Assessment of temporal trend of radiation dose to the public living in the large area contaminated with radioactive materials after a nuclear power plant accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Go, A Ra; Kim, Min Jun; Kim, Kwang Pyo [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Nam Chan; Seol, Jeung Gun [Radiation Safety Team, Korea Electric Power Corporation Nuclear Fuel, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

It has been about 5 years since the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, which contaminated large area with radioactive materials. It is necessary to assess radiation dose to establish evacuation areas and to set decontamination goal for the large contaminated area. In this study, we assessed temporal trend of radiation dose to the public living in the large area contaminated with radioactive materials after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. The dose assessment was performed based on Chernobyl model and RESRAD model for two evacuation lift areas, Kawauchi and Naraha. It was reported that deposition densities in the areas were 4.3-96 kBq m{sup -2} for {sup 134}Cs, 1.4-300 kBq m{sup -2} for {sup 137}Cs, respectively. Radiation dose to the residents depended on radioactive cesium concentrations in the soil, ranging 0.11-2.4 mSv y{sup -1} at Kawauchi area and 0.69-1.1 mSv y{sup -1} at Naraha area in July 2014. The difference was less than 5% in radiation doses estimated by two different models. Radiation dose decreased with calendar time and the decreasing slope varied depending on dose assessment models. Based on the Chernobyl dosimetry model, radiation doses decreased with calendar time to about 65% level of the radiation dose in 2014 after 1 year, 11% level after 10 years, and 5.6% level after 30 years. RESRAD dosimetry model more slowly decreased radiation dose with time to about 85% level after 1 year, 40% level after 10 years, and 15% level after 30 years. The decrease of radiation dose can be mainly attributed into radioactive decays and environmental transport of the radioactive cesium. Only environmental transports of radioactive cesium without consideration of radioactive decays decreased radiation dose additionally 43% after 1 year, 72% after 3 years, 80% after 10 years, and 83% after 30 years. Radiation doses estimated with cesium concentration in the soil based on Chernobyl dosimetry model were compared with directly measured radiation doses

Assessments of internal doses by ingestion of radioactive foodstuffs in Bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mollah, A.S.

1996-01-01

The internal radiation dose to a man from the consumption of foodstuffs was estimated an the basis of the measured radioactivities in the foodstuffs in Bangladesh. The total annual internal effective dose equivalent was found to be 454.56 μSv. The dose from intake of radionuclides by foodstuffs (ingestion dose) in general is so low that no harmful effects will occur directly. (author)

Radioactivities (dose rates) of rocks in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Hideharu; Minato, Susumu

1995-01-01

The radioactive distribution (radiation doses) of major rocks in Japan was monitored to clarify the factors influencing terrestrial gamma-ray absorbed dose rates. The rock samples were reduced to powder and analyzed by well-type NaI(Tl) scintillation detector and pulse height analyzer. Terrestrial gamma-ray dose rates were estimated in terms of gamma radiation dose rate 1 m above the ground. The radioactivity concentration was highest in acidic rock which contains much SiO 2 among igneous rock, followed by neutral rock, basic rock, and ultrabasic rock. The radioactive concentration was 30-40% lower in acidic and clastic rocks than those of the world average concentration. Higher radioactive concentration was observed in soils than the parent rocks of sedimentary rock and metamorphic rock. The gamma radiation dose rate was in proportion to the radioactive concentration of the rocks. To clarify the radioactive effect in the change course of rocks into soils, comparative measurement of outcrop and soil radioactive concentrations is important. (S.Y.)

Radiological Risk Assessment and Survey of Radioactive Contamination for Foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W.R.; Lee, C.W.; Choi, K.S.

2007-11-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, a radiological dose assessment and a survey of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs have been investigated by many countries such as EU, Japan, USA. In the case of Japan which is similar to our country for the imported regions of foodstuffs, there were some instances of the excess for regulation on the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination among some imported foodstuffs. Concerns about the radioactive contamination of foodstuffs are increased because of the recently special situation (Nuclear test of North Korea). The purpose of this study is a radiological dose assessment and a survey of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs in order to reduce the probability of intake of contaminated foodstuffs. Analytical results of the collected samples are below MDA. In this project, the model of radiological dose assessment via the food chain was also developed and radiological dose assessment was conducted based on surveys results of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs in the Korean open markets since 2002. The results of radiological dose assessment are far below international reference level. It shows that public radiation exposure via food chain is well controlled within the international guide level. However, the radioactive contamination research of imported foodstuffs should be continuous considering the special situation(nuclear test of North Korea). These results are used to manage the radioactive contamination of the imported foodstuffs and also amend the regulation on the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs

Radiological dose assessment for residual radioactive material in soil at the clean slate sites 1, 2, and 3, Tonopah Test Range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

A radiological dose assessment has been performed for Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 at the Tonopah Test Range, approximately 390 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The assessment demonstrated that the calculated dose to hypothetical individuals who may reside or work on the Clean Slate sites, subsequent to remediation, does not exceed the limits established by the US Department of Energy for protection of members of the public and the environment. The sites became contaminated as a result of Project Roller Coaster experiments conducted in 1963 in support of the US Atomic Energy Commission (Shreve, 1964). Remediation of Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 is being performed to ensure that the 50-year committed effective dose equivalent to a hypothetical individual who lives or works on a Clean Slate site should not exceed 100 millirems per year. The DOE residual radioactive material guideline (RESRAD) computer code was used to assess the dose. RESRAD implements the methodology described in the DOE manual for establishing residual radioactive material guidelines (Yu et al., 1993a). In May and June of 1963, experiments were conducted at Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 to study the effectiveness of earth-covered structures for reducing the dispersion of nuclear weapons material as a result of nonnuclear explosions. The experiments required the detonation of various simulated weapons using conventional chemical explosives (Shreve, 1964). The residual radioactive contamination in the surface soil consists of weapons grade plutonium, depleted uranium, and their radioactive decay products

Radiological dose assessment for residual radioactive material in soil at the clean slate sites 1, 2, and 3, Tonopah Test Range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

A radiological dose assessment has been performed for Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 at the Tonopah Test Range, approximately 390 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The assessment demonstrated that the calculated dose to hypothetical individuals who may reside or work on the Clean Slate sites, subsequent to remediation, does not exceed the limits established by the US Department of Energy for protection of members of the public and the environment. The sites became contaminated as a result of Project Roller Coaster experiments conducted in 1963 in support of the US Atomic Energy Commission (Shreve, 1964). Remediation of Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 is being performed to ensure that the 50-year committed effective dose equivalent to a hypothetical individual who lives or works on a Clean Slate site should not exceed 100 millirems per year. The DOE residual radioactive material guideline (RESRAD) computer code was used to assess the dose. RESRAD implements the methodology described in the DOE manual for establishing residual radioactive material guidelines (Yu et al., 1993a). In May and June of 1963, experiments were conducted at Clean Slate Sites 1, 2, and 3 to study the effectiveness of earth-covered structures for reducing the dispersion of nuclear weapons material as a result of nonnuclear explosions. The experiments required the detonation of various simulated weapons using conventional chemical explosives (Shreve, 1964). The residual radioactive contamination in the surface soil consists of weapons grade plutonium, depleted uranium, and their radioactive decay products.

Radiological dose assessment related to management of naturally occurring radioactive materials generated by the petroleum industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K.P.; Blunt, D.L.; Williams, G.P.

1996-09-01

A preliminary radiological dose assessment of equipment decontamination, subsurface disposal, landspreading, equipment smelting, and equipment burial was conducted to address concerns regarding the presence of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in production waste streams. The assessment estimated maximum individual dose equivalents for workers and the general public. Sensitivity analyses of certain input parameters also were conducted. On the basis of this assessment, it is concluded that (1) regulations requiring workers to wear respiratory protection during equipment cleaning operations are likely to result in lower worker doses, (2) underground injection and downhole encapsulation of NORM wastes present a negligible risk to the general public, and (3) potential doses to workers and the general public related to smelting NORM-contaminated equipment can be controlled by limiting the contamination level of the initial feed. It is recommended that (1) NORM wastes be further characterized to improve studies of potential radiological doses; (2) states be encouraged to permit subsurface disposal of NORM more readily, provided further assessments support this study; results; (3) further assessment of landspreading NORM wastes be conducted; and (4) the political, economic, sociological, and nonradiological issues related to smelting NORM-contaminated equipment be studied to fully examine the feasibility of this disposal option

Assessment methodology for radioactive effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

The objective of this environmental assessment is to define and rank the needs for controlling radioactive effluents from nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The assessment is based on environmental standards and dose-to-man calculations. The study includes three calculations for each isotope from each facility: maximum individual dose for a 50-year dose commitment from a 1-yr exposure according to the organ affected; population dose for a 50-yr dose commitment from a 1-yr exposure according to the organ affected; and annual dose rate for the maximally exposed individual. The relative contribution of a specific nuclide and source to the total dose provides a method of ranking the nuclides, which in turn identifies the sources that should receive the greatest control in the future. These results will be used in subsequent tasks to assess the environmental impact of the total nuclear fuel cycle

Evaluation of radiation doses from radioactive drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halperin, J.A.; Grove, G.R.

1977-01-01

Radioactive new drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. Before a new drug can be marketed it must have an approved New Drug Application (NDA). Clinical investigations of a radioactive new drug are carried out under a Notice of Claimed Investigational Exemption for a New Drug (IND), submitted to the FDA. In the review of the IND, radiation doses are projected on the basis of experimental data from animal models and from calculations based upon radiation characteristics, predicted biodistribution of the drug in humans, and activity to be administered. FDA physicians review anticipated doses and prevent clinical investigations in humans when the potential risk of the use of a radioactive substance outweighs the prospect of achieving beneficial results from the administration of the drug. In the evaluation of an NDA, FDA staff attempt to assure that the intended diagnostic or therapeutic effect is achievable with the lowest practicable radiation dose. Radiation doses from radioactive new drugs are evaluated by physicians within the FDA. Important radioactive new drugs are also evaluated by the Radiopharmaceuticals Advisory Committee. FDA also supports the Center for Internal Radiation Dosimetry at Oak Ridge, to provide information regarding in vivo distribution and dosimetry to critical organs and the whole body from radioactive new drugs. The process for evaluation of radiation doses from radioactive new drugs for protection against use of unnecessary radiation exposure by patients in nuclear medicine procedures, a

Assessment of radioactive residues arising from radiolabel instability in a multiple dose tissue distribution study in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slatter, J.G.; Sams, J.P.; Easter, J.A.

2003-01-01

Our study objectives were to quantitatively determine the effect of radiolabel instability on terminal phase radioactive tissue residues in a multiple dose tissue distribution study, to quantitatively compare tissue residue artifacts (non drug-related radioactivity) from two chemically-distinct radiolabel locations, and to conduct a definitive multiple dose tissue distribution study using the better of the two radiolabeled compounds. We compared the excretion and tissue distribution in rats of [ 14 C]linezolid, radiolabeled in two different locations, after 7 consecutive once daily [ 14 C] oral doses. The radiolabels were in the acetamide (two carbon) and oxazolidinone (isolated carbon) functional groups. Terminal phase tissue residue and excretion data were compared to data from rats dosed orally with [ 14 C]sodium acetate. Drug-related radioactivity was excreted rapidly over 24 h. After a single dose, the acetamide and oxazolidinone radiolabel sites both gave 3% of dose as exhaled 14 CO 2 . After 7 daily [ 14 C] oral doses, terminal phase radioactive tissue residues were higher from the acetamide radiolabel, relative to the oxazolidinone radiolabel, and were primarily not drug-related. In the definitive tissue distribution study, low concentrations of drug-related radioactivity in skin and thyroid were observed. We conclude that although small amounts of radiolabel instability do not significantly affect single dose tissue radioactivity C max and area under the curve (AUC), artifacts arising from radiolabel instability can prolong the apparent terminal phase half life and complicate study data interpretation. When possible, it is always preferable to use a completely stable radiolabel site. (author)

Assessment of radioactive residues arising from radiolabel instability in a multiple dose tissue distribution study in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slatter, J.G. [Pharmacia Corp., Peapack, NJ (United States); Sams, J.P.; Easter, J.A. [Pharmacia Corp., Kalamazoo, MI (United States)] [and others

2003-05-01

Our study objectives were to quantitatively determine the effect of radiolabel instability on terminal phase radioactive tissue residues in a multiple dose tissue distribution study, to quantitatively compare tissue residue artifacts (non drug-related radioactivity) from two chemically-distinct radiolabel locations, and to conduct a definitive multiple dose tissue distribution study using the better of the two radiolabeled compounds. We compared the excretion and tissue distribution in rats of [{sup 14}C]linezolid, radiolabeled in two different locations, after 7 consecutive once daily [{sup 14}C] oral doses. The radiolabels were in the acetamide (two carbon) and oxazolidinone (isolated carbon) functional groups. Terminal phase tissue residue and excretion data were compared to data from rats dosed orally with [{sup 14}C]sodium acetate. Drug-related radioactivity was excreted rapidly over 24 h. After a single dose, the acetamide and oxazolidinone radiolabel sites both gave 3% of dose as exhaled {sup 14}CO{sub 2}. After 7 daily [{sup 14}C] oral doses, terminal phase radioactive tissue residues were higher from the acetamide radiolabel, relative to the oxazolidinone radiolabel, and were primarily not drug-related. In the definitive tissue distribution study, low concentrations of drug-related radioactivity in skin and thyroid were observed. We conclude that although small amounts of radiolabel instability do not significantly affect single dose tissue radioactivity C{sub max} and area under the curve (AUC), artifacts arising from radiolabel instability can prolong the apparent terminal phase half life and complicate study data interpretation. When possible, it is always preferable to use a completely stable radiolabel site. (author)

Concept and approaches used in assessing individual and collective doses from releases of radioactive effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-06-01

To guide on the applications of the principles for limiting radioactive releases contained in Safety Series 77, the Agency is in the process of preparing a number of safety guides. The first one is this present document which deals with the principal aspects of the methods for the assessment of the individual and collective dose. It aims at giving a general guidance to those responsible for establishing programmes for the determination of individual doses as well as collective doses in connection with licensing a site for a nuclear installation. The document is concerned with the principles applied for calculating individual and collective doses from routine releases of radionuclides to the atmosphere and hydrosphere but not releases directly to the geosphere, as in waste management. These areas will be covered by other Agency publications. 75 refs, figs and tabs

Investigation of radioactive pollution on land at Thule and assessment of radiation doses; Undersoegelse af radioaktiv forurening paa landjorden ved Thule og vurdering af straaledoser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-12-15

Risoe National Laboratory at the Technical University of Denmark has carried out research on the terrestrial contamination in the Thule area, Greenland, after the radioactive contents of four nuclear weapons were dispersed following the crash of an American B-52 bomber in 1968. The results of this research are described in the report ''Thule-2007 - Investigation of radioactive pollution on land''. Based on this report, the National Board of Health made an assessment of radiation doses and the risk for individuals in the Thule area. The results of the assessment are described in the report ''The Thule accident. Assessment of radiation doses from terrestrial radioactive contamination''. The present report is a summary of these two reports. (ln)

Dose estimation from residual and fallout radioactivity, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshita, Kenji

1975-01-01

External dose rates and cumulative doses for early entrants from areal surveys and simulated experiments are reviewed. The average cumulative doses to infinity at the hypocenters were 101 rad in Hiroshima and 32 rad in Nagasaki, with a variation of about 60 percent. Radioactive fallout areas nearly matched the ''black rain'' areas in Nagasaki and in Hiroshima. Radioactivity in the fallout areas was affected by radioactive decay and by the leaching and dissipation by rains. Considering these factors, the cumulative dose to infinity in the fallout area of Hiroshima was estimated to be 13 rad, excluding internal radiation doses from inhaled and ingested radionuclides. Attempts to estimate radiation dose from internally deposited radionuclides are also described. (auth.)

Radioactivity in food and the environment: calculations of UK radiation doses using integrated methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allott, Rob

2003-01-01

Dear Sir: I read with interest the paper by W C Camplin, G P Brownless, G D Round, K Winpenny and G J Hunt from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) on 'Radioactivity in food and the environment: calculations of UK radiation doses using integrated methods' in the December 2002 issue of this journal (J. Radiol. Prot. 22 371-88). The Environment Agency has a keen interest in the development of a robust methodology for assessing total doses which have been received by members of the public from authorised discharges of radioactive substances to the environment. Total dose in this context means the dose received from all authorised discharges and all exposure pathways (e.g. inhalation, external irradiation from radionuclides in sediment/soil, direct radiation from operations on a nuclear site, consumption of food etc). I chair a 'total retrospective dose assessment' working group with representatives from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), National Radiological Protection Board, CEFAS and BNFL which began discussing precisely this issue during 2002. This group is a sub-group of the National Dose Assessment Working Group which was set up in April 2002 (J. Radiol. Prot. 22 318-9). The Environment Agency, Food Standards Agency and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate previously undertook joint research into the most appropriate methodology to use for total dose assessment (J J Hancox, S J Stansby and M C Thorne 2002 The Development of a Methodology to Assess Population Doses from Multiple Source and Exposure Pathways of Radioactivity (Environment Agency R and D Technical Report P3-070/TR). This work came to broadly the same conclusion as the work by CEFAS, that an individual dose method is probably the most appropriate method to use. This research and that undertaken by CEFAS will help the total retrospective dose assessment working group refine a set of principles and a methodology for the

Study of natural radioactivity and 222Rn exhalation rate in soil samples for the assessment of average effective dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bangotra, P.; Mehra, R.; Jakhu, R.; Sahoo, B.K

2016-01-01

The natural radioactivity in soil is usually determined from the 226 Ra (Radium), 232 Th (Thorium) and 40 K (potassium). 222 Rn and 220 Rn are produced in soil as a result of the presence of these radionuclides. As 226 Ra decay, the newly created 222 Rn radionuclide recoil from the parent grain and then exhale through the soil. Since 98.5% of radiological effects of 238 U series are produced by 226 Ra and its daughter products. The assessment of gamma radiation dose from natural sources is of particular importance as natural radiation is the largest contributor to the external dose of the world population. Authors are advised to maximize the information content utilizing the full space available. The main objective of the present study is to measure the level of natural radioactivity 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K and 222 Rn exhalation rate in the soil samples for health risk assessment

Natural radioactivity and external dose assessment of surface soils in Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huy, N. Q.; Hien, P. D.; Luyen, T. V.; Hoang, D. V.; Hiep, H. T.; Quang, N. H.; Long, N. Q.; Nhan, D. D.; Binh, N. T.; Hai, P. S.; Ngo, N. T.

2012-01-01

In this study, natural radioactivity in surface soils of Vietnam and external dose assessment to human population, deduced from activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K nuclides, were determined. From 528 soil samples collected in 63 provinces of Vietnam, including five centrally governed cities, the average activities were obtained and equal to 42.77 ± 18.15 Bq kg -1 for 226 Ra, 59.84 ± 19.81 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and 411.93 ± 230.69 Bq kg -1 for 40 K. The outdoor absorbed dose rates (OADRs) in air at 1 m above the ground level for 63 provinces were calculated, and their average value was 71.72 ± 24.72 nGy h -1 , with a range from 17.45 to 149.40 nGy h -1 . The population-weighted OADR of Vietnam was 66.70 nGy h -1 , which lies in the range of 18-93 nGy h -1 found in the World. From the OADRs obtained, it was estimated that the outdoor annual effective dose and indoor annual effective dose to the population were 0.082 and 0.458 mSv, which are higher than the corresponding values 0.07 and 0.41 mSv, respectively, of the World. The radium equivalent activity Ra eq and the external hazard index H ex of surface soils of Vietnam are lower than the corresponding permissible limits of 370 Bq kg -1 and 1, respectively. Therefore, soil from Vietnam is safe for the human population when it is used as a building material. (authors)

Natural Radioactivity and External Dose Assessment of Surface Soils in Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huy, N.Q.; Hien, P.D.; Hoang, D.V.; Quang, N.H.; Long, N.Q.; Binh, N.T.; Hai, P.S.

2012-01-01

In this study, natural radioactivity in surface soils of Vietnam and external dose assessment to human population, deduces from activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K nuclides, were determined. From 528 soil samples collected in 63 provinces of Vietnam, including five centrally governed cities, the average activities were obtained and equal to 42.77 ± 18.15 Bq kg -1 for 226 Ra, 59.84 ± 19.81 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and 411.93 ± 230.69 Bq kg -1 for 40 K. The outdoor absorbed dose rates (OADRs) in air at 1 m above the ground level for 63 provinces were calculated, and their average value was 71.72 ± 24.72 nGy h -1 , with a range from 17.45 to 149.40 nGy h -1 . The population-weighted OADR of Vietnam was 66.70 nGy h -1 , which lies in the range of 18-93 nGy h -1 found in the World. From the OADR obtained, it was estimated that the outdoor annual effective dose and indoor annual effective dose to the population were 0.082 and 0.458 mSv, which are higher than the corresponding values 0.07 and 0.41 mSv, respectively, of the World. The radium equivalent activity Ra eq and the external hazard index H ex of surface soils of Vietnam are lower than the corresponding permissible limits of 370 Bq kg -1 and 1, respectively. Therefore, soil from Vietnam is safe for the human population when it used as a building material. (author)

Age-dependent dose factors and dose limits of annual radioactivity uptake with unsealed radioactive substances by occupationally exposed persons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaul, A.; Nosske, D; Elsasser, U; Roedler, H.D.; Henrichs, K.

1986-01-01

The dose factors have been calculated on the basis of the ICRP models for dosimetric and metabolistic assessment, and are laid open in accordance with Annex XI ( to sec. 45 sub-section (2)) of the amended version of the Radiation Protection Ordinance. The contribution in hand explains the scientific fundamentals and results of the calculations of dose factors relating to inhalation and ingestion of unsealed radioactive substances by adult reference man, and age-dependent factors calculated for children and adolescents. Further, annual limits of uptake by occupationally exposed persons, as calculated on the basis of primary dose limits pursunant to the draft amendment presented by the Federal Interior Minister, are compared with relevant data given by the ICRP and EC institutions. (orig./DG) [de

The FOCON model to assess doses due to the atmospheric radioactive discharges of nuclear facilities during normal operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rommens, C.; Morin, A.; Merle-Szeremeta, A.

1999-01-01

The FOCON model to assess doses due to the atmospheric radioactive discharges of nuclear facilities during normal operation. To assess the dosimetric impact to the public due to atmospheric radioactive discharges of nuclear facilities during normal operation, the Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety has developed the FOCON96 code. FOCON96 calculates the dispersion of gases and aerosols into the environment (atmosphere contamination and ground deposition), their transfer in the biosphere (soils, plants and animals) and their impact to a member of the public (individual effective and equivalent doses, external exposure to the plume and to the deposits, internal exposure by inhalation and ingestion). FOCON96 uses ergonomic windows and proposes many capabilities (modular architecture, default values, choice of libraries, access to all the parameters of the models, listing or results, management of result files, calculations made directly, etc.). In the European context, and intercomparison with the PC-CREAM code, developed by the National Radiological Protection Board, has shown the coherence of the results of the two codes. A comparison of the windows and capabilities has shown that FOCON96 was easier to use. FOCON96 is not adapted to calculate the doses received during one particular year that are due to the discharges of a facility in operation for a long period of time. An evolution of the software will be considered if this kind of assessment is generalized. (authors)

External doses from radioactive fallout. Dosimetry and levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woehni, T.

1995-01-01

The design, manufacture and calibration of a TL-based dosemeter for measurement of low level external photon radiation are presented. The dosemeter is based on CaF 2 with 2 mm brass filter for energy compensation. It is able to resolve a 8% dose increase relative to natural background radiation. With this dosemeter external dose measurements were made in 6 villages in a heavily contaminated region in Russia (Chernobyl fallout), in order to assess external doses to the population. The results were analyzed in the light of additional existing information on radioactive deposition, social habits, decontamination measures and other influencing technical and physical factors. The observed dose values were lower than theoretical estimates of external doses based on published values for external dose levels relative to the level of contamination. 84 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs

External doses from radioactive fallout. Dosimetry and levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woehni, T

1996-12-31

The design, manufacture and calibration of a TL-based dosemeter for measurement of low level external photon radiation are presented. The dosemeter is based on CaF{sub 2} with 2 mm brass filter for energy compensation. It is able to resolve a 8% dose increase relative to natural background radiation. With this dosemeter external dose measurements were made in 6 villages in a heavily contaminated region in Russia (Chernobyl fallout), in order to assess external doses to the population. The results were analyzed in the light of additional existing information on radioactive deposition, social habits, decontamination measures and other influencing technical and physical factors. The observed dose values were lower than theoretical estimates of external doses based on published values for external dose levels relative to the level of contamination. 84 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs.

External doses from radioactive fallout. Dosimetry and levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woehni, T.

1995-12-31

The design, manufacture and calibration of a TL-based dosemeter for measurement of low level external photon radiation are presented. The dosemeter is based on CaF{sub 2} with 2 mm brass filter for energy compensation. It is able to resolve a 8% dose increase relative to natural background radiation. With this dosemeter external dose measurements were made in 6 villages in a heavily contaminated region in Russia (Chernobyl fallout), in order to assess external doses to the population. The results were analyzed in the light of additional existing information on radioactive deposition, social habits, decontamination measures and other influencing technical and physical factors. The observed dose values were lower than theoretical estimates of external doses based on published values for external dose levels relative to the level of contamination. 84 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs.

Development of a Method to Assess the Radiation Dose due to Internal Exposure to Short-lived Radioactive Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benmaman, D.; Koch, J.; Ribak, J.

2014-01-01

Work with radioactive materials requires monitoring of the employees' exposure to ionizing radiation. Employees may be exposed to radiation from internal and/or external exposure. Control of external exposure is mostly conducted through personal radiation dosimeters provided to employees. Control of internal exposure can be performed by measuring the concentration of radioactive substances excreted in urine or through whole-body counting in which the entire body or target organs are scanned with a sensitive detector system (1). According to the regulations in Israel an employee that may be internally exposed must undergo an exposure control at least once every three months. The idea lying behind the control of internal exposure by urine testing is that if radioactive material has penetrated into the employee body, it can be detected even if the test is performed once every three months. A model was fitted for each element describing its dispersion in the body and its excretion therefrom (2). By means of this model, one can estimate the activity that entered the body and calculate the resulting radiation dose to which the worker was exposed. There is a problem to implement this method when it comes to short-lived radioactive materials, for which it is very likely that the material that penetrated into the body has decayed and cannot be detected by testing once every three months. As a result, workers with short-lived radioactive materials are presently not monitored for internal exposure, in contradiction to the requirements of the Safety at Work Regulations. The purpose of the study is to develop an alternative method to assess the amount of radioactive material absorbed in the body and the resulting radiation dose due to internal exposure of workers to short-lived radioactive materials

Risk assessment for human health and terrestrial ecosystem under chronic radioactive pollution near regional radioactive waste storage

Science.gov (United States)

Lavrentyeva, G. V.; Katkova, M. N.; Shoshina, R. R.; Synzynys, B. I.

2017-01-01

An impact of the radioactive waste storage facility at the regional population was assessed under supervision of IAEA. It was made in accordance with the methodology for assessment of doses and risks to human storage using different scenarios of radionuclides releases into the environment. The following scenarios were considered: leakage of fluid, resuspension of dust, fire, flooding. Thy evaluation of radiation doses received and the risks to the human showed that the risk has been acceptable for all scenarios. An approach for an ecological risk assessment for terrestrial ecosystem is presented as five modules: selection of the ecosystem-receptor of radiation effects; determination of reference species of living organisms and their survival indices; the critical load as an absorbed dose rate is calculated from the dependence between the absorbed Sr-90 radiation dose rate and the coefficient of radioactive strontium accumulation in mollusc shells; the critical dose; risk is assessed from a part of the ecosystem territory with increased mollusc loading; uncertainties appeared at each stage of risk assessment are characterized. The risk of exposure to the repository on the ecosystem should be characterized as unacceptable.

Risk assessment for human health and terrestrial ecosystem under chronic radioactive pollution near regional radioactive waste storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavrentyeva, G V; Katkova, M N; Shoshina, R R; Synzynys, B I

2017-01-01

An impact of the radioactive waste storage facility at the regional population was assessed under supervision of IAEA. It was made in accordance with the methodology for assessment of doses and risks to human storage using different scenarios of radionuclides releases into the environment. The following scenarios were considered: leakage of fluid, resuspension of dust, fire, flooding. Thy evaluation of radiation doses received and the risks to the human showed that the risk has been acceptable for all scenarios. An approach for an ecological risk assessment for terrestrial ecosystem is presented as five modules: selection of the ecosystem-receptor of radiation effects; determination of reference species of living organisms and their survival indices; the critical load as an absorbed dose rate is calculated from the dependence between the absorbed Sr-90 radiation dose rate and the coefficient of radioactive strontium accumulation in mollusc shells; the critical dose; risk is assessed from a part of the ecosystem territory with increased mollusc loading; uncertainties appeared at each stage of risk assessment are characterized. The risk of exposure to the repository on the ecosystem should be characterized as unacceptable. (paper)

Dose assessment under incidental and accidental conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebschmann, W.G.

1988-01-01

Dose assessment for the licesing process of a nuclear power plant covers the routine release of radioactive substances into the atmosphere as well as releases due to incidents. Source terms for these incidents are evaluated by the detailed incident analysis of the plant. The types of incidents to be covered are determined in the FRG by the ''Stoerfall-Leitlinien'' of the Ministry of the Interior. The calculation of dose equivalents in the environment of the plant differs from the calculation of doses due to routine releases, as incidents are single events occuring at undeterminate time, and the results must be conservative. Some details are being described. During the operation of the plant it is essential to measure not only the radioactivity release rates but also the necessary meteorological parameters for the instantaneous determination of the atmospheric dispersion in case of incidental or accidental releases of radioactivity. This instantaneous assessment assists in taking measurements of ground contamination and in deciding about countermeasures for the protection of plant personnell and population. (author) [pt

Radioactive cloud dose calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Healy, J.W.

1984-01-01

Radiological dosage principles, as well as methods for calculating external and internal dose rates, following dispersion and deposition of radioactive materials in the atmosphere are described. Emphasis has been placed on analytical solutions that are appropriate for hand calculations. In addition, the methods for calculating dose rates from ingestion are discussed. A brief description of several computer programs are included for information on radionuclides. There has been no attempt to be comprehensive, and only a sampling of programs has been selected to illustrate the variety available

Application of dispersion and dose assessment models to the solid and liquid wastes facilities of Ezeiza radioactive waste management area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amado, Valeria A.; Lopez, Fabio O.

2007-01-01

This paper provides a dose assessment of the critic group from the near surface facility for solid and liquid waste, located at Ezeiza Atomic Center in Argentina (Ezeiza Radioactive Waste Management Area-AGE). The calculations were made using several approaches about source term. The activities for each radionuclide and facility were taken from the National Atomic Energy Commission's Inventory that corresponds to the first trimester of 2005. The radioactive decay of each radionuclide was considered. The work was performed in two steps. In the first step, using the Nuclide Dispersion in Phreatic Aquifer Model (DRAF), the dispersion of the contaminants into the phreatic aquifer until the discharge point at a superficial water course was considered. In the second step, the Consequences of Releases to the Environment Assessment Methodology Program (PC CREAM) was used for the study of radionuclides dispersion in superficial water course and dose calculations. The results from this paper show that, for every studied radionuclide, the doses involved are significantly lower than the values established by current regulations. On the other hand, those results put in evidence the utility of simple models in estimating the order of magnitude of expected concentrations and doses. It is important to highlight that the obtained results can be used only in the context of the suppositions that were made. (author) [es

Environmental impact assessment on the radioactive of a REE separation project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Nana; Zhu Yucheng; Cai Minqi

2011-01-01

Based on the investigation of field actual environment and analysis of radioactive sources, and industrial process techniques, environmental impact of the radioactive from a REE separation project has been analyzed, assessed and forecasted. The investigation and monitoring of actual radioactive in the environment indicated that value of assessment factors remained within the range of natural background level as a whole. The maximum annual individual effective dose for occupational worker and the public were forecasted and were found to be 1.622 mSv/a and 0.029 mSv/a respectively. Both of the values are lower than annual dose limit respectively. The radioactive impact of this project on the environment will comply with the standard limit of law and requirements after the reservation measures are carried out to REE. (authors)

A preliminary assessment of potential doses to man from radioactive waste dumped in the Arctic Sea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, S P [Forskningscente Risoe, Roskilde (Denmark); Iosjpe, M; Strand, P [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Oesteraas (Norway)

1995-09-01

This report describes a preliminary radiological assessment of collective doses to the world population from radioactive material dumped in the Barents and Kara Seas in the period 1961-1991. Information on the dumped waste and the rates of release of radionuclides have been available from Russian sources and from the International Atomic Energy Agency. A box model has been used to simulate the dispersion of radionuclides in the marine environment and to calculate the contamination of seafood and the subsequent radiation doses to man. Two release scenarios have been adopted. The worst-case release scenario which ignores the presence of barriers between spent nuclear fuel and seawater is estimated to give rise to about 10 mansieverts calculated to 1000 years from the time of release. A more realistic release scenario is estimated to cause about 3 mansieverts. In both cases exposure from the radionuclide {sup 137}Cs is found to dominate the doses. (au) 8 tabs., 56 ills., 19 refs.

A preliminary assessment of potential doses to man from radioactive waste dumped in the Arctic sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, S.P.; Iosjpe, M.; Strand, P.

1995-11-01

This report describes a preliminary radiological assessment of collective doses to the world population from radioactive material dumped in the Kara and Barents Seas in the period 1961-1991. Information on the dumped waste and the rates of release of radionuclides have been available from Russian sources and from the International Atomic Energy Agency. A box model has been used to simulate the dispersion of radionuclides in the marine environment and to calculate the contamination of seafood and the subsequent radiation doses to man. Two release scenarios have been adopted. The worst-case release scenario, which ignores the presence of barriers between spent nuclear fuel and seawater, is estimated to give rise to about 10 mansievert calculated to 1000 years from the time of release. A more realistic release scenario is estimated to cause about 3 mansieverts. In both cases exposure from the radionuclide 137 Cs is found to dominate the doses. 19 refs., 56 figs., 8 tabs

A preliminary assessment of potential doses to man from radioactive waste dumped in the Arctic Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, S.P.; Iosjpe, M.; Strand, P.

1995-09-01

This report describes a preliminary radiological assessment of collective doses to the world population from radioactive material dumped in the Barents and Kara Seas in the period 1961-1991. Information on the dumped waste and the rates of release of radionuclides have been available from Russian sources and from the International Atomic Energy Agency. A box model has been used to simulate the dispersion of radionuclides in the marine environment and to calculate the contamination of seafood and the subsequent radiation doses to man. Two release scenarios have been adopted. The worst-case release scenario which ignores the presence of barriers between spent nuclear fuel and seawater is estimated to give rise to about 10 mansieverts calculated to 1000 years from the time of release. A more realistic release scenario is estimated to cause about 3 mansieverts. In both cases exposure from the radionuclide 137 Cs is found to dominate the doses. (au) 8 tabs., 56 ills., 19 refs

Consultative exercise on dose assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridges, B A; Parker, T; Simmonds, J R; Sumner, D

2001-06-01

A summary is given of a meeting held at Sussex University, UK, in October 2000, which allowed the exchange of ideas on methods of assessment of dose to the public arising from potential authorised radioactive discharges from nuclear sites in the UK. Representatives of groups with an interest in dose assessments were invited, and hence the meeting was called the Consultative Exercise on Dose Assessments (CEDA). Although initiated and funded by the Food Standards Agency, its organisation, and the writing of the report, were overseen by an independent Chairman and Steering Group. The report contains recommendations for improvement in co-ordination between different agencies involved in assessments, on method development and on the presentation of data on assessments. These have been prepared by the Steering Group, and will be taken forward by the Food Standards Agency and other agencies in the UK. The recommendations are included in this memorandum.

Characteristics of environmental gamma-rays and dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Kimiaki; Moriuchi, Shigeru

1986-01-01

Environmental radioactivity has attracted much attention in terms of exposure to the population, although its exposure doses are minimal. This paper presents problems encountered in the assessment of exposure doses using model and monitoring systems, focusing on the characteristics, such as energy distribution, direction distribution, and site, of environmental gamma-rays. The assessment of outdoor and indoor exposure doses of natural gamma-rays is discussed in relation to the shielding effect of the human body. In the assessment of artificial gamma-rays, calculation of exposure doses using build-up factor, the shielding effect of the human body, and energy dependency of the measuring instrument are covered. A continuing elucidation about uncertainties in dose assessment is emphasized. (Namekawa, K.)

Real time source term and dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breznik, B.; Kovac, A.; Mlakar, P.

2001-01-01

The Dose Projection Programme is a tool for decision making in case of nuclear emergency. The essential input data for quick emergency evaluation in the case of hypothetical pressurised water reactor accident are following: source term, core damage assessment, fission product radioactivity, release source term and critical exposure pathways for an early phase of the release. A reduced number of radio-nuclides and simplified calculations can be used in dose calculation algorithm. Simple expert system personal computer programme has been developed for the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant for dose projection within the radius of few kilometers from the pressurised water reactor in early phase of an accident. The input data are instantaneous data of core activity, core damage indicators, release fractions, reduction factor of the release pathways, spray operation, release timing, and dispersion coefficient. Main dose projection steps are: accurate in-core radioactivity determination using reactor power input; core damage and in-containment source term assessment based on quick indications of instrumentation or on activity analysis data; user defines release pathway for typical PWR accident scenarius; dose calculation is performed only for exposure pathway critical for decision about evacuation or sheltering in early phase of an accident.(author)

Internal radiation doses from radioactivity of drinking water in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahlos, H.; Asikainen, M.

1980-01-01

A study of the radioactivity of drinking water in Finland was carried out from 1974 to 1978. Samples were collected from nearly all water supply plants with more than 200 users and from privately dug or drilled wells. This paper considers drinking water as a factor in increasing the natural radiation exposure of the population and estimates the collective and per capita dose rates caused by the 222 Rn present in water. Instead of performing dose calculations, the significance of 226 Ra and uranium is assessed by means of daily intake. The assessment is made for both the whole population and three subgroups using the water from water supply plants and privately dug or drilled wells. (author)

Radioactive environmental impact assessment for a production project of titanium dioxide by chlorination process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Guohua

2010-01-01

Based on the analysis of shifting direction of radionuclide in production process and the environmental investigation and monitoring, the radioactive environmental impact from a production project of titanium dioxide by chlorination process has been analyzed and assessed. The result of radioactive environmental investigation shows that values of assessment factors are in the range of environmental radioactive background. The radioactive environmental sensitive spot has been delineated. The results of radioactive environmental prediction show that the additional doses to workers and residents are 0.59 mSv/a and 9.28 × 10-4 mSv/a respectively which are less than the annual dose limits of administration. The radioactive environmental impact of the production project of the titanium dioxide by chlorination process will meet the needs of national regulations and standards if radiation protection and environmental protection measures are implemented and radioactive environmental monitoring are strengthened. (author)

Dose dispenser for radioactive gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horwitz, N.H.; Gutkowski, R.E.

1977-01-01

An activity metering apparatus for metering predetermined activities of radioactive gas from a supply ampul to dose vials is described. The apparatus includes a shielded ampul housing, a fine metering valve communicating with the ampul housing chamber, a shielded vial housing and a hypodermic needle communicating with the metering valve and received through an opening in the vial housing. A Geiger-Muller tube is adjustably supported opposite an opening in the vial housing, whereby the activity of the radioactive gas dispensed to a partially evacuated vial within the vial chamber may be read directly by a standard laboratory rate meter

Assessment of natural radioactivity and radiation hazard indices in different soil samples from Assiut governorate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Issa, S.A.M.; Uosif, M.A.M.; Hefni, M.A.; El-Kamel, A.H; Nesreen, A.A.

2013-01-01

Natural radioactive materials under certain conditions can reach hazard radiological levels. So, it becomes necessary to study the natural radioactivity levels in soil to assess the dose for the population in order to know the health risks and to have a baseline for future changes in the environmental radioactivity due to human activities. Determine the radioactivity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in surface and 20 cm soil samples collected beside Assiut fertilizer plant, Assiut government in south Upper Egypt, to assess their contribution to the external dose exposure. The contents of natural radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were measured in investigated samples by using gamma spectrometry [NaI (Tl) 3”x 3”]. The total absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, radium equivalent, excess lifetime cancer risk and the external hazard index, which resulted from the natural radionuclides in soil, were calculated

TSD-DOSE: A radiological dose assessment model for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfingston, M.; Arnish, J.; LePoire, D.; Chen, S.-Y.

1998-01-01

Past practices at US Department of Energy (DOE) field facilities resulted in the presence of trace amounts of radioactive materials in some hazardous chemical wastes shipped from these facilities. In May 1991, the DOE Office of Waste Operations issued a nationwide moratorium on shipping all hazardous waste until procedures could be established to ensure that only nonradioactive hazardous waste would be shipped from DOE facilities to commercial treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities. To aid in assessing the potential impacts of shipments of mixed radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes, a radiological assessment computer model (or code) was developed on the basis of detailed assessments of potential radiological exposures and doses for eight commercial hazardous waste TSD facilities. The model, called TSD-DOSE, is designed to incorporate waste-specific and site-specific data to estimate potential radiological doses to on-site workers and the off-site public from waste-handling operations at a TSD facility. The code is intended to provide both DOE and commercial TSD facilities with a rapid and cost-effective method for assessing potential human radiation exposures from the processing of chemical wastes contaminated with trace amounts of radionuclides

The use of safety indicators, complementary to dose and risk, in the assessment of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gera, F.; Vovk, I.; Wingefors, S.

1998-01-01

The use of safety indicators, other than dose and risk, to complement the safety assessment of disposal systems for radioactive waste, is not a new idea. Several possible approaches have been proposed through the years, including a discussion in an IAEA document of 1994. The present paper reviews critically the various proposed indicators, identifies the most promising ones and suggests a possible approach for the assessment of their viability. In particular it suggests that a Coordinated Research Project should be organized with the main objectives of assembling, reviewing and generating the necessary scientific information on natural values, particularly fluxes and concentrations of pollutants, and on their impacts on public health and environmental quality. (author)

Absorbed dose from traversing spherically symmetric, Gaussian radioactive clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, J.M.; Poston, J.W.

1999-01-01

If a large radioactive cloud is produced, sampling may require that an airplane traverse the cloud. A method to predict the absorbed dose to the aircrew from penetrating the radioactive cloud is needed. Dose rates throughout spherically symmetric Gaussian clouds of various sizes, and the absorbed doses from traversing the clouds, were calculated. Cloud size is a dominant parameter causing dose to vary by orders of magnitude for a given dose rate measured at some distance. A method to determine cloud size, based on dose rate readings at two or more distances from the cloud center, was developed. This method, however, failed to resolve the smallest cloud sizes from measurements made at 1,000 m to 2,000 m from the cloud center

The IRSN publishes an assessment of doses received in Japan by external irradiation due to radioactive deposits caused by the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

This document first describes how dry and wet radioactive deposits are formed. It also indicates their main components: iodine 131 and 132, caesium 134, 136 and 137, tellurium 132, and barium 140. It describes the different exposure ways due to radioactive deposits in the environment. A map indicates dose level assessments few tens of kilometres around the Fukushima power plant. A brief comment of this map is proposed

Radioactivity And Dose Assessment Of Rock And Soil Samples From Homa Mountain, Homa Bay County, Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otwoma, D.; Patel, J.P.; Bartilol, S.; Mustapha, A.O.

2013-01-01

The in situ measured average outdoor absorbed dose rate in air was found to vary from 108.4 to 1596.4 n Gy h -1 at Homa Mountain area in southwestern Kenya. Rock and soil samples collected gave average values of the radioactivity concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th of 915.6, 195.3 and 409.5 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The range of the annual effective dose for a person living in Homa Mountain area calculated varied from 28.6 to 1681.2, with a mean of 470.4 μSv. These results imply Homa Mountain have elevated levels of natural radioactivity thus the region is a high background radiation area

Collective dose estimates by the marine food pathway from liquid radioactive wastes dumped in the Sea of Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Togawa, O.; Povinec, P.P.; Pettersson, H.B.L.

1999-01-01

IAEA-MEL has been engaged in an assessment programme related to radioactive waste dumping by the former USSR and other countries in the western North Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas. This paper focuses on the Sea of Japan and on estimation of collective doses from liquid radioactive wastes. The results from the Japanese-Korean-Russian joint expeditions are summarized, and collective doses for the Japanese population by the marine food pathway are estimated from liquid radioactive wastes dumped in the Sea of Japan and compared with those from global fallout and natural radionuclides. The collective effective dose equivalents by the annual intake of marine products caught in each year show a maximum a few years after the disposals. The total dose from all radionuclides reaches a maximum of 0.8 man Sv in 1990. Approximately 90% of the dose derives from 137Cs, most of which is due to consumption of fish. The total dose from liquid radioactive wastes is approximately 5% of that from global fallout, the contribution of which is below 0.1% of that of natural 210Po

Radiological environmental dose assessment methods and compliance dose results for 2015 operations at the Savannah River Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jannik, G. T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Dixon, K. L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2016-09-01

This report presents the environmental dose assessment methods and the estimated potential doses to the offsite public from 2015 Savannah River Site (SRS) atmospheric and liquid radioactive releases. Also documented are potential doses from special-case exposure scenarios - such as the consumption of deer meat, fish, and goat milk.

Radiological environmental dose assessment methods and compliance dose results for 2015 operations at the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jannik, G. T.; Dixon, K. L.

2016-01-01

This report presents the environmental dose assessment methods and the estimated potential doses to the offsite public from 2015 Savannah River Site (SRS) atmospheric and liquid radioactive releases. Also documented are potential doses from special-case exposure scenarios - such as the consumption of deer meat, fish, and goat milk.

Occupational doses involved in a radioactive waste management laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima, Raquel dos Santos; Silva, Amanda J. da; Fernandes, Ivani M.; Mitake, Malvina Boni; Suzuki, Fabio Fumio

2008-01-01

The Radioactive Waste Laboratory (RWL) of IPEN-CNEN/SP receives, treats, packs, characterizes and stores institutional radioactive wastes, in their physical forms solid, liquid or gaseous and sealed radioactive sources, with the objective to assure an adequate level of protection to the population and to future generations and the preservation of environment. Since its creation, RWL has already received and treated about one thousand cubic meter of solid waste, eight thousand spent sealed radioactive sources from practices in industry, medicine and research, totaling more than 100 TBq. In addition, fifteen thousand radioactive lightning rods and twenty two thousand radioactive smoke detectors were received. The activities accomplished in RWL, as dismantling of lightning rods, compaction of solid wastes, decontamination of objects, waste characterization, treated waste packages rearrangement, among others, cause risks of intake and/or external exposure of workers. Requirements of radiological safety established in the regulations of the nuclear authority and international recommendations are consolidated in the RWL radioprotection plan in order to ensure the safety and protection of workers. In this paper, it was evaluated if the procedures adopted were in accordance with the requirements established in the radioprotection plan. It was also studied which activities in the waste management had substantial contribution to the occupational doses of the RWL workers in the period from 2001 up to 2006. For that, the radioprotection plan, the operational and safety procedures, the records of workplace monitoring and the individual dose reports were analyzed. It was observed that the highest individual doses resulted from operations of treated waste packages rearrangement in the facility, and none of the workers received doses above the annual limit. (author)

An airborne dispersion/dose assessment computer program. Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, C.K.; Kennedy, E.R.; Hughs, R.

1991-05-01

The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) staff have a need for an airborne dispersion-dose assessment computer programme for a microcomputer. The programme must be capable of analyzing the dispersion of both radioactive and non-radioactive materials. A further requirement of the programme is that it be implemented on the AECB complex of microcomputers and that it have an advanced graphical user interface. A survey of computer programs was conducted to determine which, if any, could meet the AECB's requirements in whole or in part. Ten programmes were selected for detailed review including programs for nuclear and non-radiological emergencies. None of the available programmes for radiation dose assessment meets all the requirements for reasons of user interaction, method of source term estimation or site specificity. It is concluded that the best option for meeting the AECB requirements is to adopt the CAMEO programme (specifically the ALOHA portion) which has a superior graphical user interface and add the necessary models for radiation dose assessment

Evaluation of doses during the handling and transport of radioactive wastes containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubik, I.; Kusovska, Z.; Hanusik, V.; Mrskova, A.; Kapisovsky, V.

2000-01-01

Radioactive waste products from the nuclear power plants (NPPs) must be isolated from contact with people for very long period of time. Low and intermediate-level waste will be disposed of in Slovakia in specially licensed Regional disposal facility which is located near the NPP Mochovce site. Radioactive waste accumulated in the Jaslovsk. Bohunice site, during the decommissioning process of the NPP A-1 and arising from the NPP V-1 and NPP V-2 operation, will be processed and shipped in standard concrete containers to the Mochovce Regional disposal facility. The treatment centre was build at the NPP Jaslovsk? Bohunice site which is in the trial operation now. It is supposed that radioactive waste containers will be transported by train from the treatment centre Jaslovsk? Bohunice to the site of Radioactive Waste Repository at Mochovce and by truck in the area of repository. To estimate the occupational radiation exposure during the transport the calculations of dose rates from the containers are necessary. The national regulations allow low level of radiation to emanate from the casks and containers. The maximum permissible volume radioactivity of wastes inside the container is limited in such a way that irradiation level should not exceed 2 mGy/h for the contact irradiation level and 0,1 mGy/h at 2-meter distance. MicroShield code was used to analyse shielding and assessing exposure from gamma radiation of containers to people. A radioactive source was conservatively modelled by homogenous mixture of radionuclides with concrete. Standard rectangular volume source and shield geometry is used in model calculations. The activities of the personnel during the transport and storage of containers are analysed and results of the evaluation of external dose rates and effective doses are described. (author)

Assessment of inhalation dose sensitivity by physicochemical properties of airborne particulates containing naturally occurring radioactive materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Si Young; Choi, Cheol Kyu; Kim, Yong Geon; Choi, Won Chul; Kim, Kwang Pyo [Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Facilities processing raw materials containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) may give rise to enhanced radiation dose to workers due to chronic inhalation of airborne particulates. Internal radiation dose due to particulate inhalation varies depending on particulate properties, including size, shape, density, and absorption type. The objective of the present study was to assess inhalation dose sensitivity to physicochemical properties of airborne particulates. Committed effective doses to workers resulting from inhalation of airborne particulates were calculated based on International Commission on Radiological Protection 66 human respiratory tract model. Inhalation dose generally increased with decreasing particulate size. Committed effective doses due to inhalation of 0.01μm sized particulates were higher than doses due to 100μm sized particulates by factors of about 100 and 50 for {sup 238}U and {sup 230}Th, respectively. Inhalation dose increased with decreasing shape factor. Shape factors of 1 and 2 resulted in dose difference by about 18 %. Inhalation dose increased with particulate mass density. Particulate mass densities of 11 g·cm{sup -3} and 0.7 g·cm{sup -3} resulted in dose difference by about 60 %. For {sup 238}U, inhalation doses were higher for absorption type of S, M, and F in that sequence. Committed effective dose for absorption type S of {sup 238}U was about 9 times higher than dose for absorption F. For {sup 230}Th, inhalation doses were higher for absorption type of F, M, and S in that sequence. Committed effective dose for absorption type F of {sup 230}Th was about 16 times higher than dose for absorption S. Consequently, use of default values for particulate properties without consideration of site specific physiochemical properties may potentially skew radiation dose estimates to unrealistic values up to 1-2 orders of magnitude. For this reason, it is highly recommended to consider site specific working materials and

Radioactive concentrations in foodstuffs and the ingestion dose from Romanian relevant diets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferdes, O.

1994-01-01

Radioactivity measurements of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains (wheat and bread), milk (cheese), meat and meat products from different areas have been done. High-resolution low-level gamma-ray spectrometry, low-level beta total analysis and radiochemical techniques were used. Many radionuclides, both man-made and natural, have been identified. Only a few of them (the man-made Cs, I and Sr as well as the natural 40 K, 7 Be, etc) were of biological importance. In order to predict the ingestion dose, it had to be studied the general pathway of radionuclides to man, including a transfer model to agricultural products and the processes involved in food chain contamination. Modelling the radionuclide behaviour included retention, radioactive decay, metabolic processes and retention after processing. Relevant aspects related to translocation, agricultural practices and food processing were also considered. The human dose due to radioactive intake could be assessed on the basis of a simplified model for radionuclide ingestion and assimilation, considering local conditions and specific diets. As a result the average diets were determined depending on geographical areas (urban, rural, plain and uphill) and age (children, youngsters and adults). The estimated values for yearly ingestion dose vary from a few mSv to tens of mSv (as in the case of 1986 and 1987). (author)

Radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, Yutaka

2008-01-01

Radioactive waste generated from utilization of radioisotopes and each step of the nuclear fuel cycle and decommissioning of nuclear facilities are presented. On the safe management of radioactive waste management, international safety standards are established such as ''The Principles of Radioactive Waste Management (IAEA)'' and T he Joint Convention on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management . Basic steps of radioactive waste management consist of treatment, conditioning and disposal. Disposal is the final step of radioactive waste management and its safety is confirmed by safety assessment in the licensing process. Safety assessment means evaluation of radiation dose rate caused by radioactive materials contained in disposed radioactive waste. The results of the safety assessment are compared with dose limits. The key issues of radioactive waste disposal are establishment of long term national strategies and regulations for safe management of radioactive waste, siting of repository, continuity of management activities and financial bases for long term, and security of human resources. (Author)

A methodology for the evaluation of collective doses arising from radioactive discharges to the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallam, J.; Linsley, G.S.

1980-01-01

The ICRP recommend the use of optimisation as a means of ensuring that the total detriment from any practice is appropriately small in relation to the benefit resulting from its introduction. The calculation of total health detriment requires the evaluation of the complete dose distribution throughout the irradiated population from all isotopes via all pathways. This paper describes methods for the evaluation of collective dose, which may be used in the assessment of detriment. The stages in the assessment of collective dose from an atmospheric release can be summarised as follows: (1) An atmospheric dispersion model is used to evaluate the spatial distribution of activity and thereby the dose to an individual from inhalation and external irradiation at any position with respect to the discharge point. (2) The UK population distribution on a 1 x 1 km grid is then used for the evaluation of collective dose from these pathways. (3) Foodchain models are used to estimate the radioactivity per unit mass in a range of different foodstuffs per unit deposition rate or surface deposit. (4) The distribution of agricultural practices in the UK on a 5 x 5 km grid, taken together with the atmospheric dispersion model allows the estimation of the total activity reaching man via food, and hence the collective dose. This combination of models and data arrays allows assessments to be made of the collective dose due to atmospheric releases of radioactive materials at any geographical location in the United Kingdom. (author)

Establishment of exposure dose assessment laboratory in National Radiation Emergency Medical Center (NREMC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Jae Ryong; Ha, Wi Ho; Yoon, Seok Won; Han, Eun Ae; Lee, Seung Sook [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2011-10-15

As unclear industry grown, 432 of the nuclear power plants are operating and 52 of NPPs are under construction currently. Increasing use of radiation or radioisotopes in the field of industry, medical purpose and research such as non-destructive examination, computed tomography and x-ray, etc. constantly. With use of nuclear or radiation has incidence possibility for example the Fukushima NPP incident, the Goiania accident and the Chernobyl Nuclear accident. Also the risk of terror by radioactive material such as Radiological Dispersal Device(RDD) etc. In Korea, since the 'Law on protection of nuclear facilities and countermeasure for radioactive preparedness was enacted in 2003, the Korean institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences(KIRAMS) was established for the radiation emergency medical response in radiological disaster due to nuclear accident, radioactive terror and so on. Especially National Radiation Emergency Medical Center(NREMC) has the duty that is protect citizens from nuclear, radiological accidents or radiological terrors through the emergency medical preparedness. The NREMC was established by the 39-article law on physical protection of nuclear material and facilities and measures for radiological emergencies. Dose assessment or contamination survey should be performed which provide the radiological information for medical response. For this reason, the NREMC establish and re-organized dose assessment system based on the existing dose assessment system of the NREMC recently. The exposure dose could be measured by physical and biological method. With these two methods, we can have conservative dose assessment result. Therefore the NREMC established the exposure dose assessment laboratory which was re-organized laboratory space and introduced specialized equipment for dose assessment. This paper will report the establishment and operation of exposure dose assessment laboratory for radiological emergency response and discuss how to enhance

Dose absorbed in the fetus by radioactive drugs prescribed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojo, A.M.; Gomez Parada, I.; Di Trano, J.L.

1998-01-01

This work aims to review existing guidelines on the hypothesis that must be taken into account when calculating impact from the dose on the fetus for widely employed radioactive drugs. Recent research is added giving data on placenta transference linked to pregnancy term. The most widely used diagnostic and therapeutic practices are analyzed comparing the dose impact on the fetus with limits internationally accepted. This will allow having the necessary tools to answer questions concerning radiological risks due to the administration of radioactive drugs to pregnant women

Effect of Hashimoto thyroiditis on low-dose radioactive-iodine remnant ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Hyungju; Choi, June Young; Moon, Jae Hoon; Park, Hyo Jin; Lee, Won Woo; Lee, Kyu Eun

2016-04-01

Radioactive-iodine remnant ablation is an integral part of the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) treatment. Although a minimum dose is usually recommended, there is controversy as to whether the low-dose (1100 MBq) radioactive-iodine remnant ablation is adequate for selected patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 691 patients. Patients with no remnant thyroid on the follow-up whole body scan and low stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) level (Hashimoto thyroiditis based on histopathology diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.23; p Hashimoto thyroiditis and elevated sTg are negative predictive factors for successful low-dose radioactive-iodine remnant ablation treatment. An appropriate risk-adjusted approach may improve the efficacy of radioactive-iodine remnant ablation treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E730-E735, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ASSESSMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS FOUND IN LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE STREAMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

R.H. Little, P.R. Maul, J.S.S. Penfoldag

2003-01-01

This paper describes and presents the findings from two studies undertaken for the European Commission to assess the long-term impact upon the environment and human health of non-radioactive contaminants found in various low level radioactive waste streams. The initial study investigated the application of safety assessment approaches developed for radioactive contaminants to the assessment of nonradioactive contaminants in low level radioactive waste. It demonstrated how disposal limits could be derived for a range of non-radioactive contaminants and generic disposal facilities. The follow-up study used the same approach but undertook more detailed, disposal system specific calculations, assessing the impacts of both the non-radioactive and radioactive contaminants. The calculations undertaken indicated that it is prudent to consider non-radioactive, as well as radioactive contaminants, when assessing the impacts of low level radioactive waste disposal. For some waste streams with relatively low concentrations of radionuclides, the potential post-closure disposal impacts from non-radioactive contaminants can be comparable with the potential radiological impacts. For such waste streams there is therefore an added incentive to explore options for recycling the materials involved wherever possible

Effective dose equivalent to breast fed infants due to artificial and natural radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos Venuti, G.; Felici, F.; Grisanti, A.; Grisanti, G.; Risica, S.; Simula, S.

1988-01-01

After the Chernobyl accident, the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), with the collaboration of the Epidemiological Unit of Latium District, started a research devoted to the study of the radioactive contamination of human milk in Latium. The motivation is three-fold, namely: to measure the contamination of a food product utilised for infants in order to assess the corresponding dose to breast-fed infants; to clarify any possible correlations between radioactive levels in human milk and those in the total body; to correlate the levels in human milk with those in the maternal diet

Dose estimation for the eye lens dealing with radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, A.; Lorenz, B.; Wuertemberger, M.

2013-01-01

A significant reduction of the dose limit for the lens of the eye is currently discussed in international committees. The ICRP had recommended a reduction from 150 mSv to 20 mSv, the IAEA-BSS have already adopted this value and the Euratom-BSS propose this too. In the practice of radiation protection the compliance with the limit for the lens of the eye has played a minor role so far. This was in practice assured by the compliance with the limit for the effective dose. With a possible stipulation of a much lower value in the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV), the question of compliance arises again. When handling radioactive waste where often gamma radiation is dominant it may happen that the (unshielded) eye region is much more exposed as the location of the (shielded) personal dosimeter. A theoretical study of typical GNS-workplaces in radioactive waste management has shown that up to a factor of 4 higher exposures may occur. A generic assessment under very conservative assumptions that was done first did not allow for the conclusion that the compliance of the new dose limit for the lens of the eye is given by complying with the limit for the effective dose. To get a more reliable basis the exposure situation will now be investigated by measurements that are carried out with specific TLDs provided by the MPA Dortmund. (orig.)

Dose assessment activities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, S.L.; Graham, J.C.

1996-01-01

Dose assessments, both retrospective and prospective, comprise one important function of a radiological study commissioned by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) government in late 1989. Estimating past or future exposure requires the synthesis of information from historical data, results from a recently completed field monitoring program, laboratory measurements, and some experimental studies. Most of the activities in the RMI to date have emphasized a pragmatic rather than theoretical approach. In particular, most of the recent effort has been expended on conducting an independent radiological monitoring program to determine the degree of deposition and the geographical extent of weapons test fallout over the nation. Contamination levels on 70% of the land mass of the Marshall Islands were unknown prior to 1994. The environmental radioactivity data play an integral role in both retrospective and prospective assessments. One recent use of dose assessment has been to interpret environmental measurements of radioactivity into annual doses that might be expected at every atoll. A second use for dose assessment has been to determine compliance with dose action level for the rehabitation of Rongelap Island. Careful examination of exposure pathways relevant to the island lifestyle has been necessary to accommodate these purposes. Finally, an examination is underway of gummed film, fixed-instrument, and aerial survey data accumulated during the 1950's by the Health and Safety Laboratory of the U.S. AEC. This article gives an overview of these many different activities and a summary of recent dose assessments

Doses to road transport workers from radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, B.E.; van der Vooren, A.

1988-12-01

Each year approximately 750,000 packages of radioactive materials are shipped throughout Canada. Regulatory controls on these shipments are designed to keep radiation doses received by transport workers well within acceptable limits. Since many of these workers are not monitored for radiation exposure, however, little factual information has been available in Canada to support theoretical estimates. A study to document actual radiation doses received by a select group of transport workers that is actively involved in the shipment of radioactive materials, was carried out in 1987 and 1988. This study involved the monitoring of 31 candidates from nine transport companies from across the country that handle medical isotopes, industrial isotopes, uranium fuel cycle materials and associated radioactive wastes. Each of the candidates (consisting of driver, dock workers, sorters, and supervisors) was issued personal thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) badges that were worn each day during the six month monitoring period. Some of the candidates were also issued cab or area dosimeters that were left in the cabs of the vehicles or in work areas so that the dose received in these areas could be differentiated from total personal exposure. During the monitoring program, the candidates filled out reporting sheets at the end of each working day to document information such as the quantity of materials handled, handling times and vehicle size. This information and the dosimetry data were used in the development of correlations between materials handled and doses reported so that doses for other handling similar materials could be estimated. Based on the results of the study, it was learned that while most of the transport workers receive doses that are at or near background levels, other (particularly those handling medical isotopes) are exposed to levels of radiation that may result in their receiving doses above the 5 mSv per annum limit set for members of the general public. On

Radiological risk assessment for radioactive contamination at landfill site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devgun, J.S.

1990-01-01

A limited-scope preliminary assessment of radiological risk has been conducted for a landfill site where radioactive residues resulting from past uranium ore processing operations are present. Potential radiation doses to an individual under different scenarios have been predicted using the RESRAD computer code. The assessment provides useful input to the remedial action planning for the site that is currently underway. 7 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

Intruder dose pathway analysis for the onsite disposal of commercial radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Peloquin, R.A.; Napier, B.A.

1984-10-01

Because of uncertainties associated with assessing the potential risks from onsite burials of commercial radioactive waste, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has amended its regulations to provide greater assurance that buried radioactive material will not present a hazard to public health and safety. The amended regulations now require licensees to apply for approval of proposed procedures for onsite disposal pursuant to 10 CFR 20.302. The NRC technically reviews these requests on a case-by-case basis. These technical reviews require modeling potential pathways to man and projecting radiation dose commitments. This paper contains a summary of our efforts to develop human-intrusion scenarios and to modify a version of the MAXI computer program for potential use by the NRC in reviewing applications for onsite radioactive waste disposal. The ONSITE/MAXI1 computer software package contains four computer codes. ONSITE is the interactive user interface that allows the end-user to simply and efficiently create and use the radiation-exposure scenarios. MAXI1 is then used with the scenario information to calculate the maximum annual dose to the exposed individual from selected pathways. 1 figure

Comparative analysis of doses to aquatic biota in water bodies impacted by radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryshev, A.I.; Sazykina, T.G.

2012-01-01

Comparative analysis of doses to the reference species of freshwater biota was performed for the following water bodies in Russia or former USSR: Chernobyl NPPs cooling pond, Lakes Uruskul and Berdenish located in the Eastern Urals Radioactive Trace, Techa River, Yenisei River. It was concluded that the doses to biota were considerably different in the acute and chronic periods of radioactive contamination. The most vulnerable part of all considered aquatic ecosystems was benthic trophic chain. A numerical scale on the “dose rate – effects” relationships for fish was formulated. Threshold dose rates above which radiation effects can be expected in fish were evaluated to be the following: 1 mGy d −1 for appearance of the first morbidity effects in fish; 5 mGy d −1 for the first negative effects on reproduction system; 10 mGy d −1 for the first effects on life shortening of fish. The results of dose assessment to biota were compared with the scale “dose rate – effects” and the literature data on the radiobiological effects observed in the considered water bodies. It was shown that in the most contaminated water bodies the dose rates were high enough to cause the radiobiological effects in fish. - Highlights: ► Comparative analysis of dose rates to biota in different water bodies was performed. ► A numerical scale on the dose rates – effects relationships for fish was formulated. ► Results of assessment of exposure to biota were compared with the dose rates – effects scale. ► In the most contaminated water bodies the doses were high enough to cause radiobiological effects in fish. ► Current dose rates to biota in all considered water bodies are below the safety level of 1 mGy/day.

Safety assessment for Area 5 radioactive-waste-management site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, P.H.; Card, D.H.; Horton, K.

1982-09-01

The Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Safety Assessment Document contains evaluations of site characteristics, facilities, and operating practices that contribute to the safe handling, storage, and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes at the Nevada Test Site. Physical geography, cultural factors, climate and meteorology, geology, hydrology (with emphasis on radionuclide migration), ecology, natural phenomena, and natural resources are discussed and determined to be suitable for effective containment of radionuclides. A separate section considers facilities and operating practices such as monitoring, storage/disposal criteria, site maintenance, equipment, and support. The section also considers the transportation and waste handling requirements supporting the new Greater Confinement Disposal Facility (GCDF), GCDF demonstration project, and other requirements for the safe handling, storage, and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes. Finally, the document provides an analysis of releases and an assessment of the near-term operational impacts and dose commitments to operating personnel and the general public from normal operations and anticipated accidental occurrences. The conclusion of this report is that the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site is suitable for low-level radioactive waste handling, storage, and disposal. Also, the new GCDF demonstration project will not affect the overall safety of the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site

Collective doses to man from dumping of radioactive waste in the Arctic Seas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, S P; Iosjpe, M; Strand, P

1997-08-25

A box model for the dispersion of radionuclides in the marine environment covering the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean has been constructed. Collective doses from ingestion pathways have been calculated from unit releases of the radionuclides 3H, 60Co, 63Ni, 90Sr, 129I, 137Cs, 239Pu and 241Am into a fjord on the east coast of NovayaZemlya. The results show that doses for the shorter-lived radionuclides (e.g. 137Cs) are derived mainly from seafood production in the Barents Sea. Doses from the longer-lived radionuclides (e.g. 239Pu) are delivered through marine produce further away from the Arctic Ocean. Collective doses were calculated for two release scenarios, both of which are based on information of the dumping of radioactive waste in the Barents and Kara Seas by the former Soviet Union and on preliminary information from the International Arctic Sea Assessment Programme. A worst-case scenario was assumed according to which all radionuclides in liquid and solid radioactive waste were available for dispersion in the marine environment at the time of dumping. Release of radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel was assumed to take place by direct corrosion of the fuel ignoring the barriers that prevent direct contact between the fuel and the seawater. The second scenario selected assumed that releases of radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel do not occur until after failure of the protective barriers. All other liquid and solid radioactive waste was assumed to be available for dispersion at the time of discharge in both scenarios. The estimated collective dose for the worst-case scenario was about 9 manSv and that for the second scenario was about 3 manSv. In both cases, 137Cs is the radionuclide predicted to dominate the collective doses as well as the peak collective dose rates.

Assessment of environmental radioactivity for Sanliurfa region of southeastern Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozkurt, Ahmet; Yorulmaz, Nuri; Kam, Erol; Karahan, Gursel; Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

2007-01-01

This study assesses the level of background radiation for Sanliurfa province of southeastern Turkey. Measurements of outdoor gamma radiation (of terrestrial and cosmic origin) in air were performed at 112 locations using a plastic scintillator and the average absorbed dose was found as 60.9 nGy/h (corresponding to an effective dose of 74.7μSv/y). The radionuclide activity concentrations in 45 soil samples collected from the study area were measured through gamma-ray spectrometry and the average activities were determined as 20.8, 24.95 and 298.6 for the natural radionuclides 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively, and 9.08 Bq/kg for the fission product 137 Cs. The natural radioactivity sources resulted in an effective dose of 46.9μSv/y. The radioactivity levels of 53 drinking water samples were measured as 0.038 Bq/l for gross-alpha activity and 0.1324 Bq/l for gross-beta activity using gross-alpha and gross-beta counting methods (equivalent to an effective dose of 7.76μSv/y). When compared with the data available for other Turkish cities, the outdoor gamma doses and soil radioactivity concentrations obtained in this study indicate a background radiation level that falls within natural limits. On the other hand, the measured gross-alpha and -beta activities in drinking water are relatively higher

Biological dose assessment of 15 victims in Haerbin radiation accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jian-xiang; Huang, Min-yan; Ruan, Jian-lei; Bai, Yu-shu; Xu, Su

2008-01-01

Full text: a) On July 5 and 8, 2005, Two patients with bone marrow suppression were successively hospitalized by the First Affiliated Hospital of Haerbin Medical University. Examination results showed that the patients seemed to get suspicious radiation disease. On July 13, 2005, a radioactive source was found in the patients' dwelling. The radiation source is Iridium-192 with 0.5 Ci(1.85 x 10 10 Bq) radioactivity. The radiation source is a metal bar which is a kind of radioactive industrial detection source for welding. The source is currently stored in the urban radioactive waste storehouse of Heilongjiang province. After finding the radioactive source on July 13, The Haerbin municipal government initiated an emergency response plan and developed medical rescue, radioactive source examination and case detection through organizing ministries involving health, environmental protection and public security. After receiving a report at 17:00 on July 14, 2005, Chinese Ministry of Health immediately sent experts to the spot for investigation, dose estimation and direction of patients' rescue. Health authority carried out physical examination twice on 113 residents within 30 meters to the source, among which 4 got radiation sickness, 5 showed abnormal hemotogram, and others showed no abnormal response. Of 4 patients with radiation sickness, one 81 year old patient has died of severe bone marrow form of sub acute radiation sickness coupled with lung infection and prostrate apparatus at 13:00 on Oct., 20. Two children have been treated in Beitaiping Road Hospital in Beijing, another patient has been treated in local hospital. b) Biological dosimetry using conventional chromosome aberration analysis in human peripheral blood lymphocytes has been shown as a reliable and useful tool in medical management of radiation accident victims. Peripheral blood lymphocytes of the victims were cultured using conventional culture medium with colchicine added at the beginning. Chromosome

Analysis of occupational doses in radioactive and nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curti, A.; Gomez P, I.; Pardo, G.; Thomasz, E.

1996-01-01

Occupational doses were analyzed in the most important nuclear and radioactive facilities in Argentina, on the period 1988-1994. The areas associated with uranium mining and milling, and medical uses of radiation facilities were excluded from this analysis. The ICRP publication 60 recommendations, adopted in 1990, and enforced in Argentine in 1994, keep the basic criteria of dose limitation system and recommend a substantial reduction in the dose limits. The reduction of the dose limits will affect the individual dose distributions, principally in those installations with occupational doses close to 50 mSv. It were analyzed Occupational doses, principally in the following facilities: Atucha-I and Embalse Nuclear Power Plants, radioisotope production plants, research reactors and radioactive waste management plants. The highest doses were identified in each facility, as well as the task associated with them. Trends in the individual dose distribution and collective and average doses were analyzed. It is concluded, that no relevant difficulties should appear in accomplishing with the basic standards for radiological safety, except for the Atucha-I Nuclear Power Plant. In this NPP a significant effort for the optimization of radiological safety procedures in order to diminish the occupational doses, and a change of the fuel channels by new ones free of cobalt are being carried out. (authors). 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Radiological safety assessment of transporting radioactive waste to the Gyeongju disposal facility in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Jong Tae; Baik, Min Hoon; Kang, Mun Ja; Ahn, Hong Joo; Hwang, Doo Seong; Hong, Dae Seok; Jeong, Yong Hwan; Kim, Kyung Su [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

A radiological safety assessment study was performed for the transportation of low level radioactive wastes which are temporarily stored in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, Korea. We considered two kinds of wastes: (1) operation wastes generated from the routine operation of facilities; and (2) decommissioning wastes generated from the decommissioning of a research reactor in KAERI. The important part of the radiological safety assessment is related to the exposure dose assessment for the incident-free (normal) transportation of wastes, i.e., the radiation exposure of transport personnel, radiation workers for loading and unloading of radioactive waste drums, and the general public. The effective doses were estimated based on the detailed information on the transportation plan and on the radiological characteristics of waste packages. We also estimated radiological risks and the effective doses for the general public resulting from accidents such as an impact and a fire caused by the impact during the transportation. According to the results, the effective doses for transport personnel, radiation workers, and the general public are far below the regulatory limits. Therefore, we can secure safety from the viewpoint of radiological safety for all situations during the transportation of radioactive wastes which have been stored temporarily in KAERI.

Radiological Safety Assessment of Transporting Radioactive Wastes to the Gyeongju Disposal Facility in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jongtae Jeong

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A radiological safety assessment study was performed for the transportation of low level radioactive wastes which are temporarily stored in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI, Daejeon, Korea. We considered two kinds of wastes: (1 operation wastes generated from the routine operation of facilities; and (2 decommissioning wastes generated from the decommissioning of a research reactor in KAERI. The important part of the radiological safety assessment is related to the exposure dose assessment for the incident-free (normal transportation of wastes, i.e., the radiation exposure of transport personnel, radiation workers for loading and unloading of radioactive waste drums, and the general public. The effective doses were estimated based on the detailed information on the transportation plan and on the radiological characteristics of waste packages. We also estimated radiological risks and the effective doses for the general public resulting from accidents such as an impact and a fire caused by the impact during the transportation. According to the results, the effective doses for transport personnel, radiation workers, and the general public are far below the regulatory limits. Therefore, we can secure safety from the viewpoint of radiological safety for all situations during the transportation of radioactive wastes which have been stored temporarily in KAERI.

Radioactive Waste Management Complex performance assessment: Draft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case, M.J.; Maheras, S.J.; McKenzie-Carter, M.A.; Sussman, M.E.; Voilleque, P.

1990-06-01

A radiological performance assessment of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory was conducted to demonstrate compliance with appropriate radiological criteria of the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the general public. The calculations involved modeling the transport of radionuclides from buried waste, to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the general public via air, ground water, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses were made for both offsite receptors and individuals intruding onto the site after closure. In addition, uncertainty analyses were performed. Results of calculations made using nominal data indicate that the radiological doses will be below appropriate radiological criteria throughout operations and after closure of the facility. Recommendations were made for future performance assessment calculations.

Radioactive Waste Management Complex performance assessment: Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Case, M.J.; Maheras, S.J.; McKenzie-Carter, M.A.; Sussman, M.E.; Voilleque, P.

1990-06-01

A radiological performance assessment of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory was conducted to demonstrate compliance with appropriate radiological criteria of the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the general public. The calculations involved modeling the transport of radionuclides from buried waste, to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the general public via air, ground water, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses were made for both offsite receptors and individuals intruding onto the site after closure. In addition, uncertainty analyses were performed. Results of calculations made using nominal data indicate that the radiological doses will be below appropriate radiological criteria throughout operations and after closure of the facility. Recommendations were made for future performance assessment calculations

Sources of radioactivity in the marine environment and their relative contributions to overall dose assessment from marine radioactivity (MARDOS). Final report of a co-ordinated research programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-10-01

The document provides data on radionuclide levels in the marine environment and estimates doses from marine radioactivity through ingestion of sea food. Two radionuclides -natural Po210 and Cs 137 -are studied, as they are radiologically the most important representatives of each class of marine radioactivity on global scale. The results of the study confirm that the dominant contribution to doses comes from natural Po 210 in fish and shellfish and that the contribution of anthropogenic Sc 137 (mostly coming from nuclear weapons test) is negligible (100 to 1000 time lower) 14 refs, 12 figs, 13 tabs

Sources of radioactivity in the marine environment and their relative contributions to overall dose assessment from marine radioactivity (MARDOS). Final report of a co-ordinated research programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-01

The document provides data on radionuclide levels in the marine environment and estimates doses from marine radioactivity through ingestion of sea food. Two radionuclides -natural Po210 and Cs 137 -are studied, as they are radiologically the most important representatives of each class of marine radioactivity on global scale. The results of the study confirm that the dominant contribution to doses comes from natural Po 210 in fish and shellfish and that the contribution of anthropogenic Sc 137 (mostly coming from nuclear weapons test) is negligible (100 to 1000 time lower) 14 refs, 12 figs, 13 tabs.

Dose-volume histograms based on serial intravascular ultrasound: a calculation model for radioactive stents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirisits, Christian; Wexberg, Paul; Gottsauner-Wolf, Michael; Pokrajac, Boris; Ortmann, Elisabeth; Aiginger, Hannes; Glogar, Dietmar; Poetter, Richard

2001-01-01

Background and purpose: Radioactive stents are under investigation for reduction of coronary restenosis. However, the actual dose delivered to specific parts of the coronary artery wall based on the individual vessel anatomy has not been determined so far. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) permit an estimation of the actual dose absorbed by the target volume. We present a method to calculate DVHs based on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) measurements to determine the dose distribution within the vessel wall. Materials and methods: Ten patients were studied by intravascular ultrasound after radioactive stenting (BX Stent, P-32, 15-mm length) to obtain tomographic cross-sections of the treated segments. We developed a computer algorithm using the actual dose distribution of the stent to calculate differential and cumulative DVHs. The minimal target dose, the mean target dose, the minimal doses delivered to 10 and 90% of the adventitia (DV10, DV90), and the percentage of volume receiving a reference dose at 0.5 mm from the stent surface cumulated over 28 days were derived from the DVH plots. Results were expressed as mean±SD. Results: The mean activity of the stents was 438±140 kBq at implantation. The mean reference dose was 111±35 Gy, whereas the calculated mean target dose within the adventitia along the stent was 68±20 Gy. On average, DV90 and DV10 were 33±9 Gy and 117±41 Gy, respectively. Expanding the target volume to include 2.5-mm-long segments at the proximal and distal ends of the stent, the calculated mean target dose decreased to 55±17 Gy, and DV 90 and DV 10 were 6.4±2.4 Gy and 107±36 Gy, respectively. Conclusions: The assessment of DVHs seems in principle to be a valuable tool for both prospective and retrospective analysis of dose-distribution of radioactive stents. It may provide the basis to adapt treatment planning in coronary brachytherapy to the common standards of radiotherapy

Offsite doses from SRP radioactive releases - 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marter, W.L.

1986-01-01

This memorandum summarizes the offsite doses from releases of radioactive materials to the environment from SRP operations in 1985. These doses were calculated for inclusion in the environmental report for 1985 to be issued by the Health Protection Department (DPSPU-86-30-1). The environmental report is prepared annually for distribution to state environmental agencies, the news media, and interested members of the public. More detailed data on offsite exposures by radionuclide and exposure pathway will be included in the environmental report

Radiation Dose for Self-Disposal due to the Quantity of Radioactive Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Daeseo; Sung, Hyun-Hee; Kim, Seung-Soo; Kim, Gye-Nam; Choi, Jong-Won [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this study, we evaluated resident radiation dose due to cover depth on contaminated zone such as uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes under radiation dose limit using RESRAD Version 7.0. The uranium concentration of contaminated zone due to the cover depth are also analyzed. Possibility for self-disposal of uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes is evaluated from these calculating data. There are several radioactive material disposal methods such as regulation exemption, decontamination and long term storage. To acquire radiation dose under self-disposal from them, the study on decontamination of some uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes was performed using electrokinectic-electrodialytic. We evaluated radiation dose due to cover depth on contaminated zone such as uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes under radiation dose limit using RESRAD Version 7.0. As cover depth increases, the tolerable uranium concentration increases up to cover depth (1.5 m) and then it showed saturated uranium concentration above cover depth (1.5 m). Therefore, to carry out self-disposal on the quantity (1000 drums≒300,000 kg) of radioactive waste is easier than to carry out on the quantity (2000 drums≒600,000 kg) of radioactive waste owing to the large tolerable uranium concentration for self-disposal of radioactive waste. As cover depth increases, the individual radiation dose rate decreased up to cover depth (1.5 m) and then it showed saturated individual radiation dose rate above cover depth (1.5 m)

Radiation Dose for Self-Disposal due to the Quantity of Radioactive Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Daeseo; Sung, Hyun-Hee; Kim, Seung-Soo; Kim, Gye-Nam; Choi, Jong-Won

2016-01-01

In this study, we evaluated resident radiation dose due to cover depth on contaminated zone such as uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes under radiation dose limit using RESRAD Version 7.0. The uranium concentration of contaminated zone due to the cover depth are also analyzed. Possibility for self-disposal of uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes is evaluated from these calculating data. There are several radioactive material disposal methods such as regulation exemption, decontamination and long term storage. To acquire radiation dose under self-disposal from them, the study on decontamination of some uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes was performed using electrokinectic-electrodialytic. We evaluated radiation dose due to cover depth on contaminated zone such as uranium contaminated soil and concrete wastes under radiation dose limit using RESRAD Version 7.0. As cover depth increases, the tolerable uranium concentration increases up to cover depth (1.5 m) and then it showed saturated uranium concentration above cover depth (1.5 m). Therefore, to carry out self-disposal on the quantity (1000 drums≒300,000 kg) of radioactive waste is easier than to carry out on the quantity (2000 drums≒600,000 kg) of radioactive waste owing to the large tolerable uranium concentration for self-disposal of radioactive waste. As cover depth increases, the individual radiation dose rate decreased up to cover depth (1.5 m) and then it showed saturated individual radiation dose rate above cover depth (1.5 m)

Health and environmental impacts of a fertilizer plant - Part I: Assessment of radioactive pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Righi, Serena [Interdepartment Centre for Research in Environmental Science, University of Bologna, via dell' Agricoltura 5, 48100 Ravenna (Italy)]. E-mail: serena.righi2@unibo.it; Lucialli, Patrizia [ARPA, Emilia-Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention and Environment, Department of Ravenna, via Alberoni 17/19, 48100 Ravenna (Italy); Bruzzi, Luigi [Interdepartment Centre for Research in Environmental Science, University of Bologna, via dell' Agricoltura 5, 48100 Ravenna (Italy)

2005-07-01

The aim of the first part of this investigation is to assess the radioactive pollution caused by a production plant of complex fertilizers (that is to say containing nitrogen, phosphorus and, in some cases, potassium). Firstly, the authors determine the concentrations of natural radioactivity present in raw materials, end products and wastes of the industrial plant. Then, they carry out an assessment of radioactive releases into the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere as well as of their significance from the environmental point of view. The second part of the investigation will be aimed at assessing the annual effective doses to plant workers and to members of the population surrounding the industrial site.

Health and environmental impacts of a fertilizer plant - Part I: Assessment of radioactive pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Righi, Serena; Lucialli, Patrizia; Bruzzi, Luigi

2005-01-01

The aim of the first part of this investigation is to assess the radioactive pollution caused by a production plant of complex fertilizers (that is to say containing nitrogen, phosphorus and, in some cases, potassium). Firstly, the authors determine the concentrations of natural radioactivity present in raw materials, end products and wastes of the industrial plant. Then, they carry out an assessment of radioactive releases into the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere as well as of their significance from the environmental point of view. The second part of the investigation will be aimed at assessing the annual effective doses to plant workers and to members of the population surrounding the industrial site

Low-Dose Radioactive Iodine Destroys Thyroid Tissue Left after Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

A low dose of radioactive iodine given after surgery for thyroid cancer destroyed (ablated) residual thyroid tissue as effectively as a higher dose, with fewer side effects and less exposure to radiation, according to two randomized controlled trials.

On - Site Assessment Methods For Environmental Radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrinec, B.; Babic, D.; Bituh, T.

2015-01-01

A method for the rapid determination of radioactivity in cases of release into the environment as well as in cases of nuclear/radiological accidents is described. These measurements would enable a direct risk assessment for humans and biota, without any sampling and at a considerably larger number of locations than in previous studies. Thus obtained, the substantially expanded dataset is expected to shed more light on the properties of environmental radioactivity both in the region studied and in other similar areas. Field measurements will be performed and samples of soil and biota will be collected in order to compare field results with laboratory measurements. Once the method has been validated, previously unexplored locations will be included in the study. Our measurements at numerous locations will also provide control values for comparison in cases of any unplanned or accidental radiological event. An assessment of the possible effects of radionuclide concentrations on the human food chain and biota will be performed within the appropriate models used worldwide exactly for this purpose. In this way, the project should contribute to regional, European, and global efforts towards understanding the radiological impact on ecosystems. Field measurements will also address certain issues in the environmental metrology of radioactive substances, e.g., simultaneous determination of activity concentrations and related dose rates. This will serve as a tool for rapid risk assessment in emergency situations. (author).

EMP Attachment 3 DOE-SC PNNL Site Dose Assessment Guidance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snyder, Sandra F.

2011-12-21

This Dose Assessment Guidance (DAG) describes methods to use to determine the Maximally-Exposed Individual (MEI) location and to estimate dose impact to that individual under the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Site Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP). This guidance applies to public dose from radioactive material releases to the air from PNNL Site operations. This document is an attachment to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) and describes dose assessment guidance for radiological air emissions. The impact of radiological air emissions from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) PNNL Site is indicated by dose estimates to a maximally exposed member of the public, referred to as the maximally exposed individual (MEI). Reporting requirements associated with dose to members of the public from radiological air emissions are in 40 CFR Part 61.94, WAC 246-247-080, and DOE Order 458.1. The DOE Order and state standards for dose from radioactive air emissions are consistent with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dose standards in 40 CFR 61.92 (i.e., 10 mrem/yr to a MEI). Despite the fact that the current Contract Requirements Document (CRD) for the DOE-SC PNNL Site operations does not include the requirement to meet DOE CRD 458.1, paragraph 2.b, public dose limits, the DOE dose limits would be met when EPA limits are met.

TSD-DOSE : a radiological dose assessment model for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfingston, M.

1998-01-01

In May 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Waste Operations, issued a nationwide moratorium on shipping slightly radioactive mixed waste from DOE facilities to commercial treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities. Studies were subsequently conducted to evaluate the radiological impacts associated with DOE's prior shipments through DOE's authorized release process under DOE Order 5400.5. To support this endeavor, a radiological assessment computer code--TSD-DOSE (Version 1.1)--was developed and issued by DOE in 1997. The code was developed on the basis of detailed radiological assessments performed for eight commercial hazardous waste TSD facilities. It was designed to utilize waste-specific and site-specific data to estimate potential radiological doses to on-site workers and the off-site public from waste handling operations at a TSD facility. The code has since been released for use by DOE field offices and was recently used by DOE to evaluate the release of septic waste containing residual radioactive material to a TSD facility licensed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Revisions to the code were initiated in 1997 to incorporate comments received from users and to increase TSD-DOSE's capability, accuracy, and flexibility. These updates included incorporation of the method used to estimate external radiation doses from DOE's RESRAD model and expansion of the source term to include 85 radionuclides. In addition, a detailed verification and benchmarking analysis was performed

The assessment of radioactive dose of uranium miners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Zhumou

1988-01-01

The main factors of radioactive hazard in uranium mines are radioactive ore dust, radon gas and its daughters. These hazards often result in contracted sillicosis and lung cancer among miners. However, they can be fully avoided if some active radiation protection measures are adopted. According to the statistics over the past 30 years, the average annual sillicosis rate in uranium mines in China was only 0.083%, far less than that of coal mines and metal mines. On the other hand, the average lung cancer rate was 108.3/million.men.annum, which is also very low

Radioactivity of flour, wheat, bread improvers and dose estimates in Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamdan, Adam Mahana

2015-10-01

The steady rise in the use of isotopes and nuclear technology in various purposes in human life, both agro-industrial military, medical, may increase the chances of radioactive contamination that increases the exposure of ionizing radiation which raise awareness in increasing the need to know how to assess that exposure. Control of imported foodstuffs to ensure that not contaminated with radioactive materials is very important at this stage. The present study aims to investigating radioactivity in foodstuff consumed in Sudan to measure radionuclide in wheat flour, bread improvers specific objectives to measure radioactive contaminants and to estimate radiation dose from this consumption. The health impact of radionuclide ingestion from foodstuffs was evaluated by the committed effective doses determined in 30 samples of foodstuff. collected in the Port Sudan on the red sea, the radioactivity tracer of K-40, U-238 and Th-232 were measured by gamma ray spectrometry employing an using Nal (Ti) calibration process carried out for gamma spectrometry using MW652 as a reference source which recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) including source Cs-137 and Co-60 with two energy levels. The K-40 activity concentration in the flour samples, rang (303.07-40.48) (Bq/kg), 238U (4.81-1.95) (Bq/kg), Th-232 (7.60-1.61) Bq/kg) wheat samples range k-40 (250.62-27.22) (Bq/kg), U-238 (4.92-190) (Bq/kg), Th-232 (5.74-1.61) (Bq/kg) and bread improvers samples k-40 (68.60-13.61 (Bq/kg) U-238 (5.73-194) (Bq/kg). The total average effective dose for age (>17 years) was found in to flour be 2.35±7.12 mSv/y, 1.15±0.95 mSv/y, 1.65±2.02 mSv/y, the maximum dose values obtained were 6.01 mSv/y, 1.95 mSv/y, 1.57 mSv/y. The total average effective dose for age (>17 years) was found in to wheat 1.58±6.85 mSv/y 1.16±1.33 mSv/y, 0.48±1.14 mSv/y, the maximum dose values obtained were 4.14 mSv/y, 1.66 mSv/y, 0.99 mSv/y. The total average effective dose for age (>17 years) was

Assessment of annual effective dose from natural radioactivity intake through wheat grain produced in Faisalabad, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tufail, M.; Sabiha-Javied; Akhtar, N.; Akhter, J.

2010-01-01

Wheat is staple food of the people of Pakistan. Phosphate fertilizers, used to increase the yield of wheat, enhance the natural radioactivity in the agricultural fields from where radionuclides are transferred to wheat grain. A study was, therefore, carried out to investigate the uptake of radioactivity by wheat grain and to determine radiation doses received by human beings from the intake of foodstuffs made of wheat grain. Wheat was grown in a highly fertilized agricultural research farm at the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan. The activity concentration of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th was measured in soil, single superphosphate (SSP) fertilizer, and wheat grain using an HPGe-based gamma-ray spectrometer. Soil to wheat grain transfer factors determined for 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th were 0.118 ± 0.021, 0.022 ± 0.004 and 0.036 ± 0.007, respectively, and the annual effective dose received by an adult person from the intake of wheat products was estimated to be 217 μSv. (author)

Non-human biota dose assessment. Sensitivity analysis and knowledge quality assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K.; Robinson, C.; Jackson, D.; La Cruz, I. de; Zinger, I.; Avila, R.

2010-10-01

This report provides a summary of a programme of work, commissioned within the BIOPROTA collaborative forum, to assess the quantitative and qualitative elements of uncertainty associated with biota dose assessment of potential impacts of long-term releases from geological disposal facilities (GDF). Quantitative and qualitative aspects of uncertainty were determined through sensitivity and knowledge quality assessments, respectively. Both assessments focused on default assessment parameters within the ERICA assessment approach. The sensitivity analysis was conducted within the EIKOS sensitivity analysis software tool and was run in both generic and test case modes. The knowledge quality assessment involved development of a questionnaire around the ERICA assessment approach, which was distributed to a range of experts in the fields of non-human biota dose assessment and radioactive waste disposal assessments. Combined, these assessments enabled critical model features and parameters that are both sensitive (i.e. have a large influence on model output) and of low knowledge quality to be identified for each of the three test cases. The output of this project is intended to provide information on those parameters that may need to be considered in more detail for prospective site-specific biota dose assessments for GDFs. Such information should help users to enhance the quality of their assessments and build greater confidence in the results. (orig.)

Dose control in road transport of radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerulis, Eduardo

2013-01-01

The radiation doses to workers in the transport of radioactive material should be as low as reasonably achievable. The average doses of drivers and loaders, sampled in this thesis should be decreased. The demonstration of doses control in a road vehicle with radioactive material required by the current Brazilian regulation, CNEN NE 5.01 should be written in its own printed form with exposure values obtained in normally occupied positions from workers and members of the public, even when the consignment does not need 'exclusive use' (⅀IT ≤50). Through bibliographic research, modeling and field research, this research work shows that this demonstration of the control should be done by writing the registration accumulation of load, limited (⅀IT ≤50), also in the own printed form. It is for a better control method, in order to avoid the use of measuring equipment, to build standardization with foreign regulations, to the current occupational doses of radioprotection technicians, the costs and time, (important for consignment with radiopharmaceuticals short half-life) would be all smaller. Exposure values of the parameters used with this method are smaller than regulatory limits. The segregation distances between loads and the cabins of vehicles shall be showed by Brazilian regulation updated to contribute to these aims. (author)

Status of radiation dose and radioactive contamination due to the Fukushima accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Mamoru

2016-01-01

The accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), March 2011, caused serious radioactive contamination over wide area in east Japan. Therefore, it is important to know the effect of the accident and the status of NPP. This paper provides a review on the status of radiation dose and radioactive contamination caused by the accident on the basis of publicized information. Monitoring of radiation dose and exposure dose of residents has been conducted extensively by the governments and various organizations. The effective dose of general residents due to the accident proved to be less than a mSv both for external and internal dose. The equivalent committed dose of thyroid was evaluated to be a few mSv in mean value and less than 50 mSv even for children. Monitoring of radioactivity concentration has been carried out on food ingredients, milk and tap water, and actual meal. These studies indicated the percentage of foods above the regulation standard was over 10% in 2011 but decreasing steadily with time. The internal dose due to foods proved to be tens of μSv and much less than that due to natural 40 K even in the Fukushima area and decreasing steadily, although high level concentration is still observed in wild plants, wild mushrooms, animals and some kind of fishes. According to extensive studies, not only the effect of the accident but also the pathway and countermeasures against radioactive contamination have been revealed, and they are applied very effectively for restoration of environment and reconstruction of the area

Status of radiation dose and radioactive contamination due to the Fukushima accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baba, Mamoru [Tohoku Univeristy, Sendai (Japan)

2016-06-15

The accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), March 2011, caused serious radioactive contamination over wide area in east Japan. Therefore, it is important to know the effect of the accident and the status of NPP. This paper provides a review on the status of radiation dose and radioactive contamination caused by the accident on the basis of publicized information. Monitoring of radiation dose and exposure dose of residents has been conducted extensively by the governments and various organizations. The effective dose of general residents due to the accident proved to be less than a mSv both for external and internal dose. The equivalent committed dose of thyroid was evaluated to be a few mSv in mean value and less than 50 mSv even for children. Monitoring of radioactivity concentration has been carried out on food ingredients, milk and tap water, and actual meal. These studies indicated the percentage of foods above the regulation standard was over 10% in 2011 but decreasing steadily with time. The internal dose due to foods proved to be tens of μSv and much less than that due to natural {sup 40}K even in the Fukushima area and decreasing steadily, although high level concentration is still observed in wild plants, wild mushrooms, animals and some kind of fishes. According to extensive studies, not only the effect of the accident but also the pathway and countermeasures against radioactive contamination have been revealed, and they are applied very effectively for restoration of environment and reconstruction of the area.

Environmental impact assessment: Classification of ecosystems with respect to vulnerability for radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blytt, Line Diana

1999-01-01

This presentation recommends that an environmental impact assessment should be made ahead of any major action plan in the environment. The final document should point out to the authorities and public that expertise has been systematised in order to predict the effects of an action plan on the environment. This should be done for different scenarios and time scales. A useful tool for an environmental impact assessment is GIS, Geographic Information Systems. It can be used to identify areas and ecosystems that are vulnerable to radioactive contamination. To predict the radiation dose to humans and biota, a vulnerability assessment considers population density, land use, economic resources and the chemical and biological pathways of radionuclides in different ecosystems. Supplemented with knowledge of consumption and dietary habits a vulnerability assessment can be used to identify critical groups and to calculate doses to these groups. For ecosystems, vulnerability can be quantified by using critical loads for radioactive contamination or flux of radionuclides from an area. One criterion for critical load can be that intervention limits for food products should not be exceeded. If the critical load is low, this indicates a high vulnerability. The flux from an area can also identify vulnerability and it can be used to calculate collective dose. The vulnerability approach is a methodology that can be used to select areas that are suitable for treatment, transport and disposal of radioactive waste

Assessment of recycling or disposal alternatives for radioactive scrap metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphie, W.E.; Lilly, M.J. III

1993-01-01

The US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, is participating with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an evaluation of management alternatives for radioactive scarp metals. For this purpose, Argonne National Laboratory is assessing alternatives for radioactive scrap metals. For this purpose, Argonne National Laboratory is assessing environmental and societal implications of recycling and/or disposal process alternatives (with metal replacement). Findings will be presented in a report from the OECD Task Group. This paper focuses on the radiological risk assessment and dose estimate sensitivity analysis. A ''tiered'' concept for release categories, with and without use restrictions, is being developed. Within the tiers, different release limits may be indicated for specific groupings of radionuclides. Depending on the spectrum of radionuclides that are present and the level of residual activity after decontamination and/or smelting, the scrap may be released for unrestricted public use or for specified public uses, or it may be recycled within the nuclear industry. The conversatism of baseline dose estimates is examined, and both more realistic parameter values and protective measures for workers are suggested

Ecological risk assessment for the terrestrial ecosystem under chronic radioactive pollution - Ecological risk assessment for the biota on regional radioactive waste storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lavrentyeva, G.V.; Synzynys, B.I.; Shoshina, R.R.; Mirzeabasov, O.A. [Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering, branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Department of Ecology, Studgorodok,1, 249040 Obninsk, Kaluga region (Russian Federation)

2014-07-01

Now the methods of ecological regulation of a radiation factor from risk assessment are developed poorly. The paper attempts to assess and forecast the terrestrial ecosystem conditions under chronic ionizing radiation by calculating the critical loads. The paper is aimed at developing a methodology to assess the ecological risk for a terrestrial ecosystem under chronic radioactive pollution in a biotope of a regional radioactive waste storage. Objects and Methods: Biotope monitoring of a radioactive waste storage makes clear that the radioecological situation in this territory is stipulated by technogenic {sup 90}Sr found in soil, ground water and biota. Terrestrial mollusks of a shrubby Snail type (Bradybaena fruticum) were chosen as reference species due to their activity to accumulate {sup 90}Sr in shells and the number of colony-forming soil units (CFU) as reference indices. The number of CFU was determined by inoculation of solid medium. Soil and mollusk samples have been collected at most representative sites identified in the previous studies. To assess {sup 90}Sr content in the samples collected, radiochemical separation was used with further radionuclide activity measurements by a 'BETA-01C' scintillation beta-ray spectrometer according to a standard procedure of {sup 90}Sr content assessment from beta-radiation of its daughter radionuclide {sup 90}Y. Ecological risk was calculated from analyzed critical loads using a 'dose-effect' dependence. Statistical data processing was realized with Excell 2007 and R software programs [R Development Core Team, 2010]. The software R was also used for GIS creation. Results and Discussion: A methodology of ecological risk assessment for the terrestrial ecosystem under chronic radioactive pollution of a biotope near a regional radioactive waste storage has been developed in terms of the critical environmental loads analyzed. It consists of five stages: determination of effect indicators and assessment

Assessment and the levels of radioactivity of natural radionuclides in drinking waters in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yulan

1989-03-01

In order to assess the levels of radioactivity of natural radionuclides in drinking waters and to estimate the internal doses of the population of China from ingestion, 1650 samples of waters were collected from normal radiation background areas of 28 provinces or autonomous regions of China. Radioactivity levels of U, Th, 226 Ra and 40 K in drinking waters were determined. The levels and the characteristics of distribution of 4 radionuclides are given. The results show that radioactivity levels in the southeast China are lower than in the north and northwest China. The average radioactivity levles of the 4 radionuclides in China close to the average levels given in UNSCEAR 1986 report. The result of estimation of internal doses from ingestion in the population of China is below the corresponding results given in UNSCEAR 1986 report, but near the result given by ICRP

Impact assessment at a hypothetical submergence of a transport package of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumune, Daisuke; Saegusa, Toshiari; Ito, Chihiro

2007-01-01

Under INF code and IAEA standard, radioactive materials are transported safety on the sea. To gain the public acceptance for these transports additionally, impact assessments have been made by assuming that a radioactive material package might be sunk into the sea. A method of the impact assessment consists of the calculation of release rate of radionuclide from a package, calculation of radionuclide concentration in the ocean, and estimation of dose assessment for the public. An ocean general circulation model was used to calculate the radionuclide concentration in the ocean. Background radionuclide concentration by fallout was simulated by the ocean general circulation model in this method for the verification. Agreement between calculation and observation suggests that this method is appropriate for the assessment. In the both cases for a package sunk at the coastal region at the depth of two hundreds meters and for that sunk at the ocean at the depth of several thousands meters, the evaluated result of the dose equivalent by radiation exposure to the public are far below the dose equivalent limit of the ICRP recommendation (1 mSv/year). (author)

Radiological characterization and dose assessment in different scenarios of occupational and public exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials in the Republic of Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez Gomez, Isis Maria

2012-01-01

Cuba has identified situations where there working environments with the presence of natural radioactivity. Dose estimates in these environments could exceed the measured values for occupationally exposed workers, without there existed so far, with regulatory requirements for programs of radiation protection. In light of these situations, it has been necessary to assess the potential impact on these working groups of radiational load that they are subjected and establish regulatory criteria for protection in cases that require it. (author) [es

Radioactive Waste Management Complex low-level waste radiological performance assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maheras, S.J.; Rood, A.S.; Magnuson, S.O.; Sussman, M.E.; Bhatt, R.N.

1994-04-01

This report documents the projected radiological dose impacts associated with the disposal of radioactive low-level waste at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This radiological performance assessment was conducted to evaluate compliance with applicable radiological criteria of the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the public and the environment. The calculations involved modeling the transport of radionuclides from buried waste, to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the public via air, groundwater, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses were made for both offsite receptors and individuals inadvertently intruding onto the site after closure. In addition, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were performed. The results of the analyses indicate compliance with established radiological criteria and provide reasonable assurance that public health and safety will be protected.

Radioactive Waste Management Complex low-level waste radiological performance assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maheras, S.J.; Rood, A.S.; Magnuson, S.O.; Sussman, M.E.; Bhatt, R.N.

1994-04-01

This report documents the projected radiological dose impacts associated with the disposal of radioactive low-level waste at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This radiological performance assessment was conducted to evaluate compliance with applicable radiological criteria of the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the public and the environment. The calculations involved modeling the transport of radionuclides from buried waste, to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the public via air, groundwater, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses were made for both offsite receptors and individuals inadvertently intruding onto the site after closure. In addition, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were performed. The results of the analyses indicate compliance with established radiological criteria and provide reasonable assurance that public health and safety will be protected

Radiological impact assessment of the domestic on-road transportation of radioactive isotope wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Myung Hwan; Hong, Sung Wook; Park, Jin Beak [Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, Technology Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-09-15

Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) began to operate the low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility in Gyeongju and to transport the radioactive waste containing radioactive isotopes from Daejeon to the disposal facility for the first time at 2015. For this radioactive waste transportation, in this study, radiological impact assessment is carried out for workers and public. The dose rate to workers and public during the transportation is estimated with consideration of the transportation scenarios and is compared with the Korean regulatory limit. The sensitivity analysis is carried out by considering both the variation of release ratios of the radioactive isotopes from the waste and the variation of the distances between the radioactive waste drum and worker during loading and unloading of radioactive waste. As for all the transportation scenarios, radiological impacts for workers and public have met the regulatory limits.

Radiation doses from residual radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okajima, Shunzo; Fujita, Shoichiro; Harley, John H.

1987-01-01

In this chapter available data and calculations for assessing the exposure of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs and persons who entered the cities after the bombings have been presented. It appears that it is possible to produce firm estimates only for external radiation and, while the internal contribution for long-lived fission products appears small, there is no way to evaluate potential exposures to the short-lived fission products. The radiation exposure in the most highly contaminated fallout area of a few hectares at Nishiyama, Nagasaki, is estimated as 20 to 40 R when integrated from one hour to infinity using a decay exponent of -1.2. For the Hiroshima Koi-Takasu area, the corresponding exposure is estimated as 1 to 3 R. The falloff with distance for Nagasaki is not steep and an exposure of one-fifth of the maximum is spread over an area of perhaps 1000 ha. With the assumption stated above, the potential maximum exposures to external radiation from induced radioactivity at the hypocenter is estimated to be about 80 R fir Hiroshima and 30 to 40 R for Nagasaki with the assumptions stated above. These exposures fall off with both time and distance. The cumulative exposure would be about one-third as large after a day and only a few percent after a week. The falloff with distance is less striking, but can be estimated from the areas listed or from the curves shown in Gritzner and Woolson. Unlike the fallout, which exposed individuals in their living areas, exposures to induced activity came from reentry of individuals into the area around the hypocenter. As an example, an individual entering the Hiroshima hypocenter area after one day and working 10 or 20 hours a day for a week would have been exposed to about 10 R. If the person had been working at a distance of 500 m, the exposure would have been about 1 R and, at 1000 m, about 20 mR. The exposure described apply to the specified areas in the two cities. Application of these values to individuals

Feasibility study for the assessment of the exposed dose with TENORM added in consumer products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Do Hyeon; Lee, Hyun Cheol; Shin, Wook-Geun; Min, Chul Hee; Ha, Wi-Ho; Yoo, Jae Ryong; Yoon, Seok-Won; Lee, Jiyon; Choi, Won-Chul

2015-01-01

Consumer products including naturally occurring radioactive material have been distributed widely in human life. The potential hazard of the excessively added technically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in consumer products should be assessed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the organ equivalent dose and the annual effective dose with the usage of the TENORM added in paints. The activities of gammas emitted from natural radionuclides in the five types of paints were measured with the high-purity germanium detector, and the annual effective dose was assessed with the computational human phantom and the Monte Carlo method. The results show that uranium and thorium series were mainly measured over the five paints. Based on the exposure scenario of the paints in the room, the highest effective dose was evaluated as <1 mSv y -1 of the public dose limit. (authors)

Expected dose for the early failure scenario classes in the 2008 performance assessment for the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, J.C.; Hansen, C.W.; Sallaberry, C.J.

2014-01-01

Extensive work has been carried out by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the development of a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada, for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In support of this development and an associated license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the DOE completed an extensive performance assessment (PA) for the proposed YM repository in 2008. This presentation describes the determination of expected dose to the reasonably maximally exposed individual (RMEI) specified in the NRC regulations for the YM repository for the early waste package (WP) failure scenario class and the early drip shield (DS) failure scenario class in the 2008 YM PA. The following topics are addressed: (i) properties of the early failure scenario classes and the determination of dose and expected dose the RMEI, (ii) expected dose and uncertainty in expected dose to the RMEI from the early WP failure scenario class, (iii) expected dose and uncertainty in expected dose to the RMEI from the early DS failure scenario class, (iv) expected dose and uncertainty in expected dose to the RMEI from the combined early WP and early DS failure scenario class with and without the inclusion of failures resulting from nominal processes, and (v) uncertainty in the occurrence of early failure scenario classes. The present article is part of a special issue of Reliability Engineering and System Safety devoted to the 2008 YM PA; additional articles in the issue describe other aspects of the 2008 YM PA. - Highlights: • Extensive work has been carried out by the U.S. DOE in the development of a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada, for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. • Properties of the early failure scenario classes (i.e. early waste package failure and early drip shield failure) in the 2008 YM performance assessment are described. • Determination of dose, expected dose and expected (mean

Radiation doses from the transport of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, K.B.; Holyoak, B.

1983-01-01

A summary is given of a study on radiation exposure resulting from the transport of radioactive materials within the United Kingdom. It was concluded that the transport of technetium generators for hospital use accounts for about 49% of the occupational exposure for the normal transport of radioactive materials. Other isotopes for medical and industrial use contribute about 38% of the occupational exposure and the remainder can be attributed to transportation as a result of the nuclear fuel cycle including the transport of irradiated nuclear fuel. The occupational collective dose for all modes of transport is estimated at 1 man Sv y -1 . (UK)

Radiation doses arising from the air transport of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelder, R.; Shaw, K.B.; Wilson, C.K.

1989-01-01

There is a compelling need for the transport of radioactive material by air because of the requirement by hospitals throughout the world for urgent delivery for medical purposes. Many countries have no radionuclide-producing capabilities and depend on imports: a range of such products is supplied from the United Kingdom. Many of these are short lived, which explains the need for urgent delivery. The only satisfactory method of delivery on a particular day to a particular destination is often by the use of scheduled passenger air service. The International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO 1987-1988), prescribe the detailed requirements applicable to the international transport of dangerous goods by air. Radioactive materials are required to be separated from persons and from undeveloped photographic films or plates: minimum distances as a function of the total sum of transport indexes are given in the Instructions. A study, which included the measurement and assessment of the radiation doses resulting from the transport of radioactive materials by air from the UK, has been performed by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Department of Transport (DTp)

The Dose Assessment in the Vault Test Case of Near-Surface Disposal Facility for Drinking Water Scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Tae Hyoung; Choi, Byung Seon; Moon, Jei Kwon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jae Woo [Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

It is generally accepted that the radionuclides contained in the radioactive wastes will be eventually released and these will be transported to the accessible environment (near-field, far-field, biosphere). Therefore, the long-term safety assessment of near-surface radioactive waste disposal should be required by modeling the expected release of radionuclides from the repository, far-field area, and biosphere. Finally, the effective dose rate should be estimated through the released radionuclides. In this study, the radiological dose was evaluated for the reference near-surface radioactive waste disposal facility in Vaalputs, South Africa, which has been selected as a part of IAEA coordinated research program on improvement of safety assessment methodologies(ISAM). The assessment of radiological dose was performed for drinking water scenario from a well. The release and transport of radionuclides in disposal system were simulated by GoldSim. This approach suggested the time variation of effective dose over long-term period. And the results from this approach were compared with another approach method for the same facility and scenario

The Dose Assessment in the Vault Test Case of Near-Surface Disposal Facility for Drinking Water Scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tae Hyoung; Choi, Byung Seon; Moon, Jei Kwon; Park, Jae Woo

2012-01-01

It is generally accepted that the radionuclides contained in the radioactive wastes will be eventually released and these will be transported to the accessible environment (near-field, far-field, biosphere). Therefore, the long-term safety assessment of near-surface radioactive waste disposal should be required by modeling the expected release of radionuclides from the repository, far-field area, and biosphere. Finally, the effective dose rate should be estimated through the released radionuclides. In this study, the radiological dose was evaluated for the reference near-surface radioactive waste disposal facility in Vaalputs, South Africa, which has been selected as a part of IAEA coordinated research program on improvement of safety assessment methodologies(ISAM). The assessment of radiological dose was performed for drinking water scenario from a well. The release and transport of radionuclides in disposal system were simulated by GoldSim. This approach suggested the time variation of effective dose over long-term period. And the results from this approach were compared with another approach method for the same facility and scenario

Sensitivity of the assessment of public exposure originating from radioactive discharges as a subject of the methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krizman, M.J.; Peteh, D.; Vokal Nemec, B.; Cindro, M.

2007-01-01

Operational control of nuclear and radiation facilities is partly carried out by continuous monitoring of radioactive discharges into the environment and by direct radioactivity measurements of the environmental samples. The impact of a nuclear or radiation facility is then evaluated in terms of exposure to the public living nearby and in terms of levels of environmental contamination. The dose assessment for the public depends very much on the propositions and scenarios selected by the expert(s), who perform(s) the exposure calculation and on the methodology used. Essential changes of population doses occur when the methodology is changed. The aim of this paper is to present some cases of public exposure based on the data from the environmental radioactivity monitoring programmes, currently performed in Slovenia: for control of global radioactive contamination (atmospheric nuclear tests and Chernobyl) and for control of the Slovenian nuclear and radiation facilities such as the Krsko NPP, the research reactor TRIGA and the radioactive waste storage at Brinje, and the Zirovski vrh uranium mine. There have been significant changes in a dose assessment methodology in the recent years and the resulting dose levels have been changed for one order of magnitude lower or higher values. Public exposure values for five particular sources of contamination versus time of operation are presented as well as the reasons for methodology changes. These changes had to be made due to several reasons, described in the paper. (author)

Radioactivity in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Illustrated by drawings, this publication briefly describes radioactive exposure modalities (external or internal irradiation), the ways they are measured and assessed (doses, units), the different natural radioactivity origins, the different radioactivity origins related to human activity, the share of each origin in population exposures

Quality assurance in the measurement of internal radioactive contamination and dose assessment and the United States Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatt, Anita

2016-01-01

The Quality Assurance for analytical measurement of internal radioactive contamination and dose assessment in the United States (US) is achieved through the US Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) for both Dosimetry and Radio bioassay laboratories for approximately 150,000 radiation workers. This presentation will explain the link between Quality Assurance and the DOELAP Accreditation process. DOELAP is a DOE complex-wide safety program that ensures the quality of worker radiation protection programs. DOELAP tests the ability of laboratories to accurately measure and quantify radiation dose to workers and assures the laboratories quality systems are capable of defending and sustaining their measurement results. The United States Law in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 835 requires that personnel Dosimetry and Radio bioassay programs be tested and accredited

Environmental policy. Ambient radioactivity levels and radiation doses in 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-10-01

The report is intended as information for the German Bundestag and Bundesrat as well as for the general population interested in issues of radiological protection. The information presented in the report shows that in 1996, the radiation dose to the population was low and amounted to an average of 4 millisievert (mSv), with 60% contributed by natural radiation sources, and 40% by artificial sources. The major natural source was the radioactive gas radon in buildings. Anthropogenic radiation exposure almost exclusively resulted from application of radioactive substances and ionizing radiation in the medical field, for diagnostic purposes. There still is a potential for reducing radiation doses due to these applications. In the reporting year, there were 340 000 persons occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. Only 15% of these received a dose different from zero, the average dose was 1.8 mSv. The data show that the anthropogenic radiation exposure emanating from the uses of atomic energy or applications of ionizing radiation in technology is very low. (orig./CB) [de

Individual dose due to radioactivity accidental release from fusion reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nie, Baojie [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027 (China); Ni, Muyi, E-mail: muyi.ni@fds.org.cn [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); Wei, Shiping [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027 (China)

2017-04-05

Highlights: • Conservative early dose of different unit fusion radioactivity release were assessed. • Data of accident level in INES for fusion reactor were proposed. • Method of environmental restoration time after fusion accident was proposed. • The maximum possible accident level for ITER like fusion reactor is 6. • We need 34–52 years to live after the fusion hypothetical accident. - Abstract: As an important index shaping the design of fusion safety system, evaluation of public radiation consequences have risen as a hot topic on the way to develop fusion energy. In this work, the comprehensive public early dose was evaluated due to unit gram tritium (HT/HTO), activated dust, activated corrosion products (ACPs) and activated gases accidental release from ITER like fusion reactor. Meanwhile, considering that we cannot completely eliminate the occurrence likelihood of multi-failure of vacuum vessel and tokamak building, we conservatively evaluated the public radiation consequences and environment restoration after the worst hypothetical accident preliminarily. The comparison results show early dose of different unit radioactivity release under different conditions. After further performing the radiation consequences, we find it possible that the hypothetical accident for ITER like fusion reactor would result in a level 6 accident according to INES, not appear level 7 like Chernobyl or Fukushima accidents. And from the point of environment restoration, we need at least 69 years for case 1 (1 kg HTO and 1000 kg dust release) and 34–52 years for case 2 (1 kg HTO and 10kg–100 kg dust release) to wait the contaminated zone drop below the general public safety limit (1mSv per year) before it is suitable for human habitation.

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei

2014-01-01

The activity concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Measurement of the natural radioactivity in building materials used in Ankara and assessment of external doses.

Science.gov (United States)

Turhan, S; Baykan, U N; Sen, K

2008-03-01

A total of 183 samples of 20 different commonly used structural and covering building materials were collected from housing and other building construction sites and from suppliers in Ankara to measure the natural radioactivity due to the presence of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K. The measurements were carried out using gamma-ray spectrometry with two HPGe detectors. The specific activities of the different building materials studied varied from 0.5 +/- 0.1 to 144.9 +/- 4.9 Bq kg(-1), 0.6 +/- 0.2 to 169.9 +/- 6.6 Bq kg(-1) and 2.0 +/- 0.1 to 1792.3 +/- 60.8 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, respectively. The results show that the lowest mean values of the specific activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K are 0.8 +/- 0.5, 0.9 +/- 0.4 and 4.1 +/- 1.4 Bq kg(-1), respectively, measured in travertine tile while the highest mean values of the specific activity of the same radionuclides are 78.5 +/- 18.1 (ceramic wall tile), 77.4 +/- 53.0 (granite tile) and 923.4 +/- 161.0 (white brick), respectively. The radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), the gamma-index, the indoor absorbed dose rate and the corresponding annual effective dose were evaluated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with these building materials. The mean values of the gamma-index and the estimated annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation inside the room for structural building materials ranged from 0.15 to 0.89 and 0.2 to 1.1 mSv, respectively. Applying criteria recently recommended for building materials in the literature, four materials meet the exemption annual dose criterion of 0.3 mSv, five materials meet the annual dose limit of 1 mSv and only one material slightly exceeds this limit. The mean values of the gamma-index for all building materials were lower than the upper limit of 1.

ARANO - a computer program for the assessment of radiological consequences of atmospheric radioactive releases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savolainen, I.; Vuori, S.

1980-09-01

A short description of the calculation possibilities, methods and of the structure of the computer code system ARANO is given, in addition to the input quide. The code can be employed in the calculation of environmental radiological consequences caused by radioactive materials released to atmosphere. Results can be individual doses for different organs at given distances from the release point, collective doses, numbers of persons exceeding given dose limits, numbers of casualties, areas polluted by deposited activity and losses of investments or production due to radioactive contamination. Both a case with a single release and atmospheric dispersion situation and a group of radioactive release and dispersions with discrete probability distributions can be considered. If the radioactive releases or the dispersion conditions are described by probability distributions, the program assesses the magnitudes of the specified effects in all combinations of the release and dispersion situations and then calculates the expectation values and the cumulative probability distributions of the effects. The vertical mixing in the atmosphere is described with a Ksub(Z)-model. In the lateral direction the plume is assumed to be Gaussian, and the release duration can be taken into account in the σsub(y)-values. External gamma dose from the release plume is calculated on the basis of a data file which has been created by 3-dimensional integration. Dose due to inhalation and due to gamma radiation from the contaminated ground are calculated by using appropriate dose conversion factors, which are collected into two mutually alternative block data subprograms. (author)

Environment assessing for airborne radioactive particulate release-introduction of methods in IAEA safety report series No.19

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Dan; Yang, Liu; Shen, Fu; Yang, Yi; Ma, Yinghao; Ma, Tao; Zhang, Zhilong; Fu, Cuiming

2016-01-01

Airborne radioactive particulate in many important nuclear facilities (particularly nuclear power plants) will have a strong impact on the relative public dose if they are released into the corresponding environment traversing the stack or vents. The radiation protection researchers have regarded the relative environment assessing and estimation of public doses. And the model of assessing impact of discharges radioactive substance to the environment have been recommended by many international organizations (e.g. IAEA) with the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection. This paper introduced the generic models that were suggested by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for use in assessing the impact of discharges of radioactive substances to the environment (e.g. IAEA Safety Report Series No.19). The writers of this paper, based on the recommend methods, assessed the discharge limits in some airborne radioactive substances discharging standards. The reasons that IAEA method are introduced are mainly the following considerations: IAEA is one of international organizations with some authorities in the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection; and, more important, the recommend modes are operational methods rather than the methods having little operations such as that have used by some researchers. It is wish that the introduced methods in this paper can be referenced in draft or revise of the standards related to discharges of radioactive substances to the environment

Environment assessing for airborne radioactive particulate release-introduction of methods in IAEA safety report series No.19

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Dan; Yang, Liu; Shen, Fu; Yang, Yi; Ma, Yinghao; Ma, Tao; Zhang, Zhilong; Fu, Cuiming [China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan (China)

2016-12-15

Airborne radioactive particulate in many important nuclear facilities (particularly nuclear power plants) will have a strong impact on the relative public dose if they are released into the corresponding environment traversing the stack or vents. The radiation protection researchers have regarded the relative environment assessing and estimation of public doses. And the model of assessing impact of discharges radioactive substance to the environment have been recommended by many international organizations (e.g. IAEA) with the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection. This paper introduced the generic models that were suggested by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for use in assessing the impact of discharges of radioactive substances to the environment (e.g. IAEA Safety Report Series No.19). The writers of this paper, based on the recommend methods, assessed the discharge limits in some airborne radioactive substances discharging standards. The reasons that IAEA method are introduced are mainly the following considerations: IAEA is one of international organizations with some authorities in the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection; and, more important, the recommend modes are operational methods rather than the methods having little operations such as that have used by some researchers. It is wish that the introduced methods in this paper can be referenced in draft or revise of the standards related to discharges of radioactive substances to the environment.

Dose for background radioactivity in areas with high radioactivity levels in the Pinar del Rio province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alcaide Orpi, J.; Oliveira Acosta, J.; Valdes Hernadez, G.M.; Leal Ramirez, M.R.; Blanco Jorrin, N.

1998-01-01

The objective the work is to know the areas with high natural radiation doses, for they were used it the data obtained by the studies it has more than enough favorability for radioactive minerals carried out in different regions to the Pinar del Rio province in the 1986 to 1993 years and the doses calculations they were carried out according to the effective methodology

Dose assessment activities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, S L; Graham, J C

1996-10-01

Dose assessments, both retrospective and prospective, comprise one important function of a radiological study commissioned by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) government in late 1989. Estimating past or future exposure requires the synthesis of information from historical data, results from a recently completed field monitoring program, laboratory measurements, and some experimental studies. Most of the activities in the RMI to date have emphasized a pragmatic rather than theoretical approach. In particular, most of the recent effort has been expended on conducting an independent radiological monitoring program to determine the degree of deposition and the geographical extent of weapons test fallout over the nation. Contamination levels on 70% of the land mass of the Marshall Islands were unknown prior to 1994. The environmental radioactivity data play an integral role in both retrospective and prospective assessments. One recent use of dose assessment has been to interpret environmental measurements of radioactivity into annual doses that might be expected at every atoll. A second use for dose assessment has been to determine compliance with a dose action level for the rehabilitation of Rongelap Island. Careful examination of exposure pathways relevant to the island lifestyle has been necessary to accommodate these purposes. Examples of specific issues studied include defining traditional island diets as well as current day variations, sources of drinking water, uses of tropical plants including those consumed for food and for medicinal purposes, the nature and microvariability of plutonium particles in the soil and unusual pathways of exposure, e.g., that which might be associated with cooking and washing outdoors and inadvertent soil ingestion. A study on the prevalence of thyroid disease is also being conducted and the geographic pattern of disease may be useful as a bioindicator of the geographic pattern of exposure to radioiodine. Finally, an

Post-closure safety assessment of near surface disposal facilities for disused sealed radioactive sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seunghee; Kim, Juyoul

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Post-closure safety assessment of near surface disposal facility for DSRS was performed. • Engineered vault and rock-cavern type were considered for normal and well scenario. • 14 C, 226 Ra, 241 Am were primary nuclides contributing large portion of exposure dose. • Near surface disposal of DSRSs containing 14 C, 226 Ra and 241 Am should be restricted. - Abstract: Great attention has been recently paid to the post-closure safety assessment of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facility for disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRSs) around the world. Although the amount of volume of DSRSs generated from industry, medicine and research and education organization was relatively small compared with radioactive wastes from commercial nuclear power plants, some DSRSs can pose a significant hazard to human health due to their high activities and long half-lives, if not appropriately managed and disposed. In this study, post-closure safety assessment was carried out for DSRSs generated from 1991 to 2014 in Korea in order to ensure long-term safety of near surface disposal facilities. Two kinds of disposal options were considered, i.e., engineered vault type disposal facility and rock-cavern type disposal facility. Rock-cavern type disposal facility has been under operation in Gyeongju city, republic of Korea since August 2015 and engineered vault type disposal facility will be constructed until December 2020 in the vicinity of rock-cavern disposal facility. Assessment endpoint was individual dose to the member of critical group, which was modeled by GoldSim, which has been widely used as probabilistic risk analysis software based on Monte Carlo simulation in the area of safety assessment of radioactive waste facilities. In normal groundwater scenario, the maximum exposure dose was extremely low, approximately 1 × 10 −7 mSv/yr, for both disposal options and satisfied the regulatory limit of 0.1 mSv/yr. However, in the

Assessment of the impact from transporting radioactive materials in the Suez Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabek, G.

1987-11-01

A study in Egypt, carried out as the subject of an IAEA research contract, has used the INTERTRAN Code to provide an assessment of doses to handlers and the collective dose to the population, due to transport of radioactive material through the Suez Canal. Calculations were carried out using the data appropriate to the Canal, based on actual statistics and observations and default data built into the Code. The average collective dose per year was calculated to be 4.5 man rem and doses to handlers under normal transport conditions represented 97% of the total. Use of built-in default data gave results 10 6 times higher. 11 refs, 16 tabs

Dose assessment models. Annex A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

The models presented in this chapter have been separated into 2 general categories: environmental transport models which describe the movement of radioactive materials through all sectors of the environment after their release, and dosimetric models to calculate the absorbed dose following an intake of radioactive materials or exposure to external irradiation. Various sections of this chapter also deal with atmospheric transport models, terrestrial models, and aquatic models.

Contact dose rates and relevant radioactive inventory in ITER TBM systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zucchetti, M.; Guerrini, L.; Poitevin, Y.; Ricapito, I.; Zmitko, M.

2011-01-01

The determination of the radioactive inventory and of the contact dose rates in the different ITER Test Blanket Modules systems is carried out, both for Helium-Cooled Lithium-Lead (HCLL) concept and the Helium-Cooled Pebble-Bed (HCPB) concept. The evaluations have been carried out by means of the MICROSHIELD code, starting from the data on the neutron-induced radioactivity in the blanket materials, already available for both the blanket modules. The possible sources of radioactive material in all the systems have been individuated and their contributes estimated.

Contact dose rates and relevant radioactive inventory in ITER TBM systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zucchetti, M., E-mail: massimo.zucchetti@polito.it [EURATOM/ENEA Fusion Association Politecnico di Torino, Torino (Italy); Guerrini, L., E-mail: Laurent.Guerrini@f4e.europa.eu [Fusion for Energy, ITER Department, Test Blanket Modules Group, Barcelona (Spain); Poitevin, Y.; Ricapito, I.; Zmitko, M. [Fusion for Energy, ITER Department, Test Blanket Modules Group, Barcelona (Spain)

2011-10-15

The determination of the radioactive inventory and of the contact dose rates in the different ITER Test Blanket Modules systems is carried out, both for Helium-Cooled Lithium-Lead (HCLL) concept and the Helium-Cooled Pebble-Bed (HCPB) concept. The evaluations have been carried out by means of the MICROSHIELD code, starting from the data on the neutron-induced radioactivity in the blanket materials, already available for both the blanket modules. The possible sources of radioactive material in all the systems have been individuated and their contributes estimated.

Cellular retention of radioactivity and increased radiation dose. Model experiments with EGF-dextran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundberg, Aasa Liljegren; Blomquist, Erik; Carlsson, Joergen; Steffen, Ann-Charlott; Gedda, Lars

2003-01-01

Targeting of tumor cells with radiolabeled biomolecules is a possible approach to inactivate disseminated tumor cells. However, rapid degradation of the biomolecules after cellular internalization and subsequent excretion of the radioactivity is a problem. We studied the possibility of using dextran as a carrier of radionuclides to improve the intracellular retention. An EGF-dextran conjugate, aimed for targeting of tumor cells overexpressing the EGF-receptor, was used as model. Retention tests were performed with 125 I on different parts: [ 125 I]-EGF-dextran-[ 125 I], [ 125 I]-EGF-dextran and EGF-dextran-[ 125 I]. Comparisons were made with [ 125 I]-EGF. The radiolabeled compounds were incubated with cultured glioma cells for different times. The cellular retention of radioactivity was then measured for up to 24 h. Expected radiation doses at the cellular level were calculated assuming that 131 I, instead of 125 I, was coupled to EGF and EGF-dextran. The results indicated that the EGF-part of the conjugate was degraded and the EGF-attached radioactivity was rapidly excreted, whereas radioactivity on dextran was retained intracellularly to a high degree, i.e. 70-80% of the radioactivity bound to dextran was still cell-associated after 24 h. The retention after 24 h was significantly higher (p < 0.001) when the radioactivity was on the dextran instead of the EGF-part. The radiolabeled EGF-dextran had a notably high specific radioactivity; up to 11 MBq/μg. There was potential for at least hundred times increased radiation dose per receptor interaction when the radioactivity was on the dextran part. The advantage with radioactivity on the dextran part was the high cellular retention and the high specific radioactivity (higher than previously reported for other residualizing labels) without severe loss of receptor specific binding. Thus, dextran seems suitable as a carrier of radionuclides aimed for therapy and gives potential for a highly increased radiation dose

Radiological assessment of the radioactive wastes management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domenech Nieves, Haydee; Hernandez Saiz, Alejandro

1996-01-01

In the work are obtained the dose values resulting from the evaluation of the conditioning operations of wastes in the scenarios of exposure that are mentioned and are compared with the dose restriction suggested for the moment for such tasks. The radioactive wastes that are evaluated in the work are: liquids -both those from the generating institutions and the ones stored in the Managua- located deposit, Radon-226 not-in-use solids and sources 226: the results demonstrate that it is possible to treat in a year the total volume of the liquid and solid radioactive wastes as well as a large number of sources of Radon-226

A methodology for estimating potential doses and risks from recycling U.S. Department of Energy radioactive scrap metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacKinney, J.A.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering writing regulations for the controlled use of materials originating from radioactively contaminated zones which may be recyclable. These materials include metals, such as steel (carbon and stainless), nickel, copper, aluminum and lead, from the decommissioning of federal, and non-federal facilities. To develop criteria for the release of such materials, a risk analysis of all potential exposure pathways should be conducted. These pathways include direct exposure to the recycled material by the public and workers, both individual and collective, as well as numerous other potential exposure pathways in the life of the material. EPA has developed a risk assessment methodology for estimating doses and risks associated with recycling radioactive scrap metals. This methodology was applied to metal belonging to the U.S. Department of Energy. This paper will discuss the draft EPA risk assessment methodology as a tool for estimating doses and risks from recycling. (author)

A kinematic model to estimate effective dose of radioactive substances in a human body

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, S.; Yamada, T.

2013-05-01

The great earthquake occurred in the north-east area in Japan in March 11, 2011. Facility system to control Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was completely destroyed by the following giant tsunami. From the damaged reactor containment vessels, an amount of radioactive substances had leaked and diffused in the vicinity of this station. Radiological internal exposure became a serious social issue both in Japan and all over the world. The present study provides an easily understandable, kinematic-based model to estimate the effective dose of radioactive substances in a human body by simplifying the complicated mechanism of metabolism. International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has developed a sophisticated model, which is well-known as a standard method to calculate the effective dose for radiological protection. However, owing to that ICRP method is fine, it is rather difficult for non-professional people of radiology to gasp the whole images of the movement and the influences of radioactive substances in a human body. Therefore, in the present paper we propose a newly-derived and easily-understandable model to estimate the effective dose. The present method is very similar with the traditional and conventional tank model in hydrology. Ingestion flux of radioactive substances corresponds to rain intensity and the storage of radioactive substances to the water storage in a basin in runoff analysis. The key of the present method is to estimate the energy radiated in the radioactive nuclear disintegration of an atom by using classical theory of β decay and special relativity for various kinds of radioactive atoms. The parameters used in this model are only physical half-time and biological half-time, and there are no operational parameters or coefficients to adjust our theoretical runoff to ICRP. Figure shows the time-varying effective dose with ingestion duration, and we can confirm the validity of our model. The time-varying effective dose with

Improvement of the following accident dose assessment system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Enn Han; Han, Moon Hee; Suh, Kyung Suk; Hwang, Won Tae; Choi, Young Gil [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1999-12-15

The FADAS has been updates for calculating the real-time wind fields continuously at the nuclear sites in Korea. The system has been constructed to compute the wind fields using its own process for the dummy meteorological data, and dose not effect on the overall wind field module. If the radioactive materials are released into the atmosphere in real situation, the calculations of wind fields and exposure dose in the previous FADAS are performed in the case of the recognition of the above situation in the source term evaluation module. The current version of FADAS includes the program for evaluating the effect of the predicted accident and the assumed scenario together. The dose assessment module is separated into the real-time and the supposed accident respectively.

Spent fuel transportation on highways: the radioactive dose to the traffic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadigaroglu, G.

1975-01-01

The radioactive exposure of the traffic moving on the same highway as spent fuel shipments has been neglected in the past. Methods developed for calculating peak exposures, the number of individuals receiving a dose in excess of a certain limiting value, and the cumulative population doses for the occupants of the vehicles under a variety of highway and accident conditions allow comparisons to the corresponding stationary-population doses. Consideration of both routine direct-radiation exposures and accidental releases indicates that the traffic doses can be of equal or greater importance than the stationary-population doses

Internal dose assessment in nuclear medicine: fetal doses due to radiopharmaceutical administration to the mother

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojo, Ana M.; Michelin, Severino C.

2004-01-01

The objective of this publication is to present a guideline for the dose assessment through a comprehensive introduction of knowledge on ionizing radiation, radiation protection during pregnancy and fetal dosimetry for physician and other professionals involved in nuclear medicine practices. It contains tables with recommended dose estimates at all stages of pregnancy for many radiopharmaceuticals. Compounds for which some information was available regarding placental crossover are shown in shaded rows. It includes the most common diagnostic and therapy practices in nuclear medicine considering the four radioactive isotopes selected: 99m Tc, 131 I, 201 Tl and 67 Ga. There is a special case included, it is when conception occurs after the iodine has been administered. In almost every case, the diagnostic benefit to the mother outweighs the risk of any irradiation of the fetus. However, there is one situation in which severe fetal injury can be incurred from administering a radiopharmaceutical to the mother, and that is use of iodine-131 therapy for ablation of the thyroid in cases of hyperthyroidism or carcinoma. Radioactive iodine readily crosses the placenta and concentrates in the fetal thyroid, where, because of its small organ mass, high radiation doses are received. (author)

The embryogenesis of dose assessment at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, R.F.

1990-01-01

Several significant events occurred between 1955 and 1960 that resulted in major changes in environmental monitoring at Hanford and in the initiation of comprehensive dose assessments. These included: (1) specification of dose limits for nonoccupational exposure (including internal emitters); (2) a national and international awakening to the need for managing the disposal of radioactive wastes; (3) identification of the most important radionuclides and their sources of exposure; (4) data that quantified the transfer coefficients of nuclides along environmental pathways; and (5) development of greatly improved radiation detection instrumentation. In response to a growing need, the Hanford Laboratories formed the Environmental Studies and Evaluation component. This group revamped the monitoring and sampling programs so that analytical results contributed directly to dose estimation. Special studies were conducted to ascertain local dietary and recreational habits that affected dose calculations and to calibrate the models. These studies involved extensive contact with the public and governmental agencies, which elicited a positive reaction

Radioactivity in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valkovic, V.

2000-01-01

Numerous sources of ionizing radiation can lead to human exposure: natural sources, nuclear explosions, nuclear power generation, use of radiation in medical, industrial and research purposes, and radiation emitting consumer products. Before assessing the radiation dose to a population one requires a precise knowledge of the activity of a number of radionuclides. The basis for the assessment of the dose to a population from a release of radioactivity to the environment, the estimation of the potential clinical heath effects due to the dose received and, ultimately, the implementation of countermeasures to protect the population, is the measurement of radioactive contamination in the environment after the release. It is the purpose of this book to present the facts about the presence of radionuclides in the environment, natural and man made. There is no aspect of radioactivity, which has marked the passing century, not mentioned or discussed in this book. refs

Methodology for calculating radiation doses from radioactivity released to the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Killough, G.G.; McKay, L.R.

1976-03-01

This document represents a compilation of the principal environmental transport and dosimetry models developed, adapted, and implemented by the Radiological Analyses and Applications Group of the Environmental Sciences Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The transport of released radioactivity through the natural environment is discussed in four sections: atmospheric dispersion, resuspension of material by wind action, terrestrial transport, and movement of material in underground water seepage. The discussion of dose to man and biota is divided into internal and external exposure sections. And finally, a developmental model (CONDOS) which estimates the dose to a population resulting from the manufacture, storage, distribution, use, and disposal of consumer products which contain radioactivity is described. Numerous tables are included

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei [Shaanxi Normal Univ., Xi' an (China). School of Tourism and Environment

2014-10-01

The activity concentrations of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Radioactivity of 210Pb in Japanese cigarettes and radiation dose from smoking inhalation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakoda, A.; Fukao, K.; Kawabe, A.; Kataoka, T.; Hanamoto, K.; Yamaoka, K.

2012-01-01

It is well known that cigarette tobaccos contain naturally occurring radioactive nuclides such as 210 Pb and 210 Po. In many countries, the radioactivity of tobaccos has been measured to estimate the effective dose from smoking inhalation. The present study covered 24 cigarette brands including the top 20 of sales in Japan between April 2008 and March 2009. The activity concentrations of 210 Pb were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry, and then those of its progeny ( 210 Po) were evaluated assuming the radioactive equilibrium between the two nuclides. Their concentrations were in the range of 2-14 mBq cigarette -1 with an arithmetic mean of 8±3 mBq cigarette -1 . The annual committed effective doses were also calculated, based on the scenario that a smoker consumes 20 cigarettes a day. The average doses from 210 Pb and 210 Po inhalations were 22±9 and 68±27 uμSv y -1 , respectively. (authors)

Radioactivity measurements in the vicinity of the mine waste heap at Crossen and radiation dose assessment; Radioaktivitaetsmessungen in der Umgebung der Bergehalde Crossen und Abschaetzung der Strahlenexposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kulzer, R.

1998-09-01

The radiation dose to the population living in the vicinity of the mine waste heap is assessed. The measurements carried out were to verify the dose relevance of ambient radioactivity on site, in particular the ingestion and inhalation pathways and the external exposure pathways. The nuclide Pb-210 was used as an indicator because of its large dose factor for assessment of ingestion and its airborne dispersion as an Rn-222 daughter product. The waste heap material releases large quantities of this nuclide. Ingestion of radioactivity from the waste heap may be caused by wind-borne erosion and activity deposition on plants in the area. Thererfore, the specific activities of Pb-210 and Ra-226 have been measured in soil and plant specimens sampled at various distances from the waste heap. (orig./CB) [Deutsch] Die Strahlenexposition der in der Naehe einer Bergehalde lebenden Bevoelkerung wird bestimmt. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Messungen realisiert, die den Ingestions- und Inhalationspfad sowie die externe Exposition fuer die vorgefundene Situation auf ihre Dosisrelevanz ueberpruefen sollten. Hierzu diente das Nuklid Pb-210 mit seinem grossen Dosisfaktor fuer die Ingestion und seiner besonderen Verbreitungsmoeglichkeit ueber die Luft als Tochter von Rn-222. Dieses wird aus dem Haldenmaterial in grossen Mengen freigesetzt. Haldenmaterial kann ueber den Ingestionspfad in den menschlichen Koerper aufgenommen werden, wenn es durch Winderosion auf Pflanzenoberflaechen in der Umgebung abgelagert wird.Deshalb wurden die spezifischen Aktivitaeten an Pb-210 und Ra-226 von Boden- und Pflanzenproben in verschiedenen Entfernungen zur Halde bestimmt.

Geologic modeling in risk assessment methodology for radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, S.E.; Berbano, M.C.

1977-01-01

Under contract to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the University of New Mexico is developing a computer based assessment methodology for evaluating public health and environmental impacts from the disposal of radioactive waste in geologic formations. Methodology incorporates a release or fault tree model, an environmental model, and an economic model. The release model and its application to a model repository in bedded salt is described. Fault trees are constructed to provide the relationships between various geologic and man-caused events which are potential mechanisms for release of radioactive material beyond the immediate environs of the repository. The environmental model includes: 1) the transport to and accumulations at various receptors in the biosphere, 2) pathways from these environmental concentrations, and 3) radiation dose to man. Finally, economic results are used to compare and assess various disposal configurations as a basis for formulatin

Extended biosphere dataset for safety assessment of radioactive waste geological disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Tomoko; Suzuki, Yuji

2007-01-01

JAEA has an on-going programme of research and development relating to the safety assessment of the deep geological disposal systems of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and transuranic waste (TRU). In the safety assessment of HLW and TRU disposal systems, biosphere assessment is necessary to estimate future radiological impacts on human beings (e.g. radiation dose). In order to estimate radiation dose, consideration needs to be given to the biosphere into which future releases of radionuclides might occur and to the associated future human behaviour. The data of some biosphere parameters needed to be updated by appropriate data sources for generic and site-specific biosphere assessment to improve reliability for the biosphere assessment, because some data published in the 1980's or the early 90's were found to be inappropriate for the recent biosphere assessment. Therefore, data of the significant parameters (especially for element-dependent) were set up on the basis of recent information, to update the generic biosphere dataset. (author)

Optimum modellings of atmospheric diffusion of radioactive effluents and exposure doses in the accident consequence assessment (Level 3 PSA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Byung Woo; Lee, Young Bok; Han, Moon Hee; Kim, Eun Han; Suh, Kyung Suk; Hwang, Won Tae

1992-12-01

Atmospheric diffusion and exposure strongly dependent on the environment were firstly considered in the full spectrum of accident consequence assessment to establish based on Korean conditions. An optimum weather category based on Korean climate and site-specific meteorology of Kori region was established by statistical analysis of measured data for 10 years. And a trajectory model was selected as the optimal one in the ACA by reviewing several existing diffusion models. Following aspects were considered in this selection as availability of meteorological data, ability to treat the change to wind direction, easy applicability of the model, and restriction of CPU time and core memory in current computers. Numerical integration method of our own was selected as the optimal dose assessment tool of external exposure. Unit dose rate was firstly computed with this method as the function of energy level of radionuclide, size of lattice, and distance between source and receptor, and then the results were rearranged as the data library for the rapid access to the ACA run. Dynamic ecosystem modelling has been done in order to estimate the seasonal variation of radioactivity for the assessment of ingestion exposure, considering Korean ingestion behavior, agricultural practice and the transportation. There is a lot of uncertainty in a countermeasure model due to the assumed values of parameters such as fraction of population with different shielding factor and driving speed. A new countermeasure model was developed using the concept of fuzzy set theory, since it provided the mathematical tools which could characterize the uncertainty involved in countermeasure modelling. (Author)

Effective equivalent dose in the critical group due to release of radioactive effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, John W.A. dos; Varandas, Luciana R.; Souza, Denise N.; Souza, Cristiano B.F.; Lima, Sandro Leonardo N.; Mattos, Marcos Fernando M.; Moraes, Jose Adenildo T.

2005-01-01

To ensure that the emissions of radioactive material by liquid and gaseous pathways are below applicable limits it is necessary to evaluate the effective equivalent dose in the critical group, which is a magnitude that takes into consideration the modeling used and the terms radioactive activity source. The calculation of this dose considers each radionuclide released by the activity of Nuclear plant, liquid and gaseous by, and the sum of the values obtained is controlled so that this dose does not exceed the goals of the regulatory body, the CNEN and the goals established by the Nuclear power plant. To hit these targets various controls are used such as: controls for effluent monitors instrumentation, environmental monitoring programs, effluent release controls and dose calculation in the environment. According to the findings, it is concluded that during the period of operation of the plants, this dose is below of the required limits

Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 1999. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Ageny's monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The Environment Agency has wide-ranging responsibilities and powers to protect and, where necessary, improve the environment in England and Wales. The Agency also has a duty to protect the environment in a way that works towards sustainable development. In 1998, the Oslo and Paris Commission (OSPAR) strategy for radioactive substances was agreed by Ministers at Sintra, Portugal, to prevent pollution of the North East Atlantic maritime area through progressive and substantial reductions in discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances. In June 2000, the UK Government published for consultation the draft UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001-2020 which sets out the UK's plans to implement the OSPAR strategy. The Government will be issuing statutory guidance to the Environment Agency which will provide the vehicle through which the UK Strategy will be implemented. Radiological monitoring programmes are carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under RSA 93 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. This report presents the results of the Agency's regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 1999 and an assessment of the radiological impact. The main findings of the regular monitoring programme during 1999 were as follows: (i) The majority of operator declarations of the radioactive content of wastes discharges and disposals had been assessed accurately or were over estimated. (ii) Radiation dose-rates above sediments and concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediment, soil and grass were generally consistent with those reported in previous years, with no clear trend over the last 10 years. Enhanced levels of artificial radionuclides continue to be found in coastal sediments in the vicinity of Sellafield, which decline with increasing distance from the site. Radioactivity levels around other major sites were mostly low or not detectable. (iii) As in previous years, concentrations of

Preliminary dose assessment of the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, A.P.

1987-01-01

From the major accident at Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, a plume of airborne radioactive fission products was initially carried northwesterly toward Poland, thence toward Scandinavia and into Central Europe. Reports of the levels of radioactivity in a variety of media and of external radiation levels were collected in the Department of Energy's Emergency Operations Center and compiled into a data bank. Portions of these and other data which were obtained directly from published and official reports were utilized to make a preliminary assessment of the extent and magnitude of the external dose to individuals downwind from Chernobyl. Radioactive 131 I was the predominant fission product. The time of arrival of the plume and the maximum concentrations of 131 I in air, vegetation and milk and the maximum reported depositions and external radiation levels have been tabulated country by country. A large amount of the total activity in the release was apparently carried to a significant elevation. The data suggest that in areas where rainfall occurred, deposition levels were from ten to one-hundred times those observed in nearby ''dry'' locations. Sufficient spectral data were obtained to establish average release fractions and to establish a reference spectra of the other nuclides in the release. Preliminary calculations indicated that the collective dose equivalent to the population in Scandinavia and Central Europe during the first year after the Chernobyl accident would be about 8 x 10 6 person-rem. From the Soviet report, it appears that a first year population dose of about 2 x 10 7 person-rem (2 x 10 5 Sv) will be received by the population who were downwind of Chernobyl within the U.S.S.R. during the accident and its subsequent releases over the following week. 32 refs., 14 figs., 20 tabs

Post-closure safety assessment of near surface disposal facilities for disused sealed radioactive sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Seunghee; Kim, Juyoul, E-mail: gracemi@fnctech.com

2017-03-15

Highlights: • Post-closure safety assessment of near surface disposal facility for DSRS was performed. • Engineered vault and rock-cavern type were considered for normal and well scenario. • {sup 14}C, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 241}Am were primary nuclides contributing large portion of exposure dose. • Near surface disposal of DSRSs containing {sup 14}C, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 241}Am should be restricted. - Abstract: Great attention has been recently paid to the post-closure safety assessment of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facility for disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRSs) around the world. Although the amount of volume of DSRSs generated from industry, medicine and research and education organization was relatively small compared with radioactive wastes from commercial nuclear power plants, some DSRSs can pose a significant hazard to human health due to their high activities and long half-lives, if not appropriately managed and disposed. In this study, post-closure safety assessment was carried out for DSRSs generated from 1991 to 2014 in Korea in order to ensure long-term safety of near surface disposal facilities. Two kinds of disposal options were considered, i.e., engineered vault type disposal facility and rock-cavern type disposal facility. Rock-cavern type disposal facility has been under operation in Gyeongju city, republic of Korea since August 2015 and engineered vault type disposal facility will be constructed until December 2020 in the vicinity of rock-cavern disposal facility. Assessment endpoint was individual dose to the member of critical group, which was modeled by GoldSim, which has been widely used as probabilistic risk analysis software based on Monte Carlo simulation in the area of safety assessment of radioactive waste facilities. In normal groundwater scenario, the maximum exposure dose was extremely low, approximately 1 × 10{sup −7} mSv/yr, for both disposal options and satisfied the regulatory limit

Population dose assessment: characteristics of PC CREAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, Maria T.; Curti, Adriana R.

2000-01-01

This paper presents the main features of the PC CREAM, a program for performing radiological impact assessments due to radioactive discharges into the environment during the operation of radioactive and nuclear facilities. PC CREAM is a suite of six programs that can be used to estimate individual and collective radiation doses. The methodology of PC CREAM is based on updated environmental and dosimetric models, including ICRP 60 recommendations. The models include several exposure pathways and the input files are easy to access. The ergonomics of the program improves the user interaction and makes easier the input of local data. This program is useful for performing sensitivity analysis, siting studies and validation of model comparing the activity concentration output data with environmental monitoring data. The methodology of each module is described as well as the output data. (author)

Radiological risk assessment and biosphere modelling for radioactive waste disposal in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennwald, M S; van Dorp, F

2009-12-01

Long-term safety assessments for geological disposal of radioactive waste in Switzerland involve the demonstration that the annual radiation dose to humans due to the potential release of radionuclides from the waste repository into the biosphere will not exceed the regulatory limit of 0.1 mSv. Here, we describe the simple but robust approach used by Nagra (Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste) to quantify the dose to humans as a result to time-dependent release of radionuclides from the geosphere into the biosphere. The model calculates the concentrations of radionuclides in different terrestrial and aquatic compartments of the surface environment. The fluxes of water and solids within the environment are the drivers for the exchange of radionuclides between these compartments. The calculated radionuclide concentrations in the biosphere are then used to estimate the radiation doses to humans due to various exposure paths (e.g. ingestion of radionuclides via drinking water and food, inhalation of radionuclides, external irradiation from radionuclides in soils). In this paper we also discuss recent new achievements and planned future work.

Ambient radioactivity levels and radiation doses. Annual report 2014; Umweltradioaktivitaet und Strahlenbelastung. Jahresbericht 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trugenberger-Schnabel, Angela; Loebke-Reinl, Angelika; Peter, Josef (comps.) [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Salzgitter (Germany)

2016-08-15

The annual report 2014 on ambient radioactivity levels and radiation doses covers the following topics: (1) Actual data and their evaluation: natural environmental radioactivity, artificial environmental radioactivity, occupational radiation exposure, radiation exposures from medical applications, handling of radioactive materials and sources of ionizing radiation, non-ionizing radiation. (2) Fundamentals and general information: legal basis and explanations, basic information on natural environmental radioactivity, basic information on artificial radioactivity in the environment, basic information on occupational radiation exposure, basic information on radiation exposures from medical applications, basic information on the handling of radioactive materials and sources of ionizing radiation, basic information on non-ionizing radiation. (3) Tables.

Calculation of doses received while crossing a plume of radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scherpelz, R.I.; Desrosiers, A.E.

1981-04-01

A method has been developed for determining the dose received by a person while crossing a plume of radioactive material. The method uses a Gaussian plume model to arrive at a dose rate on the plume centerline at the position of the plume crossing. This dose rate may be due to any external or internal dose pathway. An algebraic formula can then be used to convert the plume centerline dose rate to a total dose integrated over the total time of plume crossing. Correction factors are presented for dose pathways in which the dose rate is not normally distributed about the plume centerline. The method is illustrated by a study done at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, and results of this study are presented

Development of a real-time radiological dose assessment system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Moon Hee; Lee, Young Bok; Kim, Eun Han; Suh, Kyung Suk; Hwang, Won Tae; Choi, Young Gil

1997-07-01

A radiological dose assessment system named FADAS has been developed. This system is necessary to estimated the radiological consequences against a nuclear accident. Mass-consistent wind field module was adopted for the generation of wind field over the whole domain using the several measured wind data. Random-walk dispersion module is used for the calculation of the distribution of radionuclides in the atmosphere. And volume-equivalent numerical integration method has been developed for the assessment of external gamma exposure given from a randomly distributed radioactive materials and a dose data library has been made for rapid calculation. Field tracer experiments have been carried out for the purpose of analyzing the site-specific meteorological characteristics and increasing the accuracy of wind field generation and atmospheric dispersion module of FADAS. At first, field tracer experiment was carried out over flat terrain covered with rice fields using the gas samplers which were designed and manufactured by the staffs of KAERI. The sampled gas was analyzed using gas chromatograph. SODAR and airsonde were used to measure the upper wind. Korean emergency preparedness system CARE was integrated at Kori 4 nuclear power plants in 1995. One of the main functions of CARE is to estimate the radiological dose. The developed real-time dose assessment system FADAS was adopted in CARE as a tool for the radiological dose assessment. (author). 79 refs., 52 tabs., 94 figs.

Methods for calculating population dose from atmospheric dispersion of radioactivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, B L; Jow, H N; Lee, I S [Pittsburgh Univ., PA (USA)

1978-06-01

Curves are computed from which population dose (man-rem) due to dispersal of radioactivity from a point source can be calculated in the gaussian plume model by simple multiplication, and methods of using them and their limitations are considered. Illustrative examples are presented.

PABLM, Doses from Radioactive Releases to Atmosphere and Food Chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napier, B.A.; Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Soldat, J.K.

1983-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: PABLM calculates internal radiation doses to man from radionuclides in food products and external radiation doses from radionuclides in the environment. Radiation doses from radionuclides in the environment may be calculated from deposition on the soil or plants during an atmospheric or liquid release, or from exposure to residual radionuclides after the releases have ended. Radioactive decay is considered during the release, after deposition, and during holdup of food after harvest. The radiation dose models consider exposure to radionuclides deposited on the ground or crops from contaminated air or irrigation water, radionuclides in contaminated drinking water, aquatic foods raised in contaminated water, and radionuclides in bodies of water and sediments where people might fish, boat, or swim. For vegetation, the radiation dose model considers both direct deposition and uptake through roots. Doses may be calculated for either a maximum-exposed individual or for a population group. The program is designed to calculate accumulated radiation doses from the chronic ingestion of food products that contain radionuclides and doses from the external exposure to radionuclides in the environment. A first-year committed dose is calculated as well as an integrated dose for a selected number of years. 2 - Method of solution: A chain decay scheme including branching for transitions to and from isomeric states is used for radioactive decay. The equations for calculating internal radiation doses are derived from those given by the International Commission on Radio- logical Protection (ICRP) for body burdens and the maximum possible concentration (MPC) for each radionuclide. These doses are calculated as a function of radionuclide concentration in food products, ingestion rates, and a radionuclide-specific dose- commitment factor. Radiation doses from external exposure to contaminated water and soil are calculated using the basic assumption

Dose-rate mapping and search of radioactive sources in Estonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ylaetalo, S.; Karvonen, J.; Ilander, T.; Honkamaa, T.; Toivonen, H.

1996-12-01

The Estonian Ministry of Environment and the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK) agreed in 1995 on a radiation mapping project in Estonia. The country was searched to find potential man-made radioactive sources. Another goal of the project was to produce a background dose-rate map over the whole country. The measurements provided an excellent opportunity to test new in-field measuring systems that are useful in a nuclear disaster. The basic idea was to monitor road sides, cities, domestic waste storage places and former military or rocket bases from a moving vehicle by measuring gamma spectrum and dose rate. The measurements were carried out using vehicle installed systems consisting of a pressurised ionisation chamber (PIC) in 1995 and a combination of a scintillation spectrometer (NaI(TI)) and Geiger-Mueller-counter (GM) in 1996. All systems utilised GPS-satellite navigation signals to relate the measured dose rates and gamma-spectra to current geographical location. The data were recorded for further computer analysis. The dose rate varied usually between 0.03-0.17 μSv/h in the whole country, excluding a few nuclear material storage places (in Saku and in Sillamae). Enhanced dose rates of natural origin (0.17-0.5 μSv/h) were measured near granite statues, buildings and bridges. No radioactive sources were found on road sides or in towns or villages. (orig.) (14 refs.)

An assessment methodology of environmental risks associated with radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, S.M.; Logan, S.E.; Berbano, M.C.

1977-01-01

One major environmental concern associated with the projected increase in nuclear power generation is the treatment and storage or disposal of radioactive wastes. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the University of New Mexico, has been developing a detailed assessment methodology of short- and long-term quantitative risks to the environment resulting from release of radionuclides during all phases of radioactive waste management operations. The paper describes a comprehensive model developed during 1976 for the public health and environmental impacts from the disposal of high-level and transuranic waste in geological formations. Parametric studies have been performed with this model for various geological disposal media and for waste in different forms. EPA has planned to utilize these parametric risk calculations to translate probabilities and consequences of risk occurrences into a cost-effectiveness perspective for decision-making purposes. This comprehensive model consisted of a release or fault-tree model, an environmental model and an economic model. Fault trees have been constructed to provide the relationships between various geophysical, meteorological and man-caused events which are potential mechanisms for release of radioactive material to the environment from waste repositories. The environmental model includes transport to and accumulations at various receptors in the biosphere, including a determination of pathways from environmental input concentrations to radiation dose to man. Finally, the economic results are used to compare and assess the various disposal concepts as a basis for formulating policy decisions. Implementation of this assessment methodology is possible for a whole range of radioactive and non-radioactive hazardous materials which require perpetual care. Further, the output will be used by EPA in the short term to develop general environmental standards applicable to any radioactive waste management

An assessment methodology of environmental risks associated with radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, S.M.; Logan, S.E.; Brebano, M.C.

1977-01-01

One of the major environmental concerns associated with the projected increase in nuclear power generation is the treatment and storage or disposal of radioactive wastes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the University of New Mexico has been developing a detailed assessment methodology of both the short-term as well as long-term quantitative risks on the environment resulting from the release of radionuclides during all phases of radioactive waste management operations. This past year a comprehensive model has been developed for the public health and environmental impacts from the disposal of high-level and transuranic waste in geological formations. Parametric studies have been performed with this model for various geological disposal media and for waste in different forms. EPA has planned to utilize these parametric risk calculations to translate probabilities and consequences of risk occurrences into a cost-effectiveness perspective for decision-making purposes. This comprehensive model has consisted of a release or fault tree model, an environmental model, and an economic model. Fault trees have been constructed to provide the relationships between various geophysical, meteorological, and man-caused events which are potential mechanisms for release of radioactive material to the environment from waste repositories. The environmental model includes the transport to and accumulations at various receptors in the biosphere, including a determination of pathways from environmental input concentrations to radiation dose to man. Finally, the economic results are used to compare and assess the various disposal concepts as a basis for formulating policy decisions. Implementation of this assessment methodology is possible for a whole range of both radioactive as well as non-radioactive hazardous materials which require perpetual care. Further, the output will be used by EPA in the short-term to develop general environmental standards

Collective doses to man from dumping of radioactive waste in the Arctic Seas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, S.P.; Iosjpe, M.; Strand, P.

1997-01-01

A box model for the dispersion of radionuclides in the marine environment covering the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean has been constructed. Collective doses from ingestion pathways have been calculated from unit releases of the radionuclides H-3, (CO)-C-60, Ni-63, Sr-90, I-129, (CS...... Assessment Programme. A worst-case scenario was assumed according to which all radionuclides in liquid and solid radioactive waste were available for dispersion in the marine environment at the time of dumping. Release of radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel was assumed to take place by direct corrosion...... to be available for dispersion at the time of discharge in both scenarios. The estimated collective dose for the worst-case scenario was about 9 manSv and that for the second scenario was about 3 manSv. In both cases, Cs-137 is the radionuclide predicted to dominate the collective doses as well as the peak...

Ecological transport and radiation doses from ground water borne radioactive matters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, R.; Bergstroem, U.; Evans, S.

1978-12-01

Turnover of radioactive matter entering the biosphere with ground water has been studied with regard to exposure and dose to critical groups and populations. The main alternatives considered for outflow of radioactive effluents to the biosphere are: outflow in a valley containing wells, outflow to a fresh-water lake, and outflow in a coastal region of the Baltic Sea. Mathematical models of a set of coupled ecosystems on local, regional- intermediate- and global levels have been used for calculations of doses. The intermediate system refers to the Baltic Sea. The mathematical analysis, based on first order kinetics for the exchange of matter in a system according to compartment principles, also includes products in decay chains, i.e. daughter nuclides generated by decay of nuclides under ecological cycling. The time dependent exposures have been studied for certain long-lived nuclides of radiological interest in waste from reprosessed fuel. Dose and dose commitment have been calculted for different release patterns comprising idealised episodes for outflow to the biosphere during short periods and outflow governed by constant leakage from a source on the border between geosphere and biosphere. (author)

Dose measurement, its distribution and individual external dose assessments of inhabitants in the high background radiation areas in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishima, Hiroshige; Koga, Taeko; Tatsumi, Kusuo; Nakai, Sayaka; Sugahara, Tsutomu; Yuan Yongling; Wei Luxin

2000-01-01

As a part of the China-Japan cooperative research on natural radiation epidemiology, we have carried out a dose-assessment study to evaluate the external exposure to natural radiation in the high background radiation areas (HBRA) of Yangjiang in Guangdong province and in the control areas (CA) of Enping prefecture since 1991. Because of the difficulties in measuring the individual doses of all inhabitants directly by personal dosimeters, an indirect method was applied in which the exposed individual doses were estimated from the environmental radiation doses measured by survey meters and the occupancy factors of each hamlet. We analyzed the dose in the hamlets and the variation in the occupancy factors to obtain the parameters of dose estimation on the inhabitants in selected hamlets; Madi and several hamlets of different dose levels in HBRA and Hampizai hamlet in CA. With these parameters, we estimated individual dose rates and compared them with those obtained from direct measurement using dosimeters carried by selected individuals. The results obtained are as follows. The environmental radiation doses are influenced by the natural radioactive nuclide concentrations in building materials, the age of the building and the arrangement of the houses in a hamlet. There existed a fairly large and heterogeneous distribution of indoor and outdoor environmental radiations. The indoor radiation doses were due to exposure from the natural radioactive nuclides in the building materials and were about two times as large as the outdoor radiation doses. The difference between indoor and outdoor doses was not observed in CA. The occupancy factor was influenced by the age of individuals and by the season of the year. The occupancy factor was higher for infants and aged individuals than for other age groups. This lead to higher dose rates of exposure to those age groups. A good correlation was observed between the dose assessed indirectly and that measured directly and the

Dose measurement, its distribution and individual external dose assessments of inhabitants in the high background radiation areas in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morishima, Hiroshige; Koga, Taeko [Kinki Univ., Higashi-Osaka, Osaka (Japan). Atomic Energy Research Inst.; Tatsumi, Kusuo; Nakai, Sayaka; Sugahara, Tsutomu; Yuan Yongling; Wei Luxin

2000-10-01

As a part of the China-Japan cooperative research on natural radiation epidemiology, we have carried out a dose-assessment study to evaluate the external exposure to natural radiation in the high background radiation areas (HBRA) of Yangjiang in Guangdong province and in the control areas (CA) of Enping prefecture since 1991. Because of the difficulties in measuring the individual doses of all inhabitants directly by personal dosimeters, an indirect method was applied in which the exposed individual doses were estimated from the environmental radiation doses measured by survey meters and the occupancy factors of each hamlet. We analyzed the dose in the hamlets and the variation in the occupancy factors to obtain the parameters of dose estimation on the inhabitants in selected hamlets; Madi and several hamlets of different dose levels in HBRA and Hampizai hamlet in CA. With these parameters, we estimated individual dose rates and compared them with those obtained from direct measurement using dosimeters carried by selected individuals. The results obtained are as follows. The environmental radiation doses are influenced by the natural radioactive nuclide concentrations in building materials, the age of the building and the arrangement of the houses in a hamlet. There existed a fairly large and heterogeneous distribution of indoor and outdoor environmental radiations. The indoor radiation doses were due to exposure from the natural radioactive nuclides in the building materials and were about two times as large as the outdoor radiation doses. The difference between indoor and outdoor doses was not observed in CA. The occupancy factor was influenced by the age of individuals and by the season of the year. The occupancy factor was higher for infants and aged individuals than for other age groups. This lead to higher dose rates of exposure to those age groups. A good correlation was observed between the dose assessed indirectly and that measured directly and the

Environmental policy. Ambient radioactivity levels and radiation doses in 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-11-01

The report contains information on the natural (background) radiation exposure (chapter II), the natural radiation exposure as influenced by anthropogenic effects (chapter III), the anthropogenic radiation exposure (chapter IV), and the radiation doses to the environment and the population emanating from the Chernobyl fallout (chapter V). The natural radiation exposure is specified referring to the contributions from cosmic and terrestrial background radiation and intake of natural radioactive substances. Changes of the natural environment resulting from anthropogenic effects (technology applications) inducing an increase in concentration of natural radioactive substances accordingly increase the anthropogenic radiation exposure. Indoor air radon concentration in buildings for instance is one typical example of anthropogenic increase of concentration of natural radioactivity, primarily caused by the mining industry or by various materials processing activities, which may cause an increase in the average radiation dose to the population. Measurements so far show that indoor air concentration of radon exceeds a level of 200 Bq/m 3 in less than 2% of the residential buildings; the EUropean Commission therefore recommends to use this concentration value as a maximum value for new residential buildings. Higher concentrations are primarily measured in areas with relevant geological conditions and abundance of radon, or eg. in mining areas. (orig./CB) [de

Assessment of Transportation Risk of Radioactive Materials in Uganda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard, Menya; Kim, Jonghyun

2014-01-01

Radioactive materials refer to any materials that spontaneously emit ionizing radiation and of which the radioactivity per gram is greater than 0.002 micro-curie. They include: spent nuclear fuel, nuclear wastes, medical sources i.e. Co-60, industrial sources i.e. Cs-137, Am-241:Be, Ra-226, and sources for research. In view of the rising reported cancer cases in Uganda, which might be as a result of radiation exposure due to constant transportation of radioactive materials i.e. industrial sources, a risk analysis was thought of and undertaken for the country's safety evaluation and improvement. It was therefore important to undertake a risk assessment of the actual and potential radiation exposure during the transportation process. This paper explains a study undertaken for transport risk assessment of the impact on the environment and the people living in it, from exposure to radioactivity during transportation of the industrial sources in Uganda. It provides estimates of radiological risks associated with visualized transport scenarios for the highway transport mode. This is done by calculating the human health impact and radiological risk from transportation of the sources along Busia transport route to Hoima. Busia is the entry port for the sources whilst Hoima, where various industrial practices that utilize sources like oil explorations are centered. During the study, a computer code RADTRAN-6 was used. The overall collective dose for population and package transport crew are 3.72E-4 and 1.69E-4 person-sievert respectively. These are less than the exemption value recommended by the IAEA and Uganda Regulatory Authority for public implying that no health effects like cancer are to be expected. Hence the rising cancer cases in the country are not as a result of increased transportation of radioactive materials in the Industrial sector

Assessment of Transportation Risk of Radioactive Materials in Uganda

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richard, Menya; Kim, Jonghyun [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Radioactive materials refer to any materials that spontaneously emit ionizing radiation and of which the radioactivity per gram is greater than 0.002 micro-curie. They include: spent nuclear fuel, nuclear wastes, medical sources i.e. Co-60, industrial sources i.e. Cs-137, Am-241:Be, Ra-226, and sources for research. In view of the rising reported cancer cases in Uganda, which might be as a result of radiation exposure due to constant transportation of radioactive materials i.e. industrial sources, a risk analysis was thought of and undertaken for the country's safety evaluation and improvement. It was therefore important to undertake a risk assessment of the actual and potential radiation exposure during the transportation process. This paper explains a study undertaken for transport risk assessment of the impact on the environment and the people living in it, from exposure to radioactivity during transportation of the industrial sources in Uganda. It provides estimates of radiological risks associated with visualized transport scenarios for the highway transport mode. This is done by calculating the human health impact and radiological risk from transportation of the sources along Busia transport route to Hoima. Busia is the entry port for the sources whilst Hoima, where various industrial practices that utilize sources like oil explorations are centered. During the study, a computer code RADTRAN-6 was used. The overall collective dose for population and package transport crew are 3.72E-4 and 1.69E-4 person-sievert respectively. These are less than the exemption value recommended by the IAEA and Uganda Regulatory Authority for public implying that no health effects like cancer are to be expected. Hence the rising cancer cases in the country are not as a result of increased transportation of radioactive materials in the Industrial sector.

GLODEP2: a computer model for estimating gamma dose due to worldwide fallout of radioactive debris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, L.L.; Harvey, T.F.; Peterson, K.R.

1984-03-01

The GLODEP2 computer code provides estimates of the surface deposition of worldwide radioactivity and the gamma-ray dose to man from intermediate and long-term fallout. The code is based on empirical models derived primarily from injection-deposition experience gained from the US and USSR nuclear tests in 1958. Under the assumption that a nuclear power facility is destroyed and that its debris behaves in the same manner as the radioactive cloud produced by the nuclear weapon that attached the facility, predictions are made for the gamma does from this source of radioactivity. As a comparison study the gamma dose due to the atmospheric nuclear tests from the period of 1951 to 1962 has been computed. The computed and measured values from Grove, UK and Chiba, Japan agree to within a few percent. The global deposition of radioactivity and resultant gamma dose from a hypothetical strategic nuclear exchange between the US and the USSR is reported. Of the assumed 5300 Mton in the exchange, 2031 Mton of radioactive debris is injected in the atmosphere. The highest estimated average whole body total integrated dose over 50 years (assuming no reduction by sheltering or weathering) is 23 rem in the 30 to 50 degree latitude band. If the attack included a 100 GW(e) nuclear power industry as targets in the US, this dose is increased to 84.6 rem. Hotspots due to rainfall could increase these values by factors of 10 to 50

Radiometric assessment of natural radioactivity levels of agricultural soil samples collected in Dakahlia, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Issa, Shams A M

2013-01-01

Determination of the natural radioactivity has been carried out, by using a gamma-ray spectrometry [NaI (Tl) 3″ × 3″] system, in surface soil samples collected from various locations in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. These locations form the agriculturally important regions of Egypt. The study area has many industries such as chemical, paper, organic fertilisers and construction materials, and the soils of the study region are used as a construction material. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study the natural radioactivity levels in soil to assess the dose for the population in order to know the health risks. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the soil ranged from 5.7 ± 0.3 to 140 ± 7, from 9.0 ± 0.4 to 139 ± 7 and from 22 ± 1 to 319 ± 16 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, radium equivalent (Req), excess lifetime cancer risk, hazard indices (Hex and Hin) and annual gonadal dose equivalent, which resulted from the natural radionuclides in the soil were calculated.

Effects of radioactive 125I seeds on A549 cell line and human embryonic lung diploid cell line 2BS cultivated in vitro and assessment of its clinical safety dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bian Wenchao; Qi Liangchen

2012-01-01

Objective: To observe the cell count changes of A549 cell line and human embryonic lung diploid cell line 2BS after irradiated by 125 I seeds with different doses, and to study the growth inhibition of 125 I on this two kinds of cell lines, and to determine its clinical safety dose in treatment of non-small cell lung. Methods: 125 I seeds with different doses (low dose: 0.2 mCi, mediate dose: 0.4 mCi, high dose: 0.8 mCi) were chosen and put into A549 cells and human embryonic lung diploid cell line 2BS in vitro, the cells on the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th days after irradiation were collected, the alive cells were counted by cells dyeing experiments, then the growth curves were drawn, and the IC 50 of the radioactive 125 I seeds to both two cell lines were calculated. Results: Compared with blank and control groups, the cell proliferation trend of A549 cells in low dose group was not significantly influenced (P>0.05), but the growth of A549 cells in mediate and high dose groups were inhibited in a time-dependent manner, there were significant differences (P<0.05), the most obvious change was on the 6th day. The IC 50 of the radioactive 125 I seeds to A549 cells was about .04 mCi. While the growth inhibition of 125 I 2BS had no statistically significant differences between various dose groups (P>0.05), and the IC 50 of the radioactive 125 I seeds to 2BS cell line was about 1.65 mCi. Conclusion: 0.4 mCi of radioactive 125 I seeds has already had the obvious damage effect on A549 cell, 0.8 mCi of radioactive 125 I seeds has the stronger effect. The IC 50 of the radioactive 125 I seeds to 2BS cells is about 1.65 mCi, so the clinical safety dosage is 0.4-0.8 mCi. (authors)

Decision Assessment of Clearance Level on Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zainus Salimin; Gunandjar

2007-01-01

Radioactive waste on the safe level activity containing very small radioactive material gives small radiology influence to the human, it is not necessary to control by regulatory body. The radioactive waste on the safe level activity is safe to release as the common waste. For exemption of the control, it is required the safe activity level limits in which the value of clearance level is fulfilled by regulatory body, however until now it is not decided yet. The exemption decision is obtained if its activity is lower than or same with clearance level based on the annual effective dose receiving by public on the value is lower than or same with 0,01 mSv. The exposure pathways of radioactive waste to the human have important role for determination of clearance level. The decision assessment of clearance level on the radioactive waste management has been done by analysis of radioactive exposure pathways to the human for activities of the disposal and the recycle of solid wastes, also the release of liquid and gas effluent. For solid waste disposal, the exposure pathway was evaluated since the transportation of packed waste from the treatment facility to the disposal facility and during its operation. Exposure pathways for solid waste recycle consist of the pathways for handling and transportation of cleared material to the recycling facility, the fabrication and the utilization of its product. Exposure pathways for liquid and gas releases occur since its releases to the environment up to the human (public) by specific traffic lane. (author)

Dose measurement, its distribution and individual external dose assessments of inhabitants on high background radiation area in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koga, Taeko; Morishima, Hiroshige [Kinki Univ., Atomic Energy Research Institute, Osaka (Japan); Tatsumi, Kusuo [Kinki Univ., Life Science Research Institute, Osaka (Japan); Nakai, Sayaka; Sugahara, Tsutomu [Health Research Foundation, Kyoto (Japan); Yuan Yongling [Labor Hygiene Institute of Hunan Prov. (China); Wei Luxin [Laboratory of Industorial Hygiene, Ministry of Health (China)

2001-01-01

As a part of the China-Japan cooperative research on the natural radiation epidemiology, we have carried out a dose-assessment study to evaluate the external to natural radiation in the high background radiation area (HBRA) of Yangjiang in Guangdong province and in the control area (CA) of Enping prefecture since 1991. Because of the difficulties in measuring the individual doses of all inhabitants directly by the personal dosimeters, an indirect method was applied to estimate the exposed dose rates from the environmental radiation dose rates measured by survey meters and the occupancy factors of each hamlet. An individual radiation dose roughly correlates with the environmental radiation dose and the life style of the inhabitant. We have analyzed the environmental radiation doses in the hamlets and the variation of the occupancy factors to obtain the parameters of dose estimation on the inhabitants in selected hamlets; Madi and the several hamlets of the different level doses in HBRA and Hampizai hamlet in CA. With these parameters, we made estimations of individual dose rates and compared them with those obtained from the direct measurement using dosimeters carried by selected individuals. The results obtained are as follows: (1) The environmental radiation dose rates are influenced by the natural radioactive nuclide concentrations in building materials, the age of the building and the arrangement of the houses in a hamlet. There existed a fairly large and heterogeneous distribution of indoor and outdoor environmental radiation. The indoor radiation dose rates were due to the exposure from the natural radioactive nuclides in the building materials and they were about twice higher than the outdoor radiation dose rates. This difference was not observed in CA. (2) The occupancy factor was affected by the age of individuals and the seasons of a year. Indoor occupancy factors were higher for infants and aged individuals than for other age groups. This lead to higher

Dose measurement, its distribution and individual external dose assessments of inhabitants on high background radiation area in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koga, Taeko; Morishima, Hiroshige; Tatsumi, Kusuo; Nakai, Sayaka; Sugahara, Tsutomu; Yuan Yongling; Wei Luxin

2001-01-01

As a part of the China-Japan cooperative research on the natural radiation epidemiology, we have carried out a dose-assessment study to evaluate the external to natural radiation in the high background radiation area (HBRA) of Yangjiang in Guangdong province and in the control area (CA) of Enping prefecture since 1991. Because of the difficulties in measuring the individual doses of all inhabitants directly by the personal dosimeters, an indirect method was applied to estimate the exposed dose rates from the environmental radiation dose rates measured by survey meters and the occupancy factors of each hamlet. An individual radiation dose roughly correlates with the environmental radiation dose and the life style of the inhabitant. We have analyzed the environmental radiation doses in the hamlets and the variation of the occupancy factors to obtain the parameters of dose estimation on the inhabitants in selected hamlets; Madi and the several hamlets of the different level doses in HBRA and Hampizai hamlet in CA. With these parameters, we made estimations of individual dose rates and compared them with those obtained from the direct measurement using dosimeters carried by selected individuals. The results obtained are as follows: 1) The environmental radiation dose rates are influenced by the natural radioactive nuclide concentrations in building materials, the age of the building and the arrangement of the houses in a hamlet. There existed a fairly large and heterogeneous distribution of indoor and outdoor environmental radiation. The indoor radiation dose rates were due to the exposure from the natural radioactive nuclides in the building materials and they were about twice higher than the outdoor radiation dose rates. This difference was not observed in CA. 2) The occupancy factor was affected by the age of individuals and the seasons of a year. Indoor occupancy factors were higher for infants and aged individuals than for other age groups. This lead to higher

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, V.; Dowdall, A; Fegan, M.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McEvoy, I.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2007-10-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) in 2006. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to artificial radioactivity in the environment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural processes, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl in Ukraine and the routine discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the north-west of England, which are licensed by the UK Environment Agency, continue to be the dominant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII in 2006 included; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and of external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and various ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the Irish marine environment based on sampling and measurement of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at ten stations located throughout the country. One of these stations is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows concentrations of caesium-137 to be measured; another is equipped to detect the presence of the gas krypton-85. This gas is released into the environment primarily as a result of the

Natural radioactivity in groundwater--a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinh Chau, Nguyen; Dulinski, Marek; Jodlowski, Pawel; Nowak, Jakub; Rozanski, Kazimierz; Sleziak, Monika; Wachniew, Przemyslaw

2011-12-01

The issue of natural radioactivity in groundwater is reviewed, with emphasis on those radioisotopes which contribute in a significant way to the overall effective dose received by members of the public due to the intake of drinking water originating from groundwater systems. The term 'natural radioactivity' is used in this context to cover all radioactivity present in the environment, including man-made (anthropogenic) radioactivity. Comprehensive discussion of radiological aspects of the presence of natural radionuclides in groundwater, including an overview of current regulations dealing with radioactivity in drinking water, is provided. The presented data indicate that thorough assessments of the committed doses resulting from the presence of natural radioactivity in groundwater are needed, particularly when such water is envisaged for regular intake by infants. They should be based on a precise determination of radioactivity concentration levels of the whole suite of radionuclides, including characterisation of their temporal variability. Equally important is a realistic assessment of water intake values for specific age groups. Only such an evaluation may provide the basis for possible remedial actions.

Assessment of ambient gamma dose rate around a prospective uranium mining area of South India - A comparative study of dose by direct methods and soil radioactivity measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Karunakara, N.; Yashodhara, I.; Sudeep Kumara, K.; Tripathi, R. M.; Menon, S. N.; Kadam, S.; Chougaonkar, M. P.

Indoor and outdoor gamma dose rates were evaluated around a prospective uranium mining region - Gogi, South India through (i) direct measurements using a GM based gamma dose survey meter, (ii) integrated measurement days using CaSO4:Dy based thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs), and (iii) analyses of 273 soil samples for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K activity concentration using HPGe gamma spectrometry. The geometric mean values of indoor and outdoor gamma dose rates were 104 nGy h-1 and 97 nGy h-1, respectively with an indoor to outdoor dose ratio of 1.09. The gamma dose rates and activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K varied significantly within a small area due to the highly localized mineralization of the elements. Correlation study showed that the dose estimated from the soil radioactivity is better correlated with that measured directly using the portable survey meter, when compared to that obtained from TLDs. This study showed that in a region having localized mineralization in situ measurements using dose survey meter provide better representative values of gamma dose rates.

Time depending assessment of low and intermediate radioactive waste characteristics from Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mateescu, S.; Pantazi, D.; Stanciu, M.

2002-01-01

Low and intermediate radioactive gaseous, liquid and solid waste produced at Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant must be well known from the point of view of contained radionuclide activity, during all steps of their processing, storage and transport, to ensure the nuclear safety of radioactive waste management. As in intermediate storage stage, the waste activity changes by radioactive decay and nuclear transmutation, the evolution in time of these sources is necessary to be assessed, for the purpose of biological shielding determination at any time. On the other hand, during the transport of waste package at the repository, the external dose rates must meet the national and international requirements concerning radioactive materials transportation on public roads. In this paper, a calculation methodology for waste characterization based on external exposure rate measurement and on sample analysis results is presented. The time evolution of waste activity, as well as the corresponding shielding at different moments of management process, have been performed using MICROSHIELD-5 code. The spent resins proceeded from clean-up and purification systems and solutions from decontamination have been analyzed. The proposed methodology helps us to assess radiation protection during the handling of low and intermediate - level radioactive waste drums, ensuring safety conditions for the public and environment.(author)

Estimation of doses from radioactively contaminated disaster wastes reused for pavements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawaguchi, Takuma; Takeda, Seiji; Kimura, Hideo; Tanaka, Tadao

2015-01-01

It is desirable that the disaster wastes contaminated by radioactive cesium after the severe accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant are reused as much as possible in order to minimize the quantity to be disposed of. Ministry of the Environment showed the policy that the wastes containing cesium of higher concentration than the clearance level (100 Bq/kg) were reusable as materials of construction such as subbase course materials of pavements under controlled condition with measures to lower exposure doses. In this study, in order to provide technical information for making a guideline on the use of contaminated concrete materials recycled from disaster wastes as pavement, doses for workers and the public were estimated, and the reusable concentration of radioactive cesium in the wastes was evaluated. It was shown that the external exposure of the public (children) residing near the completed pavement gave the minimum radiocesium concentration in order to comply with the dose criteria. The recycled concrete materials whose average concentration of cesium lower than 2,700 Bq/kg can be used as the subbase course materials of pavements. (author)

The remobilisation of radionuclides from marine sediments: implications for collective dose assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, S.; MacKenzie, J.

1988-09-01

A model of the transfer (in either direction) of radioactivity between seawater and the seabed is described. It was developed, in the first instance, for inclusion in marine collective dose assessment codes. A review of radionuclide-sediment interactions with particular emphasis on the remobilisation process is followed by a description of the seabed model, an investigation of the effect of the model on estimates of collective dose, and a discussion of sedimentation in the Irish Sea in the context of radioactive discharges. The inclusion of the seabed model may lead to marked decreases in the collective dose at short integration times for nuclides with a high affinity for sediments. For discharges of such radionuclides into the Irish Sea, remobilisation may lead to a significant increase in collective dose compared with estimates obtained ignoring this phenomenon; and thirdly, remobilisation appears to have little effect on collective doses integrated to infinite time for discharges from three other locations in the UK. It is also shown that inclusion of the seabed model leads to predictions of a high uptake of plutonium by the seabed for Irish Sea discharges without the need for anomalously high sedimentation rates. (author)

Maxine: A spreadsheet for estimating dose from chronic atmospheric radioactive releases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jannik, Tim [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Bell, Evaleigh [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Dixon, Kenneth [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-07-24

MAXINE is an EXCEL© spreadsheet, which is used to estimate dose to individuals for routine and accidental atmospheric releases of radioactive materials. MAXINE does not contain an atmospheric dispersion model, but rather doses are estimated using air and ground concentrations as input. Minimal input is required to run the program and site specific parameters are used when possible. Complete code description, verification of models, and user’s manual have been included.

Measurement of radioactive aerosol behavior during dismantling and reflection to the exposure dose evaluation - 16107

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iguchi, Yukihiro; Kato, Masami

2009-01-01

Radioactive aerosol disperses slightly via contamination prevention systems such as control enclosures and filters when the nuclear installation is dismantled, and it might impact the environment. Therefore, when decommissioning is planned, it is necessary to assess the safety such as exposure dose evaluation to the public. For the radioactive aerosol, it is possible that the dispersion ratio is different according to the contamination condition, the dismantlement method of the material, nuclides (elements), etc. The radiation exposure evaluation for the decommissioning plan has been executed by operators in Japan based on a number of experiments (mostly cold tests) and overseas results. The decommissioning is now being carried out at the Tokai Power Station (GCR) and Fugen Decommissioning Engineering Center in Japan. In this study, the results data is acquired at the decommissioning sites, and the methodology and data for the exposure dose evaluation are verified and confirmed. These examination results will lead to the upgrading and improvement of the exposure evaluation methodology. In particular, the dismantlement work of connected piping of the heat exchanger (steam generator) was executed in the Tokai Power Station in 2008. In this study, we paid attention to the radionuclides of Co-60 and Cs-137 that adhered to piping, and the dispersion behavior of aerosol was measured and contamination prevention effect was assured. As a result, the data show that the cesium concentrates about four times higher than cobalt. Moreover, the effects of the prevention measures of contamination were confirmed and the behavior of the radioactive aerosol became clear and the effective findings about the dose evaluation of the dismantling were collected. (authors)

Exposure dose assessment using bioassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suga, Shinichi

1994-01-01

Bioassay involves following steps: sampling, pre-treatment, chemical separation and counting of radioactivity. As bioassay samples, urines are usually used, although faecal analysis may be required in some occasions for example to assess intake of non-transferable radioactive materials. Nasal smear is a useful indicator of an inhalation case. Exhalation air is used to estimate the intake of tritiated water. Sample pre-treatment includes evaporation for concentration, wet ashing, dry ashing and co-precipitation. After adding small amount of nitric acid, the sample can be concentrated by 1/10 of initial volume, which may be used to identify γ-emitters. As the pre-treatment of urine, wet ashing is used for example for analysis of Pu, and co-precipitation is used for example for analysis of Sr. Dry ashing by electric furnace is usually adopted for faecal samples. Methods of chemical separation depend on the radionuclide(s) to be analysed. The detection limit depends also on radionuclide, and for example typical detection limits are 0.4Bq / l (volume of urine sample) for 89 Sr or 90 Sr, and 0.01 Bq / l with urine and 0.01 Bq per sample with faeces for 238 Pu, 239 Pu or 241 Am. Simpler methods can be used for some radionuclides: For example, radioactivity concentration of tritium can be determined by liquid scintillation counting of urine or condensed water from exhaled air, and natural uranium in urine can be quantified by using fluorometric method. In some circumstances, gross-α or gross-β analyses are useful for quick estimation. To estimate intakes by inhalation or by ingestion from bioassay results and to assess the committed dose equivalent, commonly available bases are the relevant publications by the ICRP and domestic guides and manuals that conform to the radiation protection regulations. (author)

Uncertainties in environmental impact assessments due to expert opinion. Case study. Radioactive waste in Slovenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kontic, B.; Ravnik, M.

1998-01-01

A comprehensive study was done at the J. Stefan Institute in Ljubljana and the School of Environmental Sciences in Nova Gorica in relation to sources of uncertainties in long-term environmental impact assessment (EIA). Under the research two main components were examined: first, methodology of the preparation of an EIA, and second validity of an expert opinion. Following the findings of the research a survey was performed in relation to assessing acceptability of radioactive waste repository by the regulatory. The components of dose evaluation in different time frames were examined in terms of susceptibility to uncertainty. Uncertainty associated to human exposure in the far future is so large that dose and risk, as individual numerical indicators of safety, by our opinion, should not be used in compliance assessment for radioactive waste repository. On the other hand, results of the calculations on the amount and activity of low and intermediate level waste and the spent fuel from the Krsko NPP show that expert's understanding of the treated questions can be expressed in transparent way giving credible output of the models used.(author)

Assessment of Annual Effective Dose for Natural Radioactivity of Gamma Emitters in Biscuit Samples in Iraq.

Science.gov (United States)

Abojassim, Ali Abid; Al-Alasadi, Lubna A; Shitake, Ahmed R; Al-Tememie, Faeq A; Husain, Afnan A

2015-09-01

Biscuits are an important type of food, widely consumed by babies in Iraq and other countries. This work uses gamma spectroscopy to measure the natural radioactivity due to long-lived gamma emitters in children's biscuits; it also estimates radiation hazard indices, that is, the radium equivalent activity, the representative of gamma level index, the internal hazard index, and the annual effective dose in children. Ten samples were collected from the Iraqi market from different countries of origin. The average specific activities for (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K were 9.390, 3.1213, and 214.969 Bq/kg, respectively, but the average of the radium equivalent activity and the internal hazard index were 33.101 Bq/kg and 0.107, respectively. The total average annual effective dose from consumption by adults, children, and infants is estimated to be 0.655, 1.009, and 0.875 mSv, respectively. The values found for specific activity, radiation hazard indices, and annual effective dose in all samples in this study were lower than worldwide median values for all groups; therefore, these values are found to be safe.

Safety assessments for deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, R.B.

1984-01-01

The objective of safety assessment for deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes is to evaluate how well the engineered barriers and geological setting inhibit radionuclide migration and prevent radiation dose to man. Safety assessment is influenced through interaction with the regulatory agencies, research groups, the public and the various levels of government. Under the auspices of the IAEA, a generic disposal system description has been developed to facilitate international exchange and comparison of data and results, and to enable development and comparison of performance for all components of the disposal system. It is generally accepted that a systems modelling approach is required and that safety assessment can be considered on two levels. At the systems level, all components of the system are taken into account to evaluate the risk to man. At the systems level, critical review and quality assurance on software provide the major validation techniques. Risk is a combination of dose estimate and probability of that dose. For analysis of the total system to be practical, the components are usually represented by simplified models. Recently, assessments have been taking uncertainties in the input data into account. At the detailed level, large-scale, complex computer programs model components of the system in sufficient detail that validation by comparison with field and laboratory measurements is possible. For example, three-dimensional fluid-flow, heat-transport and solute-transport computer programs have been used. Approaches to safety assessment are described, with illustrations from safety assessments performed in a number of countries. (author)

Relationship between dose and risk, and assessment of carcinogenic risks associated with low doses of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.; Aurengo, A.

2005-01-01

This report raises doubts on the validity of using LNT (linear no-threshold) relationship for evaluating the carcinogenic risk of low doses (< 100 mSv) and even more for very low doses (< 10 mSv). The LNT concept can be a useful pragmatic tool for assessing rules in radioprotection for doses above 10 mSv; however since it is not based on biological concepts of our current knowledge, it should not be used without precaution for assessing by extrapolation the risks associated with low and even more so, with very low doses (< 10 mSv), especially for benefit-risk assessments imposed on radiologists by the European directive 97-43. The biological mechanisms are different for doses lower than a few dozen mSv and for higher doses. The eventual risks in the dose range of radiological examinations (0.1 to 5 mSv, up to 20 mSv for some examinations) must be estimated taking into account radiobiological and experimental data. An empirical relationship which has been just validated for doses higher than 200 mSv may lead to an overestimation of risks (associated with doses one hundred fold lower), and this overestimation could discourage patients from undergoing useful examinations and introduce a bias in radioprotection measures against very low doses (< 10 mSv). Decision makers confronted with problems of radioactive waste or risk of contamination, should re-examine the methodology used for the evaluation of risks associated with very low doses and with doses delivered at a very low dose rate. This report confirms the inappropriateness of the collective dose concept to evaluate population irradiation risks

Retrospective dosimetry: dose evaluation using unheated and heated quartz from a radioactive waste storage building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, M.; Boetter-Jensen, L.; Murray, A.S.; Jungner, H.

2002-01-01

In the assessment of dose received from a nuclear accident, considerable attention has been paid to retrospective dosimetry using heated materials such as household ceramics and bricks. However, unheated materials such as mortar and concrete are more commonly found in industrial sites and particularly in nuclear installations. These materials contain natural dosemeters such as quartz, which usually is less sensitive than its heated counterpart. The potential of quartz extracted from mortar is a wall of a low-level radioactive-waste storage facility containing distributed sources of 60 Co and 13C s has been investigated. Dose-depth profiles based on small aliquots and single grains from the quartz extracted from the mortar samples are reported here. These are compared with results from heated quartz and polymineral fine grains extracted from an adjacent brick, and the integrated dose recorded by environmental TLDs. (author)

Retrospective dosimetry: Dose evaluation using unheated and heated quartz from a radioactive waste storage building

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jain, M.; Bøtter-Jensen, L.; Murray, A.S.

2002-01-01

In the assessment of dose received from a nuclear accident, considerable attention has been paid to retrospective dosimetry using heated materials such as household ceramics and bricks. However, unheated materials such as mortar and concrete are more commonly found in industrial sites......-137 has been investigated. Dose-depth profiles based on small aliquots and single grains from the quartz extracted from the mortar samples are reported here. These are compared with results from heated quartz and polymineral fine grains extracted from an adjacent brick, and the integrated dose...... and particularly in nuclear installations. These materials contain natural dosemeters Such as quartz. which usually is less sensitive than its heated counterpart. The potential of quartz extracted from mortar in a wall of a low-level radioactive-waste storage facility containing distributed sources of Co-60 and Cs...

Natural radioactivity level and radiological hazard assessment of commonly used building material in Xining, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shigang Chao; Xinwei Lu; Mengmeng Zhang; Long Pang

2014-01-01

Natural radioactivity of the commonly used building materials in Xining of China was measured using gamma-ray spectrometer system comprising a NaI(Tl) detector. Radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied samples range from 11.6 to 120.6, 10.2 to 107.1 and 228.0 to 1,036.2 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and the mean value for soil. Radium equivalent activity, indoor air absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate as well as external and internal hazard indices were calculated to assess radiological hazards for people living in dwelling made of the building materials. The radiological hazard assessment results show that the studied building materials, except for some aerated concrete block samples, are safe for use in construction of dwellings in the study area and do not pose any significant source of radiation hazard. (author)

ISCORS ASSESSMENT OF RADIOACTIVITY IN SEWAGE SLUDGE: MODELING TO ASSESS RADIATION DOSES

Science.gov (United States)

The Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards (ISCORS) has recently completed a study of the occurrence within the United States of radioactive materials in sewage sludge and sewage incineration ash. One component of that effort was an examination of the possible tran...

Safety indicators in different time frames for the safety assessment of underground radioactive waste repositories. First report of the INWAC subgroup on principles and criteria for radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

Principles and criteria for the disposal of long lived radioactive waste involve issues which go beyond those normally considered in the basic system of radiation protection. Safety criteria based on radiation risk an dose limitation are commonly accepted as the principal basis for judging the acceptability of radioactive waste repositories. However, the long time-scales of interest mean that risks or doses to future individuals cannot be predicted with any certainty as they depend, amongst other things, on assumptions made about the integrity of the waste matrix, the man-made barriers, the geology, the dispersion of groundwater, etc. and future biospheric conditions and human lifestyles. This document discusses various safety indicators and their applicability in the context of the future time-scales which have to be considered in safety assessments of deep geologic repositories. Quantitative assessment are based on numerical estimates of consequences (e.g. risk or dose) and the assessment is made against numerical criteria. Qualitative assessments are based on estimates of hazard potential which are not exact or absolute and the assessment is made against criteria which may not be numerically defined. Examples of such criteria are the convenient reference values provided by levels of radionuclides in the natural environment. Refs, figs and tabs

Radiation Sialadenitis Induced by High-dose Radioactive Iodine Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Shin Young; Lee, Jaetae

2010-01-01

Radioactive iodine ( 131 I) is accumulated in the thyroid tissue and plays an important role in the treatment of differentiated papillary and follicular cancers after thyroidectomy. Simultaneously, 131 I is concentrated in the salivary glands and secreted into the saliva. Dose-related damage to the salivary parenchyma results from the 131 I irradiation. Salivary gland swelling and pain, usually involving the parotid, can be seen. The symptoms may develop immediately after a therapeutic dose of 131 I and/or months later and progress in intensity with time. In conjunction with the radiation sialadenitis, secondary complications reported include xerostomia, taste alterations, infection, increases in caries, facial nerve involvement, candidiasis, and neoplasia. Prevention of 131 I sialadenitis may involve the use of sialogogic agents to hasten the transit time of the radioactive iodine through the salivary glands. However, studies are not available to delineate the efficacy of this approach. Treatment of the varied complications that may develop encompass numerous approaches and include gland massage, sialogogic agents, duct probing, antibiotics, mouthwashes, good oral hygiene, and adequate hydration. Recently interventional sialoendoscopy has been introduced an effective tool for the management of patients with 131 I-induced sialadenitis that is unresponsive to medical treatment.

Development of a methodology for assessing the environmental impact of radioactivity in Northern Marine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.E.; Hosseini, A.; Borretzen, P.; Thorring, H. . E-mail havard.thorring@nrpa.no

2006-01-01

The requirement to assess the impacts of radioactivity in the environment explicitly and transparently is now generally accepted by the scientific community. A recently developed methodology for achieving this end for marine ecosystems is presented within this paper. With its clear relationship to an overarching system, the marine impact assessment is built around components of environmental transfer, ecodosimetry and radiobiological effects appraisal relying on the use of 'reference organisms'. Concentration factors (CFs), dynamic models and, in cases where parameters are missing, allometry have been employed in the consideration of radionuclide transfer. Dose conversion coefficients (DCCs) have been derived for selected flora and fauna using, inter alia, dose attenuation and chord distribution functions. The calculated dose-rates can be contextualised through comparison with dose-rates arising from natural background and chronic dose-rates at which biological effects have been observed in selected 'umbrella' endpoints

Preliminary risk assessment of Power Plant Plomin site contaminated by radioactive slag and ash

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skanata, D.; Sinka, D.; Lokner, V.; Schaller, A.

1996-01-01

There is a certain number of radioactively contaminated sites in the Republic of Croatia, one of them being known as Power Plant Plomin site, which contains radioactive slag and ash. Due to a relatively high quantity of the deposited material, as well as relatively high population density of the neighbouring area, it is very important to assess the impact of the site on human health and environment. Using RESRAD computer code and PATHRAE method a preliminary assessment of doses and radiation risks for the workers who spend most of their working day at the pile has been performed. PATHRAE method has also been used for the assessment of radiation risks for the neighbouring population. The assessment is preliminary in its character due to the lack of input data. On the basis of assessment results, recommendations are being given comprising measurements to be taken with a view to coming up with the final risk assessment, as well as protective measures which should be undertaken in the meantime. (author)

Natural radioactivity, dose assessment and uranium uptake by agricultural crops at Khan Al-Zabeeb, Jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Kharouf, Samer J.; Al-Hamarneh, Ibrahim F.; Dababneh, Munir

2008-01-01

Khan Al-Zabeeb, an irrigated cultivated area lies above a superficial uranium deposits, is regularly used to produce vegetables and fruits consumed by the public. Both soil and plant samples collected from the study area were investigated for their natural radioactivity to determine the uranium uptake by crops and hence to estimate the effective dose equivalent to human consumption. Concentrations of 238 U, 235 U, 232 Th, 226 Ra, 222 Rn, 137 Cs and 40 K in nine soil profiles were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry whereas watermelon and zucchini crops were analyzed for their uranium content by means of alpha spectrometry after radiochemical separation. Correlations between measured radionuclides were made and their activity ratios were determined to evaluate their geochemical behavior in the soil profiles. Calculated soil-plant transfer factors indicate that the green parts (leaves, stems and roots) of the studied crops tend to accumulate uranium about two orders of magnitude higher than the fruits. The maximum dose from ingestion of 1 kg of watermelon pulp was estimated to be 3.1 and 4.7 nSv y -1 for 238 U and 234 U, respectively. Estimations of the annual effective dose equivalent due to external exposure showed extremely low values. Radium equivalent activity and external hazard index were seen to exceed the permissible limits of 370 Bq kg -1 and 1, respectively

Dose assessment considering evolution of the biosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlsson, Sara; Bergstroem, Ulla

2002-01-01

Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management AB (SKB) is presently updating the safety assessment for SFR (Final repository for radioactive operational waste) in Sweden. The bio-spheric part of the analysis is performed by Studsvik Eco and Safety AB. According to the regulations the safety of the repository has to be accounted for different possible courses of the development of the biosphere. A number of studies have been carried out during the past years to investigate and document the biosphere in the area surrounding the repository. Modelling of shore-level displacement by land uplift, coastal water exchange and sedimentation have provided data for prediction of the evolution of the area. The prediction is done without considering a future change in climatic conditions. The results from this study show that accumulation of radionuclides in sediments is an important process to simulate when performing dose assessments covering biosphere evolution. The dose calculated for the first years of the period with agricultural use of the contaminated sediments may be severely underestimated in a scenario with large accumulation in coastal and lake stages. (LN)

Assessment of Radioactivity in Man. Vol. II. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Assessment of Radioactive Body Burdens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1964-01-01

This Symposium on the Assessment of Radioactive Body Burdens in Man was organized jointly by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organization and was held in Heidelberg from 11-15 May 1964. It was attended by 181 participants from 28 countries and 6 international organizations. It was the objective of the Symposium to bring together experts from the various scientific disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and mathematics, and to survey their experience in the assessment of radioactive body burdens in man and the resultant radiation doses. In most investigations of internal contamination the errors in the physical measurements are smaller than the errors associated with the interpretation of measurements. For this reason special emphasis was laid in this meeting on the interpretation of measured data. The 67 papers and the discussions which they stimulated are published in these Proceedings produced in two volumes. Volume I includes all papers which deal with problems generally common to many isotopes: in- vivo counting, bioassay techniques, sample counting and analysis of data. Volume II includes those papers concerned with radioisotopes of specific elements: caesium, radium, radon, strontium, tritium, thorium, uranium, plutonium and rare earth elements. These Proceedings should prove invaluable to all radiation protection services entrusted with the physical surveillance of internal radiation exposure of man. They should complement the studies of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and assist the work of the Organizations that jointly organized the meeting

Study of radiation dose from radioactive shipments to cargo handlers at O'Hare Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-06-01

The relationship between the amount of radioactive materials that pass through the cargo areas at O'Hare Field, Chicago, and the resulting radiation dose to the workers handling the packages was determined. Measurements of radiation exposure rates at various distances from the radioactive packages were made. Handling or exposure times for personnel during several unit operations were measured with a watch. These data were used to determine the body dose from the unit operation. In randomly selected cases workers were assigned TLD dosimeters in the form of a ring to be worn on the hand or in the form of a clip to be attached to the clothing for measurement of the hand or body dose from a unit operation. During each survey, several workers were given TLDs that were worn for the duration of the shift, and some workers, in addition, were given dosimeters to be worn for the duration of the study. Results showed that the workers who handled the radioactive packages did not receive any significant radiation exposure. (U.S.)

Radioactivity Risk Assessment of Radon and Gamma Dose at One Uranium Tailings Pond in China

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, Yalong; Liu, Yong; Peng, Guowen; Zhao, Guodong; Zhang, Yan; Yang, Zhu

2018-01-01

A year-long monitoring of gamma radiation effective dose rate and radon concentration had been done in the reservoir area of one uranium tailings pond in Hunan province (The monitoring area included indoor and outdoor area of residential buildings and workshops, tailings dam slope). Afterwards, the annual effective radiation dose of the people in that radiation environment had been calculated based on the results of monitoring, as well as a radiation risk assessment. According to the assessment, gamma radiation effective dose rate and radon concentration in the monitoring area were low, and the annual effective radiation dose was far below the international standard (30mSv), which showed that the radiation would not put the people’s health at risk. However, the annual effective radiation dose of gamma was far above that of radon in the area of uranium tailings pond; therefore, it’s advisable to take quarantine measures in in the area of uranium tailings pond to keep the surrounding residents away from unnecessary ionizing radiation.

Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 2001 : a summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

RSA 93 authorisations. Radiological monitoring programmes are carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under RSA 93 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. This report presents the results of the Agency's regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 2001 and an assessment of the radiological impact. The main findings of the regular monitoring programme during 2001 were as follows: The majority of operator declarations of the radioactive content of waste discharges and disposals had been assessed accurately or were over-estimate; Radiation dose rates above sediments and concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediment, soil and grass were generally consistent with those reported in previous years. Enhanced levels of artificial radionuclides continue to be found in coastal sediments in the vicinity of Sellafield, which decline with increasing distance from the site. Radioactivity levels around other major sites were mostly low or not detectable; As in previous years, concentrations of radionuclides in samples of airborne dust and rainwater from seven locations in the UK were very low or undetectable; Water from all 31 monitored sources of drinking water in England and Wales, except one in Derbyshire, were consistently below the World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water screening levels. The enhanced level of uranium in the Derbyshire water is due to the natural levels of uranium in the local geology, and is insignificant from a radiological point of view. Assessments of doses that might be received by members of the public from drinking water and occupation of beaches, inter-tidal areas and river banks around nuclear and major non-nuclear sites were made. In all cases, doses were less than the annual dose limit for members of the public of 1000 microsieverts (1000 μSv). Houseboat dwellers on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire received the highest total annual dose of 142 μSv. This is due to

Cross-Border Assessment of Environmental Radioactivity in the Euro-Arctic Region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nalbandyan, Anna; Gwynn, Justin P.; Moeller, Bredo [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Section High North, 9296 Tromsoe (Norway); Leppaenen, Ari-Pekka; Rasilainen, Tiina [STUK Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Regional Laboratory in Northern Finland, 96400 Rovaniemi (Finland); Kasatkina, Nadezhda; Usiagina, Irina [Murmansk Marine Biological Institute (MMBI), 183010 Murmansk (Russian Federation)

2014-07-01

The Euro-Arctic region is currently experiencing rapid changes in environmental, social and economic conditions. The issue of environmental radioactivity is of special concern to the Arctic region due to numerous existing and potential sources of radioactive pollution in the immediate and adjacent areas. Due to cross-border nature of any potential radioactive contamination and common challenges in border countries, one should consider risks related to radioactivity, monitoring and protection at a regional and international level. This research presents results of cross-border cooperation between Norway, Finland and Russia and joint assessment of the status of terrestrial radioactivity in the Euro-Arctic region and in particular across Troms and Finnmark (Norway), Lapland (Finland) and Murmansk Oblast (Russia). To assess current environmental radioactivity levels in the terrestrial environment, environmental samples were collected in each country in 2010-2012. The main focus was comparison of radioactivity levels in the natural food products such as berries, mushrooms and freshwater fish. The results showed that large variations in activity concentrations exist between species and sampling areas. However, activity concentrations of {sup 137}Cs in all berries and mushrooms in Northern Norway, Finland and Russia were below the national limits set for commercial retail and well below the national limits for freshwater fish from Northern Norway and Finland. The sampled species from three countries were analysed in order to find out reference species available for further monitoring and data comparison. The doses to man arising from consumption of berries, mushrooms and freshwater fish were calculated. To compare overall terrestrial radioactivity levels in the Euro-Arctic region, partners exchanged long-term monitoring data available in the three countries such as data for soil, vegetation, berries, mushrooms, lichens, reindeer meat, freshwater fish, whole body counting

Hygienic assessment of radioactive iodine isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilenko, I.Ya.

1987-01-01

Sources of radioactive iodine isotopes and their biological significance depending on the way of intake are discussed. The degree of food contamination by radioactive iodine as well as products, which serve as the source of its intake into the human body, and results of their processing are considered. The danger of radioactive iodine intake by different groups of population as well as thyroid irradiation effects are discussed. Description of activities, directed to the human body protection against radioactive iodine and assessment of these protection measures efficiency is presented

Measurement of Natural Radioactive Nuclide Concentrations and the Dose Estimation of Workers Originated from Radon in Manganese Ore Mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansour, N.A.; Hassan, N.M.; Blasy, M.R.

2013-01-01

Manganese ore is widely used in many industries. Such as ore contain natural radioactive nuclides at various concentrations. If this ore contain high concentrations of natural radioactive nuclides, workers handling them might be exposed to significant levels of radiation. Therefore it is important to determine the radioactive nuclides in this ore. Also the regulation of radon concentration at workplaces has gained an accentuated importance in all countries. Nevertheless, at this time there is no globally accepted workplace protocol that sets out safe radon concentration values. In this study the radon concentration measured by using an Alpha Guard radon monitor, the equilibrium factor which was greater than the value given in literature, effective radiation dose, which are necessary for the exact estimation of the radiation dose originating from radon. The regulation of radon concentration at workplaces has gained an accentuated importance in all countries. Approach: The natural radionuclides ( 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) contents of manganese ore samples collected from Umm Bogma, southwest Sinai and from the mountain access Hamid South Eastern Desert, Egypt have been determined by low background spectroscopy using hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector. Results: The mean activities due to the three radionuclides ( 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) were found to be 1500±65, 490±65 and 364±45 Bqkg -1 , respectively. The absorbed dose rate due to the natural radioactivity in samples under investigation ranged from 1522±45 → 1796±43 nGyh -1 . The radium equivalent activity varied from 3807±114→ 4446±133 Bqkg -1 .The representative external hazard index values for the corresponding samples are also estimated. Conclusion: The results of this assessment obtained by the gamma-ray spectroscopic analysis, have indicated that the levels of natural radioactivity were lower than the international recommended limits.

Evaluation of the dose assessment models for routine radioactive releases to the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, J.

1998-05-01

The aim of the work was to evaluate the needs of development concerning the dose calculation models for routine releases and application of the models for exceptional release situations at the NPP plants operated by Imatran Voima Ltd. and Teollisuuden Voima Ltd. in Finland. First, the differences of the calculation models concerning input data, models themselves and output are considered. Subsequently some single features like importance of nuclides in exposure pathways due to change of the release composition, dose calculation for children and importance of time period of particle releases are considered. The existing dose calculation model used by the radiation safety authorities is aimed at a tool for checking the results from calculations of doses arising from routine releases by the power companies. Characteristics of an independent, foreign model and its suitability for safety authorities for dose calculations of releases in normal operation is also assessed. The needs of improvements in the existing calculation models and characteristics of a comprehensive model for safety authorities are discussed as well

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fegan, M.; Dowdall, A.; Hanley, O.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; Smith, V.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2008-10-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) in 2007. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to artificial radioactivity in the envorinment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. In additiopn, some natural radioactivity exposure pathways are included in the programme including radioactivity in surface and ground drinking water. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural oprocesses, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl in the Ukraine and the routine discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the north-west of England continue to be the dominant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII in 2007 included; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and of external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and various ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the Irish marine environment based on sampling and measurement of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at twelve stations located throughout the country. One of these stations is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows background concentrations of caesium-137 to be measured; another is equipped to

Evolution of radiation doses received by workers and the public during the transportation of radioactive materials in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamard, J.; Fignon, M.; Mauny, G.; Bernard, H.; Morin, J.

1989-01-01

This study makes an inventory of external irradiation dose equivalents and collective dose equivalents received by workers and the public during the transportation of radioactive materials in France between 1982 and 1988 (in the following, the authors use only the term dose). It deals with the transport of radiopharmaceuticals, irradiated fuels, wastes and other various radioactive materials. The evolution of the doses is referred to the variation of the number of packages, the mass on the volume transported for these main categories of materials. The transportation of radioactive materials uses various transport means: road, rail, air, and implies the intervention of various societies. Most of them have taken part in this study. Most societies involved in the transport carry out an individual dosimetry of the workers. But the decisions to carry such a dosimetry depends on the appreciation of the employer in relation with the more or less evident level of risk resulting from the transport and handling of the radioactive materials. The relatively low level of risk in current situations could incite some carriers not to carry out individual dosimetry. Thus the knowledge of individual doses essentially variables with the workers would therefore be difficult

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGinnity, P.; Currivan, L.; Dowdall, A.; Fegan, M.; Hanley, O.; Kelleher, K.; McKittrick, L.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2010-12-01

weapons in the 1950s and 1960s and releases from past nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl. Milk, because it is an important foodstuff for infants and children and is known to concentrate long lived radionuclides such as caesium-137 and strontium-90, is an important indicator of levels of artificial radioactivity in the terrestrial food chain. The estimated dose due to strontium-90 activity in milk was estimated to be 0.97 ?Sv for 2009. This was for the most exposed group, assessed to be infants, children under the age of one year. It is very small compared to the background radiation. Radioactivity measurements on other foodstuffs confirm the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish food-chain remain very low and that Irish foodstuffs are free from harmful levels of radioactivity. The RPII monitors radioactivity in drinking water supplies in rotation so that major supplies from each county are sampled at least once every four years. During 2009 supplies from Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Limerick and Laois were tested. Drinking water samples are assessed for compliance with the radioactivity standards set out in the Drinking Water Directive. All drinking water samples tested during 2009 were found to be in compliance with the radioactivity standards set out in the Drinking Water Directive. The RPII programme also monitors airborne radioactivity through its network of on- and off-line samplers. External gamma dose rates are also monitored. No exceptional activity was detected in outdoor air during 2009. The levels were consistent with those recorded in previous years. For 2009 the average annual dose from inhalation of caesium-137 was estimated at 9.0 x 10?? ?Sv. The data presented in this report confirm that while the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish environment are detectable they are low and are continuing to decrease. They do not pose a significant risk to the human health of the Irish population. Activity concentrations of

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fegan, M.; Currivan, L.; Dowdall, A.; Hanley, O.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McKittrick, L.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2010-01-01

weapons in the 1950s and 1960s and releases from past nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl. Milk, because it is an important foodstuff for infants and children and is known to concentrate long lived radionuclides such as caesium-137 and strontium-90, is an important indicator of levels of artificial radioactivity in the terrestrial food chain. The estimated dose due to strontium-90 activity in milk was estimated to be 0.55 ?Sv for 2008. This was for the most exposed group, assessed to be infants, children under the age of one year. It is very small compared to the background radiation. Radioactivity measurements on other foodstuffs confirm the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish food-chain remain very low and that Irish foodstuffs are free from harmful levels of radioactivity. The RPII monitors radioactivity in drinking water supplies in rotation so that major supplies from each county are sampled at least once every four years. During 2008 supplies from Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal and Dublin were tested. Drinking water samples are assessed for compliance with the radioactivity standards set out in the Drinking Water Directive. All drinking water samples tested during 2008 were found to be in compliance with the radioactivity standards set out in the Drinking Water Directive. The RPII programme also monitors airborne radioactivity through its network of on- and off-line samplers. External gamma dose rates are also monitored. No exceptional activity was detected in outdoor air during 2008. The levels were consistent with those recorded in previous years. For 2008 the average annual dose from inhalation of caesium-137 was estimated at 8.0 x 10?? ?Sv. The data presented in this report confirm that while the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish environment are detectable they are low and are continuing to decrease. They do not pose a significant risk to the human health of the Irish population. Activity concentrations of radionuclides in airborne

Dose assessment for public at the hypothetical submergence of a fresh MOX fuel package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumune, Daisuke; Saegusa, Toshiari; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Maruyama, Koki

2000-01-01

For the structure and equipment of transport ships for fresh MOX fuels, there is a special safety standard called the INF Code of IMO (International Maritime Organization). For transport of radioactive materials, there is a safety standard stipulated in Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material issued by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). Under those code and standard, fresh MOX fuel is transported safety on the sea. To gain the public acceptance for this transport, a dose assessment has been made by assuming that a fresh MOX fuel package might be sunk into the sea by unknown reasons. In the both cases for a package sunk at the coastal region and for that sunk at the ocean, the evaluated result of the dose equivalent by radiation exposure to the public are far below the dose equivalent limit of the ICRP recommendation (1 mSv/year). (author)

Radiation Sialadenitis Induced by High-dose Radioactive Iodine Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Shin Young; Lee, Jaetae [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2010-06-15

Radioactive iodine ({sup 131}I) is accumulated in the thyroid tissue and plays an important role in the treatment of differentiated papillary and follicular cancers after thyroidectomy. Simultaneously, {sup 131}I is concentrated in the salivary glands and secreted into the saliva. Dose-related damage to the salivary parenchyma results from the {sup 131}I irradiation. Salivary gland swelling and pain, usually involving the parotid, can be seen. The symptoms may develop immediately after a therapeutic dose of {sup 131}I and/or months later and progress in intensity with time. In conjunction with the radiation sialadenitis, secondary complications reported include xerostomia, taste alterations, infection, increases in caries, facial nerve involvement, candidiasis, and neoplasia. Prevention of {sup 131}I sialadenitis may involve the use of sialogogic agents to hasten the transit time of the radioactive iodine through the salivary glands. However, studies are not available to delineate the efficacy of this approach. Treatment of the varied complications that may develop encompass numerous approaches and include gland massage, sialogogic agents, duct probing, antibiotics, mouthwashes, good oral hygiene, and adequate hydration. Recently interventional sialoendoscopy has been introduced an effective tool for the management of patients with {sup 131}I-induced sialadenitis that is unresponsive to medical treatment.

Natural radioactivity, dose assessment and uranium uptake by agricultural crops at Khan Al-Zabeeb, Jordan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Kharouf, Samer J. [Royal Scientific Society, Amman 11941 (Jordan); Al-Hamarneh, Ibrahim F. [Prince Abdullah Bin Ghazi Faculty of Science and IT, Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), Salt 19117 (Jordan)], E-mail: hamarnehibrahim@yahoo.com; Dababneh, Munir [Prince Abdullah Bin Ghazi Faculty of Science and IT, Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), Salt 19117 (Jordan)

2008-07-15

Khan Al-Zabeeb, an irrigated cultivated area lies above a superficial uranium deposits, is regularly used to produce vegetables and fruits consumed by the public. Both soil and plant samples collected from the study area were investigated for their natural radioactivity to determine the uranium uptake by crops and hence to estimate the effective dose equivalent to human consumption. Concentrations of {sup 238}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 232}Th, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 222}Rn, {sup 137}Cs and {sup 40}K in nine soil profiles were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry whereas watermelon and zucchini crops were analyzed for their uranium content by means of alpha spectrometry after radiochemical separation. Correlations between measured radionuclides were made and their activity ratios were determined to evaluate their geochemical behavior in the soil profiles. Calculated soil-plant transfer factors indicate that the green parts (leaves, stems and roots) of the studied crops tend to accumulate uranium about two orders of magnitude higher than the fruits. The maximum dose from ingestion of 1 kg of watermelon pulp was estimated to be 3.1 and 4.7 nSv y{sup -1} for {sup 238}U and {sup 234}U, respectively. Estimations of the annual effective dose equivalent due to external exposure showed extremely low values. Radium equivalent activity and external hazard index were seen to exceed the permissible limits of 370 Bq kg{sup -1} and 1, respectively.

Summary of personnel doses and discharge of radioactivity at Swedish nuclear power plants 1971-1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malmqvist, L.; Persson, Aa.

1977-01-01

The report is a summary of personnel doses and activity discharges from Swedish nuclear power plants during the first five years of electric power production by nuclear plants. The personnel doses for the Sweedish plants are lower than the corresponding values for American plants. The highest Swedish value is o,13 manrem per MWE and year. The discharge of radioactivity to the atmosphere from the Swedish plants has been for below the maximum permissible limits. The discharge of radioactivity to the water recipients was less than 1 % of what is permissible

A performance assessment methodology for low-level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derring, L.R.

1990-01-01

To demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives governing protection of the general population in 10 CFR 61.41, applicants for land disposal of low-level radioactive waste are required to conduct a pathways analysis, or quantitative evaluation of radionuclide release, transport through environmental media, and dose to man. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff defined a strategy and initiated a project at Sandia National Laboratories to develop a methodology for independently evaluating an applicant's analysis of postclosure performance. This performance assessment methodology was developed in five stages: identification of environmental pathways, ranking the significance of the pathways, identification and integration of models for pathway analyses, identification and selection of computer codes and techniques for the methodology, and implementation of the codes and documentation of the methodology. This paper summarizes the NRC approach for conducting evaluations of license applications for low-level radioactive waste facilities. 23 refs

Overview of representative ecological risk assessments conducted for sites with enhanced radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambers, D.B; Fernandes, S.L.; Phillips, H.A.

2008-01-01

Ionizing radiation is ubiquitous and all living things are, and always have been, exposed to naturally occurring radiation and radioactivity. In addition, human activities have enhanced the natural background levels of radiation and radioactivity globally and, in some cases, locally. Over the past ten or so years, numerous ecological risk assessments (ERAs) have been carried out for a number of sites involving enhanced radiation and radioactivity. The ERAs have examined a range of ecological receptors and have been performed using a variety of approaches, using different assumptions and reference radiation dose rates. A review of representative ERAs selected to encompass a wide range of activities (e.g. uranium mining, nuclear generating stations, waste management sites), locations (e.g. Canada, France, UK, Russia, USA) and ecosystems (terrestrial, freshwater and marine aquatic environments), was completed. The wide range of sites considered in this review demonstrate that the current system of radiological protection has provided an adequate level of protection to populations of non-human biota. (author)

Assessment of natural radioactivity in ceramics imported of Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suliman, Mohamed Abdelgadir

2017-08-01

The study presents the radioactivity concentration of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K for 25 commercial ceramic samples, which is used as building materials in Sudan, Imported from China. A total of 25 different consignment samples were analyzed and the concentrations of radioisotopes were determined by Gamma spectroscopy using (Nal) detector. The detected values of concentrations of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K were 182.9, 51.18 and 237.67 Bq/kg dry-weight respectively. Five different radiation indices, namely average radium equivalent (Ra eq ), the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), the external hazard index (H ex ), and the radioactivity level index (I x ) which indicate hazardous radiation were also determined. The results revealed that the average radium equivalent (Ra aq ), the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), external hazard index (H ex ), and the radioactivity level index (I x ) were 274.3915 Bq/kg, 122.02 nGy/h, the external hazard index (H ex ), and the radioactivity level index (I x ) were 274.3915 Bq/KG, 122.02 nGy/h, 122 mSv/yr, 0.74 and 1.89, respectively. The mean values of Ra ex obtained were in good agreement with the international values, while the mean of D, and I x were higher than the international values, and it found that.The results of AEDE for 14 samples are bout 10 -101% higher than the result international value (1mSv/yr) for the public the rest is lower than the permissible value for the international values. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data obtained from similar materials used in other countries and with typical world values. (Author)

Safety assessment of radioactive wastes storage 'Mironova Gora'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serbryakov, B.; Karamushka, V.; Ostroborodov, V.

2000-01-01

A project of transforming the radioactive wastes storage 'Mironova Gora' is under development. A safety assessment of this storage facility was performed to gain assurance on the design decision. The assessment, which was based on the safety assessment methods developed for radioactive wastes repositories, is presented in this paper. (author)

Probabilistic safety assessment in radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, P.C.

1987-07-01

Probabilistic safety assessment codes are now widely used in radioactive waste disposal assessments. This report gives an overview of the current state of the field. The relationship between the codes and the regulations covering radioactive waste disposal is discussed and the characteristics of current codes is described. The problems of verification and validation are considered. (author)

The IRSN publishes an assessment of doses received in Japan by external irradiation due to radioactive deposits caused by the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant accident; L'IRSN publie une estimation des doses recues au Japon par irradiation externe due aux depots radioactifs provoques par l'accident de la centrale de Fukushima-Daiichi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

This document first describes how dry and wet radioactive deposits are formed. It also indicates their main components: iodine 131 and 132, caesium 134, 136 and 137, tellurium 132, and barium 140. It describes the different exposure ways due to radioactive deposits in the environment. A map indicates dose level assessments few tens of kilometres around the Fukushima power plant. A brief comment of this map is proposed

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2003-2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, R.W.; Dowdall, A; Fegan, M.F.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McEvoy, I.; McKittrick, L.; McMahon, C.A.; Murray, M.; Smith, K.; Sequeira, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2007-05-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) between 2003 and 2005. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to anthropogenic radioactivity in the environment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural processes, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl and the routine licensed discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the North-West of England continue to be the dominant source of anthropogenic radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII during the reporting period include; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and miscellaneous ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the marine environment based on sampling and measurements of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at eleven stations located throughout the country. One station is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows global fallout concentrations to be measured, and one is equipped to detect the presence of the gas krypton-85. Krypton-85 is released into the environment primarily as a result of the reprocessing of nuclear

5l/h pump for dosing corrosion radioactive liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Przybylovich, S.; Shraer, V.; Chermak, R.

1977-01-01

The technical requirements, design and main technical characteristics of the pump for dosing corrosion and radioactive liquids with capacity up to 5 l/h are described. The design is based on the popular sixvertical split casing pump. The pump has four separate pump membrane type blocks with nonstraight hydraulic membrane control. The membranes are made of the cold worked CrNi(18/10)type stainless steel with thickness up to 0.1 mm and have the lifetime up to 3000 hours. The remote pump heads are used for pumping radioactive fluids when the pumping goes behind the safe wall, separating the pump from a hot lab. The tests showed that the pump secures the satisfactory accuracy of dozing and uniformity of pumping and that it is really possible to achieve the required life time of 10000 hours by this pump

Methodology for assessing the radiological consequences of radioactive releases from the BPX Facility at PPPL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenzie-Carter, M.A.; Lyon, R.E.; Rope, S.K.

1991-04-01

This report contains information to support the Environmental Assessment for the Burning Plasma Experiment (BPX) Project proposed for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The assumptions and methodology used to assess the impact to members of the public from operational and accidental releases of radioactive material from the proposed BPX during the operational period of the project are described. A description of the tracer release tests conducted at PPPL by NOAA is included; dispersion values from these tests are used in the dose calculations. Radiological releases, doses, and resulting health risks are calculated and summarized. The computer code AIRDOS- EPA, which is part of the computer code system CAP-88, is used to calculate the individual and population doses for routine releases; FUSCRAC3 is used to calculate doses resulting from off-normal releases where direct application of the NOAA tracer test data is not practical. Where applicable, doses are compared to regulatory limits and guideline values. 48 refs., 16 tabs

Integrated technique for assessing environmental dose of radioactive waste storage installation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bor-Jing Chang; Chien-Liang Shih; Ing-Jane Chen [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Lungtan, Taiwan (China); Ren-Dih Sheu; Shiang-Huei Jiang [National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Shu-Jun Chang [Nuclear Science and Technology Association, Taiwan (China); Ruei-Ying Liao; Pei Yu; Chin-Yi Huang [Taiwan Power Company, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

2000-05-01

The ability to accurately predict exposure rates at large distances from a gamma radiation source is becoming increasingly important. This is because that the related regulation for the control of radiation levels in and around nuclear facilities becomes more stringent. Since the continuous increase of the radwaste storage capacity requirement on site, the requirement of a more realistic evaluation is very necessary. Those doses are usually at past time evaluated by QADCG/INER-2 code for direct dose and by SKYSHINE-III code for skyshine dose in which evaluation were over conservatively considered. This study is to update the evaluation code package accompanied with adequate methodology and to establish integrated analysis procedure. Thereafter, radiation doses can be accurately calculated in a reasonably conservative way. The purpose of the investigation is divided into three categories. First, SPECTRUM-506 is used instead of SPECTUM. Nuclide databases are enlarged from 100 up to 506. And the operation is ported to personal computer. Secondly, the QADCG/INER-3 code is developed to enhance the original QADCG/INER-2 code. The most important difference is the use of the geometric progression (GP) fitting function for the gamma-ray buildup factor. SKYSHINE-III code is replaced by McSKY and SKYDOSE codes. They are well benchmarked by using the Monte Carlo code MCNP and sensitive parameters are detailed investigated. Thirdly, the well developed analysis procedure is applicable for nuclear utility radwaste storage sites. Finally, the case studies were performed by using those packages to assess the radiological impact of utility radwaste storage site. The results are verified in detail by using Monte Carlo code MCNP and the results seems pretty consistent from both method. (author)

Assessment of Relevant Exposure Pathways in Scenario of Reuse of Very Low Level Radioactive Steel in Tunnel Constructions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hrncir, T.; Necas, V.

2012-01-01

Decommissioning process and related management of generated radioactive materials during this process became important topics during last several years because of continuously increasing number of nuclear power plant approaching the end of their lifetime. The very low level radioactive waste category includes considerable amount of materials arising from decommissioning. In line with international incentives of optimization of the waste management process, alternative concepts of recycling and reuse of materials are considered. One of these concepts of such optimization is the conditional release of materials with their subsequent recycling and reuse in industrial or nuclear sector. This paper is devoted to an option of recycling and reuse of conditionally released steel in industrial sector, specifically in motorway tunnel constructions. It is assumed that very low level radioactive steel would be released and reused in form of steel reinforcing components, such as steel nets and bars, assembled in primary and secondary lining of motorway tunnel. Assessment of exposure pathways relevant for construction, operation and post-operation period was performed. The computational tool VISIPLAN 3D ALARA was used for calculation of external individual effective dose for personnel constructing the tunnel and for members of the public driving through already built motorway tunnel. The simulation software GOLDSIM was used for the assessment of internal exposure pathways. GOLDSIM environment enables modelling of degradation processes and transport of radionuclides through unsaturated and saturated zone of subsoil. There are international recommendations available for the concept of release of radioactive materials into the environment derived from the principles that the individual effective dose received by critical individual must not exceed some tens of microSv/yr. Dose limits 10 microSv/yr or 50 microSv/yr considering specific conditions are stated in Slovak legislation

Dose and risk assessment of norm Contaminated waste released from trench disposal facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Geleel, M.; Ramadan, A.B.; Tawfik, A.A.

2005-01-01

Oil and gas extraction and processing operations accumulate naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) at concentrations above normal in by-product waste streams. The petroleum industry adopted methods for managing of NORM that are more restrictive than past practices and are likely to provide greater isolation of the radioactivity. Trench was used as a disposal facility for NORM contaminated wastes at one site of the petroleum industry in Egypt. The aim of this work is to calculate the risk and dose assessment received from trench disposal facility directly and after closure (1000 year). RESRAD computer code was used. The results indicated that the total effective dose (TED) received after direct closure of trench disposal facility was 7.7E-4 mSv/y while after 1000 years, it will he 3.4E-4. The health cancer risk after direct closure was 3.3E-8 while after 1000 years post closure it was 6E-8. Results of this assessment will help examine policy issues concerning different options and regulation of NORM contaminated waste generated by petroleum industry

Natural radioactivity measurements and dose calculations to the public: Case of the uranium-bearing region of Poli in Cameroon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saidou; Bochud, Francois O.; Baechler, Sebastien; Moise, Kwato Njock; Merlin, Ngachin; Froidevaux, Pascal

2011-01-01

The objective of this work is to carry out a baseline study of the uranium-bearing region of Poli in which lies the uranium deposit of Kitongo, prior to its impending exploitation. This study required sampling soil, water and foodstuffs representative of the radioactivity exposure and food consumption patterns of the population of Poli. After sampling and radioactivity measurements were taken, our results indicated that the activities of natural series in soil and water samples are low. However, high levels of 210 Po and 210 Pb in foodstuffs (vegetables) were discovered and elevated activities of 40 K were observed in some soil samples. All components of the total dose were assessed and lead to an average value of 5.2 mSv/year, slightly higher than the average worldwide value of 2.4 mSv/year. Most of this dose is attributable to the ingestion dose caused by the high levels of 210 Po and 210 Pb contained in vegetables, food items which constitute an important part of the diet in Northern Cameroon. Consequently, bringing uranium ore from underground to the surface might lead to an increased dose for the population of Poli through a higher deposition of 222 Rn decay products on leafy vegetables.

Natural radioactivity in various water samples and radiation dose estimations in Bolu province, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorur, F Korkmaz; Camgoz, H

2014-10-01

The level of natural radioactivity for Bolu province of north-western Turkey was assessed in this study. There is no information about radioactivity measurement reported in water samples in the Bolu province so far. For this reason, gross α and β activities of 55 different water samples collected from tap, spring, mineral, river and lake waters in Bolu were determined. The mean activity concentrations were 68.11 mBq L(-1), 169.44 mBq L(-1) for gross α and β in tap water. For all samples the gross β activity is always higher than the gross α activity. All value of the gross α were lower than the limit value of 500 mBq L(-1) while two spring and one mineral water samples were found to have gross β activity concentrations of greater than 1000 mBq L(-1). The associated age-dependent dose from all water ingestion in Bolu was estimated. The total dose for adults had an average value exceeds the WHO recommended limit value. The risk levels from the direct ingestion of the natural radionuclides in tap and mineral water in Bolu were determinated. The mean (210)Po and (228)Ra risk the value of tap and mineral waters slightly exceeds what some consider on acceptable risk of 10(-4) or less. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probabilistic assessment of the radiological consequences of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, C.F.; Cohen, J.J.

1989-01-01

Conventional methods for prediction of radiological dose consequence of low level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal generally involve application of deterministic calculational modeling. Since the selection of parametric input values for such analyses is made on a conservative ('worst case') basis, the results can be subject to criticism as being unrealistically high. To address this problem, a method for probabilistic assessment has been developed in which input parameters are expressed as probability distribution functions. An example calculation is presented for the impacts from migration of Carbon-14 to a close-in well. (author). 4 refs.; 1 tab

Radioactivity in the environment. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes; report for 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 provides for controls to be exercised over the keeping and use of radioactive materials and, in particular, on the accumulation and disposal of radioactive wastes. The Environment Agency is responsible for administration and enforcement of the Act in England and Wales. In support of these regulatory functions and as part of the UK Government's arrangements for providing information to the European Commission under the Euratom Treaty, the Agency commissions independent monitoring of radioactive waste disposals and their impact on the environment, and monitoring of radioactivity in air, rainwater and drinking water sources. This report presents the data from these monitoring programmes and provides a commentary on their radiological significance. It includes assessments of radiation exposure of members of the public for compliance with the annual dose limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Concentrations of radioactivity in water are also assessed in relation to the guidelines on drinking water quality recommended by the World Health Organisation. This report for 1997 is one of an annual series published by the Agency. It is being distributed to local authorities as part of the arrangements under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 for provision of access to environmental information. The monitoring programmes and preparation of this report are managed by the Agency's National Compliance Assessment Service. (author)

Analysis of internal doses to Mole voles inhabiting the East-Ural radioactive trace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malinovsky, G.; Yarmoshenko, I. [Institute of Industrial Ecology UB RAS (Russian Federation); Chibiryak, M.; Vasil' ev, A. [Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS (Russian Federation)

2014-07-01

Substantial task of development of approaches to radiation protection of non-human biota is investigation of relationships of exposure to dose, and dose to effects. Small mammals inhabiting territory of the East-Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) are affected to ionizing radiation for many generations after accident at Mayak plutonium production in 1957. According to results of numerous studies a number of effects of exposure are observed. It is remarkable that the revealed effects are both negative and adaptive. In particular, the analysis of the variability of morphological structures of the axial skull and lower jaw in the population of northern mole vole (Ellobius talpinus Pall.), the burrowing rodent inhabiting the EURT, is of great interest. At the same time there is no reliable assessment of the radiation doses to these animals. Earlier we developed the approach to assess internal doses to mouse-like rodents (mice and voles) caused by incorporated {sup 90}Sr, which is the main dose contributing radionuclide at the EURT. Dose assessments are based on the results of beta-radiometry of intact bone. Routine methods for measuring the activity concentration of {sup 90}Sr in skeleton require ashing of samples, however in morphometric studies the destruction of material should be avoided: the skulls of mole voles are stored in the environmental samples depository of IPAE. Coefficients linking results of beta-radiometry of intact bone and activity concentration of {sup 90}Sr in skull of mouse was obtained basing on comparison of results of beta-radiometry of intact bone and bone ash. Obtained coefficients cannot be directly applied for calculating activity concentration of {sup 90}Sr in mole vole skulls because they are significantly larger. Therefore the additional study is required to assess proper coefficient of conversion from beta-radiometry to activity concentration of {sup 90}Sr. Developed dose assessment procedure includes application of the published values of

Spatial interpolation of gamma dose in radioactive waste storage facility

Science.gov (United States)

Harun, Nazran; Fathi Sujan, Muhammad; Zaidi Ibrahim, Mohd

2018-01-01

External radiation measurement for a radioactive waste storage facility in Malaysian Nuclear Agency is a part of Class G License requirement under Atomic Licensing Energy Board (AELB). The objectives of this paper are to obtain the distribution of radiation dose, create dose database and generate dose map in the storage facility. The radiation dose measurement is important to fulfil the radiation protection requirement to ensure the safety of the workers. There are 118 sampling points that had been recorded in the storage facility. The highest and lowest reading for external radiation recorded is 651 microSv/hr and 0.648 microSv/hour respectively. The calculated annual dose shows the highest and lowest reading is 1302 mSv/year and 1.3 mSv/year while the highest and lowest effective dose reading is 260.4 mSv/year and 0.26 mSv/year. The result shows that the ALARA concept along time, distance and shield principles shall be adopted to ensure the dose for the workers is kept below the dose limit regulated by AELB which is 20 mSv/year for radiation workers. This study is important for the improvement of planning and the development of shielding design for the facility.

Assessment of internal doses in emergency situations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahola, T.; Muikku, M. [Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority - STUK (Finland); Falk, R.; Johansson, J. [Swedish Radiation Protection Authority - SSI (Sweden); Liland, A.; Thorshaug, S. [NRPA (Norway)

2006-04-15

The need for assessing internal radiation doses in emergency situations was demonstrated after accidents in Brazil, Ukraine and other countries. Lately more and more concern has been expressed regarding malevolent use of radiation and radioactive materials. The scenarios for such use are more difficult to predict than for nuclear power plant or weapons accidents. Much of the results of the work done in the IRADES project can be adopted for use in various accidental situations involving radionuclides that are not addressed in this report. If an emergency situation occurs in only one or a few of the Nordic countries, experts from the other countries could be called upon to assist in monitoring. A big advantage is then our common platform. In the Nordic countries much work has been put down on quality assurance of measurements and on training of dose assessment calculations. Attention to this was addressed at the internal dosimetry course in October 2005. Nordic emergency preparedness exercises have so far not included training of direct measurements of people in the early phase of an emergency. The aim of the IRADES project was to improve the preparedness especially for thyroid measurements. The modest financial support did not enable the participants to make big efforts but certainly acted as a much appreciated reminder of the importance of being prepared also to handle situations with malevolent use of radioactive materials. It was left to each country to decide to which extent to improve the practical skills. There is still a need for detailed national implementation plans. Measurement strategies need to be developed in each country separately taking into account national regulations, local circumstances and resources. End users of the IRADES report are the radiation protection authorities. (au)

Assessment of internal doses in emergency situations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahola, T.; Muikku, M.; Falk, R.; Johansson, J.; Liland, A.; Thorshaug, S.

2006-04-01

The need for assessing internal radiation doses in emergency situations was demonstrated after accidents in Brazil, Ukraine and other countries. Lately more and more concern has been expressed regarding malevolent use of radiation and radioactive materials. The scenarios for such use are more difficult to predict than for nuclear power plant or weapons accidents. Much of the results of the work done in the IRADES project can be adopted for use in various accidental situations involving radionuclides that are not addressed in this report. If an emergency situation occurs in only one or a few of the Nordic countries, experts from the other countries could be called upon to assist in monitoring. A big advantage is then our common platform. In the Nordic countries much work has been put down on quality assurance of measurements and on training of dose assessment calculations. Attention to this was addressed at the internal dosimetry course in October 2005. Nordic emergency preparedness exercises have so far not included training of direct measurements of people in the early phase of an emergency. The aim of the IRADES project was to improve the preparedness especially for thyroid measurements. The modest financial support did not enable the participants to make big efforts but certainly acted as a much appreciated reminder of the importance of being prepared also to handle situations with malevolent use of radioactive materials. It was left to each country to decide to which extent to improve the practical skills. There is still a need for detailed national implementation plans. Measurement strategies need to be developed in each country separately taking into account national regulations, local circumstances and resources. End users of the IRADES report are the radiation protection authorities. (au)

Dose reduction factors from a radioactive cloud for large buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grand, J. le; Roux, Y.

1986-01-01

A set of complex and accurate computer codes has been established to determine the transport of photons emitted from a radioactive cloud through various media. The geometrical and physical description of large buildings with various numbers of floors and rooms can be done by the user. The codes can calculate, in any room or apartment, the characteristics of the photon fields (photon flux, energy flux and distribution, direction distribution) and whole-body absorbed dose rates in a phantom standing or lying on the floor. The dose reduction factor is then the quotient of the mean absorbed dose rate in the apartment to the absorbed dose rate in the phantom standing on the ground outdoors. Applications to several modern multistorey buildings are presented. The results show the influence of various parameters such as density and composition of building materials, the fraction of the external building surface containing apertures and initial photon energy. (author)

Assessment of Natural Radioactivity and its Radiological Impact in Ortum Region in Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanjala, F.O.; Otwoma, D.; Kitao, T.F.; Hashim, N.O.

2015-01-01

The earth contains natural background radiations originating from terrestrial and cosmic sources. This study aims at assessing the levels of background radiation in air, soil and water and its associated radiological impact and also determines the elemental concentration of the rocks and soils around Ortum hills and quarry. 100 points will be measured for radioactivity in the air and 40 soil and 10 water samples will be collected for laboratory analysis using both grid and purposive sampling methods. Radioactivity in the field will be determined using the hand held Red Eye and Radiagem radiation survey meters. The levels of naturally occurring radionuclide Uranium-238 ( 238 U), Thorium-232 ( 232 Th) and Potassium-40 ( 40 K) in the soil and rocks will be determined using High Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector; the Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC) will be used for analysis of water samples while the Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (EDXRF) will be used to determine the elemental composition in the rocks and soil. The Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) program will be used to analyze and assess the doses and risks associated with radiation exposure in Ortum region. (author)

The radiological exposure of man from radioactivity in the Baltic Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, S P; Bengtson, P; Bojanowsky, R; Hagel, P; Herrmann, J; Ilus, E; Jakobson, E; Motiejunas, S; Panteleev, Y; Skujina, A; Suplinska, M

1999-09-30

A radiological assessment has been carried out considering discharges of radioactivity to the Baltic Sea marine environment since 1950. The sources of radioactivity that have been evaluated are atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986, discharges of radionuclides from Sellafield and La Hague transported into the Baltic Sea, and discharges of radionuclides from nuclear installations located in the Baltic Sea area. Dose rates from man-made radioactivity to individual members of the public (critical groups) have been calculated based on annual intake of seafood and beach occupancy time. The dose rates to individuals from the regions of the Bothnian Sea and Gulf of Finland are predicted to be larger than from any other area in the Baltic Sea due to the pattern of Chernobyl fallout. The dose rates are predicted to have peaked in 1986 at a value of 0.2 mSv year-1. Collective committed doses to members of the public have been calculated based on fishery statistics and predicted concentrations of radionuclides in biota and coastal sediments. The total collective dose from man-made radioactivity in the Baltic Sea is estimated at 2600 manSv, of which approximately two-thirds originate from Chernobyl fallout, approximately one-quarter from atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, approximately 8% from European reprocessing facilities, and approximately 0.04% from nuclear installations bordering the Baltic Sea area. An assessment of small-scale dumping of low-level radioactive waste in the Baltic Sea in the 1960s by Sweden and the Soviet Union has showed that doses to man from these activities are negligible. Dose rates and doses from natural radioactivity dominate except for the year 1986 where dose rates to individuals from Chernobyl fallout in some regions of the Baltic Sea approached those from natural radioactivity.

Evaluation of dose due to the liberation of the radioactive content present in systems of final disposal of radioactive residues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amado, V.; Lopez, F.

2006-01-01

The disposal systems of radioactive residuals well-known as repositories near to the surface, are used to dispose residuals that can contain high concentrations of radionuclides of period of short semi disintegration, which they would decay at levels radiologically insignificant in some few decades or in some centuries: and acceptably low concentrations of radionuclides of period of long semi disintegration. The dose that would receive the critic group due to these systems it could be increased by cause of discreet events that affect the foreseen retard time, or by the gradual degradation of the barriers. To this last case it contributes the presence of water, because it implies leaching and dissolution that can give place to radionuclide concentrations in the underground water greater to the prospective ones. The dosimetric evaluation is important because it offers useful objective information to decide if a given repository is adjusted to the purposes of its design and it fulfills the regulatory requirements. In this work a simplified evaluation of the dose that would receive the critic group due to the liberation of contained radionuclides in a hypothetical system of final disposition of radioactive residuals is presented. For it, they are considered representative values of the usually contained activities in this type of systems and they are carried out some approaches of the source term. The study is developed in two stages. In the first one, by means of the Radionuclide pollutant scattering pattern in phreatic aquifers (DRAF) it is considered the scattering of the pollutants in the phreatic aquifer, until the discharge point in the course of the nearest surface water. This model, developed originally in the regulatory branch of the National Commission of Argentine Atomic Energy (CNEA); it solves the transport equation of solutes in porous means in three dimensions, by the finite differences method having in account the soil retention and the radioactive

Implications of dose limit modification for radioactive installations dedicated to research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lumbreras, J.M.; Fernandez, G.M.; Marana, D.

1992-01-01

The reduced dose limits proposed in the ICRP recommendations affect the Spanish Regulations on Sanitary Protection against Ionizing Radiation. Some implications of this for radioactive installations dedicated to research are pointed out. A very simple statistical study shows that dosimetric data might be used to adopt new criteria for classification of personnel, and even of working areas. (author)

Radioactive slurry waste treatment (1) - flucculant dose effects on filtration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, K. H.; Park, S. K.; Jung, W. S.; Baek, S. T.; Jung, K. J.

1999-01-01

During the past four decades, the radioactive slurry liquid waste(RSLW) is produced by operation of TRIGA Mark - II and III research reactors, producing radioisotopes and studying on RI utilization. Vacuum filtration of RSLW and flocculated RSLW with cationic, anionic and nonionic flocculants has been investigated. Test results show that critical dose of flocculant is obtained by the estimation of settling rate, cake moisture content and specific cake residence

Dose and risk assessment for intrusion into mixed waste disposal sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Aaberg, R.L.

1991-10-01

Sites previously used for disposal of radioactive and hazardous chemical materials have resulted in situations that pose a potential threat to humans from inadvertent intrusion. An example generic scenario analysis was developed to demonstrate the evaluation of potential exposure to either cleanup workers or members of the public who intrude into buried waste containing both radioactive and hazardous chemical contaminants. The example scenarios consist of a collection of exposure routes (or pathways) with specific modeling assumptions for well-drilling and for excavation to construct buildings. These scenarios are used to describe conceptually some potential patterns of activity by non-protected human beings during intrusion into mixed-waste disposal sites. The dose from exposure to radioactive materials is calculated using the GENII software system and converted to risk by using factors from ICRP Publication 60. The hazard assessment for nonradioactive materials is performed using recent guidelines from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The example results are in the form of cancer risk for carcinogens and radiation exposure

Calculation of the effective dose from natural radioactivity in soil using MCNP code.

Science.gov (United States)

Krstic, D; Nikezic, D

2010-01-01

Effective dose delivered by photon emitted from natural radioactivity in soil was calculated in this work. Calculations have been done for the most common natural radionuclides in soil (238)U, (232)Th series and (40)K. A ORNL human phantoms and the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP-4B were employed to calculate the energy deposited in all organs. The effective dose was calculated according to ICRP 74 recommendations. Conversion factors of effective dose per air kerma were determined. Results obtained here were compared with other authors. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved metamodel-based importance sampling for the performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadini, F.; Gioletta, A.; Zio, E.

2015-01-01

In the context of a probabilistic performance assessment of a radioactive waste repository, the estimation of the probability of exceeding the dose threshold set by a regulatory body is a fundamental task. This may become difficult when the probabilities involved are very small, since the classically used sampling-based Monte Carlo methods may become computationally impractical. This issue is further complicated by the fact that the computer codes typically adopted in this context requires large computational efforts, both in terms of time and memory. This work proposes an original use of a Monte Carlo-based algorithm for (small) failure probability estimation in the context of the performance assessment of a near surface radioactive waste repository. The algorithm, developed within the context of structural reliability, makes use of an estimated optimal importance density and a surrogate, kriging-based metamodel approximating the system response. On the basis of an accurate analytic analysis of the algorithm, a modification is proposed which allows further reducing the computational efforts by a more effective training of the metamodel. - Highlights: • We tackle uncertainty propagation in a radwaste repository performance assessment. • We improve a kriging-based importance sampling for estimating failure probabilities. • We justify the modification by an analytic, comparative analysis of the algorithms. • The probability of exceeding dose thresholds in radwaste repositories is estimated. • The algorithm is further improved reducing the number of its free parameters

Dose and dose commitment calculations from groundwaterborne radio-active elements released from a repository for spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergstroem, U.

1983-05-01

The turnover of radioactive matter entering the biosphere with groundwater has been studied with regard to exposure and doses to critical groups and populations. Two main recipients, a well and a lake, have been considered for the inflow of groundwaterborne nuclides. Mathematical models of a set of coupled ecosystems on regional, intermediate and global levels have been used for calculations of doses. The intermediate system refers to the Baltic Sea. The mathematical treatment of the model is based upon compartment theory with first order kinetics and also includes products in decay chains. The time-dependent exposures have been studied for certain long-lived nuclides of radiological interest in waste from disposed fuel. Dose and dose commitment have been calculated for different episodes for inflow to the biosphere. (author)

Assessment of natural radioactivity concentrations and gamma dose levels around Shorapur, Karnataka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajesh, S.; Avinash, P.; Kerur, B. R., E-mail: kerurpbk@rediffmail.com.com [Department of Physics, Gulbarga University Kalaburagi – 585 106 India (India); Anilkumar, S. [Radiation Safety Systems Division, BARC, Mumbai - 400 085 (India)

2015-08-28

This study assesses the level of background radiation around Shorapur. The study region locates the western part of the Yadgir district of Karnataka. Shorapur and Shahapur talukas are mostly composed of clay, shale sandstone, granite rock and part of study area is black soil. Thirty sample locations were selected along the length and breadth of Shorapur and Shahapur taluka. Natural radionuclide activity concentrations in soil samples were determined using 4'X4' NaI (Tl) gamma spectroscopy. Outdoor gamma dose measurements in air at 1 m above ground level were determined using Rad Eye PRD survey meter. Estimated dose values are compared with the survey meter values and found to be good agreement between them and also with the data obtained from different other areas of Karnataka and India. The average values were found to be slightly higher in the present investigation.

Pathways analysis and radiation-dose estimates for radioactive residues at formerly utilized MED/AEC sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilbert, T.L.; Chee, P.C.; Knight, M.J.; Peterson, J.M.; Roberts, C.J.; Robinson, J.E.; Tsai, S.Y.H.; Yuan, Y.C.

1983-03-01

Methods of analysis are developed for estimating the largest individual radiation dose that could result from residual radioactivity at sites identified by the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) of the US Department of Energy. Two unique aspects of the methods are (1) a systematic structuring of the radiation pathways analysis into source terms, source-to-exposure analysis, and exposure-to-dose analysis, and (2) the systematic use of data on the average concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil, food, and the human body in order to assess the validity of model calculations and obtain more realistic values. The methods are applied to a typical FUSRAP site in order to obtain generic source-to-dose (D/S) conversion factors for estimating the radiation dose to the maximally exposed individual from a known concentration of radionuclides in the soil. The D/S factors are used to derive soil guidelines, i.e., the limiting concentrations of radionuclides at a typical FUSRAP site that are unlikely to result in individual dose limits that exceed generally accepted radiation protection standards. The results lead to the conclusion that the soil guidelines should not exceed 17, 75, and 300 pCi/g for Ra-226, U-238, and Th-230, respectively.

Pathways analysis and radiation-dose estimates for radioactive residues at formerly utilized MED/AEC sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, T.L.; Chee, P.C.; Knight, M.J.; Peterson, J.M.; Roberts, C.J.; Robinson, J.E.; Tsai, S.Y.H.; Yuan, Y.C.

1983-03-01

Methods of analysis are developed for estimating the largest individual radiation dose that could result from residual radioactivity at sites identified by the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) of the US Department of Energy. Two unique aspects of the methods are (1) a systematic structuring of the radiation pathways analysis into source terms, source-to-exposure analysis, and exposure-to-dose analysis, and (2) the systematic use of data on the average concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil, food, and the human body in order to assess the validity of model calculations and obtain more realistic values. The methods are applied to a typical FUSRAP site in order to obtain generic source-to-dose (D/S) conversion factors for estimating the radiation dose to the maximally exposed individual from a known concentration of radionuclides in the soil. The D/S factors are used to derive soil guidelines, i.e., the limiting concentrations of radionuclides at a typical FUSRAP site that are unlikely to result in individual dose limits that exceed generally accepted radiation protection standards. The results lead to the conclusion that the soil guidelines should not exceed 17, 75, and 300 pCi/g for Ra-226, U-238, and Th-230, respectively

Assessment of dose conversion factors in a generic biosphere of a Korea HLW repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Y. S.; Park, J. B.; Kang, C. H.

2002-01-01

Radioactive species released from a waste repository migrate through engineered and natural barriers and eventually reach the biosphere. Once entered the biosphere, contaminants transport various exposure pathways and finally reach a human. In this study the full RES matrix explaining the key compartments in the biosphere and their interactions is introduced considering the characteristics of the Korean biosphere. Then the three exposure groups are identified based on the compartments of interest. The full exposure pathways and corresponding mathematical expression for mass transfer coefficients and etc are developed and applied to assess the dose conversion factors of nuclides for a specific exposure group. Dose conversion factors assessed in this study will be used for total system performance assessment of a potential Korean HLW repository

Studies on radioactivity and risk assessment in the riverine environs of Cauvery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaliprasad, C.S.; Narayana, Y.

2016-01-01

Aquatic environment is important to transfer all contaminants to the geographic area through water and sediments. When compared to all other aquatic environments, the riverine environs are vital for study of the natural radionuclides concentration. River sediments are used as construction materials and water used in agriculture, industries and house hold purposes. River sediments contains the natural radionuclides accumulated from the soil due to erosion, weathering of rocks and river bed itself. Monitoring the release of radiation from gamma sources is important to assess the radiation dose received by the human population. The natural radionuclide mainly arises from radioactive series 238 U and 232 Th and singly occurring radionuclide 40 K. The external gamma radiation exposure to the population changes due to the geology and geographical condition of the area and its associated radioactivity level in the soil

Assessing radiation exposure of herbaceous plant species at the East-Ural Radioactive Trace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karimullina, Elina; Antonova, Elena; Pozolotina, Vera

2013-01-01

The East-Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) is a result of the Mayak Production Association accident that occurred in 1957 in Russia. Radiological assessment improves the interpretation of biological effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore a modeling approach was used to estimate dose rates on Leonurus quinquelobatus, Silene latifolia, Stellaria graminea and Bromus inermis. Soil-to-organism transfer parameter values are delivered from empirical data of 90 Sr and 137 Cs soil and vegetative plant mass activity concentrations. External and internal whole-body dose rates were calculated using deterministic (The ERICA Tool-Tier 2 and R and D 128/SP1a) and probabilistic (The ERICA Tool-Tier 3) methods. The total dose rate for herbs was under 100 μGy h −1 at the most polluted site. The total absorbed dose rates increased 43–110 times (Tier 3) for different herbaceous plant species along the pollution gradient. Based on these data, it can be concluded that herbaceous plant populations currently exist under low-level chronic exposure at the EURT area. -- Highlights: • A modeling approach (The ERICA Tool-Tier 2, Tier 3 and R and D 128/SP1a) was used to estimate dose rates for herbs growing in the wild at the East-Ural Radioactive Trace. • The highest levels of anthropogenic radiation exposure were determined for herbs at Impact EURT sites. • Total absorbed dose rates increased 43–110 times (Tier 3) for different herbaceous plant species along the pollution gradient. • Total dose rate per plant organism for herbs is under 100 μGy h −1 at the most polluted site. Currently herbaceous plant populations exist under low-level chronic exposure at the EURT area

Assessment of dose contribution to population exposure from the radiation sources in the alienated Chernobyl zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grodzinsky, D.M.; Francevych, L.K.; Koval, H.N.; Yakovlev, E.A.; Bezdrobny, Yu.V.; Proscura, N.I.; Pyantkowsky, V.L.

1997-01-01

The main dose load of Ukrainian population is caused by radionuclide-contamination of country territories, located outside the alienated zone, following Chernobyl accident. Besides, much attention could be devoted to the contribution of dose load on population, received from the radioactivity sources that were transferred out from the zone after accident. Present research and analysis of the available documents reflecting the transfer of radioactivity from the alienated zone, provided the estimates of dose load on population, resulting from transfer of the radioactivity sources via following channels: (1) direct surface flow; (2) underground waters; (3) wind-powdered route; (4) transfer with hydrobionts; (5) transfer during irrigation; (6) biogenic route; (7) transport routes and (8) route during wood transportation. Dynamics of radiation transfer through each channel was also studied for the post-accident period. Specific gravity of radioactivity transfer is determined in relation to dose load on Ukrainian population in different regions, in particular, in Dnipro river basin. The perspectives of radioactivity transfer via each of studied channels and its role in dose load on population were also analyzed. On the basis of present results the recommendations on possible arrangements are working out that aimed to reduce the dose contribution in population exposure by radioactivity source transfer from the alienated zone via channels that stipulate the largest dose loads and collective doses

Internal dose estimation by bio-assay techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawant, Pramilla D.

2016-01-01

Radiation exposure, both external and internal, can occur to radiation workers during the operation of various nuclear fuel cycle facilities and radiation facilities. The assessment of radiation doses to workers, routinely or potentially exposed to radiation, through intake of radionuclide is an integral part of the radiation protection programme. Internal dose is the radiation exposure that results from the intake of radioactive materials into the body by inhalation, ingestion, absorption through the skin or via wounds. Assessment of radiation doses arising from the intake of radioactive material by the workers is termed as internal exposure assessment. Unlike external exposure, internal exposure cannot be measured directly. Its evaluation is based on the calculation of the intake of radionuclide either from direct measurements (e.g, external monitoring of whole body or of specific organs and tissues) or indirect measurements (e.g. radioactivity in urine, faeces, breath or samples from the working environment) (ICRP Pub. 78, 1997 and NRPB-W60, 2004). Another method of internal dose assessment is based on the measurement of airborne radionuclides in the working areas of the facility and the worker's occupancy in those areas

Natural radioactivity dose assessment in beach sands of the Espírito Santo, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontainha, C.C.P.; Santos, T.O.; Aguilar, V.J.C.; Takahashia, L.C.

2017-01-01

The presence of natural radionuclide contributes significantly to the environmental dose levels that the human being receives, being important to be aware of the distribution, composition and the background of these soils. In this work, the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides was determined by gamma spectrometry from the sands of eight beach from Anchieta e Guarapari, in the Espírito Santo, Brazil. The activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K was expressed by radio equivalent activity (R aeq ), which takes into account the associated radiological risk. From these data, the annual effective dose rate for external environment (H eout ) and the radiation risk indexes (H ex ) were calculated. In the sands of Além, Coninhos, Onça, Três Praias, Morcego and Padres beaches the R aeq values ranged from 771.9 to 8743.3 Bq.kg -1 , while H ex ranged from 1.0 to 11.4 Bq.kg -1 and H eout ranged from 0.6 to 6.0 mSv.year -1 , with the lowest values being from Além and the larger ones from Padres. The Areia Vermelha beach presented higher values the others, with R aeq of 152.6 kBq.kg -1 , H ex of 2.1 Bq.kg -1 and H eout 1.0 Sv.year -1 . This evaluation is a favorable tool for radiological protection because it allows to chart the natural radioactivity to the coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil. (author)

Distribution of 226Ra and 228Ra in drinking water and dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajay Kumar; Sugandhi, S.; Usha, N.; Rupali, K.; Gurg, R.P.

2002-01-01

The radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra have been analysed in 123 drinking water samples received from different regions of India. The maximum concentrations of 226 Ra and 228 Ra in drinking water are 8 mBq/l and 11.5 mBq/l respectively. The higher doses due to intake of 228 Ra through drinking water suggests that 228 Ra should also be measured in the assessment of ingestion dose to the population. The estimated committed effective doses range from 0.082 to 2.45 μSv/year and from 1.53 to 8.81 μSv/year for the ingestion of 226 Ra and 228 Ra respectively. (author)

Development of probabilistic assessment methodology for geologic disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Takahashi, T.

1998-01-01

The probabilistic assessment methodology is essential to evaluate uncertainties of long-term radiological consequences associated with geologic disposal of radioactive wastes. We have developed a probabilistic assessment methodology to estimate the influences of parameter uncertainties/variabilities. An exposure scenario considered here is based on a groundwater migration scenario. A computer code system GSRW-PSA thus developed is based on a non site-specific model, and consists of a set of sub modules for sampling of model parameters, calculating the release of radionuclides from engineered barriers, calculating the transport of radionuclides through the geosphere, calculating radiation exposures of the public, and calculating the statistical values relating the uncertainties and sensitivities. The results of uncertainty analyses for α-nuclides quantitatively indicate that natural uranium ( 238 U) concentration is suitable for an alternative safety indicator of long-lived radioactive waste disposal, because the estimated range of individual dose equivalent due to 238 U decay chain is narrower that that due to other decay chain ( 237 Np decay chain). It is internationally necessary to have detailed discussion on the PDF of model parameters and the PSA methodology to evaluated the uncertainties due to conceptual models and scenarios. (author)

The stochastic risks of radioactive radiation - risk assessment, risk proportions, dose limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindackers, K.H.

1990-01-01

The latest data on the delayed injury to the a-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reveal that the effects of radiation are more severe than was estimated in the past. However, the application of these data to small dose rate radiation exposure over longer periods of time leads to an overestimation of the actual risk. The future supersonic aviation schemes for altitudes within 20,000 m should include early personnel check-ups for assessment of the required protective measures. (orig./DG) [de

Radiological assessment of worker doses during sludge mobilization and removal at the Melton Valley storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, G.D.; Coleman, R.L.; Kocher, D.C.; Wynn, C.C.

1996-01-01

This report presents an assessment of potential radiation doses to workers during mobilization and removal of contaminated sludges from the Melton Valley Storage Tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The assessment is based on (1) measurements of radionuclide concentrations in sludge and supernatant liquid samples from the waste storage tanks, (2) measurements of gamma radiation levels in various areas that will be accessed by workers during normal activities, (3) calculations of gamma radiation levels for particular exposure situations, especially when the available measurements are not applicable, and (4) assumed scenarios for worker activities in radiation areas. Only doses from external exposure are estimated in this assessment. Doses from internal exposure are assumed to be controlled by containment of radioactive materials or respiratory protection of workers and are not estimated

Nuclear plant's virtual simulation for on-line radioactive environment monitoring and dose assessment for personnel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mol, Antonio Carlos A.; Jorge, Carlos Alexandre F.; Lapa, Celso Marcelo F.

2009-01-01

This paper reports the use of nuclear plant's simulation for online dose rate monitoring and dose assessment for personnel, using virtual reality technology. The platform used for virtual simulation was adapted from a low cost game engine, taking advantage of all its image rendering capabilities, as well as the physics for movement and collision, and networking capabilities for multi-user interactive navigation. A real nuclear plant was virtually modeled and simulated, so that a number of users can navigate simultaneously in this virtual environment in first or third person view, each one receiving visual information about both the radiation dose rate in each actual position, and the radiation dose received. Currently, this research and development activity has been extended to consider also on-line measurements collected from radiation monitors installed in the real plant that feed the simulation platform with dose rate data, through a TCP/IP network. Results are shown and commented, and other improvements are discussed, as the execution of a more detailed dose rate mapping campaign.

Assessment at the 66. day of projected external doses for populations living in the North-West fallout zone of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Impact of population evacuation measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

This document reports a dose assessment study performed by the IRSN (the French Radioprotection and Safety Nuclear Institute) 66 days after the Fukushima nuclear accident. A new dose assessment was carried out by IRSN to estimate projected doses due to external exposure from radioactive deposits, for exposure durations of 3 months, 1 year and 4 years before evacuation. The purpose of this report is to provide insight on all radiological assessments performed to the knowledge of the IRSN (the French Radioprotection and Safety Nuclear Institute) to date and the impact of population evacuation measures to be taken to minimize the medium and long-term risks of developing leukaemia or other radiation-induced cancers. This report only considers the external doses already received as well as the doses that may be received in the future from fallout deposits, regardless of doses received previously from the radioactive plume

A critical review of measures to reduce radioactive doses from drinking water and consumption of freshwater foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.T.; Voitsekhovitch, O.V.; Haakanson, L.; Hilton, J.

2001-01-01

Following a radioactive fallout event, there are a number of possible intervention measures to reduce radioactive doses to the public via the surface water pathway. We have critically reviewed the options available to decision-makers in the event of radioactive contamination of surface waters. We believe that the most effective and viable measures to reduce radioactivity in drinking water are those which operate at the water treatment and distribution stage. Intervention measures to reduce concentrations of radioactivity in rivers and reservoirs are expected to be much less viable and efficient at reducing doses via the drinking water pathway. Bans on consumption of freshwater fish can be effective, but there are few viable measures to reduce radioactivity in fish prior to the preparation stage. Lake liming and biomanipulation have been found to be ineffective for radiocaesium, although the addition of potassium to lakewaters appears promising in some situations. Lake liming may be effective in reducing radiostrontium in fish, though this has not, to our knowledge, been tested. De-boning fish contaminated by strontium is probably the most effective food preparation measure, but salting and freezing can also reduce radiocaesium concentrations in fish. The provision of accurate information to the public is highlighted as a key element of countermeasure implementation

Low-level Radioactivity Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Churtgen, C.

2007-01-01

The low-level radioactivity measurements service performs measurements of alpha or beta emitters on various types of low-radioactivity samples (biological and environmental) from internal and external clients. to maintain and develop techniques concerning the measurement of low-level radioactivity of alpha and beta emitting radionuclides in environmental or biological samples; to measure these samples by means of low-background counters (liquid scintillators, proportional counters, ZnS counters and alpha-spectrometers); to support and advise the nuclear and non-nuclear industry on problems of radioactive contamination or low level radioactivity measurements; to maintain the quality assurance system according to the ISO17025 standard for which we obtained the Beltest accreditation in 1998; to assess the internal dose from occupational intakes of radionuclides for workers of the nuclear industry;

ARN Training Course on Advance Methods for Internal Dose Assessment: Application of Ideas Guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojo, A.M.; Gomez Parada, I.; Puerta Yepes, N.; Gossio, S.

2010-01-01

Dose assessment in case of internal exposure involves the estimation of committed effective dose based on the interpretation of bioassay measurement, and the assumptions of hypotheses on the characteristics of the radioactive material and the time pattern and the pathway of intake. The IDEAS Guidelines provide a method to harmonize dose evaluations using criteria and flow chart procedures to be followed step by step. The EURADOS Working Group 7 'Internal Dosimetry', in collaboration with IAEA and Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, promoted the 'EURADOS/IAEA Regional Training Course on Advanced Methods for Internal Dose Assessment: Application of IDEAS Guidelines' to broaden and encourage the use of IDEAS Guidelines, which took place in Prague (Czech Republic) from 2-6 February 2009. The ARN identified the relevance of this training and asked for a place for participating on this activity. After that, the first training course in Argentina took place from 24-28 August for training local internal dosimetry experts. (authors)

Methods of assessing total doses integrated across pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grzechnik, M.; Camplin, W.; Clyne, F.; Allott, R.; Webbe-Wood, D.

2006-01-01

Calculated doses for comparison with limits resulting from discharges into the environment should be summed across all relevant pathways and food groups to ensure adequate protection. Current methodology for assessments used in the radioactivity in Food and the Environment (R.I.F.E.) reports separate doses from pathways related to liquid discharges of radioactivity to the environment from those due to gaseous releases. Surveys of local inhabitant food consumption and occupancy rates are conducted in the vicinity of nuclear sites. Information has been recorded in an integrated way, such that the data for each individual is recorded for all pathways of interest. These can include consumption of foods, such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs, fruit and vegetables, milk and meats. Occupancy times over beach sediments and time spent in close proximity to the site is also recorded for inclusion of external and inhalation radiation dose pathways. The integrated habits survey data may be combined with monitored environmental radionuclide concentrations to calculate total dose. The criteria for successful adoption of a method for this calculation were: Reproducibility can others easily use the approach and reassess doses? Rigour and realism how good is the match with reality?Transparency a measure of the ease with which others can understand how the calculations are performed and what they mean. Homogeneity is the group receiving the dose relatively homogeneous with respect to age, diet and those aspects that affect the dose received? Five methods of total dose calculation were compared and ranked according to their suitability. Each method was labelled (A to E) and given a short, relevant name for identification. The methods are described below; A) Individual doses to individuals are calculated and critical group selection is dependent on dose received. B) Individual Plus As in A, but consumption and occupancy rates for high dose is used to derive rates for application in

The variation of organ doses with the particle size and chemical form of an inhaled radioactive aerosol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, B.W.; Adams, N.; Reissland, J.A.

1979-04-01

In this report, radiation doses to organs are calculated as a function of the particle size of the inhaled radioactive material. Aerosols with an Activity Median Aerodynamic Diameter (AMAD) from 0.1 μm to 20 μm are considered and doses accumulated by various organs in periods ranging from 1 day to 70 years are given for 65 radionuclides. A computer program is used which calculates the transformations taking place in each organ per curie of inhaled nuclide from the basic radioactivity and metabolic data. The program also calculates the resulting doses both for the organ in which the transformations occur and from penetrating radiation emitted as a result of transformations in other organs. The effects of particle size and chemical form of the nuclides on the doses received by organs are discussed. Tables of doses accumulated by 10 specific organs and other organs together with effective whole body doses are given for particle sizes 0.1 μm, 1 μm and 10 μm (AMAD). (author)

Calculation of the effective dose from natural radioactivity sources in soil using MCNP code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.

2008-01-01

Full text: Effective dose delivered by photon emitted from natural radioactivity in soil was calculated in this report. Calculations have been done for the most common natural radionuclides in soil as 238 U, 232 Th series and 40 K. A ORNL age-dependent phantom and the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP-4B were employed to calculate the energy deposited in all organs of phantom.The effective dose was calculated according to ICRP74 recommendations. Conversion coefficients of effective dose per air kerma were determined. Results obtained here were compared with other authors

Prospective radiological dose assessment. Amersham plc (Amersham site) variation application December 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allott, R.

2001-01-01

Amersham plc (previously Nycomed-Amersham plc) submitted an application to the Environment Agency in December 1998 for a variation to their radioactive waste discharge authorisations granted under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The application requested a reduction in the discharge limits for certain radionuclides and no change for the remaining radionuclides. Amersham plc undertook a further review of their discharge requirements and submitted a new assessment for revised limits in January 2001. This report provides an assessment of the radiological implications of discharges at these revised limits requested by Amersham plc and the limits proposed by the Agency. It has been prepared by the National Compliance Assessment Service at the request of Thames Region to support their determination of the application. Four candidate critical groups were identified who could be exposed to discharges from the Amersham site: 1) Sewage workers at the Maple Lodge sewage works who might be exposed to external radiation from discharges contained within sewage and inadvertently inhale or ingest sewage. 2) Anglers on the Grand Union Canal who eat a small proportion of their annual catch of freshwater fish, who drink water abstracted solely from the River Colne and eat vegetables irrigated by water from the canal. 3) Persons living closest to site who eat locally produced food. 4) Dog walkers living near to site who eat locally produced food. For continuous discharges at the Agency's proposed annual limits, the highest dose of 160 μSv/y is predicted to be received by infants who live closest to the site and eat locally produced food. Therefore, this has been identified as the critical group. Children and adults living at the same location and eating locally produced food receive doses of 140 μSv/y and 130 μSv/y respectively. The critical group dose is less than the source constraint of 300 μSv/y. The dose is dominated by direct radiation from the site (110 μSv/y) and the

Decontamination evaluation based on radioactivity measurement instead of air dose rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shozugawa, Katsumi

2013-01-01

Air dose rate at 1 m above the ground comes from gamma radiations emitted from vast area ranging over several ten meters of the contaminated field from the counter. After showing the actual example of the difference between air dose rate data and Cs 137 distribution map made by using a shielded NaI-scintillation counter within and around a contaminated sinkhole (a ditch or trench) near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants, the author proposes to make a decontamination program according to the radioactivity distribution measurement instead of air dose rate measurement. Furthermore, he explains some problems arising from a point and plane radiation source, and also difficulties accompanied by movement of Cs 137 atoms in the soils according to the absorption characteristics of the existing minerals but these are also important to consider for performing an effective decontamination. (S. Ohno)

Natural radioactivity dose assessment in beach sands of the Espírito Santo, Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fontainha, C.C.P.; Santos, T.O.; Aguilar, V.J.C.; Takahashia, L.C. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Anatomia e Imagem; Rocha, Z., E-mail: crissia@gmail.com [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2017-07-01

The presence of natural radionuclide contributes significantly to the environmental dose levels that the human being receives, being important to be aware of the distribution, composition and the background of these soils. In this work, the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides was determined by gamma spectrometry from the sands of eight beach from Anchieta e Guarapari, in the Espírito Santo, Brazil. The activity concentration of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K was expressed by radio equivalent activity (R{sub aeq}), which takes into account the associated radiological risk. From these data, the annual effective dose rate for external environment (H{sub eout}) and the radiation risk indexes (H{sub ex}) were calculated. In the sands of Além, Coninhos, Onça, Três Praias, Morcego and Padres beaches the R{sub aeq} values ranged from 771.9 to 8743.3 Bq.kg{sup -1}, while H{sub ex} ranged from 1.0 to 11.4 Bq.kg{sup -1} and H{sub eout} ranged from 0.6 to 6.0 mSv.year{sup -1}, with the lowest values being from Além and the larger ones from Padres. The Areia Vermelha beach presented higher values the others, with R{sub aeq} of 152.6 kBq.kg{sup -1}, H{sub ex} of 2.1 Bq.kg{sup -1} and H{sub eout} 1.0 Sv.year{sup -1}. This evaluation is a favorable tool for radiological protection because it allows to chart the natural radioactivity to the coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil. (author)

Monitoring data related to the Chernobyl accident as measured in Israel during May-July 1986 and the assessment of the radiation doses to the population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlesinger, T.; Biran, T.I.; Even, O.; Dukhan, R.; Shamai, Y.; Koch, J.; Tal, A.; Israeli, M.

1987-07-01

Environmental monitoring was undertaken on April 30 1986, to follow the effects of the Chernobyl accident on the quality of the environment in Israel. Measurements of air radioactive contamination were continuously taken to the end of July when air radioactive declined to values below 0.01 Bq/m 3 . Along air measurements, radioactive contamination of ground, rain and drinking water, grass, vegetation and food items such as vegetables, fruits, milk, meat etc. were taken as well. Assessment of the accumulated radiation doses due to the Chernobyl accident was conducted. The effective dose equivalent is estimated to be 46 μSv (4.6 mrem)

ARN Training on Advance Methods for Internal Dose Assessment: Application of Ideas Guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojo, A.M.; Gomez Parada, I.; Puerta Yepes, N.; Gossio, S.

2010-01-01

Dose assessment in case of internal exposure involves the estimation of committed effective dose based on the interpretation of bioassay measurement, and the assumptions of hypotheses on the characteristics of the radioactive material and the time pattern and the pathway of intake. The IDEAS Guidelines provide a method to harmonize dose evaluations using criteria and flow chart procedures to be followed step by step. The EURADOS Working Group 7 'Internal Dosimetry', in collaboration with IAEA and Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, promoted the 'EURADOS/IAEA Regional Training Course on Advanced Methods for Internal Dose Assessment: Application of IDEAS Guidelines' to broaden and encourage the use of IDEAS Guidelines, which took place in Prague (Czech Republic) from 2-6 February 2009. The ARN identified the relevance of this training and asked for a place for participating on this activity. After that, the first training course in Argentina took place from 24-28 August for training local internal dosimetry experts. This paper resumes the main characteristics of this activity. (authors) [es

Practice and assessment of sea dumping of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Templeton, W.L.; Bewers, J.M.

1985-08-01

This paper discusses the practice and assessment of the ocean dumping of low-level radioactive wastes. It describes the international and multilateral regulatory framework, the sources, composition, packaging and rate of dumping and, in particular, the recent radiological assessment of the only operational disposal site in the northeast Atlantic. The paper concludes with a discussion of future ocean disposal practices for radioactive wastes, and the application of the approach to the dumping of non-radioactive contaminants in the ocean. 39 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Guidelines for calculating radiation doses to the public from a release of airborne radioactive material under hypothetical accident conditions in nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-04-01

This standard provides guidelines and a methodology for calculating effective doses and thyroid doses to people (either individually or collectively) in the path of airborne radioactive material released from a nuclear facility following a hypothetical accident. The radionuclides considered are those associated with substances having the greatest potential for becoming airborne in reactor accidents: tritium (HTO), noble gases and their daughters, radioiodines, and certain radioactive particulates (Cs, Ru, Sr, Te). The standard focuses on the calculation of radiation doses for external exposures from radioactive material in the cloud; internal exposures for inhalation of radioactive material in the cloud and skin penetration of tritium; and external exposures from radionuclides deposited on the ground. It uses as modified Gaussian plume model to evaluate the time-integrated concentration downwind. (52 refs., 12 tabs., 21 figs.)

Assessing radiological impacts (exposures and doses) associated with the mining and milling of radioactive ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, G.A.

1990-01-01

The basic units and concepts applicable to radiological assessment are presented. Data relevant to the assessment of radiological exposures from the mining and milling phases of uranium and thorium ores are discussed. As a guide to the assessment of environmental exposures to members of the public, concepts such as the critical group are defined. Environmental transport and exposure pathways are presented in general terms, together with a discussion of the use of mathematical models. The dose assessment procedures defined in the 1987 Code of Practice are described. 13 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig

Application of the Monte Carlo method to estimate doses in a radioactive waste drum environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodenas, J.; Garcia, T.; Burgos, M.C.; Felipe, A.; Sanchez-Mayoral, M.L.

2002-01-01

During refuelling operation in a Nuclear Power Plant, filtration is used to remove non-soluble radionuclides contained in the water from reactor pool. Filter cartridges accumulate a high radioactivity, so that they are usually placed into a drum. When the operation ends up, the drum is filled with concrete and stored along with other drums containing radioactive wastes. Operators working in the refuelling plant near these radwaste drums can receive high dose rates. Therefore, it is convenient to estimate those doses to prevent risks in order to apply ALARA criterion for dose reduction to workers. The Monte Carlo method has been applied, using MCNP 4B code, to simulate the drum containing contaminated filters and estimate doses produced in the drum environment. In the paper, an analysis of the results obtained with the MCNP code has been performed. Thus, the influence on the evaluated doses of distance from drum and interposed shielding barriers has been studied. The source term has also been analysed to check the importance of the isotope composition. Two different geometric models have been considered in order to simplify calculations. Results have been compared with dose measurements in plant in order to validate the calculation procedure. This work has been developed at the Nuclear Engineering Department of the Polytechnic University of Valencia in collaboration with IBERINCO in the frame of an RD project sponsored by IBERINCO

A METHOD TO IMPROVE DOSE ASSESSMENT BY RECONSTRUCTION OF THE COMPLETE ISOTOPES INVENTORY.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonin, Alice; Tsilanizara, Aimé

2017-06-01

Radiation shielding assessments may underestimate the expected dose if some isotopes at trace level are not considered in the isotopes inventory of the shielded radioactive materials. Indeed, information about traces is not often available. Nevertheless, the activation of some minor isotopic traces may significantly contribute to the dose build-up. This paper presents a new method (Isotopes Inventory Reconstruction-IIR) estimating the concentration of the minor isotopes in the irradiated material at the beginning of the cooling period. The method requires the solution of the inverse problem describing the irradiated material's decay. In a mixture of an irradiated uranium-plutonium oxide shielded by a set-up made of stainless-steel, porous polyethylene plaster and lead methyl methacrylate, the comparison between different methods proves that the IIR-method allows better assessment of the dose than other approximate methods. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A kinematic model to estimate the effective dose of radioactive isotopes in the human body for radiological protection

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, S.; Yamada, T.

2013-12-01

The great earthquake attacked the north-east area in Japan in March 11, 2011. The system of electrical facilities to control Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was completely destroyed by the following tsunamis. From the damaged reactor containment vessels, an amount of radioactive substances had leaked and been diffused in the vicinity of this station. Radiological internal exposure becomes a serious social issue both in Japan and all over the world. The present study provides an easily understandable, kinematic-based model to estimate the effective dose of radioactive substances in a human body by simplified the complicated mechanism of metabolism. International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has developed an exact model, which is well-known as a standard method to calculate the effective dose for radiological protection. However, owing to that the above method accord too much with the actual mechanism of metabolism in human bodies, it becomes rather difficult for non-professional people of radiology to gasp the whole images of the movement and the influences of radioactive substances in a human body. Therefore, in the present paper we propose a newly-derived and easily-understandable model to estimate the effective dose. The present method is very similar with the traditional and conventional hydrological tank model. Ingestion flux of radioactive substances corresponds to rain intensity and the storage of radioactive substances to the water storage in a basin in runoff analysis. The key of this method is to estimate the energy radiated from the radioactive nuclear disintegration of an atom by using classical theory of E. Fermi of beta decay and special relativity for various kinds of radioactive atoms. The parameters used in this study are only physical half-time and biological half-time, and there are no intentional and operational parameters of coefficients to adjust our theoretical runoff to observation of ICRP. Figure.1 compares time

Application of biosphere models in the Biomosa project: a comparative assessment of five European radioactive waste disposal sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kowe, R.; Mobbs, S.; Proehl, G.; Bergstrom, U.; Kanyar, B.; Olyslaegers, G.; Zeevaert, T.; Simon, I.

2004-01-01

The BIOMOSA (Biosphere Models for Safety Assessment of Radioactive Waste Disposal) project is a part of the EC fifth framework research programme. The main goal of this project is the improvement of the scientific basis for the application of biosphere models in the framework of long-term safety studies of radioactive waste disposal facilities. Furthermore, the outcome of the project will provide operators and regulatory bodies with guidelines for performance assessments of repository systems. The study focuses on the development and application of site-specific models and a generic biosphere tool BIOGEM (Biosphere Generic Model), using the experience from the national programmes and the IAEA BIOMASS reference biosphere methodology. The models were applied to 5 typical locations in the EU, resulting in estimates of the annual individual doses to the critical groups and the ranking of the importance of the pathways for each of the sites. The results of the site-specific and generic models were then compared. In all cases the doses calculated by the generic model were less than the doses obtained from the site-specific models. Uncertainty in the results was estimated by means of stochastic calculations which allow a comparison of the overall model uncertainty with the variability across the different sites considered. (author)

Review and evaluation of principles used in the estimation of radiation doses associated with the practice of deepsea disposal of low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, D.A.; Templeton, W.L.; Soldat, J.K.

1985-09-01

The relevant national and international guidance concerning the estimation of radiological doses from the practice of deepsea disposal of radioactive waste was reviewed. The review includes the dose limitation guidance of the various national and international bodies, especially that of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Pathway modeling is discussed as well as the oceanographic models of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Included in the discussion are the recommendations for the definition of high-level waste by the IAEA for use by the London Dumping Convention (LDC) in setting limits for ocean disposal of waste. An assessment of the ICRP's radiological protection system using the effective whole-body dose methodology is made. Present models, which should continue to be improved as the research data becomes available, do provide an adequate basis for regulatory authorities to decide whether authorization for a proposed disposal can be granted, since they provide a means of indicating whether maximum individual (critical groups) exposure limits are likely to be exceeded. However, new models and information are continuously being developed by the international community to assess ocean disposal of radioactive waste in comparison to land disposal and to compare one site against another. 47 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

Some problems of risk assessment in cases of environmental radioactive and chemical contamination in regions of the Ural radioactive trail

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryshev, I.I.; Isaeva, L.N.; Sazykina, T.G.

1995-01-01

A methodology of risk assessment if being developed to permit the analysis of possible consequences of radioactive and chemical environment contamination on the territory of the Urals radioactive trail. The assessment of hazards from radioactive contamination of the Techa river (Muslyumovo) has been carried out. A comparison of radioactive and chemical risks for the population of Kasli has been made

Radioactive substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, G.C.; Hyslop, C.

1980-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to show how to assess the detriment resulting from the release of radioactive materials to the environment. The minimum information required for the assessments is given for seven radionuclides of interest from the point of view of environmental contamination. The seven radionuclides are tritium, krypton-85, strontium-90, iodine-131, cesium-137, radium-226 and plutonium-239. Information is given on the radiation doses and the radiation effects on man due to these radioisotopes. (AN)

A case study on the safety assessment for groundwater pathway in a near-surface radioactive waste disposal facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Joo Wan; Chang, Keun Moo; Kim, Chang Lak

2002-01-01

A safety assessment is carried out for the near-surface radioactive waste disposal in the reference engineered vault facility. The analysis is mainly divided into two parts. One deals with the release and transport of radionuclide in the vault and unsaturated zone. The other deals with the transport of radionuclide in the vault and unsaturated zone. The other deals with the transport of radionuclide in the saturated zone and radiological impacts to a human group under well drinking water scenario. The parameters for source-term, geosphere and biosphere models are mainly obtained from the site specific data. The results show that the annual effective doses are dominated by long lived, mobile radionuclides and their associated daughters. And it is found that the total effective dose for drinking water is far below the general criteria of regulatory limit for radioactive waste disposal facility

The fate of radioactivity in sewers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

The Environment Agencies authorise and monitor the disposal of low-level radioactive waste to sewers. Such discharges originate from non-nuclear sites such as hospitals, universities and research centres. Discharges are strictly controlled through authorisations, which place conditions and limits on the disposer. We commissioned the work summarised within this, leaflet to reassess the fate of these radioactive discharges and to ensure that this practice remains acceptable and is still the best option for disposal. In all cases the study found assessed radiation doses (associated with these discharges) to be a small fraction of the public dose limit. The Environment Agencies conclude from this study that the disposal of radioactive waste to sewers remains the best option available to ensure the safety of the public (including sewer workers) and to protect the environment

Assessment of recycling or disposal alternatives for radioactive scrap metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphie, W.E.; Lilly, M.J. III; Nieves, L.A.; Chen, S.Y.

1993-01-01

The US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Oak Ridge Programs Division, is participating with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in providing analytical support for evaluation of management alternatives for radioactive scrap metals. For this purpose, Argonne National Laboratory is assessing environmental and societal implications of recycling and/or disposal process alternatives. This effort includes development of inventory estimates for contaminated metals; investigation of scrap metal market structure, processes, and trends; assessment of radiological and nonradiological effects of recycling; and investigation of social and political factors that are likely to either facilitate or constrain recycling opportunities. In addition, the option of scrap metal disposal is being assessed, especially with regard to the environmental and health impacts of replacing these metals if they are withdrawn from use. This paper focuses on the radiological risk assessment and dose estimate sensitivity analysis. A open-quotes tieredclose quotes concept for release categories, with and without use restrictions, is being developed. Within the tiers, different release limits may be indicated for specific groupings of radionuclides. Depending on the spectrum of radionuclides that are present and the level of residual activity after decontamination and/or smelting, the scrap may be released for unrestricted public use or for specified public uses, or it may be recycled within the nuclear industry. The conservatism of baseline dose estimates is examined, and both more realistic parameter values and protective measures for workers are suggested

Biosphere modelling for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal in the Japanese H12 assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Tomoko; Suzuki, Yuji; Ishiguro, Katsuhiko; Naito, Morimasa; Ishiguro, Katsuhiko; Ikeda, Takao; Little, Richard H.; Smith, Graham M.

2002-01-01

JNC has an on-going programme of research and development relating to the safety assessment of the deep geological disposal system of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). In the safety assessment of a HLW disposal system, it is often necessary to estimate future radiological impacts on human beings (e.g. radiation dose). In order to estimate dose, consideration needs to be given to the surface environment (biosphere) into which future releases of radionuclides might occur and to the associated future human behaviour. However, for a deep repository, such releases might not occur for many thousands of years after disposal. Over such timescales, it is not possible to predict with any certainty how the biosphere and human behaviour will evolve. To avoid endless speculation aimed at reducing such uncertainty, the reference biosphere le concept has been developed for use in the safety assessment of HLW disposal. The Reference Biospheres Methodology was originally developed by the BIOMOVS II Reference Biospheres Working Group and subsequently enhanced within Theme 1 of the BIOMASS programme. As the aim of the H12 assessment with a hypothetical HLW disposal system was to demonstrate the technical feasibility and reliability of the Japanese disposal concept for a range of geological and surface environments, some assessment specific reference biospheres were developed for the biosphere modelling in the H12 assessment using an approach consistent with the BIOMOVS II/BIOMASS approach. They have been used to derive factors to convert the radionuclide flux from a geosphere to a biosphere into a dose. The influx to dose conversion factor also have been derived for a range of different geosphere-biosphere interfaces (well, river and marine) and potential exposure groups (farming, freshwater-fishing and marine-fishing). This paper summarises the approach used for the derivation of the influx to dose conversion factor also for the range of geosphere-biosphere interfaces and

Realistic assessment of doses to members of the public according to council directive 96/29/Euratom and common practice in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hornung-Lauxmann, L.; Steiner, M.

2003-01-01

According to Article 45 of the Council Directive 96/29/Euratom competent authorities of member states are obliged to assess radiation doses to the population as a whole and to reference groups of the population as realistic as possible. In EU member states different approaches are in use, both to identify reference groups and to assess doses. In addition realistic dose assessments are in general not systematically performed. Hence, the European Commission commissioned a study on the realistic assessment of radiation doses due to radioactive discharges from nuclear installations under normal operation. Based on this study a guide including recommendations for dose assessment has been established by an Article 31 expert group, which is applicable to retrospective and prospective dose assessment as well. The most important recommendation is to use as much site-specific information as possible. Concerning the dose assessment of reference groups it is recommended to use critical groups. Critical groups comprise of persons who receive the highest effective doses because of their living habits. In the opinion of EU experts it is sufficient to take into account only the age groups of one-year-olds, ten-years-olds and adults. Exposure pathways have been sub-divided into three groups: Those, which have to be considered in any case, those, which contribute significantly to dose depending on local conditions, and those, which only insignificantly contribute to dose. It is recommended to use only models for dose assessment which are robust, appropriate, and validated against measurements. In Germany, (hypothetical) reference persons are used for the assessment of radiation exposure to the population due to radioactive discharges from nuclear installations under normal operation. They are assumed to live at the most disadvantageous location around the site and to eat foodstuff produced at the most disadvantageous locations. For this purpose models, generalized assumptions and

Influence of radioactive contaminants on absorbed dose estimates for radiopharmaceuticals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, E.E.; Stabin, M.G.

1986-01-01

Several popular radiopharmaceutical products contain low levels of radioactive contaminants. These contaminants increase the radiation absorbed dose to the patient without any increased benefit and, in some cases, with a decrease in image quality. The importance of a contaminant to the radiation dosimetry picture is a function of 1) the contaminant level, 2) the physical half-life of the contaminant, 3) the organ uptake and the biological half-time of the contaminant in the various body systems, and 4) the decay mode, energy, etc. of the contaminant. The general influence of these parameters is discussed in this paper; families of curves are included that reflect the changing importance of contaminant dosimetry with respect to the primary radionuclide as a function of these variables. Several specific examples are also given of currently used radiopharmaceutical products which can contain radioactive contaminants (I-123, In-111, Tl-201, Ir-191m, Rb-82, Au-195m). 7 references, 8 figures, 4 tables

Benchmark studies of induced radioactivity and remanent dose rates produced in LHC materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brugger, M.; Mayer, S.; Roesler, S.; Ulrici, L.; Khater, H.; Prinz, A.; Vincke, H.

2005-01-01

Samples of materials that will be used for elements of the LHC machine as well as for shielding and construction components were irradiated in the stray radiation field of the CERN-EU high-energy Reference Field facility. The materials included various types of steel, copper, titanium, concrete and marble as well as light materials such as carbon composites and boron nitride. Emphasis was put on an accurate recording of the irradiation conditions, such as irradiation profile and intensity, and on a detailed determination of the elemental composition of the samples. After the irradiation, the specific activity induced in the samples as well as the remanent dose rate were measured at different cooling times ranging from about 20 minutes to two months. Furthermore, the irradiation experiment was simulated using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code and specific activities. In addition, dose rates were calculated. The latter was based on a new method simulating the production of various isotopes and the electromagnetic cascade induced by radioactive decay at a certain cooling time. In general, solid agreement was found, which engenders confidence in the predictive power of the applied codes and tools for the estimation of the radioactive nuclide inventory of the LHC machine as well as the calculation of remanent doses to personnel during interventions. (authors)

A preliminary assessment of selected atmospheric dispersion, food-chain transport, and dose-to-man computer codes for use by the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riggle, K.J.; Roddy, J.W.

1989-02-01

This work is part of the ongoing Systems Modeling Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is assisting the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management in selecting appropriate computer codes for the process of licensing a high-level radioactive waste repository or a monitored retrievable storage facility. A preliminary study of codes for predicting dose to man following airborne releases of radionuclides is described. These codes use models for estimating atmospheric dispersion of activity and deposition onto the ground surface, exposures via external irradiation, inhalation of airborne activity, and ingestion following transport through terrestrial food chains, and the dose per unit exposure for each exposure mode. A set of criteria is given for use in choosing codes for further examination. From a list of over 150 computer codes, five were selected for review

UNIDOSE - a computer program for the calculation of individual and collective doses from airborne radioactive pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlberg, O.; Schwartz, H.; Forssen, B.-H.; Marklund, J.-E.

1979-01-01

UNIDOSE is a program system for calculating the consequences of a radioactive release to the atmosphere. The program is applicable for computation of dispersion in a rnage of 0 - 50 km from the release point. The Gaussion plume model is used for calculating the external dose from activity in the atmosphere, on the ground and the internal dose via inhalation. Radioactive decay, as well as growth and decay of daughter products are accounted for. The influence of dry deposition and wash-out are also considered. It is possible to treat time-dependent release-rates of 1 - 24 hours duration and constant release-rates for up to one year. The program system also contains routines for the calculation of collective dose and health effects. The system operates in a statistical manner. Many weather-situations, based on measured data, can be analysed and statistical properties, such as cumulative frequences, can be calculated. (author)

Radionuclide transport modelling for a buried near surface low level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terzi, R.

2004-01-01

The disposal of radioactive waste, which is the last step of any radioactive waste management policy, has not yet been developed in Turkey. The existing legislation states only the discharge limits for the radioactive wastes to be discharged to the environment. The objective of this modelling study is to assist in safety assessment and selecting disposal site for gradually increasing non-nuclear radioactive wastes. This mathematical model has been developed for the environmental radiological assessment of near surface disposal sites for the low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. The model comprised of three main components: source term, geosphere transport and radiological assessment. Radiation dose for the babies (1 years age) and adults (≥17 years age) have been computed for the radionuclides Cesium 137 (Cs-137) and Strontium 90 (Sr-90), having the activity of 1.10 12 Becquerel(Bq), in radioactive waste through transport of radionuclide in liquid phase with the various pathways. The model consisted of first order ordinary differential equations was coded as a TCODE file in MATLAB program. The radiation dose to man for the realist case and low probability case have been calculated by using Runge-Kutta solution method in MATLAB programme for radionuclide transport from repository to soil layer and then to the ground water(saturated zone) through drinking water directly and consuming agricultural and animal products pathways in one year period. Also, the fatal cancer risk assessment has been made by taking into account the annual dose received by people. Various dose values for both radionuclides have been found which depended on distribution coefficient, retardation factor and dose conversion factors. The most important critical parameters on radiological safety assessment are the distribution coefficient in soil layer, seepage velocity in unsaturated zone and thickness of the unsaturated zone (soil zone). The highest radiation dose and average dose to

ALMA. Calculations of diffusion and radiation doses in connection with final storage of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelin, R.; Kjellbert, N.; Stenquist, C.

1978-09-01

Calculations of diffusion and radiation doses in connection with final storage of low-lavel and intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The results show that the doses obtained with realistic values of parameters used in the calculations are very low. However, substantially simplified assumption have been applied in the calculations. Thus more detailed models for the description of the diffusion process have to be developed. (E.R.)

MicroShield 6.20 computations to evaluate dose rate in unprotected materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slaveikova, M.; Stanev, I.

2013-01-01

An analysis of compliance with the requirement of Art. 36 of the Regulation on the conditions and procedure of transport of radioactive material is made.This analysis is carried out in connection with the construction of sites for temporary storage of radioactive materials and radioactive wastes from decommissioning activities of the Kozloduy NPP units 1-4. The aim is to assess the dose in unprotected materials. An analysis of the conformity with the requirements of the Bulgarian legislation to assess the dose rate of material in the absence of physical or other barriers. Many calculations are carried out to assess the dose rate around a piece of metal from the dismantling of the primary circuit, which is conservatively assumed that contamination is greatest

Radioactive caesium in a boreal forest ecosystem and internally absorbed dose to man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, R.; Johansson, L.

1989-01-01

Different aspects dealing with water-soil, soil-plant and plant-herbivore interactions are studied. The study area is located to the Forest Research Station at Svartberget 50 km west of Umea in Vaesterbotten. An important topic in this study concerns the transport of caesium in food chains to man. Consumption of forest products by man i.e. game (primarily moose) and berries constitutes the major pathway of radioactive caesium to man. Moose meat contributes to about 30% of the total meat consumption in Vaesterbotten and the average over the Swedish population has remained at the level of 5-10% during the present decade. In order to assess the absorbed dose resulting from intake via these food products over a long period of time, knowledge about the long term behaviour of caesium in the biotic community is studied. (orig./HP)

Annual effective dose due to natural radioactivity in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padma Savithri, P.; Srivastava, S.K.; Balbudhe, A.Y.; Vishwa Prasad, K.; Ravi, P.M.; Tripathi, R.M.

2014-01-01

Natural radioactivity concentration in drinking water supply in and round Hyderabad, Secunderabad was determined. The observed gross alpha activity found in water samples vary from 0.027±0.014 Bq/L to 0.042±0.015 Bq/L with average 0.035 Bq/L while beta activity in all the samples are less than 0.076 Bq/l. Contributions of the drinking water samples to total annual effective dose equivalent from 238 U, 234 U, 230 Th, 26 Ra, 210 Po, 232 Th, 228 Th 210 Pb and 228 Ra are 1.14, 1.24, 5.30, 7.07, 30.3, 5.81, 1.82, 38.3 and 38.3 μSvy -1 for adults. The results indicate that the annual effective doses are below the WHO recommended reference level for α and β in food and drinking samples. (author)

Models for the evaluation of ingestion doses from the consumption of terrestrial foods following an atmospheric radioactive release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nair, S.

1984-04-01

Various methods are described which have been incorporated in the FOODWEB module of the CEGB's NECTAR environmental code and are currently being used within CEGB to assess ingestion doses from consumption of terrestrial foods following an atmospheric radioactive release. Four foodchain models which have been developed within CEGB are fully described and results of typical calculations presented. Also given are the results of a validation of the dynamic model against measured 90 Sr and 137 Cs levels in milk in the U.K. resulting from weapons fallout. Methods are also described for calculating individual and population doses from ingestion using the results of the model calculations. The population dose calculations utilise a data base describing the spatial distribution of production of a wide range of agricultural products. The development of such a data base for Great Britain is described, based on the 1972 land use and livestock census, and maps are presented for each agricultural product. (U.K.)

Assessment of radiation exposure of personnel during clinical application of radioactive iridium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dworakowski, M; Krystman-Mazgajska, E; Wysopolski, J [Instytut Onkologii, Warsaw (Poland); Centralne Lab. Ochrony Radiologicznej, Warsaw (Poland))

1975-01-01

The authors describe the results of measurements of doses and the evaluation of radiation exposure of the personnel of the Department of General Oncology working with application of radioactive iridium for interstitial and superficial treatment of neoplasma. The doses were measured by the photographic method simultaneously at six sites of the body: on the forehead, left side of the chest, 4th fingers of both hands, and on the left and right sides of the trunk at the level of gonads. The authors believe that introduction of iridium in place of radium will improve the conditions of work from the standpoint of protection against radioactivity.

Radioactive airborne effluents and the environmental impact assessment of CAP1400 nuclear power plant under normal operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Qiong; Guo, RuiPing; Zhang, ChunMing; Chen, XiaoQiu; Wang, Bo, E-mail: wangbo@chinansc.cn

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Typical radionuclides dispersion from CAP1400 under normal operation was simulated. • Modified Gaussian model considered radioactive decay, dry and wet deposition and so on. • The radioactive impact pathways on the public through atmosphere were compared. • The maximum individual effective dose was lower than the public irradiation limit. - Abstract: China Advanced Passive nuclear power plant with installed capacity reaching to 1400 MW (CAP1400) is independently designed as the China's state-of-the-art third generation nuclear power brand based on AP1000 technology digestion and absorption. The concentration of typical radionuclides dispersed from CAP1400 under normal operation was calculated with modified Gaussian model, considering mixed layer height, dry deposition, wet deposition, radioactive decay and so on. The atmospheric dispersion factors, ground deposition rate, individual dose and public dose were also investigated to estimate the radioactive effects of CAP1400 under normal operation on surrounding environment and human beings. The radioactive impact pathways on the public through atmosphere, such as immersion irradiation in the smoke plume, internal irradiation from ingestion and inhalation and external irradiation from surface deposition were briefly introduced with focus on the comparison of the maximum individual effective dose to different group from atmospheric dispersion. All computation results show that the maximum individual irradiation dose happened to children with total effective irradiation dose of 4.52E−03 mSv/y, which was lower than the public irradiation limit of 0.25 mSv/y.

Radioactive airborne effluents and the environmental impact assessment of CAP1400 nuclear power plant under normal operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qiong; Guo, RuiPing; Zhang, ChunMing; Chen, XiaoQiu; Wang, Bo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Typical radionuclides dispersion from CAP1400 under normal operation was simulated. • Modified Gaussian model considered radioactive decay, dry and wet deposition and so on. • The radioactive impact pathways on the public through atmosphere were compared. • The maximum individual effective dose was lower than the public irradiation limit. - Abstract: China Advanced Passive nuclear power plant with installed capacity reaching to 1400 MW (CAP1400) is independently designed as the China's state-of-the-art third generation nuclear power brand based on AP1000 technology digestion and absorption. The concentration of typical radionuclides dispersed from CAP1400 under normal operation was calculated with modified Gaussian model, considering mixed layer height, dry deposition, wet deposition, radioactive decay and so on. The atmospheric dispersion factors, ground deposition rate, individual dose and public dose were also investigated to estimate the radioactive effects of CAP1400 under normal operation on surrounding environment and human beings. The radioactive impact pathways on the public through atmosphere, such as immersion irradiation in the smoke plume, internal irradiation from ingestion and inhalation and external irradiation from surface deposition were briefly introduced with focus on the comparison of the maximum individual effective dose to different group from atmospheric dispersion. All computation results show that the maximum individual irradiation dose happened to children with total effective irradiation dose of 4.52E−03 mSv/y, which was lower than the public irradiation limit of 0.25 mSv/y

ARRRG/FOOD, Doses from Radioactive Release to Food Chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napier, B.A.; Roswell, R.L.; Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Strenge, D.L.

1984-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: ARRRG calculates radiation doses to humans for radionuclides released to bodies of water from which people might obtain fish, other aquatic foods, or drinking water, and in which they might fish, swim, or boat. FOOD calculates radiation doses to humans from deposition on farm or garden soil and crops during either an atmospheric or water release of radionuclides. Deposition may be either directly from the air or from irrigation water. With both programs, doses may be calculated for either a maximum- exposed individual or for a population group. Doses calculated are a one-year dose and a committed dose from one year of exposure. The exposure is usually considered as chronic; however, equations are included to calculate dose and dose commitment from acute, one-time, exposure. 2 - Method of solution: The radiation doses from external exposure to contaminated farm fields or shorelines are calculated assuming an 'infinite' flat plane source of radionuclides. A factor of two is included for surface roughness, and a modifying factor is used to compensate for finite extent in the shoreline calculations. The radionuclide concentrations in aquatic and irrigated food products are based on the radionuclide concentration in the contaminated water, which is based on the release rate of radioactive contamination and the characteristics of the receiving water body. Concentration of radionuclides in plants depends on the concentrations in the soil, air, and water. Concentration of radionuclides in farm animal products, such as milk, meat, or eggs, depends on the animal's consumption of feed, forage, and water containing radionuclides. For persons swimming in contaminated water, the dose is calculated assuming that the body of water is an infinite medium relative to the range of emitted radiations. Persons boating on the water are assumed to be exposed to a dose rate half that of swimmers. Internal doses are calculated as a function of

Assessment and prediction of the scales of radioactive contamination of the environment by emissions from a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elokhin, A.P.; Solovei, A.F.

1995-01-01

The assessment of radioactive contamination of the air basin and underlying surface in the direction of emission reduces to determining the volume activity of the radioactive impurity in air, the surface activity on the underlying surface of the radioactive impurity is known at least approximately (for example, it can be set on the basis of the technological regulations at the nuclear power plant or according to the criterion of levels during an accident), by using exposure-dose-rate sensors in a network of posts of the automatic system for monitoring the radiation environment (ASMRE), which are placed on the industrial area of the nuclear power plant, in the shielded zone and in the observation zone, it is possible to determine more accurately the magnitude of the emission and, therefore, to estimate the scale of the radioactive contamination of the medium

Enjebi Island dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robison, W.L.; Conrado, C.L.; Phillips, W.A.

1987-07-01

We have updeated the radiological dose assessment for Enjebi Island at Enewetak Atoll using data derived from analysis of food crops grown on Enjebi. This is a much more precise assessment of potential doses to people resettling Enjebi Island than the 1980 assessment in which there were no data available from food crops on Enjebi. Details of the methods and data used to evaluate each exposure pathway are presented. The terrestrial food chain is the most significant potential exposure pathway and 137 Cs is the radionuclide responsible for most of the estimated dose over the next 50 y. The doses are calculated assuming a resettlement date of 1990. The average wholebody maximum annual estimated dose equivalent derived using our diet model is 166 mremy;the effective dose equivalent is 169 mremy. The estimated 30-, 50-, and 70-y integral whole-body dose equivalents are 3.5 rem, 5.1 rem, and 6.2 rem, respectively. Bone-marrow dose equivalents are only slightly higher than the whole-body estimates in each case. The bone-surface cells (endosteal cells) receive the highest dose, but they are a less sensitive cell population and are less sensitive to fatal cancer induction than whole body and bone marrow. The effective dose equivalents for 30, 50, and 70 y are 3.6 rem, 5.3 rem, and 6.6 rem, respectively. 79 refs., 17 figs., 24 tabs

Impact assessment at the submergence of radioactive materials during sea transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumune, Daisuke; Tsubono, Takaki; Saegusa, Toshiari; Ito, Chihiro

2009-01-01

Radioactive materials in Type B package have been transported safely on the sea under INF code and IAEA standard. Environmental and dose impact assessments have been made by assuming that a Type B package might be sunk into the sea since 1970s to enhance public understanding on safety of these transport. A method of the impact assessment consists of the estimation of release rates of radionuclide from a package, simulation of radionuclide concentration both in the coastal and global areas, and estimation of dose assessment for the public. We summarized the radiological impact at the submergence of Type B packages. The evaluated results of the dose equivalents by radiation exposure to the public for all materials were far below the dose equivalent limit of the ICRP recommendation (1mSv year -1 ). These assessments had a lot of uncertainties especially in the simulation of radionuclide concentration therefore the results might be overestimated. Estimations of ocean circulation and diffusion are important in this assessment. Ocean circulation model have been improved to simulate the material transport with higher resolutions. We developed more realistic methods to simulate both in the coastal and global areas to explain the evaluated results of the impacts to the public in an efficient manner. General circulation models around Japan and an ocean general circulation model were employed at the coastal and global areas respectively. It is impossible to validate the method directly because no accidents with release of radionuclide in the ocean have occurred since first sea transport of Type B packages. Therefore we simulated background radionuclide concentrations by fallouts ( 137 Cs) to validate the methods. Fallouts were input into ocean by nuclear weapon test since 1945 and mainly in 1960s. And their concentrations in the ocean have been measured to keep monitoring the artificial contaminations now. Observed database is useful to compare with simulated results in both

New safety performance indicators for safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal facilities. Cuban experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peralta Vital, J.L.; Castillo, R.G.; Olivera, J.

2002-01-01

The paper shows the Cuban experience on implementing geological disposal of radioactive waste and the necessity for identifying new safety performance indicators for the safety assessment (SA) of radioactive waste disposal facilities. The selected indicator was the concentration of natural radioactive elements (U, Ra, Th, K) in the Cuban geologic environment. We have carried out a group of investigations, which have allowed characterising the concentration for the whole Country, creating a wide database where this indicator is associated with the lithology. The main lithologies in Cuba are: the sedimentary rocks (70 percent of national occurrence), which are present in the three regions (limestone and lutite), and finally the igneous and metamorphic rocks. The results show the concentrations ranges of the natural radionuclides associated fundamentally to the variation in the lithology and geographical area of the Country. In Cuba, the higher concentration (ppm) of Uranium and Radium are referenced to the Central region associated to Skarn, while for Thorium (ppm) and Potassium (%), in the East region the concentration peaks in Tuffs have been found. The concentrations ranges obtained are preliminary, they characterise the behaviour of this parameter for the Cuban geology, but they do not represent limits for safety assessment purposes yet. Also other factors should be taken into account as the assessment context, time scales and others assumptions before establishing the final concentration limits for the natural radionuclides as a radiological and nuclear safety performance indicator complementary to dose and risk for safety assessment for radiological and nuclear facilities. (author)

Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and associated dose rates in soil samples from historical city Panipat, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanjeet

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The natural radioactivity levels have been determined by means of gamma ray spectroscopy in surface soil samples collected from the historical city Panipat and its surrounding areas. The activity concentrations are estimated for 238U (range from 14.82 ± 0.26 to 42.82 ± 0.84 Bq/kg, 232Th (from 12.94 ± 0.32 to 43.48 ± 0.96 Bq/kg and 40K (from 238.05 ± 0.28 to 348.50 ± 0.95 Bq/kg. Radium equivalent activities are calculated to be in the range of 82.24–108.49 Bq/kg with an average value of 92.21 Bq/kg. Absorbed dose rates in air outdoors are measured in the range of 32.01–56.47 nGy/h with an average value of 44.16 nGy/h. The corresponding effective dose rates (indoor and outdoor are calculated to be in the range of 0.09–0.158 mSv/y and 0.039–0.069 mSv/y respectively. The internal and external hazard index varies from 0.234 to 0.339 and 0.207 to 0.286 respectively. The activities of radium equivalent in all the soil samples are lesser than the limit (370 Bq/kg recommended in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD report and the annual effective dose was within the safe limit of 1 mSv/y.

Development of high-level radioactive waste treatment and conversion technologies 'Dry decontamination technology development for highly radioactive contaminants'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Won Zin; Lee, K. W.; Won, H. J.; Jung, C. J.; Choi, W. K.; Kim, G. N.; Moon, J. K.

2001-04-01

The followings were studied through the project entitled 'Dry Decontamination Technology Development for Highly Radioactive Contaminants'. 1.Contaminant Characteristics Analysis of Domestic Nuclear Fuel Cycle Projects(NFCP) and Applicability Study of the Unit Dry-Decontamination Techniques A. Classification of contaminated equipments and characteristics analysis of contaminants B. Applicability study of the unit dry-decontamination techniques 2.Performance Evaluation of Unit Dry Decontamination Technique A. PFC decontamination technique B. CO2 decontamination technique C. Plasma decontamination technique 3.Development of Residual Radiation Assessment Methodology for High Radioactive Facility Decontamination A. Development of radioactive nuclide diffusion model on highly radioactive facility structure B. Obtainment of the procedure for assessment of residual radiation dose 4.Establishment of the Design Concept of Dry Decontamination Process Equipment Applicable to Highly Radioactive Contaminants 5.TRIGA soil unit decontamination technology development A. Development of soil washing and flushing technologies B. Development of electrokinetic soil decontamination technology

Low-level Radioactivity Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurtgen, C.

2002-01-01

The objectives of the research performed in the area of low-level radioactivity measurements are (1) to maintain and develop techniques for the measurement of low-level environmental and biological samples, (2) to measure these samples by means of low-background counters (liquid scintillators, proportional counters, ZnS counters, alpha spectrometry), (3) to support and advise the nuclear and non-nuclear industry on problems of radioactive contamination and low-level radioactivity measurements; (4) to maintain and improve the quality assurance system according to the ISO17025 standard; and (5) to assess the internal dose from occupational intakes of radionuclides of workers of the nuclear industry. Progress and achievements in these areas in 2001 are reported

Low-level Radioactivity Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurtgen, C.

2001-01-01

The objectives of the research performed in the area of low-level radioactivity measurements are (1) to maintain and develop techniques for the measurement of low-level environmental and biological samples, (2) to measure these samples by means of low-background counters (liquid scintillators, proportional counters, ZnS counters, alpha spectrometry), (3) to support and advice the nuclear and non-nuclear industry in matters concerning radioactive contamination and/or low-level radioactivity measurements; (4) to maintain the quality assurance system according to the EN45001/ISO17025 standard; and (5) to assess the internal dose from occupational intakes of radionuclides of workers of the nuclear industry. Progress and achievements in these areas in 2000 are reported

RADIOACTIVITY OF ROCKS, SOILS AND NATURAL WATERS OF DAGESTAN AND DUE TO THEIR EFFECTIVE DOSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Abdulaeva

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The results of long-term radioecological studies in the mountainous areas of Dagestan. The data of the study of territorial exposure dose, determination of natural radioactive nuclides in rocks, soils and natural waters of Dagestan. The parameters of the correlation between alpha-and beta-activity of rocks, soil, and radon in water and indoor air. This paper discusses issues related to the formation of radiation dose from natural sources of ionizing radiation in the biosphere and as a result of this review - doses to man.

Radiation dose from food to man after Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The geographical distribution in Norway of radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident varied considerably. In order to estimate radioactivity dose levels, two main categories of people were selected for study. The first category covered people who were assumed to have been exposed to much higher doses of radioactivity than the average, i.e. people consuming large amounts of food containing high levels of radioactivity. The other category covered people who were assumed to have received doses of radioactivity close to average. Two procedures were utilized for exposure measurements: Body levels of radioactivity were measured directly, and dietary studies were carried out to estimate the total intake of radioactivity through food as well as the proportion of the total intake which derived from the various foodstuffs. Furthermore, dietary changes and other precautions taken in consequence of the Chernobyl fallout were registered, and assessments were made of the degree to which radioactive cesium intake had been reduced as a result of these changes. The average effective dose equivalent due to the consumption of contaminated food during the first year after the Chernobyl accident was estimated to be in the range 0.12 to 0.25 mSv. A quarter of this dose was due to the consumption of milk. Apart from the Sami reindeer herdsmen in central and southern Norway, the dose which the especially exposed groups had received during the first year was estimated to 0.5 to 1.0 mSv. Almost 90% of the dose derived from the consumption of ''wild'' freshwater fish, reindeer meat and milk. Most of the Sami people received doses varying from 1 to 3 mSv in the first year. By far the greatest contribution (90%) arised from the consumption of reindeer meat

Radioactivity: The town of Marburg after the Chernobyl reactor accident. 2. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fink, B.

1987-05-01

Strong rainfalls between the 3rd and 5th of May 1986 in the Marburg area brought down the atmospheric radioactivity from the reactor accident. Due to variations in time and intensity, the washout led to different levels of soil radioactivity uptake in the area, so that the eastern part of the Marburg Landkreis accumulated a higher dose than the western part. The additional dose to the thyroid of the adult population in that area, received in the first few days of May, is assessed to be 15 mrem, and about 30 mrem to infants, due to the inhalation of iodine-131, more significant is the dose due to incorporation of radioactivity via the food chain (e.g. Cs-137 and Sr-90), as the radionuclides are accumulated in the body, and part of them will rest there as a lifelong incorporated source of radioactivity. However, there is no acute health hazard to be feared by the population in West Germany, as a result of the reactor accident, but the dose commitment will result in an increase of cancer rate over the next 30 years, which cannot be assessed. (orig./DG) [de

3 Artificial and Natural Radioactivity.cdr

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

The environment is defined within the ... Radiation Dose Assessment in the Vicinity of Ghana ... Radioactivity concentrations of Ra, Th, K and Cs in soil samples and water sources around the .... predominant rock type of the GAEC and its.

Historical relationship between performance assessment for radioactive waste disposal and other types of risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rechard, R.P.

1999-01-01

This article describes the evolution of the process for assessing the hazards of a geologic disposal system for radioactive waste and, similarly, nuclear power reactors, and the relationship of this process with other assessments of risk, particularly assessments of hazards from manufactured carcinogenic chemicals during use and disposal. This perspective reviews the common history of scientific concepts for risk assessment developed until the 1950s. Computational tools and techniques developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s to analyze the reliability of nuclear weapon delivery systems were adopted in the early 1970s for probabilistic risk assessment of nuclear power reactors, a technology for which behavior was unknown. In turn, these analyses became an important foundation for performance assessment of nuclear waste disposal in the late 1970s. The evaluation of risk to human health and the environment from chemical hazards is built on methods for assessing the dose response of radionuclides in the 1950s. Despite a shared background, however, societal events, often in the form of legislation, have affected the development path for risk assessment for human health, producing dissimilarities between these risk assessments and those for nuclear facilities. An important difference is the regulator's interest in accounting for uncertainty

Decoding Environmental Processes Using Radioactive Isotopes for the Post-Radioactive Contamination Recovery Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Yasumiishi, Misa; Nishimura, Taku; Osawa, Kazutoshi; Renschler, Chris

2017-04-01

The continual monitoring of environmental radioactive levels in Fukushima, Japan following the nuclear plant accident in March 2011 provides our society with valuable information in two ways. First, the collected data can be used as an indicator to assess the progress of decontamination efforts. Secondly, the collected data also can be used to understand the behavior of radioactive isotopes in the environment which leads to further understanding of the landform processes. These two aspects are inseparable for us to understand the effects of radioactive contamination in a dynamic environmental system. During the summer of 2016, 27 soil core samples were collected on a farmer's land (rice paddies and forest) in Fukushima, about 20 km northwest of the nuclear plant. Each core was divided into 2.0 - 3.0 cm slices for the Cs-134, Cs-137, and I-131 level measurement. The collected data is being analyzed from multiple perspectives: temporal, spatial, and geophysical. In the forest area, even on the same hillslope, multiple soil types and horizon depths were observed which indicates the challenges in assessing the subsurface radioactive isotope movements. It appears that although highly humic soils show higher or about the same level of radioactivity in the surface layers, as the depth increased, the radioactivity decreased more in those samples compared with more sandy soils. With regard to the direction a slope faces and the sampling altitudes, the correlation between those attributes and radioactivity levels is inconclusive at this moment. The altitude might have affected the fallout level on a single hillslope-basis. However, to determine the correlation, further sampling and the detailed analysis of vegetation and topography might be necessary. Where the surface soil was scraped and new soil was brought in, former rice paddy surface layers did show three-magnitude levels lower of radioactivity in the top layer when compared with forest soils. At the foot of forest

Assessment of alpha radioactivity in Indian tobacco leaf-a detailed study with SSNTD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Dipak; Deb, Argha; Sengupta, Rosalima; Patra, K.K.; Halder, S.; Maiti, S.

2009-01-01

People who inhale tobacco smoke are exposed to higher concentrations of radioactivity since tobacco contains polonium ( 210 Po) and lead ( 210 Pb) both of which are radioactive elements of radon decay series. Among these 210 Po emits damaging type of radiation-alpha radiation is 1000 times more carcinogenic than gamma radiation (DiFranza and Winters, 1982). It generates the localized radiation dose and the health of common people gets affected seriously. In view of this a detail measurement of radioactivity of tobacco leaf is essential. This paper presents a detail investigation on the measurement of alpha radioactivity in raw tobacco leaves, in a few commonly used Indian brand cigarettes and in packed chewing tobacco materials with solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD). The study reveals the presence of pronounced alpha activity in cigarette tobacco and chewing tobacco samples ranging from 60-75 mBq/gm and 60- 75 mBq/gm. The alpha activity value is comparatively lower in raw tobacco leaves (9-50 mBq/gm). The annual committed effective dose of the smokers of these branded cigarettes has estimated to be 50-700 (μSv/y), whereas the effective dose value in raw tobacco leaves and chewing tobacco samples is 54-201 μSv/y and 230-290 μSv/y, respectively which are within the range found in cigarette samples. (author)

RADIATION HYGIENIC MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT OF POPULATION DOSES IN RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED AREAS OF TULA REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. M. Chichura

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The goal. The analyses of radiation hygienic monitoring conducted in Tula region territories affected by the Chernobyl NPP accident regarding cesium-137 and strontium- 90 in the local foodstuffs and the analyses of populational annual effective dose. The materials and methods. The survey was conducted in Tula Region since 1997 to 2015. Over that period, more than fifty thousand samples of the main foodstuffs from the post-Chernobyl contaminated area were analyzed. Simultaneously with that, the external gamma - radiation dose rate was measured in the fixed control points. The dynamics of cesium -137 and strontium-90 content in foodstuffs were assessed along with the maximum values of the mean annual effective doses to the population and the contribution of the collective dose from medical exposures into the structure of the annual effective collective dose to the population. The results. The amount of cesium-137 and strontium -90 in the local foodstuffs was identified. The external gamma- radiation dose rate values were found to be stable and not exceeding the natural fluctuations range typical for the middle latitudes of Russia’s European territory. The maximum mean annual effective dose to the population reflects the stable radiation situation and does not exceed the permissible value of 1 mSv. The contribution of the collective dose from medical exposures of the population has been continuously reducing as well as the average individual dose to the population per one medical treatment under the annual increase of the medical treatments quantities. The conclusion. There is no exceedance of the admissible levels of cesium-137 and strontium- 90 content in the local foodstuffs. The mean annual effective dose to the population has decreased which makes it possible to transfer the settlements affected by the Chernobyl NPP accident to normal life style. This is covered by the draft concept of the settlements’ transfer to normal life style.

Preliminary assessment of current radiation doses to the population of Brodokalmak from contamination of the Techa River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabianca, T.; Bexon, A.P.; Pozolotina, V.; Trapeznikov, A.; Simmonds, J.

2000-01-01

Significant quantities of liquid radioactive waste were discharged to the Techa River in the southern Urals region of Russia in the early years of operation of the Mayak PA plant (1948-1951). A collaborative project is underway under contract to the European Commission to consider the radiological impact of radioactive contamination in the Southern Urals. Part of this project involves the calculation of radiation doses currently received by the population of Brodokalmak on the Techa river. The assessment made use of local data on the habits of the population and measurements of radionuclide activity concentrations in food and water. Exposure pathways included in the assessment were ingestion of foods and external exposure to gamma radiation from radionuclides deposited on the banks of the river. A range of doses was calculated for different age groups, firstly, assuming that the restrictions in place are retained and, secondly, assuming that there are no restrictions. These restrictions include bans on drinking river water, fishing and bathing in the river and the prohibition of use of the river and surrounding flood plains by humans and cattle. With restrictions the highest dose estimated was 0.56 mSv y -1 for the most exposed adults and without restrictions this increased to 3.4 mSv y -1

Estimation of maximum credible atmospheric radioactivity concentrations and dose rates from nuclear tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telegadas, K.

1979-01-01

A simple technique is presented for estimating maximum credible gross beta air concentrations from nuclear detonations in the atmosphere, based on aircraft sampling of radioactivity following each Chinese nuclear test from 1964 to 1976. The calculated concentration is a function of the total yield and fission yield, initial vertical radioactivity distribution, time after detonation, and rate of horizontal spread of the debris with time. calculated maximum credible concentrations are compared with the highest concentrations measured during aircraft sampling. The technique provides a reasonable estimate of maximum air concentrations from 1 to 10 days after a detonation. An estimate of the whole-body external gamma dose rate corresponding to the maximum credible gross beta concentration is also given. (author)

Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in TENORM Samples Using Different Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salman, Kh.A.; Shahein, A.Y.

2009-01-01

In petroleum oil industries, technologically-enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive materials are produced. The presence of TENORM constitutes a significant radiological human health hazard. In the present work, liquid scintillation counting technique was used to determine both 222 Rn and 226 Ra concentrations in TENORM samples, by measuring 222 Rn concentrations in the sample at different intervals of time after preparation. The radiation doses from the TENORM samples were estimated using thermoluminenscent detector (TLD-4000). The estimated radiation doses were found to be proportional to both the measured radiation doses in site and natural activity concentration in the samples that measured with LSC

Assessment of lithogenic radioactivity in the Euganean Hills magmatic district (NE Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Tositti, Laura; Cinelli, Giorgia; Brattich, Erika; Galgaro, Antonio; Mostacci, Domiziano; Mazzoli, Claudio; Massironi, Matteo; Sassi, Raffaele

2017-01-01

The Euganean Hills of North East Italy have long been recognised as an area characterized by a higher than average natural radiation background. This is due to two main reasons: a) primary lithogenic radiation due to rhyolitic and trachytic outcrops, which are "acidic alkaline" magmatic rocks potentially enriched in uranium and thorium; b) secondary sources related to a geothermal field - widely exploited for spa tourism in the area since the Roman age - producing surface release of radon-enriched fluids. Though radioactivity levels in the Euganean district have been often investigated in the past - including recent works aimed at assessing the radiation doses from radon and/or total gamma radiation - no effort has been put so far into producing a thorough assessment linking radiation protection data to geological-structural features (lithology, faults, water, organic matter content, etc.). This work represents the first part of the interdisciplinary project "Geological and geochemical control on Radon occurrence and natural radioactivity in the Euganean Hills district (North-Eastern Italy)", aimed at producing detailed results of the actual radiation levels in connection mainly with lithological parameters. A detailed sampling strategy, based on lithostratigraphy, petrology and mineralogy, has been adopted. The 151 rock samples collected were analyzed by high resolution γ-ray spectrometry with ex situ HPGe detectors. Statistical and geostatistical analyses were performed, and outlier values of U and Th - possibly associated with anomalies in the geological formation - were identified. U, Th and K concentration maps were developed using both the entire database and then again after expunging the outliers; the two were then compared. In all maps the highest values can be associated to trachyte and rhyolite lithologies, and the lowest ones to sedimentary formations. The external dose due to natural radionuclides in the soil - the so called terrestrial gamma dose

The radiological situation at the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa. Technical report. V. 6. Doses due to radioactive materials present in the environment or released from the atolls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-08-01

In the previous volumes of this Report the concentrations of residual radioactivity in the environment of Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls have been described, and assessment made of the releases to the environment in the future. The further step in radiological assessment is the derivation of radiation doses that arise to actually or potentially exposed populations, from these concentrations and releases. These doses are estimated in this report. The existence of a hypothetical population resident on Mururoa is postulated as the group which would be most exposed. Doses to this group are estimated together with doses to maximally exposed residents on nearby South Pacific islands, and further afield. An assessment of the potential environmental impact of the residual contaminant radionuclides from the nuclear weapons testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa requires estimates of the incremental dose rates to a variety of marine organisms inhabiting a number of different ecological niches. These estimated dose rates provide the only secure basis for an assessment of the potential radiation effects in the organisms. The approach adopted for this assessment is that employed in a number of recent studies and adapts the dosimetry models for the particular organisms of interest in the atoll environment

Radioactive contamination in the Arctic--sources, dose assessment and potential risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strand, P.; Howard, B.J.; Aarkrog, A.; Balonov, M.; Tsaturov, Y.; Bewers, J.M.; Salo, A.; Sickel, M.; Bergman, R.; Rissanen, K.

2002-01-01

Arctic residents, whose diets comprise a large proportion of traditional terrestrial and freshwater foodstuffs, have received the highest radiation exposures to artificial radionuclides in the Arctic. Doses to members of both the average population and selected indigenous population groups in the Arctic depend on the rates of consumption of locally-derived terrestrial and freshwater foodstuffs, including reindeer/caribou meat, freshwater fish, goat cheese, berries, mushrooms and lamb. The vulnerability of arctic populations, especially indigenous peoples, to radiocaesium deposition is much greater than for temperate populations due to the importance of terrestrial, semi-natural exposure pathways where there is high radiocaesium transfer and a long ecological half-life for this radionuclide. In contrast, arctic residents with diets largely comprising marine foodstuffs have received comparatively low radiation exposures because of the lower levels of contamination of marine organisms. Using arctic-specific information, the predicted collective dose is five times higher than that estimated by UNSCEAR for temperate areas. The greatest threats to human health and the environment posed by human and industrial activities in the Arctic are associated with the potential for accidents in the civilian and military nuclear sectors. Of most concern are the consequences of potential accidents in nuclear power plant reactors, during the handling and storage of nuclear weapons, in the decommissioning of nuclear submarines and in the disposal of spent nuclear fuel from vessels. It is important to foster a close association between risk assessment and practical programmes for the purposes of improving monitoring, formulating response strategies and implementing action plans

Indoor air radon dose assessment for elementary, middle and high schools at Ulju county in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Choong Wie; Kim, Hee Reyoung

2016-01-01

Ulsan is the largest industrial city and possesses the largest area among 7 metropolitan cities in Korea. Ulju county is one of the administrative districts of Ulsan, and covers over 70 % of Ulsan and is surrounded by mountain to the east and sea to the west, which has urban and rural area. Thus, there are many geological and industrial condition in its environment. Ministry of Environment (ME) of Korea is carrying out radon survey every 2 years, but this survey focuses on radon radioactivity of the houses and radon survey for schools isn't detailed. At schools, people with various age work and are educated for a specific time, therefore, it is needed to analyze the radon radioactivity concentration of indoor air to estimate the effect by the radon exposure. Indoor air radon radioactivity concentration and dose of 57 schools including elementary, middle and high schools in Ulju county were analyzed by using alpha track. It was understood that average radon concentrations of schools in Ulju county were being maintained below recommendation level although survey results of some schools showed 295 Bq/m 3 higher than regulation of Ministry of Environment for radon concentration, 148 Bq/m 3 . Indoor annual effective dose of 0.157 mSv by radon was found to be less than 7 % of the natural radiation exposure of 2.4 mSv when ICRP dose coefficient for adult male was applied. It was thought that further radon effect analysis for various ages including children was needed for more accurate dose assessment

Indoor air radon dose assessment for elementary, middle and high schools at Ulju county in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Choong Wie; Kim, Hee Reyoung [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Ulsan is the largest industrial city and possesses the largest area among 7 metropolitan cities in Korea. Ulju county is one of the administrative districts of Ulsan, and covers over 70 % of Ulsan and is surrounded by mountain to the east and sea to the west, which has urban and rural area. Thus, there are many geological and industrial condition in its environment. Ministry of Environment (ME) of Korea is carrying out radon survey every 2 years, but this survey focuses on radon radioactivity of the houses and radon survey for schools isn't detailed. At schools, people with various age work and are educated for a specific time, therefore, it is needed to analyze the radon radioactivity concentration of indoor air to estimate the effect by the radon exposure. Indoor air radon radioactivity concentration and dose of 57 schools including elementary, middle and high schools in Ulju county were analyzed by using alpha track. It was understood that average radon concentrations of schools in Ulju county were being maintained below recommendation level although survey results of some schools showed 295 Bq/m{sup 3} higher than regulation of Ministry of Environment for radon concentration, 148 Bq/m{sup 3}. Indoor annual effective dose of 0.157 mSv by radon was found to be less than 7 % of the natural radiation exposure of 2.4 mSv when ICRP dose coefficient for adult male was applied. It was thought that further radon effect analysis for various ages including children was needed for more accurate dose assessment.

Human exposure to radiation following the release of radioactivity from a reactor accident: a quantitative assessment of the biological consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, H.; Stather, J.W.

1976-11-01

The objective of this review is to provide a biological basis upon which to assess the consequences of the exposure of a population to radioactivity released after a reactor accident. Depending upon the radiation dose, both early and late somatic damage could occur in the exposed population and hereditary effects may occur in their descendants. The development of dose-effect relationships has been based upon the limited amount of information available on humans, supplemented by data obtained from experiments on animals. (author)

Study on external exposure doses from terrestrial radioactivity in Southern Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huy, N.Q.; Luyen, T.V.

2012-01-01

This paper presents the radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K for 106 samples of surface soil collected in Southern Vietnam. The mean values of mass activity of radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K for Southern Vietnam are 28.6, 50.7 and 292.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively, which lead to the population-weighted absorbed dose rate of 54.5 nGy h -1 . The average annual effective doses outdoors, indoors and in total of Southern Vietnam are estimated to be 0.067, 0.374 and 0. 441 mSv, respectively. The radium equivalent activity and the external hazard index of soil in Southern Vietnam are in the range 23.2-254.1 Bq kg -1 and 0.06-0.69, respectively. (author)

Study on external exposure doses from terrestrial radioactivity in Southern Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huy, N. Q.; Luyen, T. V.

2006-01-01

This paper presents the radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K for 106 samples of surface soil collected in Southern Vietnam. The mean values of mass activity of radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K for Southern Vietnam are 28.6, 50.7 and 292.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively, which lead to the population-weighted absorbed dose rate of 54.5 nGy h -1 . The average annual effective doses outdoors, indoors and in total of Southern Vietnam are estimated to be 0.067, 0.374 and 0.441 mSv, respectively. The radium equivalent activity and the external hazard index of soil in Southern Vietnam are in the range 23.2-254.1 Bq kg -1 and 0.06-0.69, respectively. (authors)

Radiation doses due to the natural radioactivity in Pakistan marble

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tufail, M.; Iqbal, M.; Mirza, S.M.

2000-01-01

In view of its high potential for containing large amounts of radioactive materials and due to its wide-spread use as construction and facing material worldwide, radiation doses received from the marble used in dwellings have been determined. As a first step, specific activity measurements were made using a NaI(TI) gamma ray spectrometer using the spectrum stripping technique. For the samples studied, the average values of specific activities for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K have been found to be 27, 26 and 58 Bg kg -1 respectively. The mesh-adaptive, volume-integral method based code INGRE (Mirza et al. 1991) gave calculated values of the dose equivalent rates inside the standard room (Tufail et al.,1994) due to 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K; these were found to lie between 5-77,12-52 and 1-11 nGy h -1 respectively. The values of whole body dose equivalent rates have been found to lie in the 27-108 nGy h -1 range. As these values are below internationally accepted maximum permissible values, therefore marble available in Pakistan can safely be used in dwellings as a construction material. (author)

Iodine-131 Releases from Radioactive Lanthanum Processing at the X-10 Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (1944-1956)- An Assessment of Quantities released, Off-Site Radiation Doses, and Potential Excess Risks of Thyroid Cancer, Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apostoaei, A.I.; Burns, R.E.; Hoffman, F.O.; Ijaz, T.; Lewis, C.J.; Nair, S.K.; Widner, T.E.

1999-01-01

In the early 1990s, concern about the Oak Ridge Reservation's past releases of contaminants to the environment prompted Tennessee's public health officials to pursue an in-depth study of potential off-site health effects at Oak Ridge. This study, the Oak Ridge dose reconstruction, was supported by an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of Tennessee, and was overseen by a 12-member panel appointed by Tennessee's Commissioner of Health. One of the major contaminants studied in the dose reconstruction was radioactive iodine, which was released to the air by X-10 (now called Oak Ridge National Laboratory) as it processed spent nuclear reactor fuel from 1944 through 1956. The process recovered radioactive lanthanum for use in weapons development. Iodine concentrates in the thyroid gland so health concerns include various diseases of the thyroid, such as thyroid cancer. The large report, ''Iodine-131 Releases from Radioactive Lanthanum Processing at the X-10 Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (1944-1956) - An Assessment of Quantities Released, Off-site Radiation Doses, and Potential Excess Risks of Thyroid Cancer,'' is in two volumes. Volume 1 is the main body of the report, and Volume 1A, which has the same title, consists of 22 supporting appendices. Together, these reports serve the following purposes: (1) describe the methodologies used to estimate the amount of iodine-131 (I-131) released; (2) evaluate I-131's pathway from air to vegetation to food to humans; (3) estimate doses received by human thyroids; (4) estimate excess risk of acquiring a thyroid cancer during ones lifetime; and (5) provide equations, examples of historical documents used, and tables of calculated values. Results indicate that females born in 1952 who consumed milk from a goat pastured a few miles east of X-10 received the highest doses from I-131 and would have had the highest risks of contracting thyroid cancer. Doses from cow's milk are considerably less . Detailed

Individual-dose distribution for the population in different regions with radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keirim-Markus, I.B.; Kleshchenko, E.D.; Kushnereva, K.K.

1995-01-01

The reconstruction of individual doses as a result of the Chernobyl accident often relied on the method of EPR measurement from the enamel from extracted teeth. This method was used reliably, with individual confirmations of its indications being obtained. In determining the relatively small irradiation dose to the population, doubts arise because of the fact that the measured dose is often greater than the dose calculated by an indirect method---from external radiation fields at the location and the contents of radionuclides in foods. It is necessary, therefore, to perform an independent check of the results. In this paper, we describe one method for checking the reliability---comparing the measurements of the dose from several teeth in the same individual---in determining the dose from tooth enamel for the population of the Kamensk-Ural region of Sverdlovsk province. This group lived in the zone of passage for the eastern Ural radioactive wake in 1957. The error of the dose determination for different samples was different, since it depends on the mass and quality of the enamel obtained. The results presented show that the method of EPR dosimetry using the enamel of extracted teeth makes it possible to determine quite reliably the individual dose of external radiation from the background up to several Gy of the measurements. Our method compares measurements

A workshop on developing risk assessment methods for medical use of radioactive material. Volume 1: Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tortorelli, J.P. [ed.] [Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1995-08-01

A workshop was held at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, August 16--18, 1994 on the topic of risk assessment on medical devices that use radioactive isotopes. Its purpose was to review past efforts to develop a risk assessment methodology to evaluate these devices, and to develop a program plan and a scoping document for future methodology development. This report contains a summary of that workshop. Participants included experts in the fields of radiation oncology, medical physics, risk assessment, human-error analysis, and human factors. Staff from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) associated with the regulation of medical uses of radioactive materials and with research into risk-assessment methods participated in the workshop. The workshop participants concurred in NRC`s intended use of risk assessment as an important technology in the development of regulations for the medical use of radioactive material and encouraged the NRC to proceed rapidly with a pilot study. Specific recommendations are included in the executive summary and the body of this report. An appendix contains the 8 papers presented at the conference: NRC proposed policy statement on the use of probabilistic risk assessment methods in nuclear regulatory activities; NRC proposed agency-wide implementation plan for probabilistic risk assessment; Risk evaluation of high dose rate remote afterloading brachytherapy at a large research/teaching institution; The pros and cons of using human reliability analysis techniques to analyze misadministration events; Review of medical misadministration event summaries and comparison of human error modeling; Preliminary examples of the development of error influences and effects diagrams to analyze medical misadministration events; Brachytherapy risk assessment program plan; and Principles of brachytherapy quality assurance.

A workshop on developing risk assessment methods for medical use of radioactive material. Volume 1: Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tortorelli, J.P.

1995-08-01

A workshop was held at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, August 16--18, 1994 on the topic of risk assessment on medical devices that use radioactive isotopes. Its purpose was to review past efforts to develop a risk assessment methodology to evaluate these devices, and to develop a program plan and a scoping document for future methodology development. This report contains a summary of that workshop. Participants included experts in the fields of radiation oncology, medical physics, risk assessment, human-error analysis, and human factors. Staff from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) associated with the regulation of medical uses of radioactive materials and with research into risk-assessment methods participated in the workshop. The workshop participants concurred in NRC's intended use of risk assessment as an important technology in the development of regulations for the medical use of radioactive material and encouraged the NRC to proceed rapidly with a pilot study. Specific recommendations are included in the executive summary and the body of this report. An appendix contains the 8 papers presented at the conference: NRC proposed policy statement on the use of probabilistic risk assessment methods in nuclear regulatory activities; NRC proposed agency-wide implementation plan for probabilistic risk assessment; Risk evaluation of high dose rate remote afterloading brachytherapy at a large research/teaching institution; The pros and cons of using human reliability analysis techniques to analyze misadministration events; Review of medical misadministration event summaries and comparison of human error modeling; Preliminary examples of the development of error influences and effects diagrams to analyze medical misadministration events; Brachytherapy risk assessment program plan; and Principles of brachytherapy quality assurance

Development of risk assessment methodology applicable to radioactive waste isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, J.E.; McGrath, P.E.; Cullingford, M.C.

1978-01-01

The risk from radioactive waste disposal in a deep geologic formation has not yet been completely assessed. A complete assessment should include credible estimates of the likelihood that radioactive materials would escape the repository and enter the human environment, and the magnitude of the resultant consequences in terms of human health effects. In addition, such an assessment should identify the dominant contributors to risk and, to the extent possible, quantify the uncertainties in risk estimates. A complete risk assessment may not be possible because of our limited knowledge of various aspects of geology and hydrogeology important to the long-term safety of a radioactive waste repository. The results of past analyses are not entirely consistent, perhaps as a direct result of the limited knowledge of the phenomena involved. It may, therefore, seem premature to attempt a rigorous risk analysis of radioactive waste disposal in deep, geologic media at the present time. However, the value of such analyses lies more in the insight and information they provide than in their prediction of absolute levels of risk

Model of external exposure of population living in the areas subjected to radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golikov, V.Yu.; Balonov, M.I.

2002-01-01

In the paper, we formulated the general approach to assessment of external doses to population living in contaminated areas (the model equation and the set of parameters). The model parameters were assessed on the basis of results of monitoring in the environment, phantom experiments, and social and demographic information obtained on the contaminated areas. Verification of model assessments performed by comparison with measurement results of individual external doses in inhabitants within the thermoluminescent dosimetry method have shown that differences in dose assessments within both methods does not exceed 1.5 times at a confidence level of 95%. In the paper, we present the results illustrating specific features of external dose formation in population living in the areas of Russia subjected to radioactive contamination due to nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site, radioactive releases from the Mayak enterprise, and the Chernobyl accident. (author)

Measurements and calculations of doses from radioactive particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leroux, J.B.; Herbaut, Y.

1996-01-01

Three Mile Island (TMI) and Tchernobyl reactor accidents have revealed the importance of the skin exposure to beta radiation produced by small high activity sources, named 'hot particles'. In nuclear power reactors, they may arise as small fragments of irradiated fuel or material which have been neutron activated by passing through the reactor co. In recent years, skin exposure to hot particles has been subject to different limitation criteria, formulated by AIEA, ICRP, NCRP working groups. The present work is the contribution of CEA Grenoble to a contract of the Commission of the European communities in cooperation with several laboratories: University of Birmingham, University of Toulouse and University of Montpellier with the main goal to check experiments and calculations of tissue dose from 60 Co radioactive particles. This report is split up into two parts: hot particle dosimetry close to a 60 Co spherical sample with an approximately 200 μm diameter, using a PTW extrapolation chamber model 233991; dose calculations from two codes: the Varskin Mod 2 computer code and the Hot 25 S2 Monte Carlo algorithm. The two codes lead to similar results; nevertheless there is a large discrepancy (of about 2) between calculations and PTW measurements which are higher by a factor of 1.9. At a 70 μm skin depth and for 1 cm 2 irradiated area, the total (β + γ) tissue dose rate delivered by a spherical ( φ = 200 μm) 60 Co source, in contact with skin, is of the order of 6.1 10 -2 nGy s -1 Bq -1 . (author)

Granulometric determinations and inhalation dose assessment for atmospheric aerosol contaminated by 137Cs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castellani, C.M.; Luciani, A.; Oliviero, L.; Donato, R.

1996-07-01

During the redevelopment of Brescia freight-yard a measurement campaign of atmospheric aerosol was carried out: in fact a 137 Cs ground contamination, caused by the permanence of wagons carrying iron materials contaminated by this radionuclide, had been found out. During the redevelopment phases of excavation and can filling the workers were exposed to the danger of radioactive aerosol inhalation. The aim of the measurement campaign was to test the aerosol sampling and granulometric analysis methodologies with their sensitivity related to the inhalation dose assessments. The results of both aerosuspended mass and activity, evaluated by means of a portable cascade impactor, are presented. The granulometries have been interpolated with a log normal distribution using an iterative routine minimizing the square deviation between the calculated and experimental data. The results related to the dose assessments are also presented. These evaluations have been carried out using both the granulometric information obtained and the more recent models (ICRP 66) both the total concentration data and the dose coefficients referring to the standard conditions of ICRP 68 and of the Italian law (D.Lgs. 230/95). Furthermore the significance and the reliability of the dose assessments referring to the different methodologies are discussed, also in relation to the possibility of using this sampling methodologies for other radionuclides and different exposure conditions

Research on risk assessment for maritime transport of radioactive materials. Preparation of maritime accident data for risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odano, Naoteru; Sawada, Ken-ichi; Mochiduki, Hiromitsu; Hirao, Yoshihiro; Asami, Mitsufumi

2010-01-01

Maritime transport of radioactive materials has been playing an important role in the nuclear fuel cycle in Japan. Due to recent increase of transported radioactive materials and diversification of transport packages with enlargement of nuclear research, development and utilization, safety securement for maritime transport of radioactive materials is one of important issues in the nuclear fuel cycle. Based squarely on the current circumstances, this paper summarizes discussion on importance of utilization of results of risk assessment for maritime transport of radioactive materials. A plan for development of comprehensive methodology to assess risks in maritime transport of radioactive materials is also described. Preparations of database of maritime accident to be necessary for risk assessment are also summarized. The prepared data could be utilized for future quantitative risk assessment, such as the event trees and fault trees analyses, for maritime transport of radioactive materials. The frequency of severe accident that the package might be damaged is also estimated using prepared data. (author)

Development of high-level radioactive waste treatment and conversion technologies 'Dry decontamination technology development for highly radioactive contaminants'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Won Zin; Lee, K. W.; Won, H. J.; Jung, C. J.; Choi, W. K.; Kim, G. N.; Moon, J. K

2001-04-01

The followings were studied through the project entitled 'Dry Decontamination Technology Development for Highly Radioactive Contaminants'. 1.Contaminant Characteristics Analysis of Domestic Nuclear Fuel Cycle Projects(NFCP) and Applicability Study of the Unit Dry-Decontamination Techniques A. Classification of contaminated equipments and characteristics analysis of contaminants B. Applicability study of the unit dry-decontamination techniques 2.Performance Evaluation of Unit Dry Decontamination Technique A. PFC decontamination technique B. CO2 decontamination technique C. Plasma decontamination technique 3.Development of Residual Radiation Assessment Methodology for High Radioactive Facility Decontamination A. Development of radioactive nuclide diffusion model on highly radioactive facility structure B. Obtainment of the procedure for assessment of residual radiation dose 4.Establishment of the Design Concept of Dry Decontamination Process Equipment Applicable to Highly Radioactive Contaminants 5.TRIGA soil unit decontamination technology development A. Development of soil washing and flushing technologies B. Development of electrokinetic soil decontamination technology.

Assessment of radiation doses to the public in areas contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Shogo; Iijima, Masashi; Shimada, Kazumasa; Kimura, Masanori; Homma, Toshimitsu

2013-01-01

In the areas contaminated by radioactive materials due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, many residents are exposed to radiation through various exposure pathways. Dose assessment is important for providing appropriate protection to the people and clarifying the impact of the accident. The aim of this study is to provide preliminary results of the assessment of radiation doses received by the inhabitants of Fukushima Prefecture. To assess the doses realistically and comprehensively, a probabilistic approach was adopted using data that reflected realistic environmental trends and lifestyle habits in Fukushima Prefecture. In the first year after the contamination, the 95th percentile of the annual effective dose received by the inhabitants evacuated from the evacuation areas and the deliberate evacuation areas was mainly in the 1-10 mSv dose band. However, the 95th percentile of the dose received by some outdoor workers and inhabitants evacuated from highly contaminated areas was in the 10-50 mSv dose band. The doses due to external exposure to deposited radionuclides were the dominant exposure pathway, and their contributions were about 90% under prevailing contamination conditions in Fukushima Prefecture. In addition, 20%-30% of the lifetime effective dose was delivered during the first year after the contamination. (author)

The choice of individual dose criterion at which to restrict agricultural produce following an unplanned release of radioactive material to atmosphere

CERN Document Server

Dionian, J

1985-01-01

In the event of an accidental release of radioactive material to atmosphere, the introduction of emergency countermeasures will be based on the need to limit the risk to individuals. However, it has been suggested that a form of cost-benefit analysis may be used as an input to decisions on the withdrawal of countermeasures, although it is recognised that these decisions may be influenced by factors other than those directly related to radiological protection. In this study, a method based on cost-benefit analysis is illustrated for assessing the optimum level of individual dose at which restrictions on agricultural production may be considered. This requires monetary values to be assigned to both the lost food production and to the health detriment, expressed as the collective effective dose equivalent commitment. It has been assumed in this analysis that food-supply restrictions are both introduced and withdrawn at the same projected level of annual individual dose. The effect on the optimum dose level of th...

The role of performance assessment in radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenhouse, M.J.

1998-01-01

Performance assessment has many applications in the field of radioactive waste management, none more important than demonstrating the suitability of a particular repository system for waste disposal. The role of performance assessment in radioactive waste disposal is discussed with reference to assessments performed in civilian waste management programmes. The process is, however, relevant, and may be applied directly to the disposal of defence-related wastes. When used in an open and transparent manner, performance assessment is a powerful methodology not only for convincing the authorities of the safety of a disposal concept, but also for gaining the wider acceptance of the general public for repository siting. 26 refs

Occupational dose assessment and national dose registry system in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jafari-Zadeh, M.; Nazeri, F.; Hosseini-Pooya, S. M.; Taheri, M.; Gheshlaghi, F.; Kardan, M. R.; Babakhani, A.; Rastkhah, N.; Yousefi-Nejad, F.; Darabi, M.; Oruji, T.; Gholamali-Zadeh, Z.; Karimi-Diba, J.; Kazemi-Movahed, A. A.; Dashti-Pour, M. R.; Enferadi, A.; Jahanbakhshian, M. H.; Sadegh-Khani, M. R.

2011-01-01

This report presents status of external and internal dose assessment of workers and introducing the structure of National Dose Registry System of Iran (NDRSI). As well as types of individual dosemeters in use, techniques for internal dose assessment are presented. Results obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency intercomparison programme on measurement of personal dose equivalent H p (10) and consistency of the measured doses with the delivered doses are shown. Also, implementation of dosimetry standards, establishment of quality management system, authorisation and approval procedure of dosimetry service providers are discussed. (authors)

Method for evaluation of doses from ingestion of polonium, bismuth and lead as natural radioactive material(NORM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pena, Vanessa; Puerta, Anselmo; Morales, Javier

2013-01-01

In this work was carried out an evaluation of dose from ingestion of radioactive daughters of radon (lead, bismuth and polonium), taking into account ages from three months up to adult men, using the new model of the human alimentary tract HATM and methodology of calculating doses proposed by the ICRP publication 103, which allows the estimation of dose based on the concentration of the radionuclide present in the diet or in the water of consumption

Assessment of gamma radiation exposure inside a newly constructed building and a proposed regulatory guideline for exposure control from natural radioactivity in future buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, V.K.; Sadasivan, S.; Sundaram, V.K.; Nambi, K.S.V.

1995-01-01

Naturally occurring radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation exposure of the population. The various materials used for constructing a new building were assessed for 40 K, 232 Th and 238 U radioactivity and the external gamma dose rate inside the building was predicted by using the computer code QAD-CGGP. The external dose rate was also measured by a scintillation gamma monitor after the construction of the building. In the building studied, the floor and the ceilings are seen to contribute about 35% each of the total radiation dose inside the building from the natural radioactivity present in the construction materials and the underlying soil; the walls contributed about 15%. A sensitivity analysis assuming extreme conditions of radioactivity concentrations as are normally observed in the Indian context, indicates the possibility of indoor gamma radiation fields varying by two orders of magnitude. The possible control methodologies and recommendations are also discussed for keeping the population exposure as low as reasonable achievable. It is evaluated that radioactivity limits of 370 Bq.kg -1 of radium equivalent and 85 Bq.kg -1 of 226 Ra when applied concurrently, might limit the indoor exposure to reasonably accepted low levels of health risks. (author)

Assessment of people exposure to contamination with radioactive substances removed to the atmosphere from nuclear objects of Swierk Centre, Poland, in the period of 1987-1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filipiak, B.; Nowicki, K.

1995-01-01

The exposure of particular persons, living in the near surroundings of Nuclear Centre - Swierk near Warsaw, Poland, to radioactive substances removed to the atmosphere during the period 1987-1992 has been assessed. The effective dose equivalent for statistically critical groups of persons has been estimated. The results have been compared with maximum permitted dose limits. 17 refs, 12 tabs

A kinematic-based methodology for radiological protection: Runoff analysis to calculate the effective dose for internal exposure caused by ingestion of radioactive isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Syota; Yamada, Tadashi; Yamada, Tomohito J.

2014-05-01

We aim to propose a kinematic-based methodology similar with runoff analysis for readily understandable radiological protection. A merit of this methodology is to produce sufficiently accurate effective doses by basic analysis. The great earthquake attacked the north-east area in Japan on March 11, 2011. The system of electrical facilities to control Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was completely destroyed by the following tsunamis. From the damaged reactor containment vessels, an amount of radioactive isotopes had leaked and been diffused in the vicinity of the plant. Radiological internal exposure caused by ingestion of food containing radioactive isotopes has become an issue of great interest to the public, and has caused excessive anxiety because of a deficiency of fundamental knowledge concerning radioactivity. Concentrations of radioactivity in the human body and internal exposure have been studied extensively. Previous radiologic studies, for example, studies by International Commission on Radiological Protection(ICRP), employ a large-scale computational simulation including actual mechanism of metabolism in the human body. While computational simulation is a standard method for calculating exposure doses among radiology specialists, these methods, although exact, are too difficult for non-specialists to grasp the whole image owing to the sophistication. In this study, the human body is treated as a vessel. The number of radioactive atoms in the human body can be described by an equation of continuity, which is the only governing equation. Half-life, the period of time required for the amount of a substance decreases by half, is only parameter to calculate the number of radioactive isotopes in the human body. Half-life depends only on the kinds of nuclides, there are no arbitrary parameters. It is known that the number of radioactive isotopes decrease exponentially by radioactive decay (physical outflow). It is also known that radioactive isotopes

Assessing doses to terrestrial wildlife at a radioactive waste disposal site: Inter-comparison of modelling approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johansen, M.P., E-mail: mathew.johansen@ansto.gov.au [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW, 2232 (Australia); Barnett, C.L., E-mail: clb@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster (United Kingdom); Beresford, N.A., E-mail: nab@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster (United Kingdom); Brown, J.E., E-mail: justin.brown@nrpa.no [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Oesteraas (Norway); Cerne, M., E-mail: marko.cerne@ijs.si [Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Howard, B.J., E-mail: bjho@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster (United Kingdom); Kamboj, S., E-mail: skamboj@anl.gov [Argonne National Laboratory, IL (United States); Keum, D.-K., E-mail: dkkeum@kaeri.re.kr [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Smodis, B. [Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Twining, J.R., E-mail: jrt@ansto.gov.au [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW, 2232 (Australia); Vandenhove, H., E-mail: hvandenh@sckcen.be [Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Mol (Belgium); Vives i Batlle, J., E-mail: jvbatll@sckcen.be [Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Mol (Belgium); Wood, M.D., E-mail: m.d.wood@salford.ac.uk [University of Salford, Manchester (United Kingdom); Yu, C., E-mail: cyu@anl.gov [Argonne National Laboratory, IL (United States)

2012-06-15

Radiological doses to terrestrial wildlife were examined in this model inter-comparison study that emphasised factors causing variability in dose estimation. The study participants used varying modelling approaches and information sources to estimate dose rates and tissue concentrations for a range of biota types exposed to soil contamination at a shallow radionuclide waste burial site in Australia. Results indicated that the dominant factor causing variation in dose rate estimates (up to three orders of magnitude on mean total dose rates) was the soil-to-organism transfer of radionuclides that included variation in transfer parameter values as well as transfer calculation methods. Additional variation was associated with other modelling factors including: how participants conceptualised and modelled the exposure configurations (two orders of magnitude); which progeny to include with the parent radionuclide (typically less than one order of magnitude); and dose calculation parameters, including radiation weighting factors and dose conversion coefficients (typically less than one order of magnitude). Probabilistic approaches to model parameterisation were used to encompass and describe variable model parameters and outcomes. The study confirms the need for continued evaluation of the underlying mechanisms governing soil-to-organism transfer of radionuclides to improve estimation of dose rates to terrestrial wildlife. The exposure pathways and configurations available in most current codes are limited when considering instances where organisms access subsurface contamination through rooting, burrowing, or using different localised waste areas as part of their habitual routines. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Assessment of modelled dose rates to terrestrial biota from radionuclides. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The substantial variation among current approaches is quantifiable. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The dominant variable was soil

The choice of food consumption rates for radiation dose assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmonds, J.R.; Webb, G.A.M.

1981-01-01

The practical problem in estimating radiation doses due to radioactive contamination of food is the choice of the appropriate food intakes. To ensure compliance or to compare with dose equivalent limits, higher than average intake rates appropriate to critical groups should be used. However for realistic estimates of health detriment in the whole exposed population, average intake rates are more appropriate. (U.K.)

WASTE-PRA: a computer package for probabilistic risk assessment of shallow-land burial of low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, N.D.; Atwood, C.L.

1985-12-01

This report is a user's manual for a package of computer programs and data files to be used for probabilistic risk assessment of shallow-land burial of low-level radioactive waste. The nuclide transport pathways modeled are an unsaturated groundwater column, an aquifer, and the atmosphere. An individual or the population receives a dose commitment through shine, inhalation, ingestion, direct exposure, and/or a puncture wound. The methodology of risk assessment is based on the response surface method of uncertainty analysis. The parameters of the model for predicting dose commitment due to a release are treated as statistical variables, in order to compute statistical distributions for various contributions to the dose commitment. The likelihood of a release is similarly treated as a statistical variable. Uncertainty distributions are obtained both for the dose commitment and for the corresponding risk. Plots and printouts are produced to aid in comparing the importance of various release scenarios and in assessing the total risk of a set of scenarios. The entire methodology is illustrated by an example. Information is included on parameter uncertainties, reference site characteristics, and probabilities of release events

Environmental radioactivity in Canada, 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGregor, R.G.; Quinn, J.M.; Tracy, B.L.

1983-01-01

The radiological surveillance program of the Department of National Health and Welfare is conducted for the purpose of determining levels of environmental radioactivity in Canada and assessing the resulting population exposures. Special investigations were carried out during 1981 on bottled mineral waters and in conjunction with unusual occurences at nuclear reactor sites and a uranium refinery. Dose commitments have been estimated for the ongoing natural radioactivity, fallout and reactor studies. All measurements made during the year are below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection

The use of safety indicators in the assessment of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wingefors, S.; Westerlind, M.; Gera, F.

1999-01-01

The most widely used criteria for disposal are limits or constraints on individual dose or risk, and these have been introduced in most national legal frameworks. There is general agreement that future generations have the right to the same level of protection as the current generation. Even if quantitative criteria corresponding to the required level of protection can be (and have been) defined, it is a great challenge to demonstrate compliance with these criteria. The difficulties are to large extent due to the long time-scales needed to be considered in radioactive waste disposal. The future cannot be predicted in detail but instead different scenarios, with different probabilities of occurrence, must be assessed. Some parts of a disposal system can be predicted or analysed with high confidence for very long periods of time, e.g. geological formations, while for example the evolution of the biosphere, and in particular the society, become quite uncertain within less than one thousand years. Thus, there may be considerable uncertainty in doses (or risks) derived from the safety assessment of a repository. Due to these unavoidable uncertainties it is believed advantageous to use multiple approaches in the safety assessment and to identify different indicators for the repository safety ('multiple-lines-of-reasoning'). The most fundamental safety indicators are dose/risk but complementary indicators have been suggested, in particular flux and environmental concentration of radionuclides. This presentation is focussed on fluxes and concentrations as complementary safety indicators. Other safety indicators, e.g. transfer times, are mentioned only briefly

Study on dose assessment in surrounding environment of the Tono Mine associated with closure activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasao, Eiji

2012-07-01

Dose assessment associated with closure activity of the Tono Mine has been performed. In this assessment, exposure dose has been calculated on groundwater and surface water migration of radionuclide from 1) waste rock in the waste rock dump facility, 2) mining waste in the mining waste facility, and 3) uranium ore and waste rock backfilled in the shafts and galleries. Direct and skyshine gamma rays and exposure of exhalated radon from the waste rock dump has also been evaluated. An evaluation tool developed for safety assessment for sub-surface disposal of radioactive waste is utilized for this assessment. Localities for dose evaluation are selected at the Higashihoragawa and Hiyoshigawa based on the topography around the Tono Mine and groundwater flow simulation. Evaluation scenarios are classified into 'Scenario for intake of agricultural product' as the base scenario, and 'Scenario for intake of groundwater' as the alternative scenario. Parameters for dose assessment are set-up based on the existing data. But the range and uncertainty of parameters are taken into account in the 'alternative cases'. As the result of dose assessment, maximum exposure dose of the base scenario is 0.08mSv/year, and 0.09mSv/year including direct and skyshine gamma rays and exposure of exhalatedradon at the Higashihoragawa. Maximum exposure dose of the alternative scenario is 0.08mSv/year (0.09mSv/year including direct and skyshine gamma rays and exposure of exhalated radon). On the alternative cases, exposure doses are calculated as 0.05-0.14mSv/year in both of the base and alternative scenarios. At the Hiyoshigawa, maximum exposure dose is less than 0.001mSv/year (1x10 -6 mSv/year) for the base scenario, and 0.001mSv/year for the alternative scenario. On the alternative cases, maximum exposure doses are less than 0.001mSv/year for all cases of the base scenario and 0.0006-0.002mSv/year for the alternative scenario. (author)

Radioactivity in the environment and its effects on health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sene, Monique; Schuler, Matthieu; Couvez, Celine; Rollinger, Francois; Bruno, Valerie; Renaud, Philippe; Laurier, Dominique; Gariel, Jean-Christophe; Estevao, Mathieu; Le Berre, David; Quere, Emmanuel; Josset, Mylene; Bernollin, Antoine; Saut, Catherine; Mailliat, Alain; Dryjanski, Claudie; Varin, Jean-Christophe; Villers, Anita; Gazal, Suzanne; Gerber, Mariette; Reynal, Nathalie; Vicaud, Alain; Renaud, Philippe; Roussel-Debet, S.; Leprieur, F.; Pourcelot, L.; Saey, L.; Tournieux, D.; Caldeira-Ideias, P.; Manificat, G.; Grammont, Vincent; Behar, Abraham; Gerber, Mariette

2015-11-01

This document gathers Power Point presentations. After a presentation of the new public portal of the French national network of measurements of radioactivity in the environment, a first session addressed the control of the environment by the different actors present on a territory (associations like CLI or ACRO or ATMO, operators like Areva). The addressed issues have been: the control performed by a CLI (Paluel-Penly) with the support of a departmental laboratory, the radiological monitoring of the environment about the Brennilis site, the study of an environmental marker (tritium in hive products), the specific study of the Durance region, the control of ambient radioactivity on the Nord-Pas-de-Calais coast, and the monitoring of the environment by the operator around La Hague site. The second session addressed the building up of reference radiological assessments: lessons learned from radiological assessments implemented by the IRSN, a citizen mapping of radioactivity in France, and improvement orientations for the monitoring of the environment by different actors. The third session addressed issues spanning from the environment to health: assessment of doses based on the control of the environment, global health impact for a set of nuclear power plants, assessment of the health impact of releases, knowledge status on the effects of low doses, and possible improvements of knowledge on the effects of radioactivity on health

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in performance assessment for the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, Jon C.; Hansen, Clifford W.; Sallaberry, Cédric J.

2012-01-01

Extensive work has been carried out by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the development of a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada, for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. As part of this development, a detailed performance assessment (PA) for the YM repository was completed in 2008 and supported a license application by the DOE to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the construction of the YM repository. The following aspects of the 2008 YM PA are described in this presentation: (i) conceptual structure and computational organization, (ii) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques in use, (iii) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for physical processes, and (iv) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for expected dose to the reasonably maximally exposed individual (RMEI) specified the NRC’s regulations for the YM repository. - Highlights: ► An overview of performance assessment for the proposed Yucca Mountain radioactive waste repository is presented. ► Conceptual structure and computational organization are described. ► Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques are described. ► Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results for physical processes are presented. ► Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results for expected dose are presented.

Derivation methods for clearance levels and safety assessments for very low-level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okoshi, Minoru

2001-01-01

The clearance level was evaluated by the dose of concrete and metal when they would be recycled and reused from shallow land burial of radioactive facilities. The state of waste after clearance is not specified, so that we studied large scale of exposure pathways. The parameter values used for safety assessment were determined as the average values under the consideration of natural and social environment in Japan. Propriety of these values was confirmed by a probability analysis. On the safety assessment of very low-level waste disposal facility, the disposer pathway and parameters were determined under the consideration of special site conditions (natural and social environment) and properties of waste. However, the same exposure pathway of them used the same model for external (exposure by sky shine' s ray) and internal exposure. The calculation results of estimated pathway showed 1.2x10 -5 mSv/y the largest dose for the external exposure pathway by sky shine's ray. (S.Y.)

Calculation of radiation dose to infants from radioactive breast milk and suspensions necessary to constrain dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cormack, J.; Shearer, J.

2000-01-01

Full text: For nuclear medicine patients who are breast feeding an infant, special radiation safety precautions may need to be taken. An estimate of the potential radiation dose to the child from ingested milk must be made, and breast-feeding may need to be suspended until levels of radioactivity in the breast-milk have fallen to acceptable levels. The risk of radiation to the child must be weighed against the benefits of breast-feeding and the possible trauma to both mother and child arising from interruption or cessation of the milk supply. In the United States, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has already published regulations which will necessitate an estimate of the infant's dose from breast milk to be made, in principle, for every breast-feeding patient. There is obviously, therefore, a need to provide a rapid and reliable means of estimating such doses. A spreadsheet template which automatically calculates the cumulative dose to breast feeding infants based on any multi-exponential clearance of activity from the breast milk, and any pattern of feeding, has been developed by the authors. The time (post administration) for which breast-feeding should be interrupted in order to constrain the radiation dose to a selected limit is also calculated along with the concentration of activity in breast milk at which feeding can resume. The effect of changing dose limits, feeding patterns and using individually derived breast milk clearance rates may be readily modelled using this spreadsheet template. Data has been included for many of the most commonly used radiopharmaceuticals and new data can readily be incorporated as it becomes available. Copyright (2000) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

The radiological situation at the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa. Technical report. V. 6. Doses due to radioactive materials present in the environment or released from the atolls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

International Advisory Committee, Task Group A

1998-08-01

In the previous volumes of this Report the concentrations of residual radioactivity in the environment of Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls have been described, and assessment made of the releases to the environment in the future. The further step in radiological assessment is the derivation of radiation doses that arise to actually or potentially exposed populations, from these concentrations and releases. These doses are estimated in this report. The existence of a hypothetical population resident on Mururoa is postulated as the group which would be most exposed. Doses to this group are estimated together with doses to maximally exposed residents on nearby South Pacific islands, and further afield. An assessment of the potential environmental impact of the residual contaminant radionuclides from the nuclear weapons testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa requires estimates of the incremental dose rates to a variety of marine organisms inhabiting a number of different ecological niches. These estimated dose rates provide the only secure basis for an assessment of the potential radiation effects in the organisms. The approach adopted for this assessment is that employed in a number of recent studies and adapts the dosimetry models for the particular organisms of interest in the atoll environment Refs, figs, tabs. In six volumes

Biota dose assessment of small mammals sampled near uranium mines in northern Arizona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jannik, T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Minter, K. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Kuhne, W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Kubilius, W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2018-01-09

In 2015, the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected approximately 50 small mammal carcasses from Northern Arizona uranium mines and other background locations. Based on the highest gross alpha results, 11 small mammal samples were selected for radioisotopic analyses. None of the background samples had significant gross alpha results. The 11 small mammals were identified relative to the three ‘indicator’ mines located south of Fredonia, AZ on the Kanab Plateau (Kanab North Mine, Pinenut Mine, and Arizona 1 Mine) (Figure 1-1) and are operated by Energy Fuels Resources Inc. (EFRI). EFRI annually reports soil analysis for uranium and radium-226 using Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)-approved Standard Operating Procedures for Soil Sampling (EFRI 2016a, 2016b, 2017). In combination with the USGS small mammal radioiosotopic tissue analyses, a biota dose assessment was completed by Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) using the RESidual RADioactivity-BIOTA (RESRAD-BIOTA, V. 1.8) dose assessment tool provided by the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL 2017).

Radiation dose assessment of ACP hot cell in accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kook, D. H.; Jeong, W. M.; Koo, J. H.; Jeo, I. J.; Lee, E. P.; Ryu, K. S.

2003-01-01

The Advanced spent fuel Condition in Process(ACP) is under development for the effective management of spent fuel which had been generated in nuclear plants. The ACP needs a hot cell where most operations will be performed. To give priority to the environments safety, radiation doses evaluations for the radioactive nuclides in accident cases were preliminarily performed with the meteorological data around facility site. Fire accident prevails over several accidnets. Internal Dose and External Dose evaluation according to short dispersion data for that case show a safe margin for regulation limits and SAR limit of IMEF where this facility will be constructed

Mutagenic potential assessment associated with human exposure to natural radioactivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcon, Alexandre Endres; Navoni, Julio Alejandro; de Oliveira Galvão, Marcos Felipe; Garcia, Anuska Conde Fagundes Soares; do Amaral, Viviane Souza; Petta, Reinaldo Antônio; Campos, Thomas Ferreira da Costa; Panosso, Renata; Quinelato, Antônio Luiz; de Medeiros, Sílvia Regina Batistuzzo

2017-01-01

Lucrécia city, known to harbor a high cancer rate, is located in a semiarid region characterized by the presence of mineral reservoirs, facing a high exposure to metal and natural radioactivity. The present study aimed to assess the environmental scenario at a semiarid region located in Northeastern Brazil. Metal concentration, alpha and beta radiation, and cyanobacteria content in tap water along with indoor radon and gamma emitters (U, K and Th) concentrations were measured. In addition, mutagenic and nuclear instability effects were assessed using buccal micronucleus cytome assay. The study included five samplings corresponding to a period between 2007 and 2009. Drinking water from Lucrécia city presented levels of Mn, Ni and Cr along with cyanobacteria in concentrations one to four times higher than regulatory guidelines considered. Furthermore, high levels of all the tested radionuclides were found. A high percentage of the houses included in this study presented indoor radon concentrations over 100 Bq m -3 . The mean annual effective dose from Lucrécia houses was six times higher than observed in a control region. The levels of exposure in most of the Lucrécia houses were classified as middle to high. A significant mutagenic effect, represented as an increase of micronuclei (MN) frequency and nuclear abnormalities as nuclear buds (NB), binucleated cells (BN), and pyknotic cells (PYC) were found. The results obtained highlight the role of high background radioactivity on the observed mutagenic effect and could help to explain the exacerbated cancer rate reported in this locality. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Radioactive-waste ocean dumping will have negligible enviromental impact. Conclusion of draft assessment of NSB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-11-01

This draft report is the result of extensive studies based on the best available information in the field of oceanography, marine radiobiology and health physics. On various basic considerations, assessment was undertaken, and the following conclusion was reached. The quantity of radioactivity to be dumped at one time is assumed to be 500 Ci in the case of test dumping, and 10/sup 5/ Ci/year in the case of full-scale dumping. The conditions required for the dumping sea area are that the bottom water flow and upwelling amount are limited, and that the sea bottom is flat. The horizontal dispersion coefficient of 10/sup 7/ cm/sup 2//sec and the vertical dispersion coefficient of 2 x 10/sup 2/ cm/sup 2//sec are assumed. It is assumed that the radionuclides in the disposed package would leached out as soon as it reaches the sea bottom, and would not show any physicochemical behavior. Typycal radionuclides are classified into 5 groups in terms of their half lives, and their estimated concentrations at 1 km depth are tabulated. The maximum level of individual dose and the magnitude of population dose were assessed on the fishermen working in the dumping sea area, and the adults, children and infants who were expected to receive higher dose on account of the larger intake of fish products than average. The dose level given with the dose assessment model and various panamentors under the dumping conditions is much lower than natural radiation and the permissible level recommended by ICRP.

Food-chain and dose model, CALDOS, for assessing Canada's Nuclear Fuel Waste Management concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zach, R.; Sheppard, S.C.

1991-01-01

The food-chain and dose model, CALculation of DOSe (CALDOS), was developed for assessing Canada's concept for nuclear fuel waste disposal in a vault deep in crystalline rock of the Canadian Shield. The model is very general and based on the Shield as a whole. The critical group is totally self-sufficient and represented by ICRP (1975) Reference Man for dose prediction. CALDOS assumes steady-state conditions and deals with variation and uncertainty through Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Ingrowth of some radioactive daughters is considered during food-chain transfer. A limit is set on root uptake to avoid unrealistic plant concentrations. Integrated ingestion and inhalation rates of man are calculated in a unique way, based on energy needs. Soil ingestion by man and external exposure from building material are unique pathways considered. Tritium, 129 I, and 222 Rn are treated through special models, and 14 C and 129 I involve unique geosphere dose limits. All transfer coefficients are lognormally distributed, and the plant/soil concentration ratio is correlated with the soil partition coefficient. Animals' ingestion rates are normally distributed and correlated with each other. Comprehensive sets of internal and external dose conversion factors were calculated for CALDOS. Sample calculations show that dose distributions tend to be strongly right-skewed. Many features of CALDOS are relevant for environmental assessment in general

Optimization of the radioactive waste storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dellamano, Jose Claudio

2005-01-01

Radioactive waste storage is the practice adopted in countries where the production of small quantities of radioactive waste does not justify the immediate investment in the construction of a repository. Accordingly, at IPEN, treated radioactive wastes, mainly solid compacted, have been stored for more than 20 years, in 200 dm 3 drums. The storage facility is almost complete and must be extended. Taking into account that a fraction of these wastes has decayed to a very low level due to the short half - life of some radionuclides and considering that 'retrieval for disposal as very low level radioactive waste' is one of the actions suggested to radioactive waste managers, the Laboratory of Waste Management of IPEN started a project to apply the concepts of clearance levels and exemption limits to optimize the radioactive waste storage capacity . This study has been carried out by determining the doses and costs related to two main options: either to maintain the present situation or to open the packages and segregate the wastes that may be subject to clearance, using the national, two international clearance levels and the annual public limit. Doses and costs were evaluated as well as the collective dose and the detriment cost. The analytical solution among the evaluated options was determined by using the technique to aid decision making known as cost-benefit analysis. At last, it was carried out the sensitivity analysis considering all criteria and parameters in order to assess the robustness of the analytical solution. This study can be used as base to other institutions or other countries with similar nuclear programs. (author)

Assessment of radiation exposures from naturally occurring radioactive materials in the oil and gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)