.; Mayhugh, S.R.; Taylor, D.T.

1991-07-01

Tritium-handling apparatus has been decontaminated as part of the shutdown of the LLNL Tritium Facility. Two stainless-steel gloveboxes that had been used to process lithium deuteride-tritide (LiDT) salt were decontaminated using the Portable Cleanup System so that they could be flushed with room air through the facility ventilation system. Further surface decontamination was performed by scrubbing the interior with paper towels and ethyl alcohol or Swish trademark. The surface contamination, as shown by swipe surveys, was reduced from 4x10 4 --10 6 disintegrations per minute (dpm)/cm 2 to 2x10 2 --4x10 4 dpm/cm 2 . Details on the decontamination operation are provided. A series of metal (palladium and vanadium) hydride storage beds have been drained of tritium and flushed with deuterium in order to remove as much tritium as possible. The bed draining and flushing procedure is described, and a calculational method is presented which allows estimation of the tritium remaining in a bed after it has been drained and flushed. Data on specific bed draining and flushing are given

Model of plutonium dynamics in a deciduous forest ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garten, C.T. Jr.; Gardner, R.H.; Dahlman, R.C.

1980-01-01

A linear compartment model with donor-controlled flows between compartments was designed to describe and simulate the behavior of plutonium ( 239 240 Pu) in a contaminated forest ecosystem at Oak Ridge, TN. At steady states predicted by the model, less than 0.25% of the plutonium in the ecosystem resides in biota. Soil is the major repository of plutonium in the forest, and exchanges of plutonium between soil and litter or soil and tree roots were dominant transfers affecting the ecosystem distribution of plutonium. Variation in predicted steady-state amounts of plutonium in the forest, given variability in the model parameters, indicates that our ability to develop models of plutonium transport in ecosystems should improve with greater precision in data from natural environments and a better understanding of sources of variation in plutonium data

Safety of Cargo Aircraft Handling Procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Hlavatý

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to get acquainted with the ways how to improve the safety management system during cargo aircraft handling. The first chapter is dedicated to general information about air cargo transportation. This includes the history or types of cargo aircraft handling, but also the means of handling. The second part is focused on detailed description of cargo aircraft handling, including a description of activities that are performed before and after handling. The following part of this paper covers a theoretical interpretation of safety, safety indicators and legislative provisions related to the safety of cargo aircraft handling. The fourth part of this paper analyzes the fault trees of events which might occur during handling. The factors found by this analysis are compared with safety reports of FedEx. Based on the comparison, there is a proposal on how to improve the safety management in this transportation company.

Levels and patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils after forest fires in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun Jung; Choi, Sung-Deuk; Chang, Yoon-Seok

2011-11-01

To investigate the influence of biomass burning on the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils, temporal trends and profiles of 16 US Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs were studied in soil and ash samples collected 1, 5, and 9 months after forest fires in South Korea. The levels of PAHs in the burnt soils 1 month after the forest fires (mean, 1,200 ng/g dry weight) were comparable with those of contaminated urban soils. However, 5 and 9 months after the forest fires, these levels decreased considerably to those of general forest soils (206 and 302 ng/g, respectively). The burnt soils and ash were characterized by higher levels of light PAHs with two to four rings, reflecting direct emissions from biomass burning. Five and 9 months after the forest fires, the presence of naphthalene decreased considerably, which indicates that light PAHs were rapidly volatilized or degraded from the burnt soils. The temporal trend and pattern of PAHs clearly suggests that soils in the forest-fire region can be contaminated by PAHs directly emitted from biomass burning. However, the fire-affected soils can return to the pre-fire conditions over time through the washout and wind dissipation of the ash with high content of PAHs as well as vaporization or degradation of light PAHs.

Progress in the design, R and D and procurement preparation of the ITER Divertor Remote Handling System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esqué, Salvador, E-mail: Salvador.Esque@f4e.europa.eu [Fusion for Energy, Torres Diagonal Litoral B3, Josep Pla 2, 08019 Barcelona (Spain); Hille, Carine van; Ranz, Roberto; Damiani, Carlo [Fusion for Energy, Torres Diagonal Litoral B3, Josep Pla 2, 08019 Barcelona (Spain); Palmer, Jim; Hamilton, David [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, 13115 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2014-10-15

Highlights: •The ITER Divertor Remote Handling System (DRHS) reference design is presented. •Different R and D activities that have contributed to the development and validation of the current reference design are reported. •The DRHS turns to be a unique system in terms of complexity due to size of the to-be-handled components, the novelty of the remote operations and the operational conditions. -- Abstract: The ITER Divertor Remote Handling System (DRHS) consists of a number of dedicated remote handling equipment and tooling that will provide the means to perform the exchange of the divertor system in a full-remote way. In order to achieve this objective the DRHS will need to perform a number of novel and complex remote operations in a contaminated and space-constrained environment, in rather poor lightening conditions. Fusion for Energy has recently launched the tendering phase for the in-kind procurement of the DRHS. The procurement is based on a set of system requirements and functional specifications supported by a reference design which are presented and discussed in this paper along with the main outcomes of the different R and D activities that have contributed to the development and validation of the current reference design.

Subsurface Flow and Contaminant Transport Documentation and User's Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aleman, S.E.

1999-07-28

This report documents a finite element code designed to model subsurface flow and contaminant transport, named FACT. FACT is a transient three-dimensional, finite element code designed to simulate isothermal groundwater flow, moisture movement, and solute transport in variably saturated and fully saturated subsurface porous media. The code is designed specifically to handle complex multi-layer and/or heterogeneous aquifer systems in an efficient manner and accommodates a wide range of boundary conditions. Additionally, 1-D and 2-D (in Cartesian coordinates) problems are handled in FACT by simply limiting the number of elements in a particular direction(s) to one. The governing equations in FACT are formulated only in Cartesian coordinates.

Two electrophoreses in different pH buffers to purify forest soil DNA ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-04-19

Apr 19, 2010 ... forest soil DNA contaminated with humic substances. Weiguo Hou1,2, Bin Lian1* ... weight, and may be soluble or insoluble in water. Similar ..... changes of turnover ecosystems traced by stable carbon isotopes. Chinese J.

Comparative Study of Crude Oil Contamination Effect on Industrial and Forest Soil Microbial Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasrin Ansari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Petroleum hydrocarbons are widespread pollutant that enters to soil by some pathwayssuch as: Transportation of crude oil, conservation of oil compounds, crude oil spill and treatment process on refineries. Oil pollution has some ecological effect on soil that disturbed composition and diversity of microbial community. Also this pollution has some effects on microbial activity and enzymes of soil. Forests ecosystems may be polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons via different ways such as transportation and spill of crude oil from resource of petroleum storage. Industrial soil defined as the soils that located in industrial area such as petrochemical plant, mine, chemical factories and etc. These soils always contaminated to many pollutant such as: oil, diesel and heavy metals. These pollutants have some effects on the texture of the soil and microbial community. The aim of this research is to understand the effect of oil pollution on two different soils. Material and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of crude oil on soil microbial community, two different soil samples were collected from industrial and forest soils. Six microcosms were designed in this experiment. Indeed each soil sample examined inthree microcosms asunpolluted microcosm, polluted microcosm, and polluted microcosm with nutrient supply of Nitrogen and PhosphorusSome factors were assayed in each microcosm during 120 days of experiment. The included study factors were: total heterotrophic bacteria, total crude oil degrading bacteria, dehydrogenase enzyme and crude oil biodegradation. For enumeration of heterotrophic bacteria nutrient agar medium was used. In this method serial dilutions were done from each soil and spread on nutrient agar medium then different colonies were counted. For enumeration of degrading bacteria Bushnel-Hass (BH medium were used. The composition of this medium was (g/lit: 1 gr KH2PO4, 1gr K2HPO4, 0.2 gr MgSO4.7H2O, 0.02 gr CaCl2, 1 gr NH4

Examining fire-induced forest changes using novel remote sensing technique: a case study in a mixed pine-oak forest

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, R.; Wu, J.; Zhao, F. R.; Cook, B.; Hanavan, R. P.; Serbin, S.

2017-12-01

Fire-induced forest changes has long been a central focus for forest ecology and global carbon cycling studies, and is becoming a pressing issue for global change biologists particularly with the projected increases in the frequency and intensity of fire with a warmer and drier climate. Compared with time-consuming and labor intensive field-based approaches, remote sensing offers a promising way to efficiently assess fire effects and monitor post-fire forest responses across a range of spatial and temporal scales. However, traditional remote sensing studies relying on simple optical spectral indices or coarse resolution imagery still face a number of technical challenges, including confusion or contamination of the signal by understory dynamics and mixed pixels with moderate to coarse resolution data (>= 30 m). As such, traditional remote sensing may not meet the increasing demand for more ecologically-meaningful monitoring and quantitation of fire-induced forest changes. Here we examined the use of novel remote sensing technique (i.e. airborne imaging spectroscopy and LiDAR measurement, very high spatial resolution (VHR) space-borne multi-spectral measurement, and high temporal-spatial resolution UAS-based (Unmanned Aerial System) imagery), in combination with field and phenocam measurements to map forest burn severity across spatial scales, quantify crown-scale post-fire forest recovery rate, and track fire-induced phenology changes in the burned areas. We focused on a mixed pine-oak forest undergoing multiple fire disturbances for the past several years in Long Island, NY as a case study. We demonstrate that (1) forest burn severity mapping from VHR remote sensing measurement can capture crown-scale heterogeneous fire patterns over large-scale; (2) the combination of VHR optical and structural measurements provides an efficient means to remotely sense species-level post-fire forest responses; (3) the UAS-based remote sensing enables monitoring of fire

Radioactive contamination of protective clothes made of textile and their decontamination in aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukumori, D.T.

1989-01-01

This dissertation deals with the radioactive contamination, its prevention, control and decontamination, related to protective clothing made of textile and usually weared in normal working conditions, within the installations where radioactive materials are handled or processed, especially as unsealed sources. The features of textile materials and contaminants, contamination mechanisms, risks related to contaminated clothes, planning of working areas, monitoring and surface contamination limits are described. Concerning to decontamination, the reagents, their action mechanisms and methods of efficiency evaluation are emphasized. The selected reagents were experimentally tested and their efficiencies in decontaminating cotton cloth samples, contaminated with uranyl nitrate solution, were evaluated by means of counting rate determined with a Geiger-Muller provided counting system. In this way, complexing agents, surfactants and commercial cleanning products were tested. The results were analysed and interpreted considering statistical, radiochemical and Radiation Protection aspects. Both, the radiactive contamination and decontamination of protective clothes are extensive matters and they still could be developed and improved; thus, many suggestions were presented as further studies. (author) [pt

Missing data in forest ecology and management: advances in quantitative methods [Preface

Science.gov (United States)

Tara Barrett; Matti Maltomo

2012-01-01

In recent years, substantial progress has been made for handling missing data issues for applications in forest ecology and management, particularly in the area of imputation techniques. A session on this topic was held at the XXlll IUFRO World Congress in Seoul, South Korea, on August 23-28, 2010, resulting in this special issue of six papers that address recent...

Implication of human handling on packaged sausage rolls during sale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coolborn AKHARAIYI FRED

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In other to identify the implication of human handling of packaged sausage rolls after production, a microbiological safety evaluation was carried out on sausage rolls sold on street and in shops. Among the sausage rolls, gala purchased from street vendors has the highest bacterial load of 2.82 × 104 CFU/g and 4.3 × 106 spore/g of fungal load, followed by meaty with bacterial load of 1.71 × 104 CFU/g and fungal load of 1.6 × 105 spore/g and was least in rite sausage roll with 1.46 × 104 CFU/g and 1 × 105 spore/g bacterial and fungal loads respectively. Seventeen bacteria species were isolated from both street vended and shop sold sausage rolls, the isolates identified including: Bacillus cereus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Alcaligenes faecalis, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella ozaenae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Moraxella catarhalis, Bacillus substilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Aeromonas anaerogenes, Aerococcus viridans and Azomonas agilis. Five fungi species were isolated from street vended sausage rolls only. The fungal species are Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium italicum and Gliocephalis spp. From this study, street vended samples have higher microbial contamination than shop sold sausage rolls due to improper handling during sales.

Ergonomics and patient handling.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoskey, Kelsey L

2007-11-01

This study aimed to describe patient-handling demands in inpatient units during a 24-hour period at a military health care facility. A 1-day total population survey described the diverse nature and impact of patient-handling tasks relative to a variety of nursing care units, patient characteristics, and transfer equipment. Productivity baselines were established based on patient dependency, physical exertion, type of transfer, and time spent performing the transfer. Descriptions of the physiological effect of transfers on staff based on patient, transfer, and staff characteristics were developed. Nursing staff response to surveys demonstrated how patient-handling demands are impacted by the staff's physical exertion and level of patient dependency. The findings of this study describe the types of transfers occurring in these inpatient units and the physical exertion and time requirements for these transfers. This description may guide selection of the most appropriate and cost-effective patient-handling equipment required for specific units and patients.

A study on EUV reticle surface molecular contamination under different storage conditions in a HVM foundry fab

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, SherJang; Yatzor, Brett; Taylor, Ron; Wood, Obert; Mangat, Pawitter

2017-03-01

The prospect of EUVL (Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography) insertion into HVM (High Volume Manufacturing) has never been this promising. As technology is prepared for "lab to fab" transition, it becomes important to comprehend challenges associated with integrating EUVL infrastructure within existing high volume chip fabrication processes in a foundry fab. The existing 193nm optical lithography process flow for reticle handling and storage in a fab atmosphere is well established and in-fab reticle contamination concerns are mitigated with the reticle pellicle. However EUVL reticle pellicle is still under development and if available, may only provide protection against particles but not molecular contamination. HVM fab atmosphere is known to be contaminated with trace amounts of AMC's (Atmospheric Molecular Contamination). If such contaminants are organic in nature and get absorbed on the reticle surface, EUV photon cause photo-dissociation resulting into carbon generation which is known to reduce multilayer reflectivity and also degrades exposure uniformity. Chemical diffusion and aggregation of other ions is also reported under the e-beam exposure of a EUV reticle which is known to cause haze issues in optical lithography. Therefore it becomes paramount to mitigate absorbed molecular contaminant concerns on EUVL reticle surface. In this paper, we have studied types of molecular contaminants that are absorbed on an EUVL reticle surface under HVM fab storage and handling conditions. Effect of storage conditions (gas purged vs atmospheric) in different storage pods (Dual pods, Reticle Clamshells) is evaluated. Absorption analysis is done both on ruthenium capping layer as well as TaBN absorber. Ru surface chemistry change as a result of storage is also studied. The efficacy of different reticle cleaning processes to remove absorbed contaminant is evaluated as well.

Guidelines on the medical therapy of persons accidentally overexposed to ionizing radiations. External contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, M.R.; Di Trano, J.L.; Gisone, P.

1998-01-01

The document represents a guide for the external decontamination of persons accidentally radio contaminated due to the use, production or transport of radioactive materials. The general conditions, from the medical point of view, to be kept in mind, in the event of accidental overexposures as decontamination treatment and the handling of samples are detailed throughout report. The external contamination without injury in skin or with wound its considered. The distribution of measures and responsibilities for the therapy of the irradiated patients with radioactive materials are enumerated. The preparations of decontaminate solutions are detailed in this work. Moreover, forms for the reception, physical evaluation of the patient and external contamination are presented. (author)

Equipment for the handling of thorium materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heisler, S.W. Jr.; Mihalovich, G.S.

1988-01-01

The Feed Materials Production Center (FMPC) is the United States Department of Energy's storage facility for thorium. FMPC thorium handling and overpacking projects ensure the continued safe handling and storage of the thorium inventory until final disposition of the materials is determined and implemented. The handling and overpacking of the thorium materials requires the design of a system that utilizes remote handling and overpacking equipment not currently utilized at the FMPC in the handling of uranium materials. The use of remote equipment significantly reduces radiation exposure to personnel during the handling and overpacking efforts. The design system combines existing technologies from the nuclear industry, the materials processing and handling industry and the mining industry. The designed system consists of a modified fork lift truck for the transport of thorium containers, automated equipment for material identification and inventory control, and remote handling and overpacking equipment for material identification and inventory control, and remote handling and overpacking equipment for repackaging of the thorium materials

Investigation of Ground-Water Contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Vroblesky, Don A.; Casey, Clifton C.; Petkewich, Matthew D.; Lowery, Mark A.; Conlon, Kevin J.; Harrelson, Larry G.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast investigated natural and engineered remediation of chlorinated volatile organic compound ground-water contamination at Solid Waste Management Unit 12 at the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina. The primary contaminants of interest are tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene. In general, the hydrogeology of Solid Waste Management Unit 12 consists of a surficial aquifer, composed of sand to clayey sand, overlain by dense clay that extends from about land surface to a depth of about 8 to 10 feet and substantially limits local recharge. During some months in the summer, evapotranspiration and limited local recharge result in ground-water level depressions in the forested area near wells 12MW-12S and 12MW-17S, seasonally reflecting the effects of evapotranspiration. Changes in surface-water levels following Hurricane Gaston in 2004 resulted in a substantial change in the ground-water levels at the site that, in turn, may have caused lateral shifting of the contaminant plume. Hydraulic conductivity, determined by slug tests, is higher along the axis of the plume in the downgradient part of the forests than adjacent to the plume, implying that there is some degree of lithologic control on the plume location. Hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic gradient, sulfur-hexafluoride measurements, and historical data indicate that ground-water flow rates are substantially slower in the forested area relative to upgradient areas. The ground-water contamination, consisting of chlorinated volatile organic compounds, extends eastward in the surficial aquifer from the probable source area near a former underground storage tank. Engineered remediation approaches include a permeable reactive barrier and phytoremediation. The central part of the permeable reactive barrier along the

Fungal contamination in hospital environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perdelli, F; Cristina, M L; Sartini, M; Spagnolo, A M; Dallera, M; Ottria, G; Lombardi, R; Grimaldi, M; Orlando, P

2006-01-01

To assess the degree of fungal contamination in hospital environments and to evaluate the ability of air conditioning systems to reduce such contamination. We monitored airborne microbial concentrations in various environments in 10 hospitals equipped with air conditioning. Sampling was performed with a portable Surface Air System impactor with replicate organism detection and counting plates containing a fungus-selective medium. The total fungal concentration was determined 72-120 hours after sampling. The genera most involved in infection were identified by macroscopic and microscopic observation. The mean concentration of airborne fungi in the set of environments examined was 19 +/- 19 colony-forming units (cfu) per cubic meter. Analysis of the fungal concentration in the different types of environments revealed different levels of contamination: the lowest mean values (12 +/- 14 cfu/m(3)) were recorded in operating theaters, and the highest (45 +/- 37 cfu/m(3)) were recorded in kitchens. Analyses revealed statistically significant differences between median values for the various environments. The fungal genus most commonly encountered was Penicillium, which, in kitchens, displayed the highest mean airborne concentration (8 +/- 2.4 cfu/m(3)). The percentage (35%) of Aspergillus documented in the wards was higher than that in any of the other environments monitored. The fungal concentrations recorded in the present study are comparable to those recorded in other studies conducted in hospital environments and are considerably lower than those seen in other indoor environments that are not air conditioned. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of air-handling systems in reducing fungal contamination.

How to Handle Abuse

Science.gov (United States)

... Handle Abuse KidsHealth / For Kids / How to Handle Abuse What's in this article? Tell Right Away How Do You Know Something Is Abuse? ... babysitter, teacher, coach, or a bigger kid. Child abuse can happen anywhere — at ... building. Tell Right Away A kid who is being seriously hurt ...

Waste Handling Building Conceptual Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G.W. Rowe

2000-01-01

The objective of the ''Waste Handling Building Conceptual Study'' is to develop proposed design requirements for the repository Waste Handling System in sufficient detail to allow the surface facility design to proceed to the License Application effort if the proposed requirements are approved by DOE. Proposed requirements were developed to further refine waste handling facility performance characteristics and design constraints with an emphasis on supporting modular construction, minimizing fuel inventory, and optimizing facility maintainability and dry handling operations. To meet this objective, this study attempts to provide an alternative design to the Site Recommendation design that is flexible, simple, reliable, and can be constructed in phases. The design concept will be input to the ''Modular Design/Construction and Operation Options Report'', which will address the overall program objectives and direction, including options and issues associated with transportation, the subsurface facility, and Total System Life Cycle Cost. This study (herein) is limited to the Waste Handling System and associated fuel staging system

Practices of Handling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ræbild, Ulla

to touch, pick up, carry, or feel with the hands. Figuratively it is to manage, deal with, direct, train, or control. Additionally, as a noun, a handle is something by which we grasp or open up something. Lastly, handle also has a Nordic root, here meaning to trade, bargain or deal. Together all four...... meanings seem to merge in the fashion design process, thus opening up for an embodied engagement with matter that entails direction giving, organizational management and negotiation. By seeing processes of handling as a key fashion methodological practice, it is possible to divert the discourse away from...... introduces four ways whereby fashion designers apply their own bodies as tools for design; a) re-activating past garment-design experiences, b) testing present garment-design experiences c) probing for new garment-design experiences and d) design of future garment experiences by body proxy. The paper...

Norovirus Transmission between Hands, Gloves, Utensils, and Fresh Produce during Simulated Food Handling

Science.gov (United States)

Aho, E.; Mikkelä, A.; Ranta, J.; Tuominen, P.; Rättö, M.; Maunula, L.

2014-01-01

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs), a leading cause of food-borne gastroenteritis worldwide, are easily transferred via ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, often prepared by infected food handlers. In this study, the transmission of HuNoV and murine norovirus (MuNoV) from virus-contaminated hands to latex gloves during gloving, as well as from virus-contaminated donor surfaces to recipient surfaces after simulated preparation of cucumber sandwiches, was inspected. Virus transfer was investigated by swabbing with polyester swabs, followed by nucleic acid extraction from the swabs with a commercial kit and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. During gloving, transfer of MuNoV dried on the hand was observed 10/12 times. HuNoV, dried on latex gloves, was disseminated to clean pairs of gloves 10/12 times, whereas HuNoV without drying was disseminated 11/12 times. In the sandwich-preparing simulation, both viruses were transferred repeatedly to the first recipient surface (left hand, cucumber, and knife) during the preparation. Both MuNoV and HuNoV were transferred more efficiently from latex gloves to cucumbers (1.2% ± 0.6% and 1.5% ± 1.9%) than vice versa (0.7% ± 0.5% and 0.5% ± 0.4%). We estimated that transfer of at least one infective HuNoV from contaminated hands to the sandwich prepared was likely to occur if the hands of the food handler contained 3 log10 or more HuNoVs before gloving. Virus-contaminated gloves were estimated to transfer HuNoV to the food servings more efficiently than a single contaminated cucumber during handling. Our results indicate that virus-free food ingredients and good hand hygiene are needed to prevent HuNoV contamination of RTE foods. PMID:24951789

Response of Soil Microbial Communities to Elevated Antimony and Arsenic Contamination Indicates the Relationship between the Innate Microbiota and Contaminant Fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Weimin; Xiao, Enzong; Xiao, Tangfu; Krumins, Valdis; Wang, Qi; Häggblom, Max; Dong, Yiran; Tang, Song; Hu, Min; Li, Baoqin; Xia, Bingqing; Liu, Wei

2017-08-15

Mining of sulfide ore deposits containing metalloids, such as antimony and arsenic, has introduced serious soil contamination around the world, posing severe threats to food safety and human health. Hence, it is important to understand the behavior and composition of the microbial communities that control the mobilization or sequestration of these metal(loid)s. Here, we selected two sites in Southwest China with different levels of Sb and As contamination to study interactions among various Sb and As fractions and the soil microbiota, with a focus on the microbial response to metalloid contamination. Comprehensive geochemical analyses and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing demonstrated distinct soil taxonomic inventories depending on Sb and As contamination levels. Stochastic gradient boosting indicated that citric acid extractable Sb(V) and As(V) contributed 5% and 15%, respectively, to influencing the community diversity. Random forest predicted that low concentrations of Sb(V) and As(V) could enhance the community diversity but generally, the Sb and As contamination impairs microbial diversity. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated a strong correlation between the indigenous microbial communities and various Sb and As fractions. A number of taxa were identified as core genera due to their elevated abundances and positive correlation with contaminant fractions (total Sb and As concentrations, bioavailable Sb and As extractable fractions, and Sb and As redox species). Shotgun metagenomics indicated that Sb and As biogeochemical redox reactions may exist in contaminated soils. All these observations suggest the potential for bioremediation of Sb- and As-contaminated soils.

SRV-automatic handling device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Koji

1987-01-01

Automatic handling device for the steam relief valves (SRV's) is developed in order to achieve a decrease in exposure of workers, increase in availability factor, improvement in reliability, improvement in safety of operation, and labor saving. A survey is made during a periodical inspection to examine the actual SVR handling operation. An SRV automatic handling device consists of four components: conveyor, armed conveyor, lifting machine, and control/monitoring system. The conveyor is so designed that the existing I-rail installed in the containment vessel can be used without any modification. This is employed for conveying an SRV along the rail. The armed conveyor, designed for a box rail, is used for an SRV installed away from the rail. By using the lifting machine, an SRV installed away from the I-rail is brought to a spot just below the rail so that the SRV can be transferred by the conveyor. The control/monitoring system consists of a control computer, operation panel, TV monitor and annunciator. The SRV handling device is operated by remote control from a control room. A trial equipment is constructed and performance/function testing is carried out using actual SRV's. As a result, is it shown that the SRV handling device requires only two operators to serve satisfactorily. The required time for removal and replacement of one SRV is about 10 minutes. (Nogami, K.)

Radioactive Contamination of Agricultural Products in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muszynski, W.; Grabowski, D.; Rubel, B.; Kurowski, W.; Swietochowska, J.; Smagala, G.

2003-01-01

Radiological contamination of the environment is caused by nuclear activities on the globe: nuclear weapon tests and the Chernobyl accident. The transfer of radionuclides to the organism via ingestion is one of the sources of doses obtained by people. To assess the doses received by humans the intake of isotopes with daily diet was defined. The concentration of radionuclides in foodstuffs was determined. The network of Service for Measurement of Radioactive Contamination systematically controls all kinds of important agricultural products such as milk, meat, vegetables, fruit, cereals and forest products: mushrooms, blueberries etc. Measurement stations involved in food monitoring act within Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations, Veterinary Hygiene Units and Chemical-Agricultural Stations. All activities are co-ordinated by the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection. The level of activity of caesium isotopes has regularly been monitored in collected samples originating from different administrative districts of Poland. Since 1994 the 134 Cs concentration has been below the detection limit. The activity of 137 Cs has been measured to determine long-term effect of the accident on the contamination of milk, meat and other foodstuffs. (orig.)

Grain Handling and Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Troy G.; Minor, John

This text for a secondary- or postecondary-level course in grain handling and storage contains ten chapters. Chapter titles are (1) Introduction to Grain Handling and Storage, (2) Elevator Safety, (3) Grain Grading and Seed Identification, (4) Moisture Control, (5) Insect and Rodent Control, (6) Grain Inventory Control, (7) Elevator Maintenance,…

TRANSPORT/HANDLING REQUESTS

CERN Multimedia

Groupe ST/HM

2002-01-01

A new EDH document entitled 'Transport/Handling Request' will be in operation as of Monday, 11th February 2002, when the corresponding icon will be accessible from the EDH desktop, together with the application instructions. This EDH form will replace the paper-format transport/handling request form for all activities involving the transport of equipment and materials. However, the paper form will still be used for all vehicle-hire requests. The introduction of the EDH transport/handling request form is accompanied by the establishment of the following time limits for the various services concerned: 24 hours for the removal of office items, 48 hours for the transport of heavy items (of up to 6 metric tons and of standard road width), 5 working days for a crane operation, extra-heavy transport operation or complete removal, 5 working days for all transport operations relating to LHC installation. ST/HM Group, Logistics Section Tel: 72672 - 72202

Characterisation of NORM Contaminated Objects: Reliable and Efficient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breddam, Kresten; Hou, Xiaolin; Koufakis, Markos

The predominant contributors to the production of Technologically En-hanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) and NORM-waste in the Nordic countries are the on- and offshore oil and gas produc-ers. In oil and gas production processes, host rock formation water con-taining low...... concentrations of NORM is mixed with seawater containing high concentrations of sulphate. This leads to precipitation of NORM (Ra, Pb, Po)SO4, which is deposited as either scale or sludge in the production equipment. NORM contaminated pipes, tubes, pumps and tanks, etc. are therefore subject to radiological...... characterization in order to ensure safe reuse or recycling as well as safe NORM waste handling.The procedures and measurement techniques may significantly affect the amount of mate-rial that is categorized as NORM contaminated equipment and NORM waste. At present, different procedures are used for categorization...

Observation and Monitoring of Mangrove Forests Using Remote Sensing: Opportunities and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chandra Giri

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Mangrove forests, distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, are in a constant flux. They provide important ecosystem goods and services to nature and society. In recent years, the carbon sequestration potential and protective role of mangrove forests from natural disasters is being highlighted as an effective option for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The forests are under threat from both natural and anthropogenic forces. However, accurate, reliable, and timely information of the distribution and dynamics of mangrove forests of the world is not readily available. Recent developments in the availability and accessibility of remotely sensed data, advancement in image pre-processing and classification algorithms, significant improvement in computing, availability of expertise in handling remotely sensed data, and an increasing awareness of the applicability of remote sensing products has greatly improved our scientific understanding of changing mangrove forest cover attributes. As reported in this special issue, the use of both optical and radar satellite data at various spatial resolutions (i.e., 1 m to 30 m to derive meaningful forest cover attributes (e.g., species discrimination, above ground biomass is on the rise. This multi-sensor trend is likely to continue into the future providing a more complete inventory of global mangrove forest distributions and attribute inventories at enhanced temporal frequency. The papers presented in this “Special Issue” provide important remote sensing monitoring advancements needed to meet future scientific objectives for global mangrove forest monitoring from local to global scales.

Guide for the putting int practice the control of internal contamination due to I-131 in hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The generalized use of radioactive installations in different branches of the Economy and Medicine makes essential the existence of a radiological surveillance systems that guarantees that exposure are kept within the limits established. Nuclear medicine workers in hospitals that handle I-131 constitutes a professional group that can be internally contaminated the aim of this guide is to give the entity the general instructions and the necessary methodology to fulfill the control of the internal contamination by this radionuclide

Principles governing medical first aid to workers exposed to internal contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jammet, H.; Nenot, J.C.

1976-01-01

The growing use of radionuclides, whether at hospital, laboratory or nuclear facility level, increases the risk of internal contamination. Not only that, some particularly dangerous elements are being handled more and more frequently. Hence the importance of therapeutic concepts based on the general principles governing action to be taken in cases of internal contamination. These principles should be applicable without the nature of the contaminant having to be taken into account, and irrespective of whether it is transferable and of the route of entry, i.e. healthy skin, wound or bronchial tree. The basic principle is the concept of urgency: ''blind'' treatment should be applied merely on the supposition of internal contamination. It is desirable, moreover, that the first aid should be given at the site of the accident. Hence, the product used should be non-toxic under normal conditions of use and should be simple to apply, as, for example, the administration of an aerosol. It is not until later that the doctor should undertake treatment in the proper sense of the term, the emergency treatment having afforded him sufficient time to carry out the preliminary examination required to gain an exact idea of the internal contamination. (author)

Conceptual design of the handling and storage system of the spent target vessel for neutron scattering facility 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adachi, Junichi; Kaminaga, Masanori; Sasaki, Shinobu; Haga, Katsuhiro; Aso, Tomokazu; Kinoshita, Hidetaka; Hino, Ryutaro

2002-01-01

In designing the neutron scattering facility, a spent target vessel should be replaced with remote handling devices in order to protect radioactive exposure, since it would be highly activated through the high energy neutron irradiation caused by the spallation reaction between mercury of the target material and the MW-class proton beam. In the storage of the spent target vessel, it is necessary to consider decay heat of the target vessel and mercury contamination caused by vaporization of the residual mercury in the vessel. A conceptual design has been carried out to establish basic concept and to clarify its specification of main equipments on handling and storage systems for the spent target vessel. This report presents the basic concept and a system plot plan based on latest design works of remote handling devices such as a spent target vessel storage cask and a target vessel exchange trolley, which aim at reasonability and simplification. In addition, storage systems for the spent moderator vessel, the spent proton beam window and the spent reflector vessel are also investigated based on the plot plan. (author)

Soil management planning for military installations: Strategy for identifying contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makdisi, R.S.; Baskin, D.A.; Downey, D.; Taffinder, S.A.

1992-01-01

Numerous federal and state regulations mandate the proper handling and disposal and/or treatment of contaminated soils. The Land Disposal Ban and the increasing lack of new or proximal land disposal facilities, coupled with the increasing liability of off-site disposal, have created a need for altering the traditional methods of managing contaminated sods. To delineate soil management decisions, a Soil Management Plan (SMP) was developed which incorporates the substantive requirements of CERCLA/SARA and RCRA into the ongoing base activities (i.e., construction projects, utility repairs and maintenance) and other environmental projects (i.e., underground storage tank removals) that may involve contaminated soils. The decision-making process is developed to guide base personnel in recognizing contamination, following proper sampling and temporary storage procedures, preventing unnecessary human exposure and isolating soils for removal off-site or treatment on-site. The SMP also contains a comprehensive review of soil remediation technologies, such as biological treatment, soil vapor extraction, soil washing, biofiltering, thermal desorption, soil stabilization/solidification, chemical/physical treatment and incineration. Contaminant types expected at the federal military facility are cross-referenced to the appropriate remediation technologies to determine the specific base needs for a soil treatment unit. An example of a conceptual design for a hydrocarbon-contaminated soil treatment unit is presented for a base where underground fuel tanks are the principal source of soil contamination

Intensity of 137Cs accumulation by macromycetes of oak-hornbeam forests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orlov, A.A.; Kurbet, T.V.

2005-01-01

The intensity of 137 Cs accumulation by fruit bodies of macromycetes of 25 species were studied under conditions of fresh oak forests in oak-hornbeam forests of Podolsk Hills (Ukraine). It was found the intraspecific differences of average values of 137 Cs specific activity in mushrooms fruit bodies on the same forest plots were about 35 times and average values of transfer factor - about 45 times; the ranked row of mushroom species was build up according their average values. It was shown, the row →forest litter saprotrophes→humus sapritrophes→xylotrophes-sapritrophes - is formed according to intensity of 137 Cs accumulation in fruit bodies ecological-trophic groups of macromycete. Permissible levels for density of 137 Cs soil contamination to preserve edible mushrooms were calculated; and it was drawn a conclusion to the effect that studied species of mushrooms can be presented without any limits. (author)

Study of surface potential contamination in radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production facilities and alternative solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhaedi Muhammad; Rimin Sumantri; Farida Tusafariah; Djarwanti Rahayu Pipin Soedjarwo

2013-01-01

Radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production facilities that exist in their operations around the world in the form of radiological impacts of radiation exposure, contamination of surface and air contamination. Given the number of existing open source in radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production facility, then the possibility of surface contamination in the work area is quite high. For that to protect the safety and health of both workers, the public and the environment, then the licensee must conduct an inventory of some of the potential that could result in contamination of surfaces in radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production facilities. Several potential to cause surface contamination in radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production facilities consist of loss of resources, the VAC system disorders, impaired production facilities, limited resources and lack of work discipline and radioactive waste handling activities. From the study of some potential, there are several alternative solutions that can be implemented by the licensee to address the contamination of the surface so as not to cause adverse radiological impacts for both radiation workers, the public or the environment. (author)

Consumer contribution to food contamination in Brazil: modelling the food safety risk in the home

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Paulo Olinto da Motta

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Foodborne diseases are among the most widespread public health issues, killing about 2.2 million people annually, and costing hundreds of billions of US dollars for governments, companies, families and consumers (WHO, 2007. In Brazil, foodborne diseases acquired in the home account for 55% of notified outbreaks (BRASIL, 2012. Several studies have investigated aspects of consumer behaviour concerning food poisoning, mapping practices in the home, but it remains a challenge to obtain a full picture of the consumer contribution to food contamination (REDMOND and GRIFFITH, 2003. This study aimed to assess the risks of food contamination in the home. A questionnaire containing 140 questions concerning food safety knowledge, handling practices, personal hygiene and basic health care, covering the stages when the food is under the control of the consumer, was developed and used to gather data for analysis. Appropriate scores were attributed to the questions (consequences to food safety and answers (likelihood of food contamination. A risk estimate algorithm and an appropriate risk ranking scale were used to assess the results. From August 2011 to March 2012, survey questionnaires were collected from 2,775 consumers in Brazil across 19 out of 27 state capitals. The study found risky practices with the potential to lead to food poisoning occurrences in the domestic environment in the following handling steps: food transportation, food preparation, cooking and the handling of leftovers. The personal hygiene, age, formal education, family income and basic health care habits represented the factors most related to the risky practices of consumers, which could orientate food safety educational campaigns for the Brazilian population.

Cask system design guidance for robotic handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griesmeyer, J.M.; Drotning, W.D.; Morimoto, A.K.; Bennett, P.C.

1990-10-01

Remote automated cask handling has the potential to reduce both the occupational exposure and the time required to process a nuclear waste transport cask at a handling facility. The ongoing Advanced Handling Technologies Project (AHTP) at Sandia National Laboratories is described. AHTP was initiated to explore the use of advanced robotic systems to perform cask handling operations at handling facilities for radioactive waste, and to provide guidance to cask designers regarding the impact of robotic handling on cask design. The proof-of-concept robotic systems developed in AHTP are intended to extrapolate from currently available commercial systems to the systems that will be available by the time that a repository would be open for operation. The project investigates those cask handling operations that would be performed at a nuclear waste repository facility during cask receiving and handling. The ongoing AHTP indicates that design guidance, rather than design specification, is appropriate, since the requirements for robotic handling do not place severe restrictions on cask design but rather focus on attention to detail and design for limited dexterity. The cask system design features that facilitate robotic handling operations are discussed, and results obtained from AHTP design and operation experience are summarized. The application of these design considerations is illustrated by discussion of the robot systems and their operation on cask feature mock-ups used in the AHTP project. 11 refs., 11 figs

Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G.

1994-01-01

During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm 2 ) were found to be clean ( 2 ) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination

Production management of window handles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuela Ingaldi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In the chapter a company involved in the production of aluminum window and door handles was presented. The main customers of the company are primarily companies which produce PCV joinery and wholesalers supplying these companies. One chosen product from the research company - a single-arm pin-lift window handle - was described and its production process depicted technologically. The chapter also includes SWOT analysis conducted in the research company and the value stream of the single-arm pin-lift window handle.

7 CFR 58.443 - Whey handling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Whey handling. 58.443 Section 58.443 Agriculture... Procedures § 58.443 Whey handling. (a) Adequate sanitary facilities shall be provided for the handling of whey. If outside, necessary precautions shall be taken to minimize flies, insects and development of...

Fire evolution in the radioactive forests of Ukraine and Belarus: future risks for the population and the environment

Science.gov (United States)

N. Evangeliou; Y. Balkanski; A. Cozic; WeiMin Hao; F. Mouillot; K. Thonicke; R. Paugam; S. Zibtsev; T. A. Mousseau; R. Wang; B. Poulter; A. Petkov; C. Yue; P. Cadule; B. Koffi; J. W. Kaiser; A. P. Moller

2015-01-01

In this paper, we analyze the current and future status of forests in Ukraine and Belarus that were contaminated after the nuclear disaster in 1986. Using several models, together with remote-sensing data and observations, we studied how climate change in these forests may affect fire regimes. We investigated the possibility of 137Cs displacement over Europe...

Selection and quality assessment of Landsat data for the North American forest dynamics forest history maps of the US

Science.gov (United States)

Schleeweis, Karen; Goward, Samuel N.; Huang, Chengquan; Dwyer, John L.; Dungan, Jennifer L.; Lindsey, Mary A.; Michaelis, Andrew; Rishmawi, Khaldoun; Masek, Jeffery G.

2016-01-01

Using the NASA Earth Exchange platform, the North American Forest Dynamics (NAFD) project mapped forest history wall-to-wall, annually for the contiguous US (1986–2010) using the Vegetation Change Tracker algorithm. As with any effort to identify real changes in remotely sensed time-series, data gaps, shifts in seasonality, misregistration, inconsistent radiometry and cloud contamination can be sources of error. We discuss the NAFD image selection and processing stream (NISPS) that was designed to minimize these sources of error. The NISPS image quality assessments highlighted issues with the Landsat archive and metadata including inadequate georegistration, unreliability of the pre-2009 L5 cloud cover assessments algorithm, missing growing-season imagery and paucity of clear views. Assessment maps of Landsat 5–7 image quantities and qualities are presented that offer novel perspectives on the growing-season archive considered for this study. Over 150,000+ Landsat images were considered for the NAFD project. Optimally, one high quality cloud-free image in each year or a total of 12,152 images would be used. However, to accommodate data gaps and cloud/shadow contamination 23,338 images were needed. In 220 specific path-row image years no acceptable images were found resulting in data gaps in the annual national map products.

Development of commercial robots for radwaste handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colborn, K.A.

1988-01-01

The cost and dose burden associated with low level radwaste handling activities is a matter of increasing concern to the commercial nuclear power industry. This concern is evidenced by the fact that many utilities have begun to revaluate waste generation, handling, and disposal activities at their plants in an effort to improve their overall radwaste handling operations. This paper reports on the project Robots for Radwaste Handling, to identify the potential of robots to improve radwaste handling operations. The project has focussed on the potential of remote or automated technology to improve well defined, recognizable radwaste operations. The project focussed on repetitive, low skill level radwaste handling and decontamination tasks which involve significant radiation exposure

Characteristics of initial deposition and behavior of radiocesium in forest ecosystems of different locations and species affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komatsu, Masabumi; Kaneko, Shinji; Ohashi, Shinta; Kuroda, Katsushi; Sano, Tetsuya; Ikeda, Shigeto; Saito, Satoshi; Kiyono, Yoshiyuki; Tonosaki, Mario; Miura, Satoru; Akama, Akio; Kajimoto, Takuya; Takahashi, Masamichi

2016-01-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, information about stand-level spatial patterns of radiocesium initially deposited in the surrounding forests was essential for predicting the future dynamics of radiocesium and suggesting a management plan for contaminated forests. In the first summer (approximately 6 months after the accident), we separately estimated the amounts of radiocesium ("1"3"4Cs and "1"3"7Cs; Bq m"−"2) in the major components (trees, organic layers, and soils) in forests of three sites with different contamination levels. For a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forest studied at each of the three sites, the radiocesium concentration greatly differed among the components, with the needle and organic layer having the highest concentrations. For these cedar forests, the proportion of the "1"3"7Cs stock in the aboveground tree biomass varied from 22% to 44% of the total "1"3"7Cs stock; it was 44% in highly contaminated sites (7.0 × 10"5 Bq m"−"2) but reduced to 22% in less contaminated sites (1.1 × 10"4 Bq m"−"2). In the intermediate contaminated site (5.0–5.8 × 10"4 Bq m"−"2), 34% of radiocesium was observed in the aboveground tree biomass of the Japanese cedar stand. However, this proportion was considerably smaller (18–19%) in the nearby mixed forests of the Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) and deciduous broad-leaved trees. Non-negligible amounts of "1"3"4Cs and "1"3"7Cs were detected in both the sapwood and heartwood of all the studied tree species. This finding suggested that the uptake or translocation of radiocesium had already started within 6 months after the accident. The belowground compartments were mostly present in the organic layer and the uppermost (0–5 cm deep) mineral soil layer at all the study sites. We discussed the initial transfer process of radiocesium deposited in the forest and inferred that the type of initial deposition (i.e., dry versus wet radiocesium deposition

Development of remote handling technology for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maekawa, Hiromichi; Sakai, Akira; Miura, Noriaki; Kozaka, Tetsuo; Hamada, Takashi

2015-01-01

Remote handling technology has been systematically developed for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Japan since 1970s, primarily in parallel with the development of reprocessing and HLLW (High Level Liquid Waste) vitrification process. In case of reprocessing and vitrification process to handle highly radioactive and hazardous materials, the most of components are installed in the radiation shielded hot cells and operators are not allowed to enter the work area in the cells for operation and maintenance. Therefore, a completely remote handling system is adopted for the cells to reduce radiation doses of operators and increase the availability of the facility. The hot cells are generally designed considering the scale of components (laboratory, demonstration, or full-scale), the function of the systems (chemical process, material handling, dismantling, decontamination, or chemical analysis), and the environmental conditions (radiation dose rate, airborne concentration, surface contamination, or fume/mist/dust). Throughout our domestic development work for remote handling technology, the concept of the large scale integrated cell has been adopted rather than a number of small scale separated cells, for the reasons to reduce the total installation space and the number of remote handling equipment required for the each cell as much as possible. In our domestic remote maintenance design, several new concepts have been developed, tested, and demonstrated in the Tokai Virtrification Facility (TVF) and the Rokkasho HLLW Vitrification and Storage Facility (K-facility). Layout in the hot cells, the performance of remote handling equipment, and the structure of the in-cell components are important factors for remote maintenance design. In case of TVF (hot tests started in 1995), piping and vessels are prefabricated in the rack modules and installed in two lines on both sides of the cell. These modules are designed to be remotely replaced in the whole rack. Two overhead cranes

Safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices of private and government meat processing plants' workers: implications for future policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Adesokan, H K; Raji, A O Q

2014-03-01

Food-borne disease outbreaks remain a major global health challenge and cross-contamination from raw meat due to poor handling is a major cause in developing countries. Adequate knowledge of meat handlers is important in limiting these outbreaks. This study evaluated and compared the safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of private (PMPP) and government meat processing plants' (GMPP) workers in south-western Nigeria. This cross sectional study comprised 190 meat handlers (PMPP = 55; GMPP = 135). Data concerning their safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as their socio-demographic characteristics, such as age, gender and work experience were collected. A significant association was observed between the type of meat processing plants and their knowledge (p = 0.000), attitudes (p = 0.000) and practices (p = 0.000) of safe meat-handling. Meat handlers in the GMPP were respectively, about 17 times (OR = 0.060, 95% CI: 0.018-0.203), 57 times (OR = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.007-0.054) and 111 times (OR = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.001- 0.067) less likely to obtain good knowledge, attitude and practice level of safe meat-handling than those from PMPP. Further, KAP levels were significantly associated with age group, education and work experience (p < 0.05). Study findings suggest the need for future policy in food industry in developing countries to accommodate increased involvement of private sector for improved food safety and quality delivery. Public health education on safe food handling and hygiene should be on the front burner among food handlers in general.

Preoperational checkout of the remote-handled transuranic waste handling at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-09-01

This plan describes the preoperational checkout for handling Remote-Handled Transuranic (RH-TRU) Wastes from their receipt at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to their emplacement underground. This plan identifies the handling operations to be performed, personnel groups responsible for executing these operations, and required equipment items. In addition, this plan describes the quality assurance that will be exercised throughout the checkout, and finally, it establishes criteria by which to measure the success of the checkout. 7 refs., 5 figs

Process for the restoration of solids contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy organic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bala, G.A.; Thomas, C.P.; Jackson, J.D.; McMillin, R.A.

1994-01-01

Processes have been developed for the restoration of environments contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy organics. The intended product is a field deployable materials handling system and phase separation process ranging in size from 1 yd 3 /hr to 50 yd 3 /hr for commercial application to environmental problems associated with the exploration, production, refining and transport of petroleum, petroleum products and organic chemicals. Effluents from contaminated sites will be clean solids (classified by size if appropriate), and the concentrated contaminant. The technology is based on biochemical solvation, liquid/liquid and liquid/solid extractions, materials classification, mechanical and hydraulic scrubbing, and phase separation of organic and aqueous phases. Fluid use is minimized through utilization of closed-loop (recycle) systems. Contaminants that are removed from the solid materials may be destroyed, disposed of using existing technologies, or used on-site for cogeneration of /power for plant operations. Additionally, if the contaminant is a valued product, the material may be recovered for application or sale. Clean solid material is not sterilized and may be returned to normal agricultural, commercial, residential or recreational use in most instances

THE ROLE OF POSTHARVEST MACHINERIES AND PACKAGING IN MINIMIZING AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN PEANUT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raffi Paramawati

2016-10-01

Full Text Available As a tropical country with relatively high humidity and temperature, Indonesia is struggling with aflatoxin which frequently contaminates peanut. Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic toxic substance that could cause liver cancer. Due to the increasing concern on food safety, the Indonesian Drugs and Foods Agency specifies the maximum aflatoxin allowed in peanut as much as 20 ppb. However, researches showed that aflatoxin contamination in peanut in Indonesia is much higher than the threshold. The study was carried out to observe the effect of using postharvest machineries and packaging  treatments on aflatoxin contamination in peanut. Reduction of postharvest processes was conducted by using series of machineries, e.g. thresher, dryer, and sheller. Packaging treatments, e.g. vacuum plastic pack, hermetic glass chamber, and polyethylene (PE plastic wrap were carried out during storage at ambient temperature (25-27°C. The results showed that using machineries in postharvest handling produced peanut free from aflatoxin contamination. However, without effective packaging, the aflatoxin level would increase during storage. Hermetic packaging could protect peanut from the mold as indicated by low level of aflatoxin contamination.

Preference Handling for Artificial Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Goldsmith, Judy; University of Kentucky; Junker, Ulrich; ILOG

2009-01-01

This article explains the benefits of preferences for AI systems and draws a picture of current AI research on preference handling. It thus provides an introduction to the topics covered by this special issue on preference handling.

Religious Serpent Handling and Community Relations.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, W Paul; Hood, Ralph W

2015-01-01

Christian serpent handling sects of Appalachia comprise a community that has long been mischaracterized and marginalized by the larger communities surrounding them. To explore this dynamic, this article traces the emergence of serpent handling in Appalachia and the emergence of anti-serpent-handling state laws, which eventually failed to curb the practice, as local communities gave serpent handling groups support. We present two studies to consider for improving community relations with serpent handling sects. In study 1, we present data relating the incidence of reported serpent-bite deaths with the rise of anti-serpent-handling laws and their eventual abatement, based on increasing acceptance of serpent handlers by the larger community. Study 2 presents interview data on serpent bites and death that provide explanations for these events from the cultural and religious perspective. We conclude that first-hand knowledge about serpent handlers, and other marginalized groups, helps to lessen suspicion and allows them to be seen as not much different, which are tendencies that are important for promoting inter-community harmony.

The radiocesium dynamics in the Fukushima forests at the late stage after deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Yoschenko, Vasyl; Takase, Tsugiko; Nanba, Kenji; Konoplev, Alexei; Onda, Yuichi

2017-04-01

Forests cover about 2/3 of the territory of Areas 2 and 3 in the Fukushima prefecture. This territory was heavily contaminated with radiocesium released from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011. The extensive decontamination measures aimed to prepare the return of population have been scheduled and are being implemented at the agricultural and residential lands at this territory. However, these measures will be not applied in the large scale in the Fukushima forests. The current radiocesium levels in wood at this territory exceed the Japanese standards for wood; thus, after return of population, the Fukushima forests may remain excluded from the economical use. Understanding of the further dynamics of radiocesium in the forest ecosystems is necessary for elaboration of the strategy concerning the radioactive contaminated Fukushima forests. In March 2011 radiocesium was intercepted by the tree canopies and then, at the early stage after the accident, was effectively transported to the soil surface with precipitation and litterfall, and partly translocated to wood forming the current levels. The general trend was the decrease of the radiocesium inventory in the aboveground forest biomass. After redistribution in the root-inhabited soil layer radiocesium became available for uptake into the trees through the roots. From the Chernobyl experience, the further levels of radiocesium in the forest ecosystem compartments at the late stage may increase or decrease depending on the intensities of the root uptake and removal fluxes. In the Fukushima forests, the stage of the root uptake has begun recently, and the parameters of the root uptake have not been studied well for the varieties of species, forest types and soil conditions. Our study is aimed to monitoring and modelling of the radiocesium redistribution in the Fukushima forests after the removal of its initial deposition from the tree canopies. The study has been performed since May 2014 at

GROWTH AND NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS OF TREE SPECIES IN CONTAMINATED SUBSTRATE BY LEACHABLE HERBICIDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca de Araújo Fiore

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Ecosystems contamination by residues of pesticides requires special attention to the herbicides subject to leaching. The objective was to select tree species to rhizodegradation contaminated by residues of 2,4-D and atrazine and to recompose riparian areas to agricultural fields, then reducing the risk of contamination of water courses. A total of 36 treatments consisted of the combinations of forest species were evaluated [Inga marginata (Inga, Schizolobium parahyba (guapuruvu, Handroanthus serratifolius (ipê amarelo, Jacaranda puberula (carobinha, Cedrela fissilis (cedro, Calophyllum brasiliensis (landin, Psidium mirsinoides (goiabinha, Tibouchina glandulosa (quaresmeira, Caesalpinia férrea (pau-ferro, Caesalpinia pluviosa (sibipiruna, Terminalia argêntea (capitão and Schinopsis brasiliensis (braúna] and three solutions simulating leachate compound (atrazine, 2,4-D and water - control, with four replicates each. The characteristics measured were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area and dry biomass, and foliar nutrition. Forest species survived the herbicide application, and most showed an increase in macronutrients even under an herbicide application, and the Inga had the highest tolerance regarding growth analysis. It is recommended to use species that are more tolerant to Atrazine and 2,4-D in field experiments to confirm previous results of this simulation.

Radioactive waste management for a radiologically contaminated hospitalized patient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pina Jomir, G.; Michel, X.; Lecompte, Y.; Chianea, N.; Cazoulat, A.

2015-01-01

Radioactive waste management in the post-accidental phase following caring for a radiologically contaminated patient in a hospital decontamination facility must be anticipated at a local level to be truly efficient, as the volume of waste could be substantial. This management must comply with the principles set out for radioactive as well as medical waste. The first step involves identification of radiologically contaminated waste based on radioactivity measurement for volume reduction. Then, the management depends on the longest radioactive half-life of contaminative radionuclides. For a half-life inferior to 100 days, wastes are stored for their radioactivity to decay for at least 10 periods before disposal like conventional medical waste. Long-lived radioactive waste management implies treatment of liquid waste and special handling for sorting and packaging before final elimination at the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA). Following this, highly specialized waste management skills, financial responsibility issues and detention of non-medical radioactive sources are questions raised by hospital radioactive waste management in the post-accidental phase. (authors)

How Retailers Handle Complaint Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Torben; Wilke, Ricky; Zaichkowsky, Judy

2009-01-01

This article fills a gap in the literature by providing insight about the handling of complaint management (CM) across a large cross section of retailers in the grocery, furniture, electronic and auto sectors. Determinants of retailers’ CM handling are investigated and insight is gained as to the......This article fills a gap in the literature by providing insight about the handling of complaint management (CM) across a large cross section of retailers in the grocery, furniture, electronic and auto sectors. Determinants of retailers’ CM handling are investigated and insight is gained...... as to the links between CM and redress of consumers’ complaints. The results suggest that retailers who attach large negative consequences to consumer dissatisfaction are more likely than other retailers to develop a positive strategic view on customer complaining, but at the same time an increase in perceived...

7 CFR 926.9 - Handle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DATA COLLECTION, REPORTING AND RECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO CRANBERRIES NOT SUBJECT TO THE CRANBERRY MARKETING ORDER § 926.9 Handle. Handle...

Isolation of Mercury-Resistant Fungi from Mercury-Contaminated Agricultural Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reginawanti Hindersah

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Illegal gold mining and the resulting gold mine tailing ponds on Buru Island in Maluku, Indonesia have increased Mercury (Hg levels in agricultural soil and caused massive environmental damage. High levels of Hg in soil lowers plant productivity and threatens the equilibrium of the food web. One possible method of handling Hg-contaminated soils is through bioremediation, which could eliminate Hg from the rhizosphere (root zone. In this study, indigenous fungi isolated from Hg-contaminated soil exhibited Hg-resistance in vitro. Soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of pioneer plants which grew naturally in areas contaminated with gold mine tailing. The fungi’s capacity for Hg-resistance was confirmed by their better growth in chloramphenicol-boosted potato dextrose agar media which contained various HgCl2 concentrations. Four isolates exhibited resistance of up to 25 mg kg−1 of Hg, and in an experiment with young Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. test plants, two fungi species (including Aspergillus were demonstrated to increase the soil’s availability of Hg. The results suggest that Hg-resistant indigenous fungi can mobilize mercury in the soil and serve as potential bioremediation agents for contaminated agricultural land.

Radiocesium in the forest and forest industry. Studies on the flow, occurrence and technological enhancement of radionuclides in the forest industry with emphasis on the behaviour of radiocesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravila, A.

1998-01-01

In the aftermath of the nuclear weapons testing and as compared with agriculture, the forest industry has received relatively little attention in spite of its large-scale use of radiocesium-contaminated wood and water. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986, numerous studies of the forest environment have been conducted with respect to radionuclide transfer through the forest ecosystem or its many components. Still, the impact from radioactive fallout on the forest industries that receive the bulk fraction of biomass removed from the forest has scarcely been investigated. Recycling process elements is a necessity in chemical pulping to be competitive. The chemical pulping process is primarily designed to extract, separate and recover the digesting agent carriers such as sodium and complementary carriers such as calcium needed for the production of fresh cooking liquors. Besides these chemical elements, unwanted elements in the process such as K and many other chemical elements are also retained as a consequence of their chemical similarity to sodium and calcium. Notably, two such elements are the long-lived fallout fission products radiocesium and radiostrontium which build-up to substantial activities in parts of the pulp mill recovery cycle and in ash and sludge deposits. Improvements of the pulp recovery processes and the striving towards completely closed systems are estimated to yield around 30 GBq 137 Cs per Bq kg -1 of 137 Cs in wood as an upper limit of the radiocesium activity inventory within an average Nordic pulp mill site. In the perspective of new emerging practices for industrial resource management of by-products, radionuclides will not only be transferred from the forest to the industries, but may be returned to the forest with by-products rich in valuable plant nutrients. The radionuclides in the forest soil and trees constitute a source of radiation and the consequences thereof can be evaluated in terms of the resulting absorbed

Preliminary risk analysis applied to the handling of health-care waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carvalho S.M.L.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Between 75% and 90% of the waste produced by health-care providers no risk or is "general" health-care waste, comparable to domestic waste. The remaining 10-25% of health-care waste is regarded as hazardous due to one or more of the following characteristics: it may contain infectious agents, sharps, toxic or hazardous chemicals or it may be radioactive. Infectious health-care waste, particularly sharps, has been responsible for most of the accidents reported in the literature. In this work the preliminary risks analysis (PRA technique was used to evaluate practices in the handling of infectious health-care waste. Currently the PRA technique is being used to identify and to evaluate the potential for hazard of the activities, products, and services from facilities and industries. The system studied was a health-care establishment which has handling practices for infectious waste. Thirty-six procedures related to segregation, containment, internal collection, and storage operation were analyzed. The severity of the consequences of the failure (risk that can occur from careless management of infectious health-care waste was classified into four categories: negligible, marginal, critical, and catastrophic. The results obtained in this study showed that events with critics consequences, about 80%, may occur during the implementation of the containment operation, suggesting the need to prioritize this operation. As a result of the methodology applied in this work, a flowchart the risk series was also obtained. In the flowchart the events that can occur as a consequence of a improper handling of infectious health-care waste, which can cause critical risks such as injuries from sharps and contamination (infection from pathogenic microorganisms, are shown.

Survey of domestic food handling practices in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, S E; Whyte, R; Bayne, G; Paulin, S M; Lake, R J; van der Logt, P

2007-07-15

The purpose of this survey was to obtain information on the domestic meat and poultry handling practices of New Zealanders in order to support the development of quantitative risk models, as well as providing data to underpin food safety campaigns to consumers. A sample of 1000 New Zealand residents, over 18 years of age, were randomly selected from the electoral roll and asked to participate in a national postal food safety study during 2005. Three hundred and twenty six respondents completed and returned questionnaires containing usable answers, and most of these respondents 'always' prepared the main meal within the household. The majority of meat (84.6%) and poultry (62.9%) purchased by New Zealanders was fresh (rather than frozen), and most consumers (94.4%) claimed that the time taken from food selection to reaching their home was 1 h or less. The majority (approximately 64%) of fresh meat and poultry was frozen in the home and the most favoured method of thawing was at room temperature for up to 12 h. The most common time period for storing cooked or raw meat and poultry in domestic refrigerators was up to 2 days. Most survey respondents preferred their meat and poultry to be cooked either medium or well done. The most popular cooking method for chicken was roasting or baking, while most respondents preferred to pan-fry steak/beef cuts, minced beef or sausages/hamburgers. The potential for undercooking was greatest with pan-fried steak with 19.8% of respondents preferring to consume this meat raw or rare. In answer to questions relating to food handling hygiene practices, 52.2% of respondents selected a hand washing sequence that would help prevent cross contamination. However, it was estimated that 41% and 28% of respondents would use knives and kitchen surfaces respectively in a manner that could allow cross contamination. The data in this survey are self-reported and, particularly for the hygiene questions, respondents may report an answer that they

[The concentration and distribution of 137Cs in soils of forest and agricultural ecosystems of Tula Region].

Science.gov (United States)

Lipatov, D N; Shcheglov, A I; Tsvetnova, O B

2007-01-01

The paper deals with a comparative study of 137Cs contamination in forest, old arable and cultivated soils of Tula Region. Initial interception of Chernobyl derived 137Cs is higher in forest ecosystems: oak-forest > birch-forest > pine-forest > agricultural ecosystems. Vertical migration of 137Cs in deeper layers of soils was intensive in agricultural ecosystems: cultivated soils > old arable soils > birch-forest soils > oak-forest soils > pine-forest soils. In study have been evaluated spatial variability of 137Cs in soil and asymmetrical distribution, that is a skew to the right. Spatial heterogeneity of 137Cs in agricultural soils is much lower than in forest soils. For cultivated soil are determined the rate of resuspension, which equal to 6.1 x 10(-4) day(-1). For forest soils are described the 137Cs concentration in litter of different ecosystems. The role of main accumulation and barrier of 137Cs retain higher layers of soils (horizon A1(A1E) in forest, horizon Ap in agricultural ecosystems) in long-term forecast after Chernobyl accident.

How to deal with radiologically contaminated vegetation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilde, E.W.; Murphy, C.E.; Lamar, R.T.; Larson, M.J.

1996-01-01

This report describes the findings from a literature review conducted as part of a Department of Energy, Office of Technology Development Biomass Remediation Task. The principal objective of this project is to develop a process or group of processes to treat radiologically contaminated vegetation in a manner that minimizes handling, processing, and treatment costs. Contaminated, woody vegetation growing on waste sites at SRS poses a problem to waste site closure technologies that are being considered for these sites. It is feared that large sections of woody vegetation (logs) can not be buried in waste sites where isolation of waste is accomplished by capping the site. Logs or large piles of woody debris have the potential of decaying and leaving voids under the cap. This could lead to cap failure and entrance of water into the waste. Large solid objects could also interfere with treatments like in situ mixing of soil with grout or other materials to encapsulate the contaminated sediments and soils in the waste sites. Optimal disposal of the wood includes considerations of volume reduction, treatment of the radioactive residue resulting from volume reduction, or confinement without volume reduction. Volume reduction consists primarily of removing the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in the wood, leaving an ash that would contain most of the contamination. The only contaminant that would be released by volume reduction would by small amounts of the radioactive isotope of hydrogen, tritium. The following sections will describe the waste sites at SRS which contain contaminated vegetation and are potential candidates for the technology developed under this proposal. The description will provide a context for the magnitude of the problem and the logistics of the alternative solutions that are evaluated later in the review. 76 refs

How to deal with radiologically contaminated vegetation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilde, E.W.; Murphy, C.E.; Lamar, R.T.; Larson, M.J.

1996-12-31

This report describes the findings from a literature review conducted as part of a Department of Energy, Office of Technology Development Biomass Remediation Task. The principal objective of this project is to develop a process or group of processes to treat radiologically contaminated vegetation in a manner that minimizes handling, processing, and treatment costs. Contaminated, woody vegetation growing on waste sites at SRS poses a problem to waste site closure technologies that are being considered for these sites. It is feared that large sections of woody vegetation (logs) can not be buried in waste sites where isolation of waste is accomplished by capping the site. Logs or large piles of woody debris have the potential of decaying and leaving voids under the cap. This could lead to cap failure and entrance of water into the waste. Large solid objects could also interfere with treatments like in situ mixing of soil with grout or other materials to encapsulate the contaminated sediments and soils in the waste sites. Optimal disposal of the wood includes considerations of volume reduction, treatment of the radioactive residue resulting from volume reduction, or confinement without volume reduction. Volume reduction consists primarily of removing the carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in the wood, leaving an ash that would contain most of the contamination. The only contaminant that would be released by volume reduction would by small amounts of the radioactive isotope of hydrogen, tritium. The following sections will describe the waste sites at SRS which contain contaminated vegetation and are potential candidates for the technology developed under this proposal. The description will provide a context for the magnitude of the problem and the logistics of the alternative solutions that are evaluated later in the review. 76 refs.

Remote handling at LAMPF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grisham, D.L.; Lambert, J.E.

1983-01-01

Experimental area A at the Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) encompasses a large area. Presently there are four experimental target cells along the main proton beam line that have become highly radioactive, thus dictating that all maintenance be performed remotely. The Monitor remote handling system was developed to perform in situ maintenance at any location within area A. Due to the complexity of experimental systems and confined space, conventional remote handling methods based upon hot cell and/or hot bay concepts are not workable. Contrary to conventional remote handling which require special tooling for each specifically planned operation, the Monitor concept is aimed at providing a totally flexible system capable of remotely performing general mechanical and electrical maintenance operations using standard tools. The Monitor system is described

Radioactive contamination of the forests of southern Poland and Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jasinska, H.; Kozak, K.; Mietelski, J.W.; Barszcz, J.; Greszta, J.

2004-01-01

Experimental data of caesium and ruthenium radioactivity in chosen parts of forest ecosystems in Finland and Southern Poland are presented and compared. Measurements were performed with a low-background gamma-rays spectrometer with the Ge(Li) detector. The maximum caesium 137 activity in litter from Poland is 2.5 kBq, in that from Finland 3.9 kBq, in spruce needles it is 0.4 kBq (Poland), 0.9 kBq (Finland) and in fern leaves it is as high as 15.9 kBq per kg of dry mass in one sample from Poland. (author)

The Feasibility of Tree Coring as a Screening Tool for Selected Contaminants in the Subsurface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mette Algreen

Chemical release resulting from inadequate care in the handling and storage of compounds has ultimately led to a large number of contaminated sites worldwide. Frequently found contaminants in the terrestrial environment include BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes), heavy metals, PAH...... sampling density. This, together with a relatively large soil volume represented by a tree core, has shown to reduce the risk of overlooking contaminated areas and is a valuable method for the identification of previously unknown source areas within a short time period....... (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and chlorinated solvents. The large number of contaminated sites has created a need for effective and reliable site investigations. In this PhD project the feasibility of tree coring as a screening tool for selected contaminants in the subsurface has been investigated...... to obtain more efficient site investigations. Trees have a natural ability to take up water and nutrients from the subsurface; consequently, contaminants can also enter the roots and be translocated to plant parts above ground where they will be absorbed, degraded or phytovolatilized depending...

Mathematical model of 137Cs dynamics in the deciduous forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamikhin, S.V.; Klyashtorin, A.L.

1999-01-01

A mathematical model of 137 Cs behaviour in the forest ecosystem is presented. The behaviour of this radionuclide is assumed to obey the same regularities as the behaviour of its stable chemical analogue, potassium. Radionuclide dynamics are considered in parallel with the dynamics of the phytomass. Radionuclides contained in the vegetation are pooled into two basic compartments: external and internal contamination, with separate analysis of each. The model was verified using the data obtained in the 30-km zone of the Chernobyl NPP in 1986-1994. The algorithm described was found to be the most efficient in terms of 137 Cs behaviour in the forest environments

MRI of meniscal bucket-handle tears

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magee, T.H.; Hinson, G.W. [Menorah Medical Center, Overland Park, KS (United States). Dept. of Radiology

1998-09-01

A meniscal bucket-handle tear is a tear with an attached fragment displaced from the meniscus of the knee joint. Low sensitivity of MRI for detection of bucket-handle tears (64% as compared with arthroscopy) has been reported previously. We report increased sensitivity for detecting bucket-handle tears with the use of coronal short tau inversion recovery (STIR) images. Results. By using four criteria for diagnosis of meniscal bucket-handle tears, our overall sensitivity compared with arthroscopy was 93% (28 of 30 meniscal bucket-handle tears seen at arthroscopy were detected by MRI). The meniscal fragment was well visualized in all 28 cases on coronal STIR images. The double posterior cruciate ligament sign was seen in 8 of 30 cases, the flipped meniscus was seen in 10 of 30 cases and a fragment in the intercondylar notch was seen in 18 of 30 cases. (orig.)

Tracey - a simulation model of trace element fluxes in soil-plant system for long-term assessment of a radioactive groundwater contamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaerdenaes, Annemieke (Dept. of Soil and Environment, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden)); Eckersten, Henrik (Dept. of Ecology and Crop Production, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden)); Reinlert, Andre (Dept. of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden)); Gustafsson, David; Jansson, Per-Erik (Dept. Land and WaterResources, Royal Inst. of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden)); Ekstroem, Per-Anders; Avila, Rodolfo (Facilia AB, Bromma (Sweden)); Greger, Maria (Dept. of Botany, Stockholm Univ., Stockholm (Sweden))

2009-10-15

uptake approach is driven by growth. A simple approach describing adsorption to soil particles and organic matter was added. Tracey was applied on two types of ecosystems with contrasting hydrology: 1) A managed, mixed forest of pine-spruce (Pinus-Picea), which is typical for recharge areas in a landscape; and 2) a natural hardwood forest of European alder which is typical for discharge areas in Forsmark, central Sweden. A number of different varieties of the two ecosystems, referred to as functional forest types, were created by varying the root depth and radiation use efficiency. Sixteen functional forest types were created for the pine-spruce forest and twelve for the alder forest. The climate was cold-temperate and based on 30-year daily weather data from central Sweden. The assumed contamination was close to 1 mg of an unspecified trace element per m2 and year. This load corresponds to 1 Bq per m2 and year for 238U, one of the most common long-living radionuclides in nuclear fuel waste. The assumed contamination continued during the entire simulation period, i.e. 10,000 years. We assessed the sensitivity of radionuclide accumulation in an ecosystem to various radionuclide properties and ecosystem characteristics by Monte Carlo simulations. One thousand Monte Carlo simulations were made per functional forest type and plant uptake approach. This was made possible by establishing a link between Tracey and the sensitivity toolbox Eikos. Examples of radionuclide properties tested are adsorption coefficient and allocation pattern of radionuclide. Examples of ecosystem characteristics tested are rooting depth, radiation use efficiency and soil bulk density. Distributions of each radionuclide property and ecosystem characteristics were defined. The pine-spruce ecosystems accumulated over the simulation period of 10,000 years on average 20-25% of the total load of contamination in the soil, while the alder ecosystems accumulated between 20 and 90%. The remainder of the

Stabilization/Solidification Remediation Method for Contaminated Soil: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Tajudin, S. A. A.; Azmi, M. A. M.; Nabila, A. T. A.

2016-07-01

Stabilization/Solidification (S/S) is typically a process that involves a mixing of waste with binders to reduce the volume of contaminant leachability by means of physical and chemical characteristics to convert waste in the environment that goes to landfill or others possibly channels. Stabilization is attempts to reduce the solubility or chemical reactivity of the waste by changing the physical and chemical properties. While, solidification attempt to convert the waste into easily handled solids with low hazardous level. These two processes are often discussed together since they have a similar purpose of improvement than containment of potential pollutants in treated wastes. The primary objective of this review is to investigate the materials used as a binder in Stabilization/Solidification (S/S) method as well as the ability of these binders to remediate the contaminated soils especially by heavy metals.

Microbiological contamination in high and low flow oxygen humidifiers: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

de la Fuente-Sancho, I; Romeu-Bordas, Ó; Fernández-Aedo, I; Vallejo De la Hoz, G; Ballesteros-Peña, S

2017-12-16

To determine the risk of microbiological contamination with hospital use high- and low-flow bubbling humidifiers. A systematic literature review was carried out in 6 databases. Observational or experimental studies published between 1990 and 2016 were selected, written in English or Spanish, and in which microbiological contamination with hospital use high- and low-flow bubbling humidifiers was investigated. A total of 12 articles were included: 4 analyzed the water from reusable humidifiers, 4 analyzed the water from prefilled system humidifiers, and the rest compared samples from both models. Microbial contamination was observed in all studies in which reusable humidifiers were evaluated, usually involving common bacteria from the skin flora, while potential pathogenic species were notified in 2 studies. No microbial contamination was isolated from reusable humidifiers, regardless of whether they had been consecutively used over time by a single patient or by several patients. On one hand, there seems to be a low risk of contamination during the first weeks of use of prefilled humidifiers, which allows multiple use in different patients, without a risk of cross-contamination. On the other hand, it should be underscored that handling reusable humidifiers without correct aseptic measures can increase the risk of contamination; replacing reusable humidifiers with prefilled models therefore could be the safest option. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Sophisticated fuel handling system evolved

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.A.

1988-01-01

The control systems at Sellafield fuel handling plant are described. The requirements called for built-in diagnostic features as well as the ability to handle a large sequencing application. Speed was also important; responses better than 50ms were required. The control systems are used to automate operations within each of the three main process caves - two Magnox fuel decanners and an advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel dismantler. The fuel route within the fuel handling plant is illustrated and described. ASPIC (Automated Sequence Package for Industrial Control) which was developed as a controller for the plant processes is described. (U.K.)

Radioactive contamination in monitors received for calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, Paulo S.; Santos, Gilvan C. dos; Brunelo, Maria Antonieta G.; Paula, Tiago C. de; Pires, Marina A.; Borges, Jose C.

2013-01-01

level of some them, is a warning that requires immediate considerations by all parties involved: CNEN, the nuclear medicine services and calibration laboratories. A first analysis of these occurrences points, as the cause, the lack of periodic control of working conditions with regard to contamination of both radiation monitors as countertops handling unsealed radioactive materials, since, in the Brazilian legislation, standards already exist to prevent such occurrences. (author)

Contamination control training for biomedical facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinoskey, P.A.

1994-10-01

In 1991, a contamination control course was developed for the Biology and Biotechnology Research Program (BBRP) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This course was based on the developer's experience in Radiation Safety at the University of Utah and University of Kansas Medical Center. This course has been well received at LLNL because it addresses issues that are important to individuals handling small quantities of radioactive materials. This group of users is often overlooked. They are typically very well educated and are expected to ''know'' what they should do. Many of these individuals are not initially comfortable working with radioactive materials. They appreciate the opportunity to be introduced to contamination control techniques and to discuss issues they may have. In addition, the authors benefit by experience that researchers bring from other facilities. The training course will address the specific radiological training requirements for chemists, biologists, and medical researchers who are using small amounts of dispersible radionuclides in tabletop experiments, and will not be exposed to other radiation sources. The training will include: the potential hazards of typical radionuclides, contamination control procedures, and guidance for developing and including site-specific information. The training course will eliminate the need for Radiological Worker II training for bio-medical researchers. The target audience for this training course is bio-medical researchers

Microbiological Safety and Food Handling Practices of Seed Sprout Products in the Australian State of Victoria.

Science.gov (United States)

Symes, Sally; Goldsmith, Paul; Haines, Heather

2015-07-01

Seed sprouts have been implicated as vehicles for numerous foodborne outbreaks worldwide. Seed sprouts pose a unique food safety concern because of the ease of microbiological seed contamination, the inherent ability of the sprouting process to support microbial growth, and their consumption either raw or lightly cooked. To examine seed sprout safety in the Australian state of Victoria, a survey was conducted to detect specific microbes in seed sprout samples and to investigate food handling practices relating to seed sprouts. A total of 298 seed sprout samples were collected from across 33 local council areas. Escherichia coli was detected in 14.8%, Listeria spp. in 12.3%, and Listeria monocytogenes in 1.3% of samples analyzed. Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the samples. A range of seed sprout handling practices were identified as potential food safety issues in some food businesses, including temperature control, washing practices, length of storage, and storage in proximity to unpackaged ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods.

Tritium contaminated waste management at the tritium systems test assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jalbert, R.A.; Carlson, R.V.

1987-01-01

The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos continues to move toward full operation of an integrated, full-sized, computer-controlled fusion fuel processing loop. Concurrent nonloop experiments further the development of advanced tritium technologies and handling methods. Since tritium operations began in June 1984, tritium contaminated wastes have been produced at TSTA that are roughly typical in kind and amount of those to be produced by tritium fueling operations at fusion reactors. Methods of managing these wastes are described, including information on some methods of decontamination so that equipment can be reused. Data are given on the kinds and amounts of wastes and the general level of contamination. Also included are data on environmental emissions and doses to personnel that have resulted from TSTA operations. Particular problems in waste managements are discussed

Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.; Anderson, J.L. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sup 2}) were found to be clean (< 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sub 2}) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination.

The natural angle between the hand and handle and the effect of handle orientation on wrist radial/ulnar deviation during maximal push exertions.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Justin G; Lin, Jia-Hua; Chang, Chien-Chi; McGorry, Raymond W

2013-01-01

The purpose of this experiment was to quantify the natural angle between the hand and a handle, and to investigate three design factors: handle rotation, handle tilt and between-handle width on the natural angle as well as resultant wrist radial/ulnar deviation ('RUD') for pushing tasks. Photographs taken of the right upper limb of 31 participants (14 women and 17 men) performing maximal seated push exertions on different handles were analysed. Natural hand/handle angle and RUD were assessed. It was found that all of the three design factors significantly affected natural handle angle and wrist RUD, but participant gender did not. The natural angle between the hand and the cylindrical handle was 65 ± 7°. Wrist deviation was reduced for handles that were rotated 0° (horizontal) and at the narrow width (31 cm). Handles that were tilted forward 15° reduced radial deviation consistently (12-13°) across handle conditions. Manual materials handling (MMH) tasks involving pushing have been related to increased risk of musculoskeletal injury. This study shows that handle orientation influences hand and wrist posture during pushing, and suggests that the design of push handles on carts and other MMH aids can be improved by adjusting their orientation to fit the natural interface between the hand and handle.

Epiphytic lichens as sentinels for heavy metal pollution at forest ecosystems (central Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loppi, Stefano; Pirintsos, S.A.

2003-01-01

Epiphytic lichens were useful as an early warning system for changes in forest ecosystems. - The results of a study using epiphytic lichens (Parmelia caperata) as sentinels for heavy metal deposition at six selected forest ecosystems of central Italy are reported. The woods investigated are characterized by holm oak (Quercus ilex), turkey oak (Quercus cerris) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) and represent the typical forest ecosystems of central Italy at low, medium and high elevations, respectively. The results showed that levels of heavy metals in lichens were relatively low and consequently no risk of heavy metal air pollution is expected for the six forest ecosystems investigated. However, for two of them there are indications of a potential risk: the beech forest of Vallombrosa showed signs of contamination by Pb as a consequence of vehicle traffic due to the rather high touristic pressure in the area, and the holm oak forest of Cala Violina showed transboundary pollution by Mn, Cr and Ni originating from the steel industry in Piombino. Epiphytic lichens proved to be very effective as an early warning system to detect signs of a changing environment at forest ecosystems

9 CFR 3.118 - Handling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Handling. 3.118 Section 3.118 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS Specifications for the Humane Handling, Care, Treatment, and Transportation of Marine...

Safety measuring for sodium handling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Ji Young; Jeong, K C; Kim, T J; Kim, B H; Choi, J H

2001-09-01

This is the report for the safety measures of sodium handling. These contents are prerequisites for the development of sodium technology and thus the workers participate in sodium handling and experiments have to know them perfectly. As an appendix, the relating parts of the laws are presented.

A Perspective on Remote Handling Operations and Human Machine Interface for Remote Handling in Fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haist, B.; Hamilton, D.; Sanders, St.

2006-01-01

A large-scale fusion device presents many challenges to the remote handling operations team. This paper is based on unique operational experience at JET and gives a perspective on remote handling task development, logistics and resource management, as well as command, control and human-machine interface systems. Remote operations require an accurate perception of a dynamic environment, ideally providing the operators with the same unrestricted knowledge of the task scene as would be available if they were actually at the remote work location. Traditional camera based systems suffer from a limited number of viewpoints and also degrade quickly when exposed to high radiation. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality software offer great assistance. The remote handling system required to maintain a tokamak requires a large number of different and complex pieces of equipment coordinating to perform a large array of tasks. The demands on the operator's skill in performing the tasks can escalate to a point where the efficiency and safety of operations are compromised. An operations guidance system designed to facilitate the planning, development, validation and execution of remote handling procedures is essential. Automatic planning of motion trajectories of remote handling equipment and the remote transfer of heavy loads will be routine and need to be reliable. This paper discusses the solutions developed at JET in these areas and also the trends in management and presentation of operational data as well as command, control and HMI technology development offering the potential to greatly assist remote handling in future fusion machines. (author)

Bioremediation of hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil : annual report (1992-93)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danielson, R.M.

1996-01-01

This report presents the results of a study which examined the remediation of hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil in a field-based bioreactor at a gas processing plant in Nevis, Alberta during 1992 and 1993. The hydrocarbon and brine contaminated topsoil was placed in the Bio-Reactor and treated for eleven months. Four treatments were applied to eight Bio-Reactor cells: (1) ambient temperature/no forced aeration, (2) ambient temperature/forced aeration, (3) optimum temperature/no forced aeration and (4) optimum temperature/forced aeration. The ninth cell was filled with 30 cm contaminated topsoil and maintained under optimum temperature/forced aeration. The contaminated topsoil was kept moist throughout the experiment by an automatic irrigation system. The contaminated topsoil in the heated cells lost 40 per cent of its original hydrocarbon content in one year; the soil in the non-heated cells lost between 25 and 29 per cent in the same period. Results showed that the Bio-Reactor offered an inexpensive means for promoting a natural process for degrading organic compounds by microorganisms in soil. Equally important, it is capable of handling the large volumes of waste produced by the oil and gas industry. 64 refs., 35 tabs., 46 figs

Fast Pyrolysis Conversion Tests of Forest Concepts' Crumbles™. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santosa, Daniel M.; Zacher, Alan H.; Eakin, David E.

2012-04-02

The report describes the work done by PNNL on assessing Forest Concept's engineered feedstock using the bench-scale continuous fast pyrolysis system to produce liquid bio-oil, char and gas. Specifically, bio-oil from the following process were evaluated for its yield and quality to determine impact of varying feed size parameters. Furthermore, the report also describes the handling process of the biomass and the challenges of operating the system with above average particle size.

Trends and applications of integrated automated ultra-trace sample handling and analysis (T9)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kingston, H.M.S.; Ye Han; Stewart, L.; Link, D.

2002-01-01

Full text: Automated analysis, sub-ppt detection limits, and the trend toward speciated analysis (rather than just elemental analysis) force the innovation of sophisticated and integrated sample preparation and analysis techniques. Traditionally, the ability to handle samples at ppt and sub-ppt levels has been limited to clean laboratories and special sample handling techniques and equipment. The world of sample handling has passed a threshold where older or 'old fashioned' traditional techniques no longer provide the ability to see the sample due to the influence of the analytical blank and the fragile nature of the analyte. When samples require decomposition, extraction, separation and manipulation, application of newer more sophisticated sample handling systems are emerging that enable ultra-trace analysis and species manipulation. In addition, new instrumentation has emerged which integrate sample preparation and analysis to enable on-line near real-time analysis. Examples of those newer sample-handling methods will be discussed and current examples provided as alternatives to traditional sample handling. Two new techniques applying ultra-trace microwave energy enhanced sample handling have been developed that permit sample separation and refinement while performing species manipulation during decomposition. A demonstration, that applies to semiconductor materials, will be presented. Next, a new approach to the old problem of sample evaporation without losses will be demonstrated that is capable of retaining all elements and species tested. Both of those methods require microwave energy manipulation in specialized systems and are not accessible through convection, conduction, or other traditional energy applications. A new automated integrated method for handling samples for ultra-trace analysis has been developed. An on-line near real-time measurement system will be described that enables many new automated sample handling and measurement capabilities. This

Asthma, guides for diagnostic and handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salgado, Carlos E; Caballero A, Andres S; Garcia G, Elizabeth

1999-01-01

The paper defines the asthma, includes topics as diagnostic, handling of the asthma, special situations as asthma and pregnancy, handling of the asthmatic patient's perioperatory and occupational asthma

Small mammals as monitors of environmental contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talmage, S.S.; Walton, B.T.

1991-01-01

The merit of using small mammals as monitors of environmental contaminants was assessed using data from the published literature. Information was located on 35 species of small mammals from 7 families used to monitor heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic chemicals at mine sites, industrial areas, hazardous and radioactive waste disposal sites, and agricultural and forested land. To document foodchain transfer of chemicals, concentrations in soil, vegetation, and invertebrates, where available, were included. The most commonly trapped North American species were Peromyscus leucopus, Blarina brevicauda, and Microtus pennsylvanicus. In these species, exposure to chemicals was determined from tissue residue analyses, biochemical assays, and cytogenetic assays. Where enough information was available, suitable target tissues, or biological assays for specific chemicals were noted. In general, there was a relationship between concentrations of contaminants in the soil or food, and concentrations in target tissues of several species. This relationship was most obvious for the nonessential heavy metals, cadmium, lead, and mercury and for fluoride. Kidney was the single best tissue for residue analyses of inorganic contaminants. However, bone should be the tissue of choice for both lead and fluorine. Exposure to lead was also successfully documented using biochemical and histopathological endpoints. Bone was the tissue of choice for exposure to 90Sr, whereas muscle was an appropriate tissue for 137Cs. For organic contaminants, exposure endpoints depended on the chemical(s) of concern. Liver and whole-body residue analyses, as well as enzyme changes, organ histology, genotoxicity, and, in one case, population dynamics, were successfully used to document exposure to these contaminants

Remote-handled transuranic system assessment appendices. Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-11-01

Volume 2 of this report contains six appendices to the report: Inventory and generation of remote-handled transuranic waste; Remote-handled transuranic waste site storage; Characterization of remote-handled transuranic waste; RH-TRU waste treatment alternatives system analysis; Packaging and transportation study; and Remote-handled transuranic waste disposal alternatives.

Remote-handled transuranic system assessment appendices. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-11-01

Volume 2 of this report contains six appendices to the report: Inventory and generation of remote-handled transuranic waste; Remote-handled transuranic waste site storage; Characterization of remote-handled transuranic waste; RH-TRU waste treatment alternatives system analysis; Packaging and transportation study; and Remote-handled transuranic waste disposal alternatives

Handling and feeding of biomass to pressurized reactors: safety engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilen, Carl; Rautalin, Aimo (Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus, Espoo (Finland). Lab. of Fuel and Process Technology)

1993-01-01

There are rather few literature references to or experience of the feed of biomass into a pressurized space. Alternatives given in the literature usually concern handling and feeding technology for coal. Some screw- or piston-operated plug feeders and coal and concrete pump equipment have, however, also been tested with biomasses. Explosion characteristics of fuels and their susceptibility to spontaneous ignition have been studied at both atmospheric and elevated pressures. The maximum explosion pressure and maximum rate of pressure rise, being critical factors in the process design and in the choice of safety equipment, have been determined under these conditions. In pressurized processes, the maintenance of sufficient inertization in fuel-feed systems is an especially critical factor. Peat, bark, and forest residues were used as biofuels, and lignite was used as reference fuel. The results obtained with a dynamic method for spontaneous ignition were compared with experience obtained from the operation of a commercial pressurized peat gasifier of 140 MW. (author)

Valuation of contamination of Am-241 by smear test and characterization of waste by scintillation liquid medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardoso, Gabriella Souza [Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Goias (PUC-GO), Goiania, GO (Brazil). Dept. Matematica, Fisica, Quimica e Engenharia de Alimentos; Santos, Eliane Eugenia dos; Mingote, Raquel Maia; Barbosa, Rugles Cesar, E-mail: esantos@cnen.gov.b, E-mail: mingote@cnen.gov.b, E-mail: rbarbosa@cnen.gov.b [Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Centro Oeste (CRCN-CO/CNEN-GO), Abadia de Goias, GO (Brazil). Lab. de Radioprotecao

2011-07-01

The radioactive lightning rods Interim storage facility receives Midwest Regional Center for Nuclear Science - CRCN-CO, and contains the majority of devices called radioactive lightning rods, and so is our main study object with an interest in be adapt of Interim storage facility (ID) Radiation Protection requirements and management of radioactive waste. The radioactive lightning rods are devices that contain Americium 241 that fall under the categorization of radioactive sources (IAEA-TECDOC-1191) in category 4 (same device category of the static Eliminator type). The handling, transportation, maintenance, segregation and disposal of accessories and devices emitting ionizing radiation in which involve procedures require: special types of packaged, storage techniques, cleaning/hygiene and inventoried and equipment for Radiation Protection. Cleaning and hygiene as well as the disposition criterion of accessories makes it necessary for the introduction of safe cleanup criterion and more specific that the criterion for exemption. The radioactive lightning rods have brackets that represent physical danger in shipping and handling as well as liabilities of contamination as well as in the case of being contaminated, agents in the transfer of contaminants (Am-241) it is necessary to adopt analysis methodologies and procedures and criterion for the management of radioactive and nonradioactive materials. (author)

Valuation of contamination of Am-241 by smear test and characterization of waste by scintillation liquid medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoso, Gabriella Souza; Santos, Eliane Eugenia dos; Mingote, Raquel Maia; Barbosa, Rugles Cesar

2011-01-01

The radioactive lightning rods Interim storage facility receives Midwest Regional Center for Nuclear Science - CRCN-CO, and contains the majority of devices called radioactive lightning rods, and so is our main study object with an interest in be adapt of Interim storage facility (ID) Radiation Protection requirements and management of radioactive waste. The radioactive lightning rods are devices that contain Americium 241 that fall under the categorization of radioactive sources (IAEA-TECDOC-1191) in category 4 (same device category of the static Eliminator type). The handling, transportation, maintenance, segregation and disposal of accessories and devices emitting ionizing radiation in which involve procedures require: special types of packaged, storage techniques, cleaning/hygiene and inventoried and equipment for Radiation Protection. Cleaning and hygiene as well as the disposition criterion of accessories makes it necessary for the introduction of safe cleanup criterion and more specific that the criterion for exemption. The radioactive lightning rods have brackets that represent physical danger in shipping and handling as well as liabilities of contamination as well as in the case of being contaminated, agents in the transfer of contaminants (Am-241) it is necessary to adopt analysis methodologies and procedures and criterion for the management of radioactive and nonradioactive materials. (author)

Immobilisation of alpha contaminated lubricating oils in cement matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manohar, Smitha; Sathi Sasidharan, N.; Wattal, P.K.; Shah, N.J.; Chander, Mahesh; Bansal, N.K.

2000-10-01

Alpha contaminated lubricating oil wastes are generated from the reprocessing plants and other alpha handling facilities. Incineration of these spent lubricating oils requires specially designed facility to handle the aerosols of actinide oxides released to the off-gases. Hence immobilisation of these wastes into cement matrix could be a viable alternative. Work was therefore initiated to examine the possibility of immobilising such waste in cement matrix with the help of suitable additives. This work led to the selection of sodium hydroxide and silica fumes as additives for their distinct role in immobilization of such waste in cement. The selected formulation was tested extensively both on laboratory scale and full scale for acceptable waste form. The leach test on laboratory scale indicated negligible release of alpha and beta gamma activity after 180 days. This report gives a brief on the formulation of the admixture and its effect on the immobilization of waste. (author)

Analysis of the contamination of soils and plants by the power plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Hirohisa

2012-01-01

The contamination of agricultural and forest products, the main industry of Fukushima prefecture, by radioactive materials is the problem that jeopardizes the safety of consumers and the life continuation of producers. This report elucidates the transfer mechanism of radioactive materials to agricultural products and the dynamic mechanism of radioactive materials in the environment. (M.H.)

Release of low-contaminated reactor wastes for unrestricted use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carleson, G.

1982-01-01

A generic methodology has been used to evaluate the dose contributions to an individual and to the population of five categories of low-contaminated reactor wastes produced according to the Swedish program and released for unrestricted handling and use. A reference quantity with a surface dose rate below a predetermined level is followed along the whole commercial pathway from the reactor station to the final product consumer and/or a municipal waste station. Dose contributions are calculated for each step in a normal pathway under maximally unfavourable conditions. (Auth.)

Topographic heterogeneity effect on the accumulation of Fukushima-derived radiocesium on forest floor driven by biologically mediated processes

Science.gov (United States)

Koarashi, Jun; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Takeuchi, Erina; Nishimura, Syusaku

2014-10-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused serious radiocesium (137Cs) contamination of forest ecosystems located in mountainous and hilly regions with steep terrain. To understand topographic effects on the redistribution and accumulation of 137Cs on forest floor, we investigated the distribution of Fukushima-derived 137Cs in forest-floor litter layers on a steep hillslope in a Japanese deciduous forest in August 2013 (29 months after the accident). Both leaf-litter materials and litter-associated 137Cs were accumulated in large amounts at the bottom of the hillslope. At the bottom, a significant fraction (65%) of the 137Cs inventory was observed to be associated with newly shed and less degraded leaf-litter materials, with estimated mean ages of 0.5-1.5 years, added via litterfall after the accident. Newly emerged leaves were contaminated with Fukushima-derived 137Cs in May 2011 (two months after the accident) and 137Cs concentration in them decreased with time. However, the concentrations were still two orders of magnitude higher than the pre-accident level in 2013 and 2014. These observations are the first to show that 137Cs redistribution on a forested hillslope is strongly controlled by biologically mediated processes and continues to supply 137Cs to the bottom via litterfall at a reduced rate.

Evaluation of hygiene practices and microbiological quality of cooked meat products during slicing and handling at retail.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Rodríguez, F; Castro, R; Posada-Izquierdo, G D; Valero, A; Carrasco, E; García-Gimeno, R M; Zurera, G

2010-10-01

Cooked meat ready-to-eat products are recognized to be contaminated during slicing which, in the last years, has been associated with several outbreaks. This work aimed to find out possible relation between the hygiene practice taking place at retail point during slicing of cooked meat products in small and medium-sized establishments (SMEs) and large-sized establishments (LEs) and the microbiological quality of sliced cooked meat products. For that, a checklist was drawn up and filled in based on scoring handling practice during slicing in different establishments in Cordoba (Southern Spain). In addition, sliced cooked meats were analyzed for different microbiological indicators and investigated for the presence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Results indicated that SMEs showed a more deficient handling practices compared to LEs. In spite of these differences, microbiological counts indicated similar microbiological quality in cooked meat samples for both types of establishments. On the other hand, Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria inocua were isolated from 7.35% (5/68) and 8.82% (6/68) of analyzed samples, respectively. Positive samples for Listeria spp. were found in establishments which showed acceptable hygiene levels, though contamination could be associated to the lack of exclusiveness of slicers at retail points. Moreover, Listeria spp presence could not be statistically linked to any microbiological parameters; however, it was observed that seasonality influenced significantly (Phygiene practices, focused specially on SMEs. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DDOS ATTACK DETECTION SIMULATION AND HANDLING MECHANISM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Sanmorino

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In this study we discuss how to handle DDoS attack that coming from the attacker by using detection method and handling mechanism. Detection perform by comparing number of packets and number of flow. Whereas handling mechanism perform by limiting or drop the packets that detected as a DDoS attack. The study begins with simulation on real network, which aims to get the real traffic data. Then, dump traffic data obtained from the simulation used for detection method on our prototype system called DASHM (DDoS Attack Simulation and Handling Mechanism. From the result of experiment that has been conducted, the proposed method successfully detect DDoS attack and handle the incoming packet sent by attacker.

Multidisciplinary team review of best practices for collection and handling of blood cultures to determine effective interventions for increasing the yield of true-positive bacteremias, reducing contamination, and eliminating false-positive central line-associated bloodstream infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Robert A; Spitzer, Eric D; Beaudry, Josephine; Beck, Cindy; Diblasi, Regina; Gilleeny-Blabac, Michelle; Haugaard, Carol; Heuschneider, Stacy; Kranz, Barbara P; McLean, Karen; Morales, Katherine L; Owens, Susan; Paciella, Mary E; Torregrosa, Edwin

2015-11-01

A literature search was conducted using keywords for articles published in English from January 1990 to March 2015. Using criteria related to blood culture collection and handling, the search yielded 101 articles. References used also included Microbiology Laboratory standards, guidelines, and textbook information. The literature identified diverse and complex issues surrounding blood culture practices, including the impact of false-positive results, laboratory definition of contamination, effect on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) reporting, indications for collecting blood cultures, drawing from venipuncture sites versus intravascular catheters, selection of antiseptics, use of needleless connectors, inoculation of blood culture bottles, and optimizing program management in emergency departments, education, and implementation of bundled practice initiatives. Hospitals should optimize best practice in the collection, handling, and management of blood culture specimens, an often overlooked but essential component in providing optimal care of patients in all settings and populations, reducing financial burdens, and increasing the accuracy of reportable CLABSI. Although universal concepts exist in blood culture practices, some issues require further research to determine benefit. Institutions undertaking a review of their blood culture programs are encouraged to use a checklist that addresses elements that encompass the research contained in this review. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTENT OF CS-137 IN HOMEMADE PRESERVES OF MUSHROOMS PICKED IN 2014 BY LOCAL RESIDENTS IN AREAS AFFECTED BY RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AFTER CHERNOBYL NPP ACCIDENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Varfolomeeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents results of the study made in 2014 on evaluation of the content of Cs-137 in different homemade dried and pickled mushrooms picked by residents of most contaminated areas of the Bryansk region. The aim of the study was to evaluate actual content levels of Cs-137 in homemade preserves of dried and pickled mushrooms picked in the Bryansk region areas with high level of radioactive contamination after Chernobyl accident. Sampling was conducted in residential settlements in proximity to most visited forest areas located at different distances to residential settlements in the range from 0.3 to 5 kilometers, with different forest types, with different soil surface contamination density by Cs-137 in the range from 33 to 944 kBq/m2 (Tentative levels of surface contamination of forest soil are evaluated based on the results of gammaspectrometry measurements in soil samples. The sampling was done at voluntary consent of local residents. In the frameworks of the research in ten settlements with 6112 residents altogether 25 samples were selected (8 samples of dried and 17 of pickled mushrooms.The analyses of study results resulted in the following conclusions: specific activity in samples of different kinds of dry and pickled mushrooms picked by residents of south-west areas of the Bryansk region vary in broad range from 32 to 34000 Bq/kg. The most part of homemade preserves of dried and pickled mushrooms of the local residents exceeds normative levels of permissible mushroom contamination. Cs-137 content in pickled mushrooms is not explicitly dependent on the level of soil surface contamination whereas specific activity of dry mushrooms increases along with the level of surface contamination increase. In the process of mushroom pickling, the additional reduction of Cs-137 content is observed: from 17% to 67% which averages to 37%. Due to the gradual reduction of transfer coefficients for Cs-137 into forest mushrooms and significant

Immunogenicity of biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars in relation to storage, handling and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hincal, F.

2009-01-01

Therapeutic proteins or biopharmaceuticals provide effective treatment for many diseases and medical conditions, and vaccines, immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies are critical biodefense biopharmaceuticals which constitute an indispensable part of biodefense stockpiles. The manufacturing process for biopharmaceuticals and their generic forms which are called biosimilars is far more complex than for low molecular weight drugs and generics. Any minor change made at any stage may have a critical effect on the clinical efficacy and safety. Potential immunogenicity is the key issue for biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars and may have serious clinical consequences ranging from allergy and anaphylaxis, as well as loss of efficacy of the product. Immunogenicity may be influenced by factors related to manufacturing process, formulation, aggregate formation, contaminants and impurities, and also by the factors related to the storage and handling. Stability is particularly important with larger protein molecules, because their in vivo effects often depend on their three-dimensional structure. Proteins usually aggregate from partially unfolded molecules and aggregates can enhance immunogenicity. Although product formulations are developed to maximize and maintain the fraction of the protein molecules present in the native state, significant amounts of aggregates can form, especially over pharmaceutically relevant time scales and under stress conditions. Exposure to air-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces, light, temperature fluctuations or minor impurities can induce aggregation. Such exposure can occur during processing steps, as well as in the final product container during storage, shipment and handling. Biopharmaceuticals are particularly sensitive to temperature changes and/or shaking. Strict storage and handling conditions and timely and effective stability/shelf-life testing are therefore essential for maintaining product integrity and stability, and hence efficacy

Bacteriological research for the contamination of equipment in chest radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Seung Gu; Song, Woon Heung; Kweon, Dae Cheol

2015-01-01

The purpose is to determine the degree of contamination of the equipment for infection control in chest radiography of the radiology department. We confirmed by chemical and bacterial identification of bacteria of the equipment and established a preventive maintenance plan. Chest X-ray radiography contact area on the instrument patients shoulder, hand, chin, chest lateral radiography patient contact areas with a 70% isopropyl alcohol cotton swab were compared to identify the bacteria before and after sterilization on the patient contact area in the chest radiography equipment of the department. The gram positive Staphylococcus was isolated from side shoots handle before disinfection in the chest radiography equipment. For the final identification of antibiotic tested that it was determined by performing the nobobiocin to the sensitive Staphylococcus epidermidis. Chest radiography equipment before disinfecting the handle side of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria were detected using a disinfectant should be to prevent hospital infections

Bacteriological research for the contamination of equipment in chest radiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Seung Gu; Song, Woon Heung; Kweon, Dae Cheol [Shinhan University, Uijeongbu (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

The purpose is to determine the degree of contamination of the equipment for infection control in chest radiography of the radiology department. We confirmed by chemical and bacterial identification of bacteria of the equipment and established a preventive maintenance plan. Chest X-ray radiography contact area on the instrument patients shoulder, hand, chin, chest lateral radiography patient contact areas with a 70% isopropyl alcohol cotton swab were compared to identify the bacteria before and after sterilization on the patient contact area in the chest radiography equipment of the department. The gram positive Staphylococcus was isolated from side shoots handle before disinfection in the chest radiography equipment. For the final identification of antibiotic tested that it was determined by performing the nobobiocin to the sensitive Staphylococcus epidermidis. Chest radiography equipment before disinfecting the handle side of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria were detected using a disinfectant should be to prevent hospital infections.

Validation and Application of Models to Predict Facemask Influenza Contamination in Healthcare Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Edward M.; Noti, John D.; Lindsley, William G.; Blachere, Francoise M.; Shaffer, Ronald E.

2015-01-01

Facemasks are part of the hierarchy of interventions used to reduce the transmission of respiratory pathogens by providing a barrier. Two types of facemasks used by healthcare workers are N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) and surgical masks (SMs). These can become contaminated with respiratory pathogens during use, thus serving as potential sources for transmission. However, because of the lack of field studies, the hazard associated with pathogen-exposed facemasks is unknown. A mathematical model was used to calculate the potential influenza contamination of facemasks from aerosol sources in various exposure scenarios. The aerosol model was validated with data from previous laboratory studies using facemasks mounted on headforms in a simulated healthcare room. The model was then used to estimate facemask contamination levels in three scenarios generated with input parameters from the literature. A second model estimated facemask contamination from a cough. It was determined that contamination levels from a single cough (≈19 viruses) were much less than likely levels from aerosols (4,473 viruses on FFRs and 3,476 viruses on SMs). For aerosol contamination, a range of input values from the literature resulted in wide variation in estimated facemask contamination levels (13–202,549 viruses), depending on the values selected. Overall, these models and estimates for facemask contamination levels can be used to inform infection control practice and research related to the development of better facemasks, to characterize airborne contamination levels, and to assist in assessment of risk from reaerosolization and fomite transfer because of handling and reuse of contaminated facemasks. PMID:24593662

Ergonomics of disposable handles for minimally invasive surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Büchel, D; Mårvik, R; Hallabrin, B; Matern, U

2010-05-01

The ergonomic deficiencies of currently available minimally invasive surgery (MIS) instrument handles have been addressed in many studies. In this study, a new ergonomic pistol handle concept, realized as a prototype, and two disposable ring handles were investigated according to ergonomic properties set by new European standards. In this study, 25 volunteers performed four practical tasks to evaluate the ergonomics of the handles used in standard operating procedures (e.g., measuring a suture and cutting to length, precise maneuvering and targeting, and dissection of a gallbladder). Moreover, 20 participants underwent electromyography (EMG) tests to measure the muscle strain they experienced while carrying out the basic functions (grasp, rotate, and maneuver) in the x, y, and z axes. The data measured included the number of errors, the time required for task completion, perception of pressure areas, and EMG data. The values for usability in the test were effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. Surveys relating to the subjective rating were completed after each task for each of the three handles tested. Each handle except the new prototype caused pressure areas and pain. Extreme differences in muscle strain could not be observed for any of the three handles. Experienced surgeons worked more quickly with the prototype when measuring and cutting a suture (approximately 20%) and during precise maneuvering and targeting (approximately 20%). On the other hand, they completed the dissection task faster with the handle manufactured by Ethicon. Fewer errors were made with the prototype in dissection of the gallbladder. In contrast to the handles available on the market, the prototype was always rated as positive by the volunteers in the subjective surveys. None of the handles could fulfil all of the requirements with top scores. Each handle had its advantages and disadvantages. In contrast to the ring handles, the volunteers could fulfil most of the tasks more

Radiological safety aspects of handling plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundararajan, A.R.

2016-01-01

Department of Atomic Energy in its scheme of harnessing the nuclear energy for electrical power generation and strategic applications has given a huge role to utilization of plutonium. In the power production programme, fast reactors with plutonium as fuel are expected to play a major role. This would require establishing fuel reprocessing plants to handle both thermal and fast reactor fuels. So in the nuclear fuel cycle facilities variety of chemical, metallurgical, mechanical operations have to be carried out involving significant inventories of "2"3"9 Pu and associated radionuclides. Plutonium is the most radiotoxic radionuclide and therefore any facility handling it has to be designed and operated with utmost care. Two problems of major concern in the protection of persons working in plutonium handling facilities are the internal exposure to the operating personnel from uptake of plutonium and transplutonic nuclides as they are highly radiotoxic and the radiation exposure of hands and eye lens during fuel fabrication operations especially while handling recycled high burn up plutonium. In view of the fact that annual limit for intake is very small for "2"3"9Pu and its radiation emission characteristics are such that it is a huge challenge for the health physicists to detect Pu in air and in workers. This paper discusses the principles and practices followed in providing radiological surveillance to workers in plutonium handling areas. The challenges in protecting the workers from receiving exposures to hands and eye lens in handling high burn up plutonium are also discussed. The sites having Pu fuel cycle facilities should have trained medical staff to handle cases involving excessive intake of plutonium. (author)

The bacterial contamination rate of glucose meter test strips in the hospital setting

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Rubeaan, Khalid A.; Saeb, Amr T. M.; AlNaqeb, Dhekra M.; AlQumaidi, Hamed M.; AlMogbel, Turki A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: To assess the rate of bacterial contamination of the multi-use vial and single-use packed glucose meter strips, and to identify the type and frequency of various bacterial contamination in different hospital wards. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted by a team from the Strategic Center for Diabetes Research in 7 general hospitals in the Central region of Saudi Arabia during the period from August to September 2014 to assess the bacterial contamination rate of the unused strips. A total of 10,447 strips were cultured using proper agar media and incubated both aerobically and anaerobically. Results: The total bacterial contamination rate for the multi-use vials glucose strips was 31.7%, while single-use packed strips were not contaminated at all. Ministry of Health hospitals had the highest contamination rates compared with other hospitals. Critical, obstetric, and surgical wards had the highest bacterial isolates number, where most were in the risk group 3 according to the National Institute of Health guidelines. Staphylococcus species were the most common bacteria found. Conclusion: Glucose meter strips should be recognized as a source of bacterial contamination that could be behind serious hospital acquired infections. The hospital infection control team should adopt proper measures to implement protocols for glucose meter cleaning and glucose strips handling. PMID:27570855

Assessment of molecular contamination in mask pod

Science.gov (United States)

Foray, Jean Marie; Dejaune, Patrice; Sergent, Pierre; Gough, Stuart; Cheung, D.; Davenet, Magali; Favre, Arnaud; Rude, C.; Trautmann, T.; Tissier, Michel; Fontaine, H.; Veillerot, M.; Avary, K.; Hollein, I.; Lerit, R.

2008-04-01

Context/ study Motivation: Contamination and especially Airbone Molecular Contamination (AMC) is a critical issue for mask material flow with a severe and fairly unpredictable risk of induced contamination and damages especially for 193 nm lithography. It is therefore essential to measure, to understand and then try to reduce AMC in mask environment. Mask material flow was studied in a global approach by a pool of European partners, especially within the frame of European MEDEA+ project, so called "MUSCLE". This paper deals with results and assessment of mask pod environment in term of molecular contamination in a first step, then in a second step preliminary studies to reduce mask pod influence and contamination due to material out gassing. Approach and techniques: A specific assessment of environmental / molecular contamination along the supply chain was performed by all partners. After previous work presented at EMLC 07, further studies were performed on real time contamination measurement pod at different sites locations (including Mask manufacturing site, blank manufacturing sites, IC fab). Studies were linked to the main critical issues: cleaning, storage, handling, materials and processes. Contamination measurement campaigns were carried out along the mask supply chain using specific Adixen analyzer in order to monitor in real time organic contaminants (ppb level) in mask pods. Key results would be presented: VOC, AMC and humidity level on different kinds of mask carriers, impact of basic cleaning on pod outgassing measurement (VOC, NH3), and process influence on pod contamination... In a second step, preliminary specific pod conditioning studies for better pod environment were performed based on Adixen vacuum process. Process influence had been experimentally measured in term of molecular outgassing from mask pods. Different AMC experimental characterization methods had been carried out leading to results on a wide range of organic and inorganic

Enclosure for handling high activity materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimeno de Osso, F.

1977-01-01

One of the most important problems that are met at the laboratories producing and handling radioisotopes is that of designing, building and operating enclosures suitable for the safe handling of active substances. With this purpose in mind, an enclosure has been designed and built for handling moderately high activities under a shielding made of 150 mm thick lead. In this report a description is given of those aspects that may be of interest to people working in this field. (Author)

Enclosure for handling high activity materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jimeno de Osso, F

1977-07-01

One of the most important problems that are met at the laboratories producing and handling radioisotopes is that of designing, building and operating enclosures suitable for the safe handling of active substances. With this purpose in mind, an enclosure has been designed and built for handling moderately high activities under a shielding made of 150 mm thick lead. In this report a description is given of those aspects that may be of interest to people working in this field. (Author)

A heuristic expert system for forest fire guidance in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliadis, Lazaros S; Papastavrou, Anastasios K; Lefakis, Panagiotis D

2002-07-01

Forests and forestlands are common inheritance for all Greeks and a piece of the national wealth that must be handed over to the next generations in the best possible condition. After 1974, Greece faces a severe forest fire problem and forest fire forecasting is the process that will enable the Greek ministry of Agriculture to reduce the destruction. This paper describes the basic design principles of an Expert System that performs forest fire forecasting (for the following fire season) and classification of the prefectures of Greece into forest fire risk zones. The Expert system handles uncertainty and uses heuristics in order to produce scenarios based on the presence or absence of various qualitative factors. The initial research focused on the construction of a mathematical model which attempted to describe the annual number of forest fires and burnt area in Greece based on historical data. However this has proven to be impossible using regression analysis and time series. A closer analysis of the fire data revealed that two qualitative factors dramatically affect the number of forest fires and the hectares of burnt areas annually. The first is political stability and national elections and the other is drought cycles. Heuristics were constructed that use political stability and drought cycles, to provide forest fire guidance. Fuzzy logic was applied to produce a fuzzy expected interval for each prefecture of Greece. A fuzzy expected interval is a narrow interval of values that best describes the situation in the country or a part of the country for a certain time period. A successful classification of the prefectures of Greece in forest fire risk zones was done by the system, by comparing the fuzzy expected intervals to each other. The system was tested for the years 1994 and 1995. The testing has clearly shown that the system can predict accurately, the number of forest fires for each prefecture for the following year. The average accuracy was as high as 85

Measures to be taken in cases of radioactive contamination of the skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

This recommendation refers to those technical, medical and scientific facilities in which unsealed radioactive substances are handled. These facilities include, among other things: nuclear power plants, facilities of the fuel cycle, scientific and industrial laboratories, doctors' practices, hospitals and medical laboratories. Any unnecessary contamination of individuals shall be avoided. If contamination does occur, the resulting radiation exposure shall be kept as low as possible, even below the dose limits of the Radiological Protection Ordinance, taking into consideration the state of the art and also taking into account all circumstances pertaining to each individual case. Preventive measures to avoid or limit contamination represent the most effective form of protection. Preventive measures therefore include regular checks on the condition of the skin and constant personal skin care. Specific decontamination instructions must be provided for each individual plant and also, where applicable, for each individual workplace. Contaminated items of clothing must be removed before decontamination is commenced. Low levels of contamination can usually be eleminated in one step by washing with water. There is no need to carry out further decontamination steps where the decontamination effect is less than 10% and the remaining surface-related activity is less than 10 Bq/cm 2 (averaged over 100 cm 2 where the contamination is largely distributed over the entire area). (orig.) [de

SOIL AND WATER CONTAMINATION BY THE USE OF PESTICIDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerusa Pauli Kist Steffen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The increase of the world population and the need to elevate food production improved the agriculture used techniques. One of the most important change that happened in the form and in the mean of agricultural production was pesticides. These products are used to control of insects, diseases and weeds that damage the cultures development. However, the intense application of these in the agricultural areas has been causing the contamination and pollution of the soil, water and air. These resources are indispensable for the human and animal survival in the Planet. In the last decades an increase of the world concern was verified regarding the impact that certain practices cause to the environment among abusive use of pesticides. When applied in the cultures, the pesticides usually reach the soil and, depending on the edaphic and product characteristics and of the environmental conditions, these products could do the ecosystem contamination. In this review are approached to the contamination of the soil and superficial and underground waters for the current pesticides use in the agricultural systems, as well as practices and handling forms that help the environment preservation.

Decontamination of spills and residues of some pesticides and of protective clothing worn during the handling of the pesticides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armour, M.A.; Nelson, C.; Sather, P. Briker, Y. [Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton (Canada)] [and others

1996-12-31

Users of pesticides may have waste or surplus quantities or spills for disposal. One alternative is to deactivate the pesticide at the handling site by using a straightforward chemical reaction. This option can be practical for those who use relatively small quantities of a large variety of pesticides, for example, greenhouse workers, small farmers, and agricultural researchers. This paper describes practical on-site methods for the disposal of spills or small waste quantities of five commonly used pesticides, Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos, Iprodione, 2,4-D, and Captan. These have been tested in the laboratory for the rate of disappearance of the pesticide, the degree of conversion to nontoxic products, the nature and identity of the products, the practicality of the method, and the ease of reproducibility. Methods selected were shown to be safe for the operator, reliable, and reproducible. Greater than 99% of the starting material had to be reacted under reasonable conditions and length of time. Detailed descriptions of the reactions are presented, so that they can be performed with reproducible results. Protective clothing worn during the handling and application of pesticides may become contaminated. Simple laundering does not always remove all of the pesticide residues. Thus, chronic dermal exposure may result from the pesticide-contaminated clothing. Appropriate methods of laundering using specific pretreatments have been determined. 7 refs.

Specialization and Flexibility in Port Cargo Handling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakkı KİŞİ

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Cargo handling appears to be the fundamental function of ports. In this context, the question of type of equipment and capacity rate need to be tackled with respect to cargo handling principles. The purpose of this study is to discuss the types of equipment to be used in ports, relating the matter to costs and capacity. The question is studied with a basic economic theoretical approach. Various conditions like port location, size, resources, cargo traffic, ships, etc. are given parameters to dictate the type and specification of the cargo handling equipment. Besides, a simple approach in the context of cost capacity relation can be useful in deciding whether to use specialized or flexible equipment. Port equipment is sometimes expected to be flexible to handle various types of cargo as many as possible and sometimes to be specialized to handle one specific type of cargo. The cases that might be suitable for those alternatives are discussed from an economic point of view in this article. Consequently, effectiveness and efficiency criteria play important roles in determining the handling equipment in ports.

Toxicological evaluation of a lake ecosystem contaminated with crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Twigg, D.; Ramey, B.

1995-01-01

Winona Lake on the Daniel Boone National Forest in Powell County, Kentucky, was used from the mid 1950's to 1987 as a water source for water-injection oil drilling and as a brine disposal site. The lake was contaminated with excessive amounts of crude oil. A multi phase investigation was conducted, including chemical analysis of water and sediment, water toxicity tests using a cladoceran, Ceriodaphnia dubia, sediment toxicity tests using an amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and a faunal survey of the communities of the lake and stream both above and below the lake. The sediment was laden with petroleum hydrocarbons (4.1 parts per thousand), while the water showed no contamination. The C dubia test results showed no significant water toxicity. The contaminated sediment adjacent to the dam produced 75% mortality in H. azteca. The faunal survey indicated little or no impact on the upstream and downstream communities but the lake community was highly impacted, especially the benthos. Pollution tolerant Chaoborus sp. were the only organisms collected from sediment samples dredged from the lake. Contamination was limited to the sediment within the lake but the impact on the entire lake community was severe

Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Organic Contaminants in an Estuarine System using a Random Forest Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Modeling the magnitude and distribution of estuarine sediment contamination by pollutants of historic (e.g. PCB) and emerging concern (e.g., personal care products, PCP) is often limited by incomplete site knowledge and inadequate sediment contamination sampling. We tested a mode...

HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seal Handling Data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains records for all handling and measurement of Hawaiian monk seals since 1981. Live seals are handled and measured during a variety of events...

Dynamics and mitigation of six pesticides in a "Wet" forest buffer zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Passeport, Elodie; Richard, Benjamin; Chaumont, Cédric; Margoum, Christelle; Liger, Lucie; Gril, Jean-Joël; Tournebize, Julien

2014-04-01

Pesticide pollution is one of the main current threats on water quality. This paper presents the potential and functioning principles of a "Wet" forest buffer zone for reducing concentrations and loads of glyphosate, isoproturon, metazachlor, azoxystrobin, epoxiconazole, and cyproconazole. A tracer injection experiment was conducted in the field in a forest buffer zone at Bray (France). A fine time-scale sampling enabled to illustrate that interactions between pesticides and forest buffer substrates (soil and organic-rich litter layer), had a retarding effect on molecule transfer. Low concentrations were observed for all pesticides at the forest buffer outlet thus demonstrating the efficiency of "Wet" forest buffer zone for pesticide dissipation. Pesticide masses injected in the forest buffer inlet directly determined concentration peaks observed at the outlet. Rapid and partially reversible adsorption was likely the major process affecting pesticide transfer for short retention times (a few hours to a few days). Remobilization of metazachlor, isoproturon, desmethylisoproturon, and AMPA was observed when non-contaminated water flows passed through the forest buffer. Our data suggest that pesticide sorption properties alone could not explain the complex reaction mechanisms that affected pesticide transfer in the forest buffer. Nevertheless, the thick layer of organic matter litter on the top of the forest soil was a key parameter, which enhanced partially reversible sorption of pesticide, thus retarded their transfer, decreased concentration peaks, and likely increased degradation of the pesticides. Consequently, to limit pesticide pollution transported by surface water, the use of already existing forest areas as buffer zones should be equally considered as the most commonly implemented grass buffer strips.

Preparation and handling of superconducting RF cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuya, Takaaki

1990-01-01

The present paper outlines the recent preparation methods for superconducting cavities used in various laboratories and universities, and reports the problems of the cavity fabrication at KEK as an example of mass production. Preparation and handling are first addressed, focusing on material, fabrication, surface treatment, rinsing, clean environment, and heat treatment. Cavity production at KEK is then described, centering on defects on the surface and clean environments. Field gradients of more than 20 MV/m have been obtained by 1.5-3 GHz single cavities, for multi-cell cavities Eacc of 10 MV/m are available at any frequency range. The successful construction of thirty-two cavities for TRISTAN at KEK is due to the careful checking of the surface and quality control of all processes against the surface defects and contaminations. Eacc of 5 MV/m has been achieved by 94 % of the TRISTAN cavities at the first cold test, but 6 % of them had to be reworked because of the surface defects. These defects could not be detected by an X-ray photograph or visual inspections during the fabrication processes. (N.K.)

Contaminants in milk and impact of heating: an assessment study.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Vandana; Bahman, Sanjivan; Thakur, Lalit K; Singh, Santosh Kumar; Dua, Ajit; Ganguly, Sanjeev

2012-01-01

The major contaminants usually encountered in milk and milk products include pesticide residues, heavy metals, and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). Primarily, milk get contaminated before milching, from the cattle feed, from sources/materials used during the processing of milk as well as improper handling of the milk during the pre- and postprocessing period. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of household practices on milk contaminants. Samples of pasteurized as well as unpasteurized milk (Vendor's milk) were analyzed for AFM1, pesticide residues, and heavy metals. Simulating the household practices, the impact of boiling on these contaminants was assessed. The contaminant Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) was detected at a concentration ranging from 0.071-0.075 ppb in unpasteurized as well as pasteurized milk samples analyzed during the course of study. Moreover, boiling had no impact on the quantity of AFM1 present in the milk. Pesticides and heavy metal contents were found to be within acceptable limits in all the milk samples tested. Mycotoxins especially aflatoxins in cattle feed and their consequential presence in milk and milk products is a serious concern world over as they are reported carcinogens. These fungal toxins are resistant to high temperatures and may lead to various health hazards. Preventive steps must be taken at each stage to ensure good quality of milk and milk products free from these contaminants. Awareness programs and education for the dairy farmers and milk processors may be helpful in this regard.

Processing plutonium-contaminated soild for volume reduction using the segmented gate system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moroney, K.S.; Moroney, J.D.; Turney, J.M.; Doane, R.W.

1994-01-01

TMA/Eberline has developed and demonstrated an effective method for removing mixed plutonium and americium contamination from a coral soil matrix at the Defense Nuclear Agency's Johnston Atoll site. TMA's onsite soil processing for volume reduction is ongoing at a rate of over 2000 metric tons per week. The system uses arrays of sensitive radiation detectors coupled with sophisticated computer software developed by Eberline Instrument Corporation. The proprietary software controls four soil sorting units operating in parallel that utilize TMA's unique Segmented Gate System technology to remove radiologically contaminated soil from a moving supply on conveyor belts. Clean soil is released for use elsewhere on the island. Contaminated soil is diverted to either a metal drum for collecting higher activity open-quotes hotclose quotes particles (>5000 Becquerels), or to a supplementary soil washing process designed to remove finely divided particles of dispersed low level contamination. Site contamination limits specify maximum dispersed radioactivity of no more than 500 Becquerels per kilogram of soil averaged over no more than 0.1 cubic meter. Results of soil processing at this site have been excellent. After processing over 50,000 metric tons, the volume of contaminated material that would have required expensive special handling, packaging, and disposal as radioactive waste has been successfully reduced by over 98 percent. By mid-January 1994, nearly three million kiloBecquerels of plutonium/americium contamination had been physically separated from the contaminated feed by TMA's Segmented Gate System, and quality control sampling showed no radioactivity above release criteria in the open-quotes cleanclose quotes soil pile

Albino mutation rates in red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle L.) as a bioassay of contamination history in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Proffitt, C.E.; Travis, S.E.

2005-01-01

We assessed the sensitivity of a viviparous estuarine tree species, Rhizophora mangle, to historic sublethal mutagenic stress across a fine spatial scale by comparing the frequency of trees producing albino propagules in historically contaminated (n=4) and uncontaminated (n=11) forests in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Data from uncontaminated forests were used to provide estimates of background mutation rates. We also determined whether other fitness parameters were negatively correlated with mutagenic stress (e.g., degree of outcrossing and numbers of reproducing trees km-1). Contaminated sites in Tampa Bay had significantly higher frequencies of trees that were heterozygous for albinism per 1000 total reproducing trees (FHT) than uncontaminated forests (mean ?? SE: 11.4 ?? 4.3 vs 4.3 ?? 0.73, P 25 yrs of subsequent recruitment and tree replacement may have allowed an initial elevation in the FHT to decay. Patterns of FHT were not explained by distance from the bay mouth or the degree of urbanization. However, there was a significant positive relationship between tree size and FHT (r=0.83, Pbioassay for the effects of mutagens will facilitate future monitoring of contamination events and comparisons of bay-wide recovery in future decades. Development of a database of FHT values for a range of subtropical and tropical estuaries is underway that will provide a baseline against which to compare mutational consequences of global change. ?? 2005, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Management of transport and handling contracts

CERN Document Server

Rühl, I

2004-01-01

This paper shall outline the content, application and management strategies for the various contracts related to transport and handling activities. In total, the two sections Logistics and Handling Maintenance are in charge of 27 (!) contracts ranging from small supply contracts to big industrial support contracts. The activities as well as the contracts can generally be divided into four main topics "Vehicle Fleet Management"; "Supply, Installation and Commissioning of Lifting and Hoisting Equipment"; "Equipment Maintenance" and "Industrial Support for Transport and Handling". Each activity and contract requires different approaches and permanent adaptation to the often changing CERN's requirements. In particular, the management and the difficulties experienced with the contracts E072 "Maintenance of lifting and hoisting equipment", F420 "Supply of seven overhead traveling cranes for LHC" and S090/S103 "Industrial support for transport and handling" will be explained in detail.

Management and re-use of contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowicki, V.K.; LeBlanc, M.

1993-01-01

The volume occupied by petroleum-contaminated soils in landfill facilities could be totally eliminated by treatment of these soils in separate facilities. Once treated, the soils could be recycled. In New Brunswick, one such treatment facility was opened in 1992 adjacent to the Fredericton regional landfill site; a second site was opened near Moncton in 1992. These facilities receive petroleum-contaminated soil from such users as gasoline stations, bulk plants, institutions, and transport companies, as well as from oil spill sites. The types of contaminants present range from gasoline to heavy fuel oils and greases, and the soils can vary from clays to gravels. Incoming soils are layered on treatment pads and treated by bioremediation. A bionutrient mixture containing fertilizers plus an amount of adapted, naturally-occurring petroleum hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms is sprayed onto the pile layer by layer. Aeration tubing is also installed during this layering process. When the piles are complete, they are covered with black plastic and aerated. Bioremediation times vary from 10 to 24 weeks. The facility has successfully decontaminated over 20,000 tonnes of soil to date. The resulting soil can be used for such purposes as soil cover and backfill. The bioremediation process itself is portable and can be initiated at landfill sites themselves to reduce transport and handling costs. 16 refs., 4 figs

Mapping Forest Inventory and Analysis forest land use: timberland, reserved forest land, and other forest land

Science.gov (United States)

Mark D. Nelson; John Vissage

2007-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program produces area estimates of forest land use within three subcategories: timberland, reserved forest land, and other forest land. Mapping these subcategories of forest land requires the ability to spatially distinguish productive from unproductive land, and reserved from nonreserved land. FIA field data were spatially...

Ergonomics: safe patient handling and mobility.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallmark, Beth; Mechan, Patricia; Shores, Lynne

2015-03-01

This article reviews and investigates the issues surrounding ergonomics, with a specific focus on safe patient handling and mobility. The health care worker of today faces many challenges, one of which is related to the safety of patients. Safe patient handling and mobility is on the forefront of the movement to improve patient safety. This article reviews the risks associated with patient handling and mobility, and informs the reader of current evidence-based practice relevant to this area of care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of alcohol gelin stethoscopes disinfection contaminated with methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Alves Teixeira

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Although widely used, little attention has been given to basic-care in handling and disinfection of stethoscopes. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found and a major risk for hospitalized patients. Alcohol gel contains properties admittedly effective to exterminate germs that are frequently involved in infections. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of alcohol gel in stethoscopes disinfection contaminated with MRSA used by healthcare professionals of a University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro State. Methods: Health care professionals were selected randomly from August to November 2012, and collected samples with sterile swab of 105 stethoscopes before and after cleaning with alcohol gel 70% and performed cultures and bacterial identification. Results: Bacterial contamination was present in 87 (82.85% of the analyzed stethoscopes. Gram positive bacteria were identified in 76 (72.38%. S. aureus was present in 7.61% of stethoscopes and MRSA in 87.5% of them. After using the alcohol gel, there was a reduction of 71,44% of the general bacterial contamination and MRSA elimination of 100% of the analyzed stethoscopes. Conclusion: One should improve care in cleaning of stethoscopes due to the risk of carrying pathogenic bacteria involved in hospital infections. The alcohol gel showed to be adequate for disinfection of stethoscopes contaminated with MRSA. KEYWORDS: Stethoscopes. Contamination. Ethanol. Disinfection. Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Reclamation of contaminated urban and rural environments following a severe nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strand, P.; Skuterud, L.

1997-10-01

In the event of a severe nuclear accident releasing radioactive materials to the atmosphere, there is a potential for widespread contamination of both the urban and rural environments. In some instances of environmental contamination, natural processes may eventually reduce or eliminate the problem without man's intervention. The situation with respect to radioactive contamination is no different except that radioactive contamination will also disappear through normal physical radioactive decay. In other cases, man is often able to mitigate potential harmful effects by cleaning, washing, abrading or by the application of chemicals. The actions taken by man to mitigate the potential harmful effects of contamination are described as countermeasures. In the case of radioactive contamination, the objective of countermeasures is to minimise radiation doses to man. This document is intended as a guide to those groups who may, at very short notice, be called upon to manage and reclaim radioactively contaminated urban and rural environments in the Nordic countries. However, much of the information and recommendations are also equally applicable in other countries. The document is divided into eight distinct parts, namely: 1. The Urban Environment; 2. The Cultivated Agricultural Environment; 3. Animals; 4. Forests; 5. Freshwater and Fish; 6. Management and Disposal of Radioactive Waste from Clean-up Operations; 7. Radiation Protection and Safety of Clean-up Operators; 8. Resources Available in Society. (EG)

Reclamation of contaminated urban and rural environments following a severe nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strand, P; Skuterud, L [eds.; Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway); Melin, J [ed.; Swedish Radiation Protection Institute (Sweden)

1997-10-01

In the event of a severe nuclear accident releasing radioactive materials to the atmosphere, there is a potential for widespread contamination of both the urban and rural environments. In some instances of environmental contamination, natural processes may eventually reduce or eliminate the problem without man`s intervention. The situation with respect to radioactive contamination is no different except that radioactive contamination will also disappear through normal physical radioactive decay. In other cases, man is often able to mitigate potential harmful effects by cleaning, washing, abrading or by the application of chemicals. The actions taken by man to mitigate the potential harmful effects of contamination are described as countermeasures. In the case of radioactive contamination, the objective of countermeasures is to minimise radiation doses to man. This document is intended as a guide to those groups who may, at very short notice, be called upon to manage and reclaim radioactively contaminated urban and rural environments in the Nordic countries. However, much of the information and recommendations are also equally applicable in other countries. The document is divided into eight distinct parts, namely: 1. The Urban Environment; 2. The Cultivated Agricultural Environment; 3. Animals; 4. Forests; 5. Freshwater and Fish; 6. Management and Disposal of Radioactive Waste from Clean-up Operations; 7. Radiation Protection and Safety of Clean-up Operators; 8. Resources Available in Society. (EG).

Remote handling equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, G.

1984-01-01

After a definition of intervention, problems encountered for working in an adverse environment are briefly analyzed for development of various remote handling equipments. Some examples of existing equipments are given [fr

Welding method by remote handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashinokuchi, Minoru.

1994-01-01

Water is charged into a pit (or a water reservoir) and an article to be welded is placed on a support in the pit by remote handling. A steel plate is disposed so as to cover the article to be welded by remote handling. The welding device is positioned to the portion to be welded and fixed in a state where the article to be welded is shielded from radiation by water and the steel plate. Water in the pit is drained till the portion to be welded is exposed to the atmosphere. Then, welding is conducted. After completion of the welding, water is charged again to the pit and the welding device and fixing jigs are decomposed in a state where the article to be welded is shielded again from radiation by water and the steel plate. Subsequently, the steel plate is removed by remote handling. Then, the article to be welded is returned from the pit to a temporary placing pool by remote handling. This can reduce operator's exposure. Further, since the amount of the shielding materials can be minimized, the amount of radioactive wastes can be decreased. (I.N.)

Transport, handling, and interim storage of intermediate-level transuranic waste at the INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metzger, J.C.; Snyder, A.M.

1977-09-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory stores transuranic (TRU)-contaminated waste emitting significant amounts of beta-gamma radiation. This material is referred to as intermediate-level TRU waste. The Energy Research and Development Administration requires that this waste be stored retrievably during the interim before a Federal repository becomes operational. Waste form and packaging criteria for the eventual storage of this waste at a Federal repository, i.e., the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), have been tentatively established. The packaging and storage techniques now in use at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory are compatible with these criteria and also meet the requirement that the waste containers remain in a readily-retrievable, contamination-free condition during the interim storage period. The Intermediate Level Transuranic Storage Facility (ILTSF) provides below-grade storage in steel pipe vaults for intermediate-level TRU waste prior to shipment to the WIPP. Designated waste generating facilities, operated for the Energy Research and Development Administration, use a variety of packaging and transportation methods to deliver this waste to the ILTSF. Transfer of the waste containers to the ILTSF storage vaults is accomplished using handling methods compatible with these waste packaging and transport methods

Civilsamfundets ABC: H for Handling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Anker Brink; Meyer, Gitte

2015-01-01

Hvad er civilsamfundet? Anker Brink Lund og Gitte Meyer fra CBS Center for Civil Society Studies gennemgår civilsamfundet bogstav for bogstav. Vi er nået til H for Handling.......Hvad er civilsamfundet? Anker Brink Lund og Gitte Meyer fra CBS Center for Civil Society Studies gennemgår civilsamfundet bogstav for bogstav. Vi er nået til H for Handling....

The technique on handling radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-11-01

This book describes measurement of radiation and handling radiation. The first part deals with measurement of radiation. The contents of this part are characteristic on measurement technique of radiation, radiation detector, measurement of energy spectrum, measurement of radioactivity, measurement for a level of radiation and county's statistics on radiation. The second parts explains handling radiation with treating of sealed radioisotope, treating unsealed source and radiation shield.

Storage, handling and internal transport of radioactive materials (fuel elements excepted) in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-06-01

The rule applies to storage and handling as well as to transport within the plant and to the exchange of - solid radioactive wastes, - liquid radioactive wastes, except for those covered by the rule KTA 3603, - radioactive components and parts which are planned to be mounted and dismounted until shutdown of the plant, - radioactive-contaminated tools and appliances, - radioactive preparations. The rule is to be applied within the fenced-in sites of stationary nuclear power plants with LWR or HTR including their transport load halls, as fas as these are situated so as to be approachable from the nuclear power station by local transport systems. (orig./HP) [de

Uranium hexafluoride handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The United States Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Field Office, and Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., are co-sponsoring this Second International Conference on Uranium Hexafluoride Handling. The conference is offered as a forum for the exchange of information and concepts regarding the technical and regulatory issues and the safety aspects which relate to the handling of uranium hexafluoride. Through the papers presented here, we attempt not only to share technological advances and lessons learned, but also to demonstrate that we are concerned about the health and safety of our workers and the public, and are good stewards of the environment in which we all work and live. These proceedings are a compilation of the work of many experts in that phase of world-wide industry which comprises the nuclear fuel cycle. Their experience spans the entire range over which uranium hexafluoride is involved in the fuel cycle, from the production of UF 6 from the naturally-occurring oxide to its re-conversion to oxide for reactor fuels. The papers furnish insights into the chemical, physical, and nuclear properties of uranium hexafluoride as they influence its transport, storage, and the design and operation of plant-scale facilities for production, processing, and conversion to oxide. The papers demonstrate, in an industry often cited for its excellent safety record, continuing efforts to further improve safety in all areas of handling uranium hexafluoride

Development of a hybrid proximal sensing method for rapid identification of petroleum contaminated soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chakraborty, Somsubhra [Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Kolkata (India); Weindorf, David C., E-mail: david.weindorf@ttu.edu [Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (United States); Li, Bin [Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Ali Aldabaa, Abdalsamad Abdalsatar [Desert Research Center, Cairo (Egypt); Ghosh, Rakesh Kumar [National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Kolkata (India); Paul, Sathi; Nasim Ali, Md. [Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Kolkata (India)

2015-05-01

Using 108 petroleum contaminated soil samples, this pilot study proposed a new analytical approach of combining visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VisNIR DRS) and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRF) for rapid and improved quantification of soil petroleum contamination. Results indicated that an advanced fused model where VisNIR DRS spectra-based penalized spline regression (PSR) was used to predict total petroleum hydrocarbon followed by PXRF elemental data-based random forest regression was used to model the PSR residuals, it outperformed (R{sup 2} = 0.78, residual prediction deviation (RPD) = 2.19) all other models tested, even producing better generalization than using VisNIR DRS alone (RPD's of 1.64, 1.86, and 1.96 for random forest, penalized spline regression, and partial least squares regression, respectively). Additionally, unsupervised principal component analysis using the PXRF + VisNIR DRS system qualitatively separated contaminated soils from control samples. Capsule: Fusion of PXRF elemental data and VisNIR derivative spectra produced an optimized model for total petroleum hydrocarbon quantification in soils. - Highlights: • PXRF elemental data and VisNIR DRS spectra were correlated to soil TPH. • VisNIR + PSR was used to predict TPH followed by PXRF + RF to predict the residuals. • The fused model produced better results than other multivariate models tested.

Elements of a unified prognostic model for secondary air contamination by resuspension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besnus, F.; Garger, E.; Gordeev, S.; Hollaender, W.; Kashparov, V.; Martinez-Serrano, J.; Mironov, V.; Nicholson, K.; Tschiersch, J.; Vintersved, I.

1996-01-01

Based on results of several joint experimental campaigns and an extensive literature survey, a prognostic model was constructed capable of predicting airborne activity concentrations and size distributions as well as soil surface activity concentrations as a function of time and meteorological conditions. Example scenario calculations show that agricultural practices are of lesser importance to secondary air contamination than dust storms immediately after primary deposition and forest fires

Tracking cross-contamination transfer dynamics at a mock retail deli market using GloGerm.

Science.gov (United States)

Maitland, Jessica; Boyer, Renee; Gallagher, Dan; Duncan, Susan; Bauer, Nate; Kause, Janell; Eifert, Joseph

2013-02-01

Ready-to-eat (RTE) deli meats are considered a food at high risk for causing foodborne illness. Deli meats are listed as the highest risk RTE food vehicle for Listeria monocytogenes. Cross-contamination in the retail deli market may contribute to spread of pathogens to deli meats. Understanding potential cross-contamination pathways is essential for reducing the risk of contaminating various products. The objective of this study was to track cross-contamination pathways through a mock retail deli market using an abiotic surrogate, GloGerm, to visually represent how pathogens may spread through the deli environment via direct contact with food surfaces. Six contamination origination sites (slicer blade, meat chub, floor drain, preparation table, employee's glove, and employee's hands) were evaluated separately. Each site was inoculated with 20 ml of GloGerm, and a series of standard deli operations were completed (approximately 10 min of work). Photographs were then taken under UV illumination to visualize spread of GloGerm throughout the deli. A sensory panel evaluated the levels of contamination on the resulting contaminated surfaces. Five of the six contamination origination sites were associated with transfer of GloGerm to the deli case door handle, slicer blade, meat chub, preparation table, and the employee's gloves. Additional locations became contaminated (i.e., deli case shelf, prep table sink, and glove box), but this contamination was not consistent across all trials. Contamination did not spread from the floor drain to any food contact surfaces. The findings of this study reinforce the need for consistent equipment cleaning and food safety practices among deli workers to minimize cross-contamination.

Development of SNS Stream Analysis Based on Forest Disaster Warning Information Service System

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, J.; KIM, D.; Kang, M.; Woo, C.; Kim, D.; Seo, J.; Lee, C.; Yoon, H.; Heon, S.

2017-12-01

Forest disasters, such as landslides and wildfires, cause huge economic losses and casualties, and the cost of recovery is increasing every year. While forest disaster mitigation technologies have been focused on the development of prevention and response technologies, they are now required to evolve into evacuation and border evacuation, and to develop technologies fused with ICT. In this study, we analyze the SNS (Social Network Service) stream and implement a system to detect the message that the forest disaster occurred or the forest disaster, and search the keyword related to the forest disaster in advance in real time. It is possible to detect more accurate forest disaster messages by repeatedly learning the retrieved results using machine learning techniques. To do this, we designed and implemented a system based on Hadoop and Spark, a distributed parallel processing platform, to handle Twitter stream messages that open SNS. In order to develop the technology to notify the information of forest disaster risk, a linkage of technology such as CBS (Cell Broadcasting System) based on mobile communication, internet-based civil defense siren, SNS and the legal and institutional issues for applying these technologies are examined. And the protocol of the forest disaster warning information service system that can deliver the SNS analysis result was developed. As a result, it was possible to grasp real-time forest disaster situation by real-time big data analysis of SNS that occurred during forest disasters. In addition, we confirmed that it is possible to rapidly propagate alarm or warning according to the disaster situation by using the function of the forest disaster warning information notification service. However, the limitation of system application due to the restriction of opening and sharing of SNS data currently in service and the disclosure of personal information remains a problem to be solved in the future. Keyword : SNS stream, Big data, Machine

Combined steam-ultrasound treatment of 2 seconds achieves significant high aerobic count and Enterobacteriaceae reduction on naturally contaminated food boxes, crates, conveyor belts, and meat knives.

Science.gov (United States)

Musavian, Hanieh S; Butt, Tariq M; Larsen, Annette Baltzer; Krebs, Niels

2015-02-01

Food contact surfaces require rigorous sanitation procedures for decontamination, although these methods very often fail to efficiently clean and disinfect surfaces that are visibly contaminated with food residues and possible biofilms. In this study, the results of a short treatment (1 to 2 s) of combined steam (95°C) and ultrasound (SonoSteam) of industrial fish and meat transportation boxes and live-chicken transportation crates naturally contaminated with food and fecal residues were investigated. Aerobic counts of 5.0 to 6.0 log CFU/24 cm(2) and an Enterobacteriaceae spp. level of 2.0 CFU/24 cm(2) were found on the surfaces prior to the treatment. After 1 s of treatment, the aerobic counts were significantly (P conveyor belts with hinge pins and one type of flat flexible rubber belt, all visibly contaminated with food residues. The aerobic counts of 3.0 to 5.0 CFU/50 cm(2) were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced, while Enterobacteriaceae spp. were reduced to a level below the detection limit. Industrial meat knives were contaminated with aerobic counts of 6.0 log CFU/5 cm(2) on the handle and 5.2 log CFU/14 cm(2) on the steel. The level of Enterobacteriaceae spp. contamination was approximately 2.5 log CFU on the handle and steel. Two seconds of steam-ultrasound treatment reduced the aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae spp. to levels below the detection limit on both handle and steel. This study shows that the steam-ultrasound treatment may be an effective replacement for disinfection processes and that it can be used for continuous disinfection at fast process lines. However, the treatment may not be able to replace efficient cleaning processes used to remove high loads of debris.

Contamination of clothing and other items by sweat during exercise 201Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoo, Shigeki; Niio, Yasuo; Yamamoto, Tomoaki; Miyashita, Makoto

1999-01-01

We measured the radioactivity on patient's upper and lower garments, towels, broad sashes for the bust, and electrodes contaminated by sweat due to exercise 201 Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. In measuring activity, a scintillation survey meter adjusted to the energy of 201 Tl was used. In measuring the radioactivity of clothing, more than 4 Bq/cm 2 was considered to be a significant level of contamination. We detected contamination in 30% of upper garments and towels, 19% of broad sashes, 8% of lower garments and 4% of electrodes. Among these materials, several items of clothing and other items showed contamination exceeding 40 Bq/cm 2 . Towels were remarkably contaminated, with one towel showing a maximum contamination level of 420 Bq/cm 2 . Examinations done by exercise 201 Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy often result in the contamination of clothing and other items through sweating. This contamination is especially common in summer, particularly in upper garments and towels. The contamination ratio for towels was over 50%. The contamination ratio increased as the level of exercise became more difficult. When the exercise load was more than 100 W, the contamination ratio was 50%. In cases of extreme contamination, images of contaminated upper garments could be obtained by the scintigraphy camera. The areas of high activity on the images seemed to correspond to areas of the body where sweating was profuse. Based on these results, we should pay close attention to the handling of clothing and other items used in exercise testing by 201 Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and the points used in measuring contaminated clothing and other items after testing. (author)

Handling Pyrophoric Reagents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alnajjar, Mikhail S.; Haynie, Todd O.

2009-08-14

Pyrophoric reagents are extremely hazardous. Special handling techniques are required to prevent contact with air and the resulting fire. This document provides several methods for working with pyrophoric reagents outside of an inert atmosphere.

Improved control rod drive handling equipment for BWRs [boiling-water reactors]: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, A.P.L.; Gorman, J.A.

1987-08-01

Improved equipment for removing and replacing control rod drives (CRDs) in BWR plants has been designed, built and tested. Control rod drives must be removed from the reactor periodically for servicing. Removal and replacement of CRDs using equipment originally supplied with the plant has long been recognized as one of the more difficult and highest radiation exposure maintenance operations that must be performed at BWR plants. The improved equipment was used for the first time at Quad Cities, Unit 2, during a Fall 1986 outage. The trial of the equipment was highly successful, and it was shown that the new equipment significantly improves CRD handling operations. The new equipment significantly simplifies the sequence of operations required to lower a CRD from its housing, upend it to a horizontal orientation, and transport it out of the reactor containment. All operations of the new equipment are performed from the undervessel equipment handling platform, thus, eliminating the requirement for a person to work on the lower level of the undervessel gallery which is often highly contaminated. Typically, one less person is required to operate the equipment than were used with the older equipment. The new equipment incorporates a number of redundant and fail safe features that improve operations and reduce the chances for accidents

Radiocontamination patterns of vascular plants in a forest ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimis, P.L.; Bolognini, G.; Giovani, C.

1994-01-01

This study is based on measurements of radiocesium and potassium-40 in leaves, stems and roots of 48 vascular plants in a natural beech forest in the Carnic Alps (NE Italy). The data have been submitted to numerical classification, and the main results are: (a) radiocontamination patterns and ecology of the species are well related, (b) three main groups of species with different radiocontamination can be distinguished: plants in clearings, forest plants rooting in the organic soil layer, forest plants rooting in the mineral layer; (c) radiocesium tends to be retained in the roots, especially in plants in the clearings; (d) Pteridophytes, contrary to all other plants, are able to discriminate between cesium and potassium at leaf level; (e) for all other species, cesium and potassium, once taken up by the plant, exhibit a similar behaviour; (f) total contamination by radiocesium is related to the depth of the root systems, and to the unequal distribution of radiocesium in the soil profile. Species-specific mechanisms of differential absorption are not evident in the investigated forest; the radiocontamination of plants can be easily explained in ecological terms. Radiocontamination on a water basis (Bq/l) is suggested as being much more appropriate for solving certain radioecological problems

Organizational aspects of the handling of radiation accidents in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fliedner, T.M.

1977-01-01

In the Federal Republic of Germany it is a legal requirement that persons exposed to ionizing radiation as a consequence of their employment in radiation facilities should be monitored. Some 90000 persons constitute the population 'at risk' for occupational radiation exposure. The actual radiation accident rate has been very low indeed. Nevertheless, precautions must be taken. Four radiation accident categories may be distinguished: uncomplicated, complicated, contamination and incorporation accidents. In the Federal Republic, the 'Berufsgenossenschaften' (BGS) are required to organize radiation accident care if necessary and take all measures to prevent them. The BGS has issued a pamphlet 'First Aid in case of Increased Exposure to Ionizing Radiation' as a guide to all personnel concerned. The BGS has also organized 5 'Regional Radiation Protection Centres' available to give advice 7 days a week, 24 hours a day in Hamburg, Homburg (Saar), Juelich, Karlsruhe und Munich. These centres are all equipped to provide first aid and decontamination and to cater for a short term stay until a decision is reached as to how to handle a particular accident. The special burns hospital of the BGS in Ludwigshafen is equipped with sterile rooms to handle 'complicated accidents', in particular when skin burns are involved. Two mobile 'radiation protection units' are available in Karlsruhe and Munich to provide help in all problems of dosimetry and health physics. A medical advisory team has been formed to supplement local physicians in dealing with special problems in the handling of radiation accident victims. (author)

Efficient handling of high-level radioactive cell waste in a vitrification facility analytical laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)