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Michalik B, Dvorzhak A, Pereira R, Lourenço J, Haanes H, Di Carlo C, Nuccetelli C, Venoso G, Leonardi F, Trevisi R, Trotti F, Ugolini R, Pannecoucke L, Blanchart P, Perez-Sanchez D, Real A, Escribano A, Fevrier L, Kallio A, Skipperud L, Jerome SM, Popic JM. A methodology for the systematic identification of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163324. [PMID: 37028656 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are present worldwide and under certain circumstances (e.g., human activities) may give radiation exposure to workers, local public or occasional visitors and non-human biota (NHB) of the surrounding ecosystems. This may occur during planned or existing exposure situations which, under current radiation protection standards, require identification, management, and regulatory control as for other practices associated with man-made radionuclides that may result in the exposure of people and NHB. However, knowledge gaps exist with respect to the extent of global and European NORM exposure situations and their exposure scenario characteristics, including information on the presence of other physical hazards, such as chemical and biological ones. One of the main reasons for this is the wide variety of industries, practices and situations that may utilise NORM. Additionally, the lack of a comprehensive methodology for identification of NORM exposure situations and the absence of tools to support a systematic characterisation and data collection at identified sites may also lead to a gap in knowledge. Within the EURATOM Horizon 2020 RadoNorm project, a methodology for systematic NORM exposure identification has been developed. The methodology, containing consecutive tiers, comprehensively covers situations where NORM may occur (i.e., minerals and raw materials deposits, industrial activities, industrial products and residues and their applications, waste, legacies), and thus, allows detailed investigation and complete identification of situations where NORM may present a radiation protection concern in a country. Details of the tiered methodology, with practical examples on harmonised data collection using a variety of existing sources of information to establish NORM inventories, are presented in this paper. This methodology is flexible and thus applicable to a diversity of situations. It is intended to be used to make NORM inventory starting from the scratch, however it can be used also to systematise and complete existing data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boguslaw Michalik
- Central Mining Institute (GIG), Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
| | - Alla Dvorzhak
- Research Center on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Ruth Pereira
- GreenUPorto - Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua de Agrária 747, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Joana Lourenço
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Hallvard Haanes
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Næringspark 13, Østerås, Norway
| | - Christian Di Carlo
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Center for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Nuccetelli
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Center for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Gennaro Venoso
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Center for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Leonardi
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone Rome, Italy
| | - Rosabianca Trevisi
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Trotti
- Environmental Protection Agency of Veneto (ARPAV), Verona, Italy
| | | | - Lea Pannecoucke
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pascale Blanchart
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Danyl Perez-Sanchez
- Research Center on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Almudena Real
- Research Center on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Alicia Escribano
- Research Center on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Laureline Fevrier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SRTE, 13115 Saint Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
| | - Antti Kallio
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Lähteentie 2, 96400 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Lindis Skipperud
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Environmental Chemistry Section, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Simon Mark Jerome
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Environmental Chemistry Section, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Jelena Mrdakovic Popic
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Næringspark 13, Østerås, Norway.
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Fijałkowska-Lichwa L, Przylibski TA. Radon ( 222Rn) as a tracer in natural ventilation efficiency assessment in underground workings - an example of "St John Mine" tourist complex in Krobica (the Sudetes, SW Poland). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 265:107225. [PMID: 37354863 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
The authors characterize the use of 222Rn as an effective tracer of natural ventilation of an underground site where air circulates within a whole system of workings and ventilation intensity (the number of air exchanges in the space) is determined by atmospheric factors. A radon-related database containing results of measurements conducted at various intervals and at different stages of site accessibility was compiled. During 8 months of the calendar year 222Rn activity concentration exceeds the mean annual reference value established by Polish law (300 Bq/m3). These months correspond to periods with low intensity of natural ventilation of the workings and reduced efficiency of air exchange between the site and the atmosphere. They occur in autumn - in the second half of September, in October and November, and in May in spring, and persist for 7 to even 14 days. During these periods, the time spent inside the facility which is considered safe in terms of radiation protection is limited to an average of 6-8 h a day, i.e. from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in October, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in November and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in May. The length of a safe stay in the facility is determined by atmospheric factors, mainly the air and ground temperature. The concentrations of other gases in the atmosphere inside the facility comply with Polish mining regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Fijałkowska-Lichwa
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Wybrzeże S. Wyspiańskiego 27, 27-50-370, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Tadeusz A Przylibski
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Laboratory of Geology and Planetary Sciences, Wybrzeże S. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370, Wrocław, Poland.
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