Radon-222 related influence on ambient gamma dose

Ambient gamma dose, radon, and rainfall have been monitored in southern Bucharest, Romania, from 2010 to 2016. The seasonal cycle of background ambient gamma dose peaked between July and October (100-105 nSv h^-1), with minimum values in February (75-80 nSv h^-1), the time of maximum snow cover. Based on 10 m a.g.l. radon concentrations, the ambient gamma dose increased by around 1 nSv h^-1 for every 5 Bq m^-3 increase in radon. Radon variability attributable to diurnal changes in atmospheric mixing contributed less than 15 nSv h^-1 to the overall variability in ambient gamma dose, a factor of 4 more than synoptic timescale changes in air mass fetch. By contrast, precipitation-related enhancements of the ambient gamma dose were 15-80 nSv h^-1. To facilitate routine analysis, and account in part for occasional equipment failure, an automated method for identifying precipitation spikes in the ambient gamma dose was developed. Lastly, a simple model for predicting rainfall-related enhancement of the ambient gamma dose is tested against rainfall observations from events of contrasting duration and intensity. Results are also compared with those from previously published models of simple and complex formulation. Generally, the model performed very well. When simulations underestimated observations the absolute difference was typically less than the natural variability in ambient gamma dose arising from atmospheric mixing influences. Consequently, combined use of the automated event detection method and the simple model of this study could enable the ambient gamma dose "attention limit" (which indicates a potential radiological emergency) to be reduced from 200 to 400% above background to 25-50%.

Uncertainty of current understanding regarding OBT formation in plants

Radiological impact models are important tools that support nuclear safety. For tritium, a special radionuclide that readily enters the life cycle, the processes involved in its transport into the environment are complex and inadequately understood. For example, tritiated water (HTO) enters plants by leaf and root uptake and is converted to organically bound tritium (OBT) in exchangeable and non-exchangeable forms; however, the observed OBT/HTO ratios in crops exhibit large variability and contradict the current models for routine releases. Non-routine or spike releases of tritium further complicate the prediction of OBT formation. The experimental data for a short and intense atmospheric contamination of wheat are presented together with various models' predictions. The experimental data on wheat demonstrate that the OBT formation is a long process, it is dependent on receptor location and stack dynamics, there are differences between night and day releases, and the HTO dynamics in leaf and ear is a very important contributor to OBT formation.

Carbon-14 dynamics in rice: an extension of the ORYZA2000 model

Carbon-14 ((14)C) is a radionuclide of major interest in nuclear power production. The Fukushima accident changed the public attitude on the use of nuclear energy all over the world. In terms of nuclear safety, the need of quality-assured radiological models was emphasized by many international organizations, and for models used by decision-makers (i.e. regulatory environmental models and radiological models), a moderate conservatism, transparency, relative simplicity and user friendliness are required. Because the interaction between crops and the environment is complex and regulated by many feedback mechanisms, however, these requirements are difficult to accomplish. The present study makes a step forward regarding the development of a robust model dealing with food contamination after a short-term accidental emission and considers a single crop species, rice (Oryza sativa), one of the most widely used rice species. Old and more recent experimental data regarding the carbon dynamics in rice plants are reviewed, and a well-established crop growth model, ORYZA2000, is used and adapted in order to assess the dynamics of (14)C in rice after a short-term exposure to (14)CO(2). Here, the model is used to investigate the role of the genotype, management and weather on the concentration of radiocarbon at harvest.

An overview of organically bound tritium experiments in plants following a short atmospheric HTO exposure

The need for a less conservative, but reliable risk assessment of accidental tritium releases is emphasized in the present debate on the nuclear energy future. The development of a standard conceptual model for accidental tritium releases must be based on the process level analysis and the appropriate experimental database. Tritium transfer from atmosphere to plants and the subsequent conversion into organically bound tritium (OBT) strongly depends on the plant characteristics, seasons, and meteorological conditions, which have a large variability. The present study presents an overview of the relevant experimental data for the short term exposure, including the unpublished information, also. Plenty of experimental data is provided for wheat, rice, and soybean and some for potato, bean, cherry tomato, radish, cabbage, and tangerine as well. Tritiated water (HTO) uptake by plants during the daytime and nighttime has an important role in further OBT synthesis. OBT formation in crops depends on the development stage, length, and condition of exposure. OBT translocation to the edible plant parts differs between the crops analyzed. OBT formation during the nighttime is comparable with that during the daytime. The present study is a preliminary step for the development of a robust model of crop contamination after an HTO accidental release.

Carbon-14 transfer into potato plants following a short exposure to an atmospheric 14CO2 emission: observations and model predictions

To improve the understanding of the environmental (14)C behaviour, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated a Tritium and C-14 Working Group (T&C WG) in its EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) programme. One of the scenarios developed in the frame of T&C WG involved the prediction of time dependent (14)C concentrations in potato plants. The experimental data used in the scenario were obtained from a study in which potatoes (Solanum tuberosum cv. Romano) were exposed to atmospheric (14)CO(2) in a wind tunnel. The observations were used to test models that predict temporal changes in (14)C concentrations in leaves at each sampling time for each experiment and (14)C concentrations in tubers at the final harvest of each experiment. The experimental data on (14)C dynamics in leaves are poorly reproduced by most of the models, but the predicted concentrations in tubers are in good agreement with the observations.

Dynamic model for tritium transfer in an aquatic food chain

Tritium ((3)H) is released from some nuclear facilities in relatively large quantities. It is a ubiquitous isotope because it enters straight into organisms, behaving essentially identically to its stable analogue (hydrogen). Tritium is a key radionuclide in the aquatic environment, in some cases, contributing significantly to the doses received by aquatic, non-human biota and by humans. The updated model presented here is based on more standardized, comprehensive assessments than previously used for the aquatic food chain, including the benthic flora and fauna, with an explicit application to the Danube ecosystem, as well as an extension to the special case of dissolved organic tritium (DOT). The model predicts the organically bound tritium (OBT) in the primary producers (the autotrophs, such as phytoplankton and algae) and in the consumers (the heterotrophs) using their bioenergetics, which involves the investigation of energy expenditure, losses, gains and efficiencies of transformations in the body. The model described in the present study intends to be more specific than a screening-level model, by including a metabolic approach and a description of the direct uptake of DOT in marine phytoplankton and invertebrates. For a better control of tritium transfer into the environment, not only tritiated water must be monitored, but also the other chemical forms and most importantly OBT, in the food chain.

Measured and modelled tritium concentrations in freshwater Barnes mussels (Elliptio complanata) exposed to an abrupt increase in ambient tritium levels

To improve understanding of environmental tritium behaviour, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) included a Tritium and C-14 Working Group (WG) in its EMRAS (Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety) program. One scenario considered by the WG involved the prediction of time-dependent tritium concentrations in freshwater mussels that were subjected to an abrupt increase in ambient tritium levels. The experimental data used in the scenario were obtained from a study in which freshwater Barnes mussels (Elliptio complanata) were transplanted from an area with background tritium concentrations to a small Canadian Shield lake that contains elevated tritium. The mussels were then sampled over 88 days, and concentrations of free-water tritium (HTO) and organically-bound tritium (OBT) were measured in the soft tissues to follow the build-up of tritium in the mussels over time. The HTO concentration in the mussels reached steady state with the concentration in lake water within one or two hours. Most models predicted a longer time (up to a few days) to equilibrium. All models under-predicted the OBT concentration in the mussels one hour after transplantation, but over-predicted the rate of OBT formation over the next 24h. Subsequent dynamics were not well modelled, although all participants predicted OBT concentrations that were within a factor of three of the observation at the end of the study period. The concentration at the final time point was over-predicted by all but one of the models. The relatively low observed concentration at this time was likely due to the loss of OBT by mussels during reproduction.

Rain scavenging of tritiated water vapour: a numerical Eulerian stationary model

The tradition in tritium washout modeling is to unite the washout model with a Gaussian plume model describing dispersion of tritium vapour in the atmosphere. In the present study, an alternative approach is proposed. A numerical Eulerian model that describes washout independently of dispersion is developed. The sensitivity analysis to model parameters has shown that the washout process is influenced most significantly by rainfall parameters and air temperature: different raindrop size distributions cause differences of up to about 70% in the washout outputs; a change of 15°C in the air temperature causes an effect of about 50%. Results are presented showing calculated values of washout outputs (tritium concentration in rain, tritium downward flux, washout coefficient) for different tritium vapour profiles, rainfall rates and air temperatures. The general conclusion is that the washout process is too complex to be described comprehensively by the simple washout coefficient concept. We suggest the approach proposed here for directly calculating the tritium downward flux and concentration in the rainwater is preferable.

Energy metabolism used as a tool to model the transfer of 14C and 3H in animals

The transfer through the environment of (3)H and (14)C must be modelled differently than that of other radionuclides released from nuclear reactors because hydrogen and carbon enter straight into the life cycle. A solid understanding of the behaviour of (3)H and (14)C in the food chain is essential because (3)H may be released in large quantities from future thermonuclear reactors, and (14)C accumulates in the environment because of its long half-life. For the present study, the hypothesis that both (3)H and (14)C metabolism in mammals can be modelled based on the understanding of energy metabolism has been tested. Recently published results demonstrate that the loss rate of organically bound tritium and (14)C from tissues of laboratory and farm animals can be assessed based upon their specific metabolic rates and enthalpy of combustion; the same is true for human beings. The improved model presented here relates the dynamics of organically bound tritium and (14)C within organs to the whole body and has been expanded to account for the growth of ruminants. The improved model has been expanded and applied for (14)C transfer in wild mammals and has been modified to apply to birds.

Tritium profiles in snowpacks

The release of tritiated water (HTO) to the atmosphere during the winter can contribute significantly to snow contamination and to water-soil-plant contamination after the spring thaw. The dose significance of such a release depends on the persistence of tritiated water in the snowpack, which is primarily controlled by the HTO diffusion process in snow and the rate of re-emission into the atmosphere from the snowpack surface. Monitoring data collected after an acute winter release at Chalk River Laboratories and data obtained in winter over a chronically contaminated area were analyzed to estimate the diffusion coefficient of HTO in the snowpack. Under conditions of cold and dry snow, the diffusion coefficient lay in the range 1-2x10(-10)m(2)s(-1), an order of magnitude lower than diffusion in water but an order of magnitude higher than self-diffusion in ice. These results confirm the theoretical predictions (Bales, 1991). Values up to six times higher were found for warmer periods and just before spring melt, when other processes contribute to profile evolution. The low diffusion rate of tritium in cold, dry snow means that tritium remains in the snowpack throughout the winter, to be released during spring thaw to potentially contaminate surface water, soil and crops.

Retention of tritium in reference persons: a metabolic model. Derivation of parameters and application of the model to the general public and to workers

Tritium ((3)H) is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is ubiquitous in environmental and biological systems. Following debate on the human health risk from exposure to tritium, there have been claims that the current biokinetic model recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) may underestimate tritium doses. A new generic model for tritium in mammals, based on energy metabolism and body composition, together with all its input data, has been described in a recent paper and successfully tested for farm and laboratory mammals. That model considers only dietary intake of tritium and was extended to humans. This paper presents the latest development of the human model with explicit consideration of brain energy metabolism. Model testing with human experimental data on organically bound tritium (OBT) in urine after tritiated water (HTO) or OBT intakes is presented. Predicted absorbed doses show a moderate increase for OBT intakes compared with doses recommended by the ICRP. Infants have higher tritium retention-a factor of 2 longer than the ICRP estimate. The highest tritium concentration is in adipose tissue, which has a very low radiobiological sensitivity. The ranges of uncertainty in retention and doses are investigated. The advantage of the new model is its ability to be applied to the interpretation of bioassay data.

The dynamic transfer of 3H and 14C in mammals: a proposed generic model

Associated with the present debate regarding the potential revival of nuclear energy there is an increased interest in assessing the radiological risk to the public and also the environment. Tritium and (14)C are key radionuclides of interest in many circumstances (e.g. heavy water reactors, waste storage and fusion reactors). Because the stable analogues of these two radionuclides are integral to most biological compounds, their modelling should follow general principles from life sciences. In this paper, a model of the dynamics of (14)C and (3)H in mammals is proposed on the basis of metabolic understanding and of, as far as possible, readily available data (e.g. for organ composition and metabolism). The model is described together with validation tests (without calibration) for a range of farm animals. Despite simplifications, the model tests are encouraging for a range of animal types and products (tissues and milk), and further improvements are suggested.

Carbon-14 transfer into rice plants from a continuous atmospheric source: observations and model predictions

Carbon-14 (14C) is one of the most important radionuclides from the perspective of dose estimation due to the nuclear fuel cycle. Ten years of monitoring data on 14C in airborne emissions, in atmospheric CO2 and in rice grain collected around the Tokai reprocessing plant (TRP) showed an insignificant radiological effect of the TRP-derived 14C on the public, but suggested a minor contribution of the TRP-derived 14C to atmospheric 14C concentrations, and an influence on 14C concentrations in rice grain at harvest. This paper also summarizes a modelling exercise (the so-called rice scenario of the IAEA's EMRAS program) in which 14C concentrations in air and rice predicted with various models using information on 14C discharge rates, meteorological conditions and so on were compared with observed concentrations. The modelling results showed that simple Gaussian plume models with different assumptions predict monthly averaged 14C concentrations in air well, even for near-field receptors, and also that specific activity and dynamic models were equally good for the prediction of inter-annual changes in 14C concentrations in rice grain. The scenario, however, offered little opportunity for comparing the predictive capabilities of these two types of models because the scenario involved a near-chronic release to the atmosphere. A scenario based on an episodic release and short-term, time-dependent observations is needed to establish the overall confidence in the predictions of environmental 14C models.

Reassessment of tritium dose coefficients for the general public

Concerns of increased risk from tritium intake by humans have been claimed in the past. The arguments concerning the radiobiological effectiveness of tritium, its longer retention in the human body and the presence of tritium in the DNA hydration shell are analysed in this paper. A biokinetic model for tritiated water and organically bound tritium retention in the human body is used, based on a common approach for mammals using energy and hydrogen metabolism and tested separately with animal experiments. Extension to this model to humans considers the increased role of the brain, food quality and unique growth patterns of humans. Various ages and genders for Caucasians are considered. For an intake of tritium in organic forms in the diet, the retention for the female is of about a factor 2 compared with ICRP recommendations. Effective dose coefficients are estimated to be about a factor of 2 to 3 higher than those of the ICRP.

Modelling 3H and 14C transfer to farm animals and their products under steady state conditions

The radionuclides (14)C and (3)H may both be released from nuclear facilities. These radionuclides are unusual, in that they are isotopes of macro-elements which form the basis of animal tissues, feed and, in the case of (3)H, water. There are few published values describing the transfer of (3)H and (14)C from feed to animal derived food products under steady state conditions. Approaches are described which enable the prediction of (14)C and (3)H transfer parameter values from readily available information on the stable H or C concentration of animal feeds, tissues and milk, water turnover rates, and feed intakes and digestibilities. We recommend that the concentration ratio between feed and animal product activity concentrations be used as it is less variable than the transfer coefficient (ratio between radionuclide activity concentration in animal milk or tissue to the daily intake of a radionuclide).

Model testing using data on 137Cs from Chernobyl fallout in the Iput River catchment area of Russia

Data collected for 10 years following the Chernobyl accident in 1986 have provided a unique opportunity to test the reliability of computer models for contamination of terrestrial and aquatic environments. The Iput River scenario was used by the Dose Reconstruction Working Group of the BIOMASS (Biosphere Modelling and Assessment Methods) programme. The test area was one of the most highly contaminated areas in Russia following the accident, with an average contamination density of 137Cs of 800,000 Bq m-2 and localized contamination up to 1,500,000 Bq m-2, and a variety of countermeasures that were implemented in the test area had to be considered in the modelling exercise. Difficulties encountered during the exercise included averaging of data to account for uneven contamination of the test area, simulating the downward migration and changes in bioavailability of 137Cs in soil, and modelling the effectiveness of countermeasures. The accuracy of model predictions is dependent at least in part on the experience and judgment of the participant in interpretation of input information, selection of parameter values, and treatment of uncertainties.

Upward movement of tritium from contaminated groundwaters: a numerical analysis

This paper describes a research-oriented modelling exercise that addresses the problem of assessing the movement of tritium from a contaminated perched aquifer to the land surface. Participants were provided with information on water table depth, soil characteristics, hourly meteorological and evapotranspiration data. They were asked to predict the upward migration of tritium through the unsaturated soil into the atmosphere. Eight different numerical models were used to calculate the movement of tritium. The modelling results agree within a factor of two, if very small time and space increments are used. The agreement is not so good when the near-surface soil becomes dry. The modelling of the alternate upward and downward transport of tritium close to the ground surface generally requires rather complex models and detailed input because tritium concentration varies sharply over short distances and is very sensitive to many interactive factors including rainfall amount, evapotranspiration rate, rooting depth and water table position.

Towards a model for the dynamic transfer of tritium and carbon in mammals

Available data have been analysed to test the hypothesis that both 3H and 14C transfer in mammals can be accounted for by an understanding of metabolism. Data obtained from various 14C and 3H experiments with rats and sheep have been analysed to assess the multi-component retention function of various organs and identify any relationship between half-times and component contribution. Our hypothesis was that component half-times for 14C and 3H are similar after intakes of organic compounds. Similarities in the tritium and carbon dynamics between rat and sheep were observed supporting the hypothesis. For fast and slow components of muscle half-time, allometric relationships have been derived. The results obtained could be used in the development of a human biokinetic model.

A metabolic derivation of tritium transfer coefficients in animal products

Tritium is a potentially important environmental contaminant originating from the nuclear industry, and its behaviour in the environment is controlled by that of hydrogen. Animal food products represent a potentially important source of tritium in the human diet and a number of transfer coefficient values for tritium transfer to a limited number of animal products are available. In this paper we present an approach for the derivation of tritium transfer coefficients which is based on the metabolism of hydrogen in animals. The derived transfer coefficients separately account for transfer to and from free (i.e. water) and organically bound tritium. A novel aspect of the approach is that tritium transfer can be predicted for any animal product for which the required metabolic input parameters are available. The predicted transfer coefficients are compared to available independent data. Agreement is good (R2=0.97) with the exception of the transfer coefficient for transfer from tritiated water to organically bound tritium in ruminants. This may be attributable to the particular characteristics of ruminant digestion. We show that tritium transfer coefficients will vary in response to the metabolic status of an animal (e.g. stage of lactation, diet digestibility etc.) and that the use of a single transfer coefficient from diet to animal product is inappropriate. It is possible to derive concentration ratio values from the estimated transfer coefficients which relate the concentration of tritiated water and organically bound tritium in an animal product to their respective concentrations in the animals diet. These concentration ratios are shown to be less subject to metabolic variation and may be more useful radioecological parameters than transfer coefficients. For tritiated water the concentration ratio shows little variation between animal products ranging from 0.59 to 0.82. In the case of organically bound tritium the concentration ratios vary between animal products from 0.15 (goat milk) to 0.67 (eggs).

Dose contribution from metabolized organically bound tritium after chronic tritiated water intakes in humans

Our earlier study of acute tritiated water intakes in humans has demonstrated that the dose contribution from metabolized organically bound tritium is less than 10% of the body water dose. To further demonstrate that the dose contribution from the organically bound tritium per unit intake of tritiated water is the same, regardless of whether the intake is acute (all at once) or chronic (spread over time), urine samples from six male radiation workers with chronic tritiated water intakes were collected and analyzed for tritium. These workers have a well-documented dose history and a well-controlled tritium bioassay database, providing assurance that their tritium intakes were in the form of tritiated water. Each month for a full calendar year, urine samples were collected from each exposed worker. The monthly concentration of tritiumin-urine for each exposed worker was no lower than 10(4) Bq L(-1) but no higher than 10(5) Bq L(-1). These urine samples were analyzed for tritiated water and organically bound tritium to determine the ratio of these tritiated species in urine. The average ratio of tritiated water to organically bound tritium in urine for each exposed worker was 330 +/- 129 (range, 297-589). In calculating the dose to these workers, we assumed that, under steady-state conditions, the ratio of the specific activity of tritium (3H activity per gH) in the organic matter and water fractions of urine is representative of the ratio of the specific activity of tritium in the organic matter and water fractions of soft tissue. A mathematical model was developed and used to estimate the dose increase from the metabolized organically bound tritium based on the ratio of tritiated water to organically bound tritium in urine. The resulting average dose from the organically bound tritium was 6.9 +/- 3.1% (range, 4.7-9.9%) of the body water dose for the six male workers, and agrees well with the value obtained from our acute tritiated water intakes study in humans. The observed dose contribution from organically bound tritium, relative to body water dose, is in agreement with current recommendations of assigning 10% of total body water dose for organically bound tritium in soft tissues after tritiated water intakes.

Dose contribution from metabolized organically bound tritium after acute tritiated water intakes in humans

Urine samples from eight male radiation workers who had an unplanned acute tritiated water intake were measured for tritium-in-urine up to 300 d post-exposure. During the first month or so post-exposure, these individuals increased their fluid intakes to accelerate the turnover rate of tritium in the body for dose mitigation. Their daily fluid intakes reverted to normal levels in the latter period of the study. A non-linear regressional analysis of the tritium-in-urine data showed that the average biological half-life of tritium in body water, with standard deviation, was 6.3 +/- 1.0 d (range, 5.0-8.1 d) and 8.4 +/- 2.0 d (range, 6.2-12.8 d) during the respective periods of increased fluid intake and the later period of normal fluid intake. A longer term component of tritium excretion was also observed with average biological half-life of 74 +/- 18 d (range, 58-104 d), indicating the incorporation of tritium, and its retention, in the organic fractions of the body. A mathematical model was developed and used to estimate the dose increase from the metabolized organically bound tritium on the basis of the kinetics of tritium-in-urine. The model accounts for a change in the rates of urinary excretion caused by variable fluid intakes. The average dose to the body, for the eight male workers, due to the metabolized organically bound tritium was estimated to be 6.2 +/- 1.3% (range, 3.5% to 8.9%) of the committed effective dose due to tritium in the body water. This value for the dose increase from organically bound tritium is in the range of the current recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, i.e., organically bound tritium incorporated into the body contributes about 10% of the dose to the body water following tritiated water intakes.