41Ca, 14C and 10Be concentrations in coral sand from the Bikini atoll

Radiochemical separation of 26Al and 41Ca from proton-irradiated vanadium targets for cross-section determination by means of AMS

This work exhibits the very first experimentally determined cross sections for 26Al and 41Ca as proton-induced spallation products of metallic vanadium targets. Additionally, the authors describe a radiochemical separation of 26Al and 41Ca from the vanadium matrix and present the theoretically calculated cross-section values as a reference for the experimental ones.

Carbon-14 content in surface soils near atmospheric and below ground nuclear detonations

Global and regional releases of ¹⁴C have resulted from nuclear weapons testing activities; assessment of the chemical behavior and mechanisms of environmental transport and deposition of this radionuclide can assist remediation strategy development efforts and provide insights into global carbon cycling processes. This work reports a systematic evaluation of ¹⁴C in surface soils taken from the Nevada National Security Site. Surface soil samples are derived from above- and underground test locations, with underground test sites representing a range from near complete containment to uncontrolled radioactive releases. Only one surface soil taken from a underground test location (i.e. the Baneberry shot) shows elevated ¹⁴C concentrations (319 ± 9 pMC) in addition to elevated concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co and ¹⁵²Eu above regional backgrounds. Surface soils from above-ground test locations show extremely high ¹⁴C content (~1000 to 10,000 pMC); elevated concentrations of ¹⁵²Eu and ⁶⁰Co for these soils are also observed, with ¹³⁷Cs at or below background levels. Taken together, these data suggest that ¹⁴C in surface soils from above-ground tests is primarily derived from in-situ neutron activation of the native soil material, whereas ¹⁴C in surface soils from underground tests may be from either recondensed particulate material or soil activation.

Radioactively contaminated areas: Bioindicator species and biomarkers of effect in an early warning scheme for a preliminary risk assessment

Concerns about the impacts on public health and on the natural environment have been raised regarding the full range of operational activities related to uranium mining and the rest of the nuclear fuel cycle (including nuclear accidents), nuclear tests and depleted uranium from military ammunitions. However, the environmental impacts of such activities, as well as their ecotoxicological/toxicological profile, are still poorly studied. Herein, it is discussed if organisms can be used as bioindicators of human health effects, posed by lifetime exposure to radioactively contaminated areas. To do so, information was gathered from several studies performed on vertebrates, invertebrate species and humans, living in these contaminated areas. The retrieved information was compared, to determine which are the most used bioindicators and biomarkers and also the similarities between human and non-human biota responses. The data evaluated are used to support the proposal for an early warning scheme, based on bioindicator species and on the most sensitive and commonly shared biomarkers, to perform a screening evaluation of radioactively contaminated sites. This scheme could be used to support decision-making for a deeper evaluation of risks to human health, making it possible to screen a large number of areas, without disturbing and alarming local populations.