Background dose-rates to reference animals and plants arising from exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides in aquatic environments

Hosseini, A.; Beresford, N.A.; Brown, J.E.; Jones, D.G.; Phaneuf, M.; Thørring, H.; Yankovich, T.. 2010 Background dose-rates to reference animals and plants arising from exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides in aquatic environments. Journal of Radiological Protection, 30 (2). 235-264. 10.1088/0952-4746/30/2/S03

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Abstract/Summary

In order to put dose-rates derived in environmental impact assessments into context, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recommended the structuring of effects data according to background exposure levels. The ICRP has also recommended a suite of reference animals and plants (RAPs), including seven aquatic organisms, for use within their developing framework. In light of these propositions, the objective of this work was to collate information on activity concentrations of naturally occurring primordial radionuclides for marine and freshwater ecosystems and apply appropriate dosimetry models to derive absorbed dose-rates. Although coverage of activity concentration data is comprehensive for sediment and water, few, or in some cases no, data were found for some RAPs, e.g. for frogs (Ranidae) and freshwater grasses (Poaceae) for most radionuclides. The activity concentrations for individual radionuclides in both organisms and their habitat often exhibit standard deviations that are substantially greater than arithmetic mean values, reflecting large variability in activity concentrations. To take account of variability a probabilistic approach was adopted. The dominating radionuclides contributing to exposure in the RAPs are 40K, 210Po and 226Ra. The mean unweighted and weighted dose-rates for aquatic RAPs are in the ranges 0.07–0.39 μGy h−1 and 0.37–1.9 μGy h−1 respectively.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1088/0952-4746/30/2/S03
Programmes:	BGS Programmes 2010 > Marine Geoscience CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry > BGC Topic 3 - Managing Threats to Environment and Health > BGC - 3.2 - Provide the evidence base for setting Environment Quality Standards ...
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Shore
ISSN:	0952-4746
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Full text can be accessed via the Official URL link
Additional Keywords:	radioecology
Date made live:	28 Jun 2010 14:45 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/10056

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