1
|
Dietrich M, O'Shea MJ, Gieré R, Krekeler MPS. Road sediment, an underutilized material in environmental science research: A review of perspectives on United States studies with international context. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 432:128604. [PMID: 35306410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Road sediment is a pervasive environmental medium that acts as both source and sink for a variety of natural and anthropogenic particles and often is enriched in heavy metals. Road sediment is generally understudied in the United States (U.S.) relative to other environmental media and compared to countries such as China and the United Kingdom (U.K.). However, the U.S. is an ideal target for these studies due to the diverse climates and wealth of geochemical, socioeconomic, demographic, and health data. This review outlines the existing U.S. road sediment literature while also providing key international perspectives and context. Furthermore, the most comprehensive table of U.S. road sediment studies to date is presented, which includes elemental concentrations, sample size, size fraction, collection and analytical methods, as well as digestion procedure. Overall, there were observed differences in studies by sampling time period for elemental concentrations, but not necessarily by climate in the U.S. Other key concepts addressed in this road sediment review include the processes controlling its distribution, the variety of nomenclature used, anthropogenic enrichment of heavy metals, electron microscopy, health risk assessments, remediation, and future directions of road sediment investigations. Going forward, it is recommended that studies with a higher geographic diversity are performed that consider smaller cities and rural areas. Furthermore, environmental justice must be a focus as community science studies of road sediment can elucidate pollution issues impacting areas of high need. Finally, this review calls for consistency in sampling, data reporting, and nomenclature to effectively expand work on understudied elements, particles, and background sediments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Dietrich
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Michael J O'Shea
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316, USA
| | - Reto Gieré
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316, USA; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3616, USA
| | - Mark P S Krekeler
- Department of Geology & Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA; Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Miami University-Hamilton, Hamilton, OH 45011, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pourcelot L, Masson O, Saey L, Conil S, Boulet B, Cariou N. Empirical calibration of uranium releases in the terrestrial environment of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2017; 171:74-82. [PMID: 28193584 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In the present paper the activity of uranium isotopes measured in plants and aerosols taken downwind of the releases of three nuclear fuel settlements was compared between them and with the activity measured at remote sites. An enhancement of 238U activity as well as 235U/238U anomalies and 236U are noticeable in wheat, grass, tree leaves and aerosols taken at the edge of nuclear fuel settlements, which show the influence of uranium chronic releases. Further plants taken at the edge of the studied sites and a few published data acquired in the same experimental conditions show that the 238U activity in plants is influenced by the intensity of the U atmospheric releases. Assuming that 238U in plant is proportional to the intensity of the releases, we proposed empirical relationships which allow to characterize the chronic releases on the ground. Other sources of U contamination in plants such as accidental releases and "delayed source" of uranium in soil are also discussed in the light of uranium isotopes signatures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Pourcelot
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance cedex, France.
| | - Olivier Masson
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance cedex, France
| | - Lionel Saey
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance cedex, France
| | - Sébastien Conil
- Agence Nationale pour la gestion des Déchets Radioactifs ANDRA, CMHM Ecothèque Route départementale 960 BP9, 55290 Bure, France
| | - Béatrice Boulet
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN, Bat 501 Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Cariou
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN, Bat 501 Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Masson O, Pourcelot L, Boulet B, Cagnat X, Videau G. Environmental releases from fuel cycle facility: part 1: radionuclide resuspension vs. stack releases on ambient airborne uranium and thorium levels. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2015; 141:146-152. [PMID: 25613358 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Airborne activity levels of uranium and thorium series were measured in the vicinity (1.1 km) of a uranium (UF4) processing plant, located in Malvési, south of France. Regarding its impact on the environment, this facility is characterized by its routine atmospheric releases of uranium and by the emission of radionuclide-labelled particles from a storage pond filled with waste water or that contain dried sludge characterized by traces of plutonium and thorium ((230)Th). This study was performed during a whole year (November 2009-November 2010) and based on weekly aerosol sampling. Thanks to ICP-MS results, it was possible to perform investigations of uranium and thorium decay product concentration in the air. The number of aerosol filters sampled (50) was sufficient to establish a relationship between airborne radionuclide variations and the wind conditions. As expected, the more the time spent in the plume, the higher the ambient levels. The respective contributions of atmospheric releases and resuspension from local soil and waste ponds on ambient dust load and uranium-bearing aerosols were estimated. Two shutdown periods dedicated to facility servicing made it possible to estimate the resuspension contribution and to specify its origin (local or regional) according to the wind direction and remote background concentration. Airborne uranium mainly comes from the emission stack and, to a minor extent (∼20%), from wind resuspension of soil particles from the surrounding fields and areas devoted to waste storage. Moreover, weighed activity levels were clearly higher during operational periods than for shutdown periods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Masson
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), BP 3, 13115 St Paul lez Durance Cedex, France.
| | - Laurent Pourcelot
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), BP 3, 13115 St Paul lez Durance Cedex, France
| | - Béatrice Boulet
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), LMRE, Bâtiment 501, Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Xavier Cagnat
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), LMRE, Bâtiment 501, Bois des Rames, 91400 Orsay, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pourcelot L, Masson O, Renaud P, Cagnat X, Boulet B, Cariou N, De Vismes-Ott A. Environmental consequences of uranium atmospheric releases from fuel cycle facility: II. The atmospheric deposition of uranium and thorium on plants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2015; 141:1-7. [PMID: 25500060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Uranium and thorium isotopes were measured in cypress leaves, wheat grains and lettuce taken in the surroundings of the uranium conversion facility of Malvési (South of France). The comparison of activity levels and activity ratios (namely (238)U/(232)Th and (230)Th/(232)Th) in plants with those in aerosols taken at this site and plants taken far from it shows that aerosols emitted by the nuclear site (uranium releases in the atmosphere by stacks and (230)Th-rich particles emitted from artificial ponds collecting radioactive waste mud) accounts for the high activities recorded in the plant samples close to the site. The atmospheric deposition process onto the plants appears to be the dominant process in plant contamination. Dry deposition velocities of airborne uranium and thorium were measured as 4.6 × 10(-3) and 5.0 × 10(-3) m s(-1), respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Pourcelot
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France.
| | - O Masson
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - P Renaud
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - X Cagnat
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - B Boulet
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - N Cariou
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - A De Vismes-Ott
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire IRSN/PRP-ENV, CEN Cadarache BP3, 13115 St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jeambrun M, Pourcelot L, Mercat C, Boulet B, Pelt E, Chabaux F, Cagnat X, Gauthier-Lafaye F. Potential sources affecting the activity concentrations of 238U, 235U, 232Th and some decay products in lettuce and wheat samples. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING : JEM 2012; 14:2902-12. [PMID: 23001397 DOI: 10.1039/c2em30434a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2023]
Abstract
The activity concentrations of radionuclides within the uranium and thorium series were determined in wheat and lettuce at five sites in France, and in their respective potential sources: crop soils of wheat and crop soils and irrigation waters of lettuce. These data were used to calculate concentration ratios and to enrich the database supported by the technical report series N°472 of the IAEA (2010). For wheat and lettuce, the activity concentrations were in the same range for all radionuclides studied, except for (210)Pb, which had higher activity concentrations in wheat, ranging between 1.3 and 11 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) as compared to 0.4 and 0.7 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) for lettuce. For wheat, the range of activity concentrations (mBq kg(−1); fresh weight) decreased as (210)Pb > (226)Ra (56–1511) ≈ (228)Ra (86–769) > (228)Th (19–176) ≈ (238)U (11–169) ≈ (234)U (12–150) ≈ (230)Th (9.08–197.18) ≈ (232)Th (8.61–121.45) > (235)U (0.53–7.9). For lettuce, it decreased as (228)Ra (<320–1221) > (210)Pb (409–746) > (226)Ra (30–599) ≈ (228)Th (<29–347) > (238)U (8–120) ≈ (234)U (8–121) ≈ (230)Th (5.21–134.63) ≈ (232)Th (5.25–156.99) > (235)U (0.35–5.63). The species differences may reflect different plant physiologies. Through the study of activity ratios of wheat and lettuce in relation with those of the various radionuclide sources it has been possible to highlight the contribution of the main sources of natural radionuclides. Indeed, irrigation water when the uranium concentration is enhanced (>30 mBq L(−1)) contributed significantly to the activity concentration of uranium in lettuces. Concerning the high activity concentrations of (210)Pb, it could be explained by atmospheric particle deposition. The effect of soil particles resuspension and their adhesion to the plant surface seemed to be important in some cases. The soil-to-plant transfer factors were calculated for lettuce and wheat. The values were lower in wheat than in lettuce except for (210)Pb which had similar values in the two species (0.11–0.13 respectively). For both species, (210)Pb followed by (228)Ra (0.015–0.10) and (226)Ra (0.010–0.051) displayed the highest transfer factor, whereas (238)U had intermediate values (0.0015–0.030) and (232)Th exhibited the lowest (0.0014–0.013).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Jeambrun
- Institut de Radioprotection et de SûC Nucléaire, Bat 153 BP3, 13115 St Paul lez Durance cedex, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gieré R, Kaltenmeier R, Pourcelot L. Uranium oxide and other airborne particles deposited on cypress leaves close to a nuclear facility. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING : JEM 2012; 14:1264-74. [PMID: 22422019 DOI: 10.1039/c2em11000h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Enhanced activity of actinides and some decay products has been reported for the leaves of cypress trees (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) at the edge of the Malvési uranium-processing facility, southwestern France. The enhanced activity is due to the release of actinides via the smokestacks and from artificial ponds inside the facility. This study was conducted to characterize airborne particulate matter deposited on the leaf surfaces and to investigate whether or not radioactive particles may be identified. Air-dried leaf samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy, in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The samples were scanned systematically in both secondary and backscattered electron modes. Particles ranging in size from <200 nm to ~40 μm were found on most portions of the adaxial leaf surface, but they are especially abundant at the boundary between facial and lateral leaves. The majority of the analyzed particles could be attributed to five principal classes: carbonates, silicates, sulfates, oxides/hydroxides, and halides. In addition, other types of particles were found, including Fe alloys; scheelite-group phases; phosphates; sulfides; and fly ash spheres. Similar particles were also observed on the surface of a wheat sample used for comparison. Of special interest are U-rich particles, which were observed on the cypress leaves only and which were identified as U oxides, except for one particle, which was a U-oxide-fluoride. These U-rich particles were released into the atmosphere by the nuclear facility prior to their deposition on the leaf surfaces. As most of the U-rich particles are <2.5 μm across, they are respirable. Once inhaled, particles containing alpha-emitting isotopes represent a potentially long-term source of ionizing radiation inside the lungs and thus, pose a threat to the health of people living nearby.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reto Gieré
- Institut für Geowissenschaften, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|