Biosorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Dipjyoti; Maji, Samir; Bandyopadhyay, Abhijit; Basu, Sukalyan

2007-11-01

Mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum were used in uptake studies with cesium-137 and strontium-90. Results showed that uptake was dependent on the structural integrity of the mucilage fibrils. Water imbibed seeds showed higher adsorption of both 137Cs and 90Sr in comparison to seeds pretreated with NaOH, HCl and Na-periodate solution. The uptake was pH dependent and while some divalent metal ions had no or little detrimental effect, the alkali metal ions Li+, Na+ and K+ decreased the uptake. The maximum adsorption capacity was 160 mg cesium g(-1) and 247 mg strontium g(-1) seed dry weight.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T F

Rongelap Atoll experienced close-in ''local fallout'' from nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States (1946-58) in the northern Marshall Islands. Most of the radiation dose delivered to Rongelap Island residents during the 1950s was from radioactive elements that quickly decayed into non-radioactive elements. Since 1985, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has continued to provide monitoring of radioactive elements from bomb testing in the terrestrial and marine environment of Rongelap Atoll. The only remaining radioactive elements of environmental importance at the atoll are radioactive cesium (cesium-137), radioactive strontium (strontium-90), different types (isotopes) of plutonium, and americium (americium-241). Cesium- 137more » and strontium-90 dissolve in seawater and are continually flushed out of the lagoon into the open ocean. The small amount of residual radioactivity from nuclear weapons tests remaining in the lagoon does not concentrate through the marine food chain. Elevated levels of cesium-137 and strontium-90 are still present in island soils and pose a potential health risk if certain types of local plants and coconut crabs are eaten in large quantities. Cesium-137 is taken up from the soil into plants and edible food products, and may end up in the body of people living on the islands and consuming local food. The presence of cesium-137 in the human body can be detected using a device called a whole body counter. A person relaxes in a chair for a few minutes while counts or measurements are taken using a detector a few inches away from the body. The whole body counting program on Rongelap Island was established in 1999 under a cooperative agreement between the Rongelap Atoll Local Government (RALG), the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Local technicians from Rongelap continue to operate the facility under supervision of scientists from LLNL. The facility permits resettlement workers living on Rongelap Island to check the amount of cesium-137 in their bodies. The amount of cesium-137 detected in resettlement workers living on Rongelap Island over the past three years is well below the level of radiation exposure considered safe by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal. Returning residents and visitors to Rongelap will also be able to receive a whole body count free of charge to check the level of cesium in their bodies. There is also a very low health risk from exposure to external sources of radiation from visiting or walking around any of the islands on the atoll.« less

Composition and process for separating cesium ions from an acidic aqueous solution also containing other ions

DOEpatents

Dietz, Mark L.; Horwitz, E. Philip; Bartsch, Richard A.; Barrans, Jr., Richard E.; Rausch, David

1999-01-01

A crown ether cesium ion extractant is disclosed as is its synthesis. The crown ether cesium ion extractant is useful for the selective purification of cesium ions from aqueous acidic media, and more particularly useful for the isolation of radioactive cesium-137 from nuclear waste streams. Processes for isolating cesium ions from aqueous acidic media using the crown ether cesium extractant are disclosed as are processes for recycling the crown ether cesium extractant and processes for recovering cesium from a crown ether cesium extractant solution.

Composition and process for separating cesium ions from an acidic aqueous solution also containing other ions

DOEpatents

Dietz, M.L.; Horwitz, E.P.; Bartsch, R.A.; Barrans, R.E. Jr.; Rausch, D.

1999-03-30

A crown ether cesium ion extractant is disclosed as is its synthesis. The crown ether cesium ion extractant is useful for the selective purification of cesium ions from aqueous acidic media, and more particularly useful for the isolation of radioactive cesium-137 from nuclear waste streams. Processes for isolating cesium ions from aqueous acidic media using the crown ether cesium extractant are disclosed as are processes for recycling the crown ether cesium extractant and processes for recovering cesium from a crown ether cesium extractant solution. 4 figs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamliton, T F

Rongelap Atoll experienced close-in or local fallout from the U.S. nuclear test program conducted in the northern Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958. By all internationally agreed scientific criteria, Rongelap Island is considered safe for permanent resettlement. However, the amount of bomb-related radioactivity in soil and vegetation is, on average, about 5 times greater in the northern islands of the atoll because the centerline of the fallout pattern from the 1954 thermonuclear ''Bravo'' test extended over this part of the atoll. The most important radioactive element remaining on the atoll is radioactive cesium (cesium-137). Cesium-137 emits what is called amore » ''gamma ray'' that can penetrate the body and deliver both an external (outside the body) and internal (from inside the body) gamma dose to inhabitants of Rongelap Atoll. Cesium-137 is taken up from the soil into locally grown foodstuffs such as coconut, Pandanus and breadfruit. Significant quantities of cesium-137 may also be found in coconut crab. The internal dose delivered to people eating these products will be directly proportional to the concentration of cesium-137 in the food and the amount consumed. The external gamma dose will depend on the concentration of cesium-137 in the soil and the amount of time spent in the area. The highest concentration of cesium-137 in surface soils of the northern islands of Rongelap Atoll is about equivalent to that measured on Bikini Island. Under the radiation protection criteria adopted by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal, permanent resettlement of these islands would require intervention because of the higher radiation doses that could potentially be delivered to inhabitants living on a diet derived largely from local foods. A more realistic lifestyle scenario is that the resettled population on Rongelap Island will occasionally visit the northern part of the atoll for food gathering, fishing and other recreational activities. It is estimated that a person spending 8 hours (1 work day) in the interior of the Rongelap Atoll northern islands will receive a maximum additional external dose of around 0.1-0.2 mrem per day. Furthermore, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's environmental monitoring continues to show that the marine environment contains very low levels of bomb radioactivity. Similarly, the occasional consumption of terrestrial foods including coconut crab from the northern islands is not expected to add significantly to the radiological health risk of living on Rongelap Island. The average annual effective ingestion dose for Rongelap Island resettlement in 2002 is estimated to be around 1-2 mrem per year when imported foods are made available and proposed remediation efforts take effect. This estimate is about twice that of the Rongelap Island resettlement worker population using direct measurements from the whole body counting program. Resettlement workers presently living on the islands receive an average internal dose from cesium-137 of less than 1 mrem (0.01 mSv) per year. These workers are known to eat locally grown foods and coconut crabs collected from the northern islands. The highest individual dose observed was 4 mrem (0.04 mSv) per year. Under the guidelines adopted by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal, it is concluded that diving, fishing and visiting any northern island of Rongelap Atoll are safe activities for limited periods. Eating local fish and other marine life such as clams would also be considered safe. Consumption of plant foods from the northern islands of Rongelap Atoll depends on successful implementation of specific remediation measures to ensure dietary intakes of cesium-137 remain at or below levels considered safe. The whole body counting program should continue to monitor the actual internal levels of cesium-137 among people eating plants and coconut crabs gathered from the northern islands of Rongelap Atoll islands until such time that the Nuclear Claims Tribunal guidelines are met.« less

Distribution of global fallouts cesium-137 in taiga and tundra catenae at the Ob River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenkov, I. N.; Usacheva, A. A.; Miroshnikov, A. Yu.

2015-03-01

The classification of soil catenae at the Ob River basin is developed and applied. This classification reflects the diverse geochemical conditions that led to the formation of certain soil bodies, their combinations and the migration fields of chemical elements. The soil and geochemical diversity of the Ob River basin catenae was analyzed. The vertical and lateral distribution of global fallouts cesium-137 was studied using the example of the four most common catenae types in Western Siberia tundra and taiga. In landscapes of dwarf birches and dark coniferous forests on gleysols, cryosols, podzols, and cryic-stagnosols, the highest 137Cs activity density and specific activity are characteristic of the upper soil layer of over 30% ash, while the moss-grass-shrub cover is characterized by low 137Cs activity density and specific activity. In landscapes of dwarf birches and pine woods on podzols, the maximum specific activity of cesium-137 is typical for moss-grass-shrub cover, while the maximum reserves are concentrated in the upper soil layer of over 30% ash. Bog landscapes and moss-grass-shrub cover are characterized by a minimum activity of 137Cs, and its reserves in soil generally decrease exponentially with depth. The cesium-137 penetration depth increases in oligotrophic histosols from northern to middle taiga landscapes from 10-15 to 40 cm. 137Cs is accumulated in oligotrophic histosols for increases in pH from 3.3 to 4.0 and in concretionary interlayers of pisoplinthic-cryic-histic-stagnosols. Cryogenic movement, on the one hand, leads to burying organic layers enriched in 137Cs and, on the other hand, to deducing specific activity when mixed with low-active material from lower soil layers.

Radioactive cesium isotope ratios as a tool for determining dispersal and re-dispersal mechanisms downwind from the Nevada Nuclear Security Site.

PubMed

Snyder, Darin C; Delmore, James E; Tranter, Troy; Mann, Nick R; Abbott, Michael L; Olson, John E

2012-08-01

Fractionation of the two longer-lived radioactive cesium isotopes ((135)Cs and (137)Cs) produced by above ground nuclear tests have been measured and used to clarify the dispersal mechanisms of cesium deposited in the area between the Nevada Nuclear Security Site and Lake Mead in the southwestern United States. Fractionation of these isotopes is due to the 135-decay chain requiring several days to completely decay to (135)Cs, and the 137-decay chain less than one hour decay to (137)Cs. Since the Cs precursors are gases, iodine and xenon, the (135)Cs plume was deposited farther downwind than the (137)Cs plume. Sediment core samples were obtained from the Las Vegas arm of Lake Mead, sub-sampled and analyzed for (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The layers proved to have nearly identical highly fractionated isotope ratios. This information is consistent with a model where the cesium was initially deposited onto the land area draining into Lake Mead and the composite from all of the above ground shots subsequently washed onto Lake Mead by high intensity rain and wind storms producing a layering of Cs activity, where each layer is a portion of the composite. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sericitization of illite decreases sorption capabilities for cesium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choung, S.; Hwang, J.; Han, W.; Shin, W.

2017-12-01

Release of radioactive cesium (137Cs) to environment occurs through nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. The concern is that 137Cs has long half-life (t1/2 = 30.2 years) with chemical toxicity and γ-radiation. Sorption techniques are mainly applied to remove 137Cs from aquatic environment. In particular, it has been known well that clay minerals (e.g, illite) are effective and economical sorbents for 137Cs. Illite that was formed by hydrothermal alteration exist with sericite through "sericitization" processes. Although sericite has analogous composition and lattice structure with illite, the sorptive characteristics of illite and sericite for radiocesium could be different. This study evaluated the effects of hydrothermal alteration and weathering process on illite cesium sorption properties. Natural illite samples were collected at Yeongdong area in Korea as the world-largest hydrothermal deposits for illite. The samples were analyzed by XRF, XRD and SEM-EDX to determine mineralogy, chemical compositions and morphological characteristics, and used for batch sorption experiments. The Yeongdong illites predominantly consist of illite, sericite, quartz, and albite. The measured cesium sorption distribution coefficients (Kd,Cs) of reference illite and sericite were approximately 6000 and 400 L kg-1 at low aqueous concentration (Cw 10-7 M), respectively. In contrast, Kd,Cs values for the Yeongdong illite samples ranged from 500 to 4000 L kg-1 at identical concentration. The observed narrow and sharp XRD peak of sericite indicated that the sericite has better crystallinity compared to illite. These experimental results suggested that sericitization processes of illite can decline the sorption capabilities of illite for cesium under various hydrothermal conditions. In particular, weathering experiments raised the cesium sorption to illite, which seems to be related to the increase of preferential sorption sites for cesium through crystallinity destruction (i.e., frayed edge sites).

Cesium-137 Fallout in Indiana Soil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Richard T.

2017-01-01

Atomic weapons testing during the Cold War and accidents at nuclear power plants have resulted in the release of radioactive fallout over great distances. Little is known about levels of fallout deposited in Indiana. The reported study sampled soil in all 92 Indiana counties to determine the present level of cesium-137 from the 2 to 12 centimeter…

Deciphering the Measured Ratios of Iodine-131 to Cesium-137 at the Fukushima Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, T.

2011-12-01

We calculate the relative abundance of the radioactive isotopes Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 produced by nuclear fission in reactors and compare it with data taken at the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The ratio of radioactivities of these two isotopes can be used to obtain information about when the nuclear reactions terminated.

METHOD OF PREPARING RADIOACTIVE CESIUM SOURCES

DOEpatents

Quinby, T.C.

1963-12-17

A method of preparing a cesium-containing radiation source with physical and chemical properties suitable for high-level use is presented. Finely divided silica is suspended in a solution containing cesium, normally the fission-product isotope cesium 137. Sodium tetraphenyl boron is then added to quantitatively precipitate the cesium. The cesium-containing precipitate is converted to borosilicate glass by heating to the melting point and cooling. Up to 60 weight percent cesium, with a resulting source activity of up to 21 curies per gram, is incorporated in the glass. (AEC)

Radioactive cesium in dirt accumulations on the roof of buildings.

PubMed

Fujita, J; Mikasa, H; Fujii, N; Suzuki, Y; Nishiyama, K

1992-12-01

The concentrations of 137Cs and 134Cs in dirt deposits on the roofs of buildings are much higher than those in the surface of soil at ground level. Thus dirt on roofs concentrates radioactive cesium in fall-outs. The 137Cs concentration in dirt deposits on the roofs of older buildings is not consistently higher than that on the roofs of new ones, but the 137Cs/134Cs ratio is higher in deposits on older buildings constructed before the first half of the 1970s, and decreases exponentially with decrease in age of the buildings gradually reaching 1.9 +/- 0.2, the value in the air-borne dust at the time of the Chernobyl accident. From this relationship, the contribution of Chernobyl radioactivity to accumulated 137Cs was calculated as 32% on buildings constructed in 1962. The radioactive cesium concentrations in dirt deposits in gutters of private houses and on the roofs of university buildings in Japan were also determined.

Cesium-137 deposition and contamination of Japanese soils due to the Fukushima nuclear accident.

PubMed

Yasunari, Teppei J; Stohl, Andreas; Hayano, Ryugo S; Burkhart, John F; Eckhardt, Sabine; Yasunari, Tetsuzo

2011-12-06

The largest concern on the cesium-137 ((137)Cs) deposition and its soil contamination due to the emission from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) showed up after a massive quake on March 11, 2011. Cesium-137 ((137)Cs) with a half-life of 30.1 y causes the largest concerns because of its deleterious effect on agriculture and stock farming, and, thus, human life for decades. Removal of (137)Cs contaminated soils or land use limitations in areas where removal is not possible is, therefore, an urgent issue. A challenge lies in the fact that estimates of (137)Cs emissions from the Fukushima NPP are extremely uncertain, therefore, the distribution of (137)Cs in the environment is poorly constrained. Here, we estimate total (137)Cs deposition by integrating daily observations of (137)Cs deposition in each prefecture in Japan with relative deposition distribution patterns from a Lagrangian particle dispersion model, FLEXPART. We show that (137)Cs strongly contaminated the soils in large areas of eastern and northeastern Japan, whereas western Japan was sheltered by mountain ranges. The soils around Fukushima NPP and neighboring prefectures have been extensively contaminated with depositions of more than 100,000 and 10,000 MBq km(-2), respectively. Total (137)Cs depositions over two domains: (i) the Japan Islands and the surrounding ocean (130-150 °E and 30-46 °N) and, (ii) the Japan Islands, were estimated to be approximately 6.7 and 1.3 PBq, [corrected] respectively.We hope our (137)Cs deposition maps will help to coordinate decontamination efforts and plan regulatory measures in Japan.

Cesium-137 deposition and contamination of Japanese soils due to the Fukushima nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Yasunari, Teppei J.; Stohl, Andreas; Hayano, Ryugo S.; Burkhart, John F.; Eckhardt, Sabine; Yasunari, Tetsuzo

2011-01-01

The largest concern on the cesium-137 (137Cs) deposition and its soil contamination due to the emission from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) showed up after a massive quake on March 11, 2011. Cesium-137 (137Cs) with a half-life of 30.1 y causes the largest concerns because of its deleterious effect on agriculture and stock farming, and, thus, human life for decades. Removal of 137Cs contaminated soils or land use limitations in areas where removal is not possible is, therefore, an urgent issue. A challenge lies in the fact that estimates of 137Cs emissions from the Fukushima NPP are extremely uncertain, therefore, the distribution of 137Cs in the environment is poorly constrained. Here, we estimate total 137Cs deposition by integrating daily observations of 137Cs deposition in each prefecture in Japan with relative deposition distribution patterns from a Lagrangian particle dispersion model, FLEXPART. We show that 137Cs strongly contaminated the soils in large areas of eastern and northeastern Japan, whereas western Japan was sheltered by mountain ranges. The soils around Fukushima NPP and neighboring prefectures have been extensively contaminated with depositions of more than 100,000 and 10,000 MBq km-2, respectively. Total 137Cs depositions over two domains: (i) the Japan Islands and the surrounding ocean (130–150 °E and 30–46 °N) and, (ii) the Japan Islands, were estimated to be more than 5.6 and 1.0 PBq, respectively. We hope our 137Cs deposition maps will help to coordinate decontamination efforts and plan regulatory measures in Japan. PMID:22084074

Cesium radioactivity in peripheral blood is linearly correlated to that in skeletal muscle: analyses of cattle within the evacuation zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Fukuda, Tomokazu; Kino, Yasushi; Abe, Yasuyuki; Yamashiro, Hideaki; Kobayashi, Jin; Shimizu, Yoshinaka; Takahashi, Atsushi; Suzuki, Toshihiko; Chiba, Mirei; Takahashi, Shintaro; Inoue, Kazuya; Kuwahara, Yoshikazu; Morimoto, Motoko; Shinoda, Hisashi; Hiji, Masahiro; Sekine, Tsutomu; Fukumoto, Manabu; Isogai, Emiko

2015-01-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) released a large amount of radioactive substances into the environment. Furthermore, beef contaminated with radioactive cesium above the 500 Bq/kg safety standard was circulated in the food chain in 2011. Japanese consumers remain concerned about the safety of radioactively contaminated food. In our previous study, we detected a linear correlation between radioactive cesium ((137) Cs) activity in blood and muscle around 500 to 2500 Bq/kg in cattle. However, it was unclear whether the correlation was maintained at a lower radioactivity close to the current safety standard of 100 Bq/kg. In this study, we evaluated 17 cattle in the FNPP evacuation zone that had a (137) Cs blood level less than 10 Bq/kg. The results showed a linear correlation between blood (137) Cs and muscle (137) Cs (Y = 28.0X, R(2)  = 0.590) at low radioactivity concentration, indicating that cesium radioactivity in the muscle can be estimated from blood radioactivity. This technique would be useful in detecting high-risk cattle before they enter the market, and will contribute to food safety. © 2014 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Quantifying Atmospheric Fallout of Fukushima-derived Radioactive Isotopes in the Hawaiian Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, Trista; Dulai, Henrietta

2016-04-01

On March 11, 2011, several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered damage and released the radioisotopes iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium-137 into the atmosphere. A week later, these isotopes were detected in aerosols over the state of Hawaii and in milk samples analyzed from the Big Island. Because the detected levels were significantly below levels of health concern, the state did not attempt to quantify the deposition of these nuclides on the islands. This study estimated the magnitude of atmospheric fallout of cesium and iodine, and examined the patterns of cesium wet deposition with precipitation observed in March 2011. Mushroom and soil samples were collected along precipitation gradients on Oahu and the island of Hawaii and analyzed for cesium isotopes using gamma spectrometry. Fukushima-derived fallout was differentiated from historic nuclear weapons testing fallout by the presence of Cs-134, which has a shorter half-life of 2.06 years and the fact that Cs-134 and 137 were released from the severed power plant nearly in parity. We found that Fukushima-derived cesium was present in both mushrooms and soil and the soil inventories ranged 2.2-60.9 Bq/m2 for Cs-137 and 16.1-445.8 Bq/m2 for I-131. Additionally, we found that Fukushima-derived cesium inventories in soils were correlated with precipitation gradients. This research confirmed and quantified the presence of Fukushima-derived fallout in Hawaii, however the activities detected were orders of magnitude lower than fallout associated with the nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.

Distribution of radioactive cesium ((134)Cs Plus(137)Cs) in a contaminated Japanese soybean cultivar during the preparation of tofu, natto, and nimame (Boiled Soybean).

PubMed

Hachinohe, Mayumi; Kimura, Keitarou; Kubo, Yuji; Tanji, Katsuo; Hamamatsu, Shioka; Hagiwara, Shoji; Nei, Daisuke; Kameya, Hiromi; Nakagawa, Rikio; Matsukura, Ushio; Todoriki, Setsuko; Kawamoto, Shinichi

2013-06-01

We investigated the fate of radioactive cesium ((134)Cs plus (137)Cs) during the production of tofu, natto, and nimame (boiled soybean) from a contaminated Japanese soybean cultivar harvested in FY2011. Tofu, natto, and nimame were made from soybean grains containing radioactive cesium (240 to 340 Bq/kg [dry weight]), and the radioactive cesium in the processed soybean foods and in by-product fractions such as okara, broth, and waste water was measured with a germanium semiconductor detector. The processing factor is the ratio of radioactive cesium concentration of a product before and after processing. For tofu, natto, nimame, and for the by-product okara, processing factors were 0.12, 0.40, 0.20, and 0.18, respectively; this suggested that these three soybean foods and okara, used mainly as an animal feed, can be considered safe for human and animal consumption according to the standard limit for radioactive cesium of soybean grains. Furthermore, the ratio of radioactive cesium concentrations in the cotyledon, hypocotyl, and seed coat portions of the soybean grain was found to be approximately 1:1:0.4.

USSR Report, Life Sciences Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-15

G. P. Somov; ZHURNAL MIKROBIOLOGII, EPIDEMIOLOGII I IMMUNOBIOLOGII, No 10, Oct 83) 12 Modern Preventive Measures for Zoonotic Infections (V. P...However, the concentrations of strontium-90 and cesium- 137 in the milk , potatoes and vegetables remained virtually unchanged in the period...covered, with the cesium-137/strontium-90 ratio ranging from 0.45 (carrots) to 2.75 ( milk ) in 1980, and from 0.55 (beets) to 4.0 ( milk ) in 1981. [130

Radioactive pollution of the waters of the baltic sea during 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lazarev, L.N.; Kuznetsov, Yu.V.; Gedeonov, L.I.

Results are presented from an investigation of radioactive pollution of the waters of the Baltic Sea during 1986. Inhomogeneities in the pollution of this area of water, due to varying density of atmospheric radioactive fallout, are detected. It is found that among the radionuclides entering the surface of the Baltic Sea in 1986 as a result of atmospheric transport, the main one in terms of radiation dose is cesium-137. Comparisons are made of the level of cesium-137 content in the waters of the Baltic Sea in 1986 and in preceding years. It is noted that even in the most pollutedmore » regions of the sea the cesium-137 content was 500 times less than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) in the USSR for drinking water. The first results of the determination of plutonium-239 and 240 in the Baltic Sea are presented.« less

Measurements of cesium in Arctic beluga and caribou before and after the Fukushima accident of 2011.

PubMed

Stocki, T J; Gamberg, M; Loseto, L; Pellerin, E; Bergman, L; Mercier, J-F; Genovesi, L; Cooke, M; Todd, B; Sandles, D; Whyte, J; Wang, X

2016-10-01

Concern from northern communities following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident of March 2011 has prompted a reassessment of the safety of their traditional foods with respect to radioactivity levels. To this end, a study was conducted to measure the levels of radionuclides in Arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). The main radionuclide of concern is cesium-137, which is easily transferred through the lichen-caribou food chain. Previous studies have been conducted on the cesium-137 levels in Canadian caribou herds from 1958 to 2000, allowing researchers to determine the amount of cesium-137 in caribou specifically attributable to atmospheric weapons testing and the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. In this study, samples of lichens, mushrooms, caribou, beluga and beluga prey collected before and after the Fukushima accident were analyzed for radioactivity levels. Samples were processed and measured using gamma ray spectroscopy to identify the radionuclides present and determine the radioactivity concentration. Both calibration standards and Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine the efficiency of the detectors for the samples, taking into account differences in individual sample sizes as well as matrices. In particular, a careful analysis of the atomic composition of lichens and mushrooms was performed to ensure the efficiencies for these sample types were correct. A comparison of the concentrations from before and after the accident indicated that there was no increase in radioactivity as a result of the atmospheric plume from the Fukushima accident. Some cesium-137, likely attributable to fallout from atmospheric weapons testing of the 1950s and 1960s (since there was no cesium-134 measured in the samples), was measured in the post Fukushima caribou and beluga whale samples; however, this amount was determined to be insignificant for any radiological concern (9.1 ± 1.8 and 0.63 ± 0.23 Bq kg -1  ww respectively). The activity concentrations of cesium-137 was about 200 times smaller than that of natural radioactive potassium in the beluga samples. Both the caribou and beluga results showed that these foods continue to be a healthy food choice for northern Canadians with respect to radioactivity, and this result has been communicated to the nearby northern communities and stakeholders. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Historical Development of the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Monitoring and Investigative Programs at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho, 1949 to 2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

Cesium- 137 , Cobalt-60, and Chromium-51 ………………………………………… 12 Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), and Americium-241 ……………… 12 Iodine-129...1992) presented water-level data from the ESRPA collected from 1983 through 1990 from 137 wells. At the end of 2000, water levels in 203 aquifer and...Cesium- 137 , Cobalt-60, and Chromium-51 The USGS has routinely monitored ground water at the INEEL for gamma radiation since 1962. Gamma

137Cs exposure in the Marshallese populations: an assessment based on whole-body counting measurements (1989-1994).

PubMed

Sun, L C; Clinton, J H; Kaplan, E; Meinhold, C B

1997-07-01

The Marshall Islands were the site of numerous tests of nuclear weapons by the United States. From 1946 to 1958, nuclear devices were detonated at Enewetak and Bikini Atolls. Following the inadvertent contamination of the northern islands downwind of the 1954 Bravo Test, Brookhaven National Laboratory became involved in the medical care and the radiological safety of the affected populations. One important technique employed in assessing the internally deposited radionuclides is whole-body counting. To estimate current and future exposures to 137Cs, data from 1989 to 1994 were analyzed and are reported in this paper. During this period, 3,618 measurements were made for the Marshallese. The cesium body contents were assumed to result from a series of chronic intakes. Also, it was assumed that cesium activity in the body reaches a plateau that is maintained over 365 d. We estimated the annual effective dose rate for each population, derived from the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The average 137Cs uptake measured by the whole-body counting method varies from one population to another; it was consistent with measurements of external exposure rate. The analysis, though based on limited data, indicates that there is no statistical support for a seasonal effect on 137Cs uptake. The critical population group for cesium uptake is adult males. Within the 5-y monitoring period, all internal exposures to 137Cs were less than 0.2 mSv y(-1). Similarly, a persistent average cesium effective dose rate of 2 microSv y(-1) was determined for Majuro residents.

Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions

DOEpatents

Moyer, Bruce A.; Sachleben, Richard A.; Bonnesen, Peter V.; Presley, Derek J.

2001-01-01

A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix[4]arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.

SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF STRONTIUM AND CESIUM FROM SIMULATED WASTE SOLUTION WITH TITANATE ION-EXCHANGERS IN A FILTER CARTRIDGE CONFIGURATIONS-12092

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oji, L.; Martin, K.; Hobbs, D.

2012-01-03

Experimental results for the selective removal of strontium and cesium from simulated waste solutions with monosodium titanate and crystalline silicotitanate laden filter cartridges are presented. In these proof-of-principle tests, effective uptake of both strontium-85 and cesium-137 were observed using ion-exchangers in this filter cartridge configuration. At low salt simulant conditions, the instantaneous decontamination factor for strontium-85 with monosodium titanate impregnated filter membrane cartridges measured 26, representing 96% strontium-85 removal efficiency. On the other hand, the strontium-85 instantaneous decontamination factor with co-sintered active monosodium titanate cartridges measured 40 or 98% Sr-85 removal efficiency. Strontium-85 removal with the monosodium titanate impregnated membranemore » cartridges and crystalline silicotitanate impregnated membrane cartridges, placed in series arrangement, produced an instantaneous decontamination factor of 41 compared to an instantaneous decontamination factor of 368 for strontium-85 with co-sintered active monosodium titanate cartridges and co-sintered active crystalline silicotitanate cartridges placed in series. Overall, polyethylene co-sintered active titanates cartridges performed as well as titanate impregnated filter membrane cartridges in the uptake of strontium. At low ionic strength conditions, there was a significant uptake of cesium-137 with co-sintered crystalline silicotitanate cartridges. Tests results with crystalline silicotitanate impregnated membrane cartridges for cesium-137 decontamination are currently being re-evaluated. Based on these preliminary findings we conclude that incorporating monosodium titanate and crystalline silicotitanate sorbents into membranes represent a promising method for the semicontinuous removal of radioisotopes of strontium and cesium from nuclear waste solutions.« less

FAST NEUTRON DOSIMETER FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE OPERATION BY MEASUREMENT OF THE AMOUNT OF CESIUM 137 FORMED FROM A THORIUM WIRE

DOEpatents

McCune, D.A.

1964-03-17

A method and device for measurement of integrated fast neutron flux in the presence of a large thermal neutron field are described. The device comprises a thorium wire surrounded by a thermal neutron attenuator that is, in turn, enclosed by heat-resistant material. The method consists of irradiating the device in a neutron field whereby neutrons with energies in excess of 1.1 Mev cause fast fissions in the thorium, then removing the thorium wire, separating the cesium-137 fission product by chemical means from the thorium, and finally counting the radioactivity of the cesium to determine the number of fissions which have occurred so that the integrated fast flux may be obtained. (AEC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chakravarti, D.; Held, E.E.

Radiocesium and stable potassium levels were determined in samples of muscle tissue of Birgus latro, the coconut crab, collected at Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands, during March and August 1958 and March 1959, and at Utirik Atoll in March 1959. Levels of cesium-137 ranged betwoen 731 d/m/g dry weight at Kabelle Island, Rongelap Atoll, and 28 d/m/g dry weight at Utirik Island, Utirik Atoll. The average potassium value for all samples was 13.05 mg/g dry weight with a standard deviation of 3.66. No significant correlation between cesium-l37 and potassium levels was found. There wse no significant difference in the average levelsmore » of cesium-137 in crabs collected at different times at the same island. (auth)« less

Temporal variation of cesium isotope concentrations and atom ratios in zooplankton in the Pacific off the east coast of Japan.

PubMed

Ikenoue, Takahito; Takata, Hyoe; Kusakabe, Masashi; Kudo, Natsumi; Hasegawa, Kazuyuki; Ishimaru, Takashi

2017-01-04

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011, concentrations of cesium isotopes ( 133 Cs, 134 Cs, and 137 Cs) were measured in zooplankton collected in the Pacific off the east coast of Japan from May 2012 to February 2015. The time series of the data exhibited sporadic 137 Cs concentration peaks in zooplankton. In addition, the atom ratio of 137 Cs/ 133 Cs in zooplankton was consistently high compared to that in ambient seawater throughout the sampling period. These phenomena cannot be explained fully by the bioaccumulation of 137 Cs in zooplankton via ambient seawater intake, the inclusion of resuspended sediment in the plankton sample, or the taxonomic composition of the plankton. Autoradiography revealed highly radioactive particles within zooplankton samples, which could be the main factor underlying the sporadic appearance of high 137 Cs concentrations in zooplankton as well as the higher ratio of 137 Cs/ 133 Cs in zooplankton than in seawater.

Temporal variation of cesium isotope concentrations and atom ratios in zooplankton in the Pacific off the east coast of Japan

PubMed Central

Ikenoue, Takahito; Takata, Hyoe; Kusakabe, Masashi; Kudo, Natsumi; Hasegawa, Kazuyuki; Ishimaru, Takashi

2017-01-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011, concentrations of cesium isotopes (133Cs, 134Cs, and 137Cs) were measured in zooplankton collected in the Pacific off the east coast of Japan from May 2012 to February 2015. The time series of the data exhibited sporadic 137Cs concentration peaks in zooplankton. In addition, the atom ratio of 137Cs/133Cs in zooplankton was consistently high compared to that in ambient seawater throughout the sampling period. These phenomena cannot be explained fully by the bioaccumulation of 137Cs in zooplankton via ambient seawater intake, the inclusion of resuspended sediment in the plankton sample, or the taxonomic composition of the plankton. Autoradiography revealed highly radioactive particles within zooplankton samples, which could be the main factor underlying the sporadic appearance of high 137Cs concentrations in zooplankton as well as the higher ratio of 137Cs/133Cs in zooplankton than in seawater. PMID:28051136

Concentration and immobilization of 137Cs from liquid radioactive waste using sorbents based on hydrated titanium and zirconium oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronina, A. V.; Noskova, A. Y.; Gritskevich, E. Y.; Mashkovtsev, M. A.; Semenishchev, V. S.

2017-09-01

The possibility of use of sorbents based on hydrated titanium and zirconium oxides (T-3A, T-35, NPF-HTD) for concentration and immobilization of 137Cs from liquid radioactive waste of various chemical composition (fresh water, seawater, solutions containing NaNO3, ammonium acetate, EDTA) was evaluated. It was shown that the NPF-HTD and T-35 sorbents separate 137Cs from fresh water and seawater with distribution coefficients as high as 6.2.104 and 6.1.104, 4.0.105 and 1.6.105 L kg-1 respectively; in 1 M ammonium acetate these values were 2.0.103 and 1.0.103 L kg-1. The NPF-HTD sorbent showed the highest selectivity for cesium in NaNO3 solution: cesium distribution coefficients in 1M NaNO3 was 1.4.106 L kg-1. All studied sorbents are suitable for deactivation of solutions containing EDTA. Cesium distribution coefficients were around 102-103 L kg-1 depending on EDTA concentration. Chemical stability of the sorbents was also studied. It was shown that 137Cs leaching rate from all sorbents meet the requirements for matrix materials.

Chornobyl, radiation, neural tube defects, and microcephaly.

PubMed

Wertelecki, Wladimir; Yevtushok, Lyubov; Kuznietsov, Illia; Komov, Oleksandr; Lapchenko, Serhii; Akhmedzanova, Diana; Ostapchuk, Lyubov

2018-06-13

Pregnant women residing in areas impacted by the Chornobyl ionizing radiation of the Rivne Province in Ukraine have persistent higher levels of incorporated cesium-137. In these areas the neural tube defects and microcephaly rates are significantly higher than in areas with lower maternal cesium-137 incorporated levels. In two Rivne counties with populations proximal to nuclear power plants the rates of neural tube defects and microcephaly are the highest in the province. The neural tube defects rates in Rivne are persistently among the highest in Europe. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cesium-137 Fallout in Indiana Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitman, Richard T.

Atomic weapons testing during the Cold War and accidents at nuclear power plants have resulted in the release of radioactive fallout over great distances. Little is known about levels of fallout deposited in Indiana. The reported study sampled soil in all 92 Indiana counties to determine the present level of cesium-137 from the 2 to 12 centimeter depth from previous nuclear tests and other nuclear releases. A total of 67 samples were collected from forested areas and 25 from grasslands, both undisturbed since 1940, along with four controls from crawl spaces. Greater Cs-137 retention occurred in the forested areas at approximately a 2:1 ratio. Other parameters investigated included soil clay content, rate of rainfall, and soil pH. Each variable was examined for possible statistical correlation with Cs-137 retention. Both clay content and combined clay content/rainfall were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with soil Cs-137 levels. The four controls showed very low values of Cs-137 indicating the movement of sub-micron sized fallout into areas considered safe from fallout. The Cs-137 data from this study will serve as a reliable baseline of Cs-137 levels in the event of a future release of fallout.

Testicular steroidogenesis is not altered by 137 cesium Chernobyl fallout, following in utero or post-natal chronic exposure.

PubMed

Grignard, Elise; Guéguen, Yann; Grison, Stéphane; Dublineau, Isabelle; Gourmelon, Patrick; Souidi, Maâmar

2010-05-01

The testis is especially sensitive to pollutants, including radionuclides. Following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, several of these radionuclides were emitted and spread in the environment. Subsequently, children presented some disruptions of the endocrine system. To determine whether these disruptions were due to 137 cesium ((137)Cs) exposure, the effects of chronic contamination with low doses of (137)Cs in utero or from birth on testicular steroidogenesis in rats were studied. Contamination was continued for 9 months. No modification was observed in circulating level of hormones (17beta-estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone) following in utero or post-natal contamination. Expression of several genes involved in testicular steroidogenesis was affected (cyp19a1, fxr, sf-1), without modification of protein expression or activity. Our results suggest that growing organisms may be affected at the molecular level by (137)Cs contamination at this post-accidental dose. Copyright 2010 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples

DOE PAGES

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.; Delmore, James E.

2016-01-18

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1–3 and spent fuel ponds 1–4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100–250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequentialmore » ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios from samples 100–250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. 135Cs/ 137Cs versus 134Cs/ 137Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. In conclusion, cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.« less

Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.; Delmore, James E.

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1–3 and spent fuel ponds 1–4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100–250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequentialmore » ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios from samples 100–250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. 135Cs/ 137Cs versus 134Cs/ 137Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. In conclusion, cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.« less

Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples.

PubMed

Snow, Mathew S; Snyder, Darin C; Delmore, James E

2016-02-28

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1-3 and spent fuel ponds 1-4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100-250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequential ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which (135)Cs/(137) Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios from samples 100-250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. (135)Cs/(137)Cs versus (134)Cs/(137)Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. Cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The effect of mineral composition on the sorption of cesium ions on geological formations.

PubMed

Kónya, József; Nagy, Noémi M; Nemes, Zoltán

2005-10-15

The sorption of cesium-137 on rock samples, mainly on clay rocks, is determined as a function of the mineral composition of the rocks. A relation between the mineral groups (tectosilicates, phyllosilicates, clay minerals, carbonates) and their cesium sorption properties is shown. A linear model is constructed by which the distribution coefficients of the different minerals can be calculated from the mineral composition and the net distribution coefficient of the rock. On the basis of the distribution coefficients of the minerals the cesium sorption properties of other rocks can be predicted.

Results of Several Years Experiments on the Absorption of Radioactive Strontium and Cesium by Cultivated Plants; COMPTE RENDU D'EXPERIENCES DE PLUSIEURS ANNEES SUR L'ABSORPTION DU STRONTIUM ET DU CESIUM RADIOACTIES PAR DES PLANTES CULTIVEES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huguet, F. et al.

1962-01-01

The absorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by vines, permanent pasture, potatoes, green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and beans in France in 1960 is presented. The strontium coefficient has varied very little from one year to the next and that of cesium has slightly diminished. The values obtained suggest that the concentrations in irrigation water should not exceed one fifth of the maximum permissible concentration in drinking water. (auth)

Cesium isotope ratios as indicators of nuclear power plant operations.

PubMed

Delmore, James E; Snyder, Darin C; Tranter, Troy; Mann, Nick R

2011-11-01

There are multiple paths by which radioactive cesium can reach the effluent from reactor operations. The radioactive (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios are controlled by these paths. In an effort to better understand the origin of this radiation, these (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios in effluents from three power reactor sites have been measured in offsite samples. These ratios are different from global fallout by up to six fold and as such cannot have a significant component from this source. A cesium ratio for a sample collected outside of the plant boundary provides integration over the operating life of the reactor. A sample collected inside the plant at any given time can be much different from this lifetime ratio. The measured cesium ratios vary significantly for the three reactors and indicate that the multiple paths have widely varying levels of contributions. There are too many ways these isotopes can fractionate to be useful for quantitative evaluations of operating parameters in an offsite sample, although it may be possible to obtain limited qualitative information for an onsite sample. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RADIATION SOURCES

DOEpatents

Brucer, M.H.

1958-04-15

A novel long-lived source of gamma radiation especially suitable for calibration purposes is described. The source of gamma radiation is denoted mock iodine131, which comprises a naixture of barium-133 and cesium-137. The barium and cesium are present in a barium-cesium ratio of approximately 5.7/1 to 14/1, uniformly dispersed in an ion exchange resin and a filter surrounding the resin comprised of a material of atomic number below approximately 51, and substantially 0.7 to 0.9 millimeter thick.

Investigation of the unusual behavior of cesium-137 and other radionuclides in the Florida environment. Progress report, September 1, 1975--August 31, 1976. [Digitaria decumbens, Paspalum notatum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gamble, J.F.

1976-01-01

The most significant development in the contract year was the documentation of the presence of endomycorrhizal, vesicular arbuscular (V-A) mycorrhizae in the pasture systems of south Florida that have the elevated levels of cesium-137 activity. In all samples the V-A hyphal network was well developed and growing throughout the particles of organic matter. The organic particles are held in a loose, aggregate structure by the hyphal network. In improved pastures of Digitaria decumbens (pangola) and Paspalum notatum (bahiagrass) the root infection ranged from 24 to 95 percent. The principle association was Gigaspora and Glomus sp. In the unimproved pastures ofmore » mostly Aristida stricta (wiregrass) and Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) the infection was 70 percent and only Acaulospora laevis was found. Experiments are in progress to show whether there are differences in cesium uptake between mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal grass plants. The test grass is pangola. Greenhouse tests involve V-A mycorrhizal control using a fungicide, the infection of grass cuttings with mycorrhizal strains found in the test area. These pot experiments will serve as pilot programs for field experiments. The effects of ectomycorrhizal associations on uptake of cesium in pine seedlings is also being studied. Analysis of the dynamics of organic matter cycling in a mesic hardwood forest shows that the rates of organic matter flow are similar to tropical systems although the plant species are warm temperate. The increased tempo of organic turnover probably contributes to the observed higher-than-expected levels of cesium-137 activity in Florida biosystems.« less

A biokinetic model for {sup 137}Cs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Melo, D.R.; Lipsztein, J.L.; Oliveira, C.A.N.

1997-08-01

An improved biokinetic model for {sup 137}Cs in humans was developed based on an analysis of data obtained from individuals internally contaminated during an accident in Goiania, Brazil, and other data. Seventeen children (ten girls and seven boys 1-10 y old), ten adolescents (four females and six males), and thirty adults, (fifteen females and fifteen males) contaminated in the accident in Goiania contributed to this study. {sup 137}Cs retention was determined through periodic measurements in a whole-body counter. In addition to the data on {sup 137}Cs retention from these individuals, data from a study on the metabolism of {sup 137}Csmore » in immature, adult, and aged Beagle dogs and data from the literature were used in the formulation of the {sup 137}Cs biokinetic model presented. Mathematically, the retention of cesium is described by three exponential terms, and the retention model is based on a step function of body weight. When the ICRP Publication 56 model for cesium was compared to the model suggested in this paper, it was determined that the ICRP model predicts lower effective doses in 5-y-old children and higher effective doses in infants, adolescents, and adults.« less

Desorption of radioactive cesium by seawater from the suspended particles in river water.

PubMed

Onodera, Masaki; Kirishima, Akira; Nagao, Seiya; Takamiya, Kouichi; Ohtsuki, Tsutomu; Akiyama, Daisuke; Sato, Nobuaki

2017-10-01

In 2011, the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant dispersed radioactive cesium throughout the environment, contaminating the land, rivers, and sea. Suspended particles containing clay minerals are the transportation medium for radioactive cesium from rivers to the ocean because cesium is strongly adsorbed between the layers of clay minerals, forming inner sphere complexes. In this study, the adsorption and desorption behaviors of radioactive cesium from suspended clay particles in river water have been investigated. The radioactive cesium adsorption and desorption experiments were performed with two kinds of suspended particulate using a batch method with 137 Cs tracers. In the cesium adsorption treatment performed before the desorption experiments, simulated river water having a total cesium concentration ([ 133+137 Cs + ] total ) of 1.3 nM (10 -9  mol/L) was used. The desorption experiments were mainly conducted at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 0.17 g/L. The desorption agents were natural seawater collected at 10 km north of the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant, artificial seawater, solutions of NaCl, KCl, NH 4 Cl, and 133 CsCl, and ultrapure water. The desorption behavior, which depends on the preloaded cesium concentration in the suspended particles, was also investigated. Based on the cesium desorption experiments using suspended particles, which contained about 1000 ng/g loaded cesium, the order of cesium desorption ratios for each desorption agent was determined as 1 M NaCl (80%) > 470 mM NaCl (65%) > 1 M KCl (30%) ≈ seawater (natural seawater and Daigo artificial seawater) > 1 M NH 4 Cl (20%) > 1 M 133 CsCl (15%) ≫ ultrapure water (2%). Moreover, an interesting result was obtained: The desorption ratio in the 470 mM NaCl solution was much higher than that in seawater, even though the Na + concentrations were identical. These results indicate that the cesium desorption mechanism is not a simple ion exchange reaction but is strongly related to structural changes in the clay minerals in the suspended particles. Hydrated Na + ions expand the interlayer distance of the clay minerals, resulting in the facile desorption of cesium; in contrast, dehydrated K + ions reduce the interlayer distance and inhibit the desorption of cesium. In conclusion, the desorption of cesium from the suspended particles is controlled by the presence of sodium and potassium ions and the preloaded cesium concentration in the suspended particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel Fission-Product Separation based on Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Robin D.

2004-12-31

U.S. DOE's underground storage tanks at Hanford, SRS, and INEEL contain liquid wastes with high concentrations of radioactive cesium-137 and strontium-90. Because the primary chemical components of alkaline supernatants are sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, the majority of this could be disposed of as low level waste if radioactive cesium-137 and strontium- 90 could be selectively removed. The underlying goal of this project was to investigate the application of ionic liquids as novel solvents for new solvent extraction processes for separation of cesium-137 and strontium-90 from tank wastes. Ionic liquids are a distinct sub-set of liquids, comprising only of cationsmore » and anions they are proving to be increasingly interesting fluids for application in systems from electrochemistry to energetic materials, and are also rapidly establishing their promise as viable media for synthesis and separations operations. Properties including low melting points, electrochemical conductivity, wide liquid ranges, lack of vapor-pressure, and chemical tunability have encouraged researchers to explore the uses of ILs in place of volatile organic solvents. The most promising current developments arise from control of the unique combinations of chemical and physical properties characteristic of ionic liquids.« less

Radiological Conditions on Rongelap Atoll: Perspective on Resettlement of Rongelap Atoll

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T F

2003-02-01

The most widely accepted international guidelines for protection of the public from ionizing radiation and in circumstances related to intervention strategies to reduce exposures to preexisting conditions, such as those on Rongelap Island, come from the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the National Council on Radiation Protection and the International Atomic Energy Agency. By all internationally agreed scientific criteria, present radiological conditions on Rongelap Island are considered safe for permanent resettlement. Safe implies that no additional cancer deaths are expected among those living on Rongelap Island beyond the number that would occur in a community of the same population size,more » similar ages and mix of males and females, who do not experience exposure to residual fallout by living on the island. It is expected that the average dose received by Rongelap Island residents will fall well below the dose adopted by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal considered a ''safe'' or acceptable health risk. These conclusions are supported by environmental measurements and assessments performed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) including the results of radiological surveillance of resettlement workers living on Rongelap Island for various lengths of time from 1999 through 2002, and independent studies conducted by Japanese scientists. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons was responsible for the widespread dispersion of radioactive fallout around the globe. Rongelap Island received higher levels of fallout from local or close-in fallout deposition from nuclear testing on Bikini Atoll. The main pathway for exposure to radiation from the bomb testing is ''internally'' through ingestion of radioactive cesium (cesium-137) taken up from the soil into locally grown foodstuffs. Resettlement workers living on Rongelap Island who ate local foods have volunteered to have the cesium-137 content of their bodies measured. The measuring device is called a whole body counter. A person relaxes in a chair for a few minutes while counts are taken using a detector a few inches away from the body. The whole body counting program on Rongelap Island was established under a cooperative agreement between the Rongelap Atoll Local Government (RALG), the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Local technicians from Rongelap continue to operate the facility under supervision of scientists from LLNL. Whole body counting data collected on resettlement workers during the initial phases of resettlement can tell us what exposure level a permanently resettled population could reasonably expect. The average internal dose to resettlement workers from cesium-137 is less than 1 mrem (0.01 mSv) per year. The highest individual dose observed over the last 3-years was less than 4 mrem (0.04 mSv) per year. The RALG-DOE resettlement support plan also calls for spreading potassium fertilizer across the agricultural areas to prevent the uptake of cesium-137 into plants. Fertilization will reduce the dietary intake of cesium-137 and reduce the dose to island residents. By 2004, over 70 percent of the cesium-137 deposition in soil from fallout in 1954 will have decayed to a non-radioactive substance. Over the next 10-20 years, more than one-half of the remaining cesium-137 in the soil and vegetation of the atoll islands will have disappeared by decay or washed out of the soil by rain. Removing some soil, applying crushed coral around living areas, and spreading potassium fertilizer across agricultural areas will reduce the level of radiation exposure in the resettled population to levels below those considered safe by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal and to levels well below those considered safe by the international scientific community.« less

Use of charcoals and broiler litter biochar for removal of radioactive cesium (Cs-134 plus Cs-137) from contaminated water

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Various charcoals (used in food processing and water treatment) and broiler litter biochar were examined for ability to adsorb water-soluble low-level radioactive cesium (ca. 200-250 Bq/kg) extracted from contaminated wheat bran. Among the materials tested, steam activated broiler litter biochar was...

Removal of radioactive cesium (134Cs plus 137Cs) from low-level contaminated water by charcoal and broiler litter biochar

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Various charcoals (used in food processing and water treatment) and broiler litter biochar were examined for ability to adsorb water-soluble low-level radioactive cesium (ca. 200-250 Bq/kg) extracted from contaminated wheat bran. Among the materials tested, steam activated broiler litter biochar was...

Dirty Bomb Fallout

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates-Anderson, D; Rasmussen, C; Fischer, R

2007-05-02

At present, there is a significant need to develop decontamination agents that can be used effectively after detonation of a radiological dispersal device (RDD) in an urban environment. There is also a need for the development of reproducible test surfaces to be used to determine the efficacy of the agent being developed. Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), under the auspices of the US Department of Energy (DoE), conducted a field study to evaluate the deposition of an explosively dispersed radionuclide surrogate (CsCl) on grime-bearing and non-grime-bearing urban surfaces. The goal was to investigate the preparation and contamination ofmore » urban surfaces that closely mimic what one would expect to encounter following the detonation of an RDD. Migration of Cs into concrete surfaces was investigated in detail. Many non-proliferation, security and response organizations that have modeled RDD scenarios use cesium-137, as well as cobalt-60, strontium-90, americium-241 as the most likely RDD agents. Cesium-137 is an isotope of concern for possible use in an RDD due to its potential availability resulting from its widespread legitimate use in construction, geotechnical and medical industrial devices. In some Cs-containing instruments the Cesium-137 is present as the highly dispersible and water soluble salt, cesium chloride (CsCl). In this form Cs is able to rapidly disperse in the environment, as witnessed in the 1987 Goiania accident in Brazil, when inadvertent dispersal of a radiotherapy source resulted in fatalities and injuries.« less

EFFECTS OF HYDROBIOTITES UPON STRONTIUM-89 AND CESIUM-137 RETENTION BY RUMINANT ANIMALS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansard, S.L.

1964-02-01

Radiochemicai studies with ruminant animals indicate that activated verxites, a nearly pure hydrobiotite, effectively bind Sr-89 and Cs-137 in vitro and in vivo, thus increasing excretion rate and quantity of these radionuclides injected or ingested at tracer levels. (auth)

Estimation of concentration of radionuclides in skeletal muscle from blood, based on the data from abandoned animals in Fukushima.

PubMed

Fukuda, Tomokazu

2018-06-01

The damage caused by the earthquake on 11 March, 2011 resulted in a serious nuclear accident in Japan. Due to the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), large amounts of radioactive substances were released into the environment. In particular, one of the largest safety concerns is radioactive cesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs). Due to the FNPP nuclear accident, a 20 km area was restricted from human activity, and various types of domestic animals were left in the zone. We collected the organs and tissues from sacrificed animals to obtain scientific data to evaluate the internal deposition of radioactive compounds. At first, we found there is a strong correlation between blood 137 Cs and organ 137 Cs with data from 44 cattle, indicating that skeletal muscle is the target organ of deposition of radioactive cesium. Second, we analyzed the relationship between blood 137 Cs and muscle 137 Cs within relatively lower radioactive concentration, suggesting that estimation of concentration of 137 Cs is possible from blood concentration of 137 Cs. Finally, we developed computer software to estimate the muscle 137 Cs concentration from blood samples. Our study contributes to the food safety of livestock products. © 2018 The Authors. Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Evaluation of PAN-based manganese dioxide composite for the sorptive removal of cesium-137 from aqueous solutions.

PubMed

Nilchi, A; Saberi, R; Garmarodi, S Rasouli; Bagheri, A

2012-02-01

Hydrous manganese dioxide-polyacrylonitrile (MnO(2)-PAN) was chemically synthesized and evaluated, as an organic-inorganic composite material, for the removal of radio-contaminant cesium-137 from aqueous solutions. The physico-chemical characterization was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), CHN elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption studies and thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC). Batch experiments were carried out as a function of contact time, interference of the coexisting ions and initial pH of adsorptive solution applying a radiotracer technique. The effect of temperature on the distribution coefficient of cesium has been utilized in order to evaluate the changes in the standard thermodynamic parameters. The results indicated that Cs(+) ions could be efficiently removed using MnO(2)-PAN composite in the pH range of 4-9 from aqueous solutions and the uptake of cesium is affected to varying degrees by the presence of some diverse co-ions. The equilibrium isotherms have been determined and the sorption data were successfully modeled using Freundlich model. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Interim Clearance Strategy for Environments Contaminated with Cesium-137

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

Goiania) and those containing 137Cs and other radionuclides ( Chernobyl ). Another group contains documents relevant to site survey 3 procedures...residents of the contaminated areas. Recovery experience from the Chernobyl incident have demonstrated that direct involvement of inhabitants and local

Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Interim Clearance Strategy for Environments Contaminated with Hazardous Chemicals

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

on the cleanup of specific sites: those containing only cesium-137 (Goiania) and those containing 137Cs and other radionuclides ( Chernobyl ...targets and consider initiatives to enhance the quality of life of the residents of the contaminated areas. Recovery experience from the Chernobyl

On the occurrence and origin of anthropogenic radionuclides found in a fragment of the Chelyabinsk (LL5) meteorite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querfeld, Rebecca; Tanha, Mohammad R.; Heyer, Lars; Renz, Franz; Guggenberger, Georg; Brandstätter, Franz; Ferrière, Ludovic; Koeberl, Christian; Steinhauser, Georg

2017-06-01

A piece of the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite was investigated for its content of anthropogenic radionuclides. In addition to traces of cesium-137 that had been previously reported for this particular fragment, we found an unusually high amount of strontium-90, which indicates that the source of this contamination was the Kyshtym accident (1957). A high Sr-90/Cs-137 activity ratio is characteristic for Kyshtym-derived contaminations. Based on the cesium-137 content in the soil from the finding site, it is estimated that the fragment was contaminated with soil particles in the milligram range upon impact. Investigation of the soil revealed very unusual ferromagnetic characteristics and an iron-rich chemical composition. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicated the presence of steel components in this soil, suggesting that the investigated meteorite fragment was found in an industrial dumping site rather than natural soil.

METHOD FOR THE RECOVERY OF CESIUM VALUES

DOEpatents

Rimshaw, S.J.

1960-02-16

A method is given for recovering Cs/sup 137/ from radioactive waste solutions together with extraneous impurities. Ammonium alum is precipitated in the waste solution. The alum, which carries the cesium, is separated from the supernatant liquid and then dissolved in water. The resulting aqueous solution is then provided with a source of hydroxyl ions, which precipitates aluminum as the hydroxide, and the aluminum hydroxide is separated from the resulting liquid. This liquid, which contains anionic impurities together with ammonium and cesium, is passed through an anion exchange resin bed which removes the anionic impurities. The ammonium in the effluent is removed by destructive distiilation, leaving a substantiaily pure cesium salt in the effluent.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwantes, Jon M.

Kelly Fitzgerald Kelly Fitzgerald assisted with laboratory testing for an ongoing R&D project known as Electrochemically Modulated Separation (EMS) for on-line rapid preseparations of actinides prior to mass spectrometry analysis. Ryne Burgess Ryne Burgess used SCALE 5.1 ORIGEN-ARP to predict isotope libraries for the Units 1, 2 and 3 reactors and Unit 4 spent fuel pool for comparing against measurements of environmental sampled collected at the site in order to identify the source terms of the accident. Comparison of the cesium 134/137 and cesium 136/137 ratios observed in environmental samples and ORIGEN-ARP predictions indicated that the Unit 4 Spent Fuelmore » Pool did not significantly contribute to radionuclide release during the Fukushima Daiichi accident.« less

In vivo effects of chronic contamination with 137 cesium on testicular and adrenal steroidogenesis.

PubMed

Grignard, Elise; Guéguen, Yann; Grison, Stéphane; Lobaccaro, Jean-Marc A; Gourmelon, Patrick; Souidi, Maâmar

2008-09-01

More than 20 years after Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, radionuclides are still mainly bound to the organic soil layers. The radiation exposure is dominated by the external exposure to gamma-radiation following the decay of (137)Cs and by soil-to-plant-to-human transfer of (137)Cs into the food chain. Because of this persistence of contamination with (137)Cs, questions regarding public health for people living in contaminated areas were raised. We investigated the biological effects of chronic exposure to (137)Cs on testicular and adrenal steroidogenesis metabolisms in rat. Animals were exposed to radionuclide in their drinking water for 9 months at a dose of 6,500 Bq/l (610 Bq/kg/day). Cesium contamination decreases the level of circulating 17beta-estradiol, and increases corticosterone level. In testis, several nuclear receptors messenger expression is disrupted; levels of mRNA encoding Liver X receptor alpha (LXRalpha) and LXRbeta are increased, whereas farnesoid X receptor mRNA presents a lower level. Adrenal metabolism presents a paradoxical decrease in cyp11a1 gene expression. In conclusion, our results show for the first time molecular and hormonal modifications in testicular and adrenal steroidogenic metabolism, induced by chronic contamination with low doses of (137)Cs.

A method for estimating radioactive cesium concentrations in cattle blood using urine samples.

PubMed

Sato, Itaru; Yamagishi, Ryoma; Sasaki, Jun; Satoh, Hiroshi; Miura, Kiyoshi; Kikuchi, Kaoru; Otani, Kumiko; Okada, Keiji

2017-12-01

In the region contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear accident, radioactive contamination of live cattle should be checked before slaughter. In this study, we establish a precise method for estimating radioactive cesium concentrations in cattle blood using urine samples. Blood and urine samples were collected from a total of 71 cattle on two farms in the 'difficult-to-return zone'. Urine 137 Cs, specific gravity, electrical conductivity, pH, sodium, potassium, calcium, and creatinine were measured and various estimation methods for blood 137 Cs were tested. The average error rate of the estimation was 54.2% without correction. Correcting for urine creatinine, specific gravity, electrical conductivity, or potassium improved the precision of the estimation. Correcting for specific gravity using the following formula gave the most precise estimate (average error rate = 16.9%): [blood 137 Cs] = [urinary 137 Cs]/([specific gravity] - 1)/329. Urine samples are faster to measure than blood samples because urine can be obtained in larger quantities and has a higher 137 Cs concentration than blood. These advantages of urine and the estimation precision demonstrated in our study, indicate that estimation of blood 137 Cs using urine samples is a practical means of monitoring radioactive contamination in live cattle. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Assessment of radiation exposure from cesium-137 contaminated roads for epidemiological studies in Seoul, Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Yun-Keun; Ju, Young-Su; Lee, Won Jin; Hwang, Seung Sik; Yim, Sang-Hyuk; Yoo, Sang-Chul; Lee, Jieon; Choi, Kyung-Hwa; Burm, Eunae; Ha, Mina

2015-01-01

We aimed to assess the radiation exposure for epidemiologic investigation in residents exposed to radiation from roads that were accidentally found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium-137 ((137)Cs) in Seoul. Using information regarding the frequency and duration of passing via the (137)Cs contaminated roads or residing/working near the roads from the questionnaires that were obtained from 8875 residents and the measured radiation doses reported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, we calculated the total cumulative dose of radiation exposure for each person. Sixty-three percent of the residents who responded to the questionnaire were considered as ever-exposed and 1% of them had a total cumulative dose of more than 10 mSv. The mean (minimum, maximum) duration of radiation exposure was 4.75 years (0.08, 11.98) and the geometric mean (minimum, maximum) of the total cumulative dose was 0.049 mSv (<0.001, 35.35) in the exposed. An individual exposure assessment was performed for an epidemiological study to estimate the health risk among residents living in the vicinity of (137)Cs contaminated roads. The average exposure dose in the exposed people was less than 5% of the current guideline.

Fukushima-derived radiocesium fallout in Hawaiian soils.

PubMed

McKenzie, Trista; Dulai, Henrietta

2017-12-01

Several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered damage on March 11, 2011, resulting in the release of radiocesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs), as well as other radionuclides, into the atmosphere. A week later, these isotopes were detected in aerosols over the state of Hawai'i and in milk samples analyzed on the island of Hawai'i. This study estimated the magnitude of cesium deposition in soil, collected in 2015-2016, resulting from atmospheric fallout. It also examined the patterns of cesium wet deposition with precipitation observed on O'ahu and the island of Hawai'i following the disaster. Fukushima-derived fallout was differentiated from historic nuclear weapons testing fallout by the presence of 134 Cs and the assumption that the 134 Cs to 137 Cs ratio was 1:1. Detectable, Fukushima-derived 134 Cs inventories ranged from 30 to 630 Bq m -2 and 137 Cs inventories ranged from 20 to 2200 Bq m -2 . Fukushima-derived cesium inventories in soils were related to precipitation gradients, particularly in areas where rainfall exceeded 200 mm between March 19 and April 4, 2011. This research confirmed and quantified the presence of Fukushima-derived fallout in the state of Hawai'i in amounts higher than predicted by models and observed in the United States mainland, however the activities detected were an order of magnitude lower than fallout associated with historic sources such as the nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. In addition, this study showed that areas of highest cesium deposition do not overlap with densely populated or agriculturally used areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in airborne 134Cs, 137Cs, particulate 131I and 7Be maximum activities at high-altitude European locations after the arrival of Fukushima-labeled air masses.

PubMed

Masson, Olivier; Bieringer, Jacqueline; Brattich, Erika; Dalheimer, Axel; Estier, Sybille; Penev, Ilia; Ringer, Wolfgang; Schlosser, Clemens; Steinkopff, Thomas; Steinmann, Philipp; Tositti, Laura; Van Beek, Pieter; Vismes-Ott, Anne de

2016-10-01

The Fukushima-labeled air mass arrival, and later the cesium-134 ( 134 Cs), cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) and particulate iodine-131 (hereafter noted 131 I p ) maximum levels were registered in Europe at different dates depending on the location. Most of those data were obtained at low-altitude sampling areas. Here, we compare the airborne levels registered at different high-altitude European locations (from 850 m to about 3500 m). The integrated 137 Cs activity concentration was not uniform with regard to the altitude even after a long travel time/distance from Japan. Moreover, the relation of integrated 137 Cs vs. altitude showed a linear decrease up to an altitude of about 3000 m. A similar trend was noticed for 131 I p (particulate fraction) while it increased above 3000 m. Comparison with 7 Be activity concentration showed that, as far as the high altitude location is concerned, the 137 Cs and 134 Cs maximum concentrations corresponded to the 7 Be maximum, suggesting downdraft movements from high tropospheric or stratospheric layers to be responsible for 137,134 Cs increase and peak values. This was also confirmed by high potential vorticity and low relative humidity registered during the peak values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular modifications of cholesterol metabolism in the liver and the brain after chronic contamination with cesium 137.

PubMed

Racine, R; Grandcolas, L; Grison, S; Gourmelon, P; Guéguen, Y; Veyssière, G; Souidi, M

2009-07-01

Twenty years after Chernobyl accident, the daily ingestion of foodstuff grown on contaminated grounds remains the main source for internal exposure to ionizing radiations, and primarily to cesium 137 ((137)Cs). Though the effects of a long-term internal contamination with radionuclides are poorly documented, several non-cancerous pathologies have been described in this population. However, lipid metabolism was never investigated after chronic internal contamination although disturbances were observed in externally-exposed people. In this regard, we assessed the effects of a chronic ingestion of (137)Cs on hepatic and cerebral cholesterol metabolism. To mimic a chronically-exposed population, rats were given (137)Cs-supplemented water at a post-accidental dose (150 Bq/rat/day) during 9 months. The plasma profile, and brain and liver cholesterol concentrations were unchanged. A decrease of ACAT 2, Apo E, and LXRmRNA levels was recorded in the liver. In the brain, a decrease of CYP27A1 and ACAT 1 gene expression was observed. These results clearly show that cholesterol metabolism is not disrupted by a chronic ingestion of (137)Cs, although several molecular alterations are observed. This work would be interestingly completed by studying the influence of (137)Cs in models likely more sensitive to contaminants, such as the fetus or individuals susceptible to a lipidic disease.

Several key issues on using 137Cs method for soil erosion estimation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This work was to examine several key issues of using the cesium-137 method to estimate soil erosion rates in order to improve and standardize the method. Based on the comprehensive review and synthesis of a large body of published literature and the author’s extensive research experience, several k...

SELECTED RADIOISOTOPES IN ANIMAL TISSUES IN NEVADA: 90SR AND 137CS MEASUREMENTS FROM 1956 TO 1977

EPA Science Inventory

Measurements have been made since 1956 of the strontium-90 and cesium-137 concentrations in tissues from cattle, deer, and bighorn sheep living on and around the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Examination of this data cumulation indicates that the measured tissue concentrations reflect ...

75 FR 37483 - Request for Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on the Protection of Cesium-137 Chloride...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-29

... instruments for end users. This network of facilities ensures that every radiation detection instrument that... associated test-and-evaluation protocols for radiation detection, instrumentation, and personal dosimetry... intrusion. The NRC supports efforts to develop alternate forms of Cs-137 that would reduce the security...

THE DISTRIBUTION OF 137CESIUM AND OTHER TRACE CONSTITUENTS IN GREEN BAY, LAKE MICHIGAN

EPA Science Inventory

137Cs, Cadmium, and PCBs were measured in a series of sediment cores collected in Green Bay between 1987 and 1989. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the chemicals can be shown to be dependent on the nature of the input - totally from the atmosphere, totally riverine, and a ...

Assessment of Soil Erosion in a Cultivated Landscape Using Repeated Measurements of 137Cs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil erosion is a major environmental concern with the potential to severely impact soil and water quality. Assessments of soil erosion are normally carried out using model predictions. Cesium-137 can be used to provide estimates of soil erosion at a landscape scale, and it remains the best tool to ...

Study on the Volatility of Cesium in Dry Ashing Pretreatment and Dissolution of Ash by Microwave Digestion System - 13331

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Kwang-Soon; Lee, Chang Heon; Ahn, Hong-Joo

2013-07-01

Based on the regulation of the activity concentration of Cs-137, Co-58, Co-60, Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, Sr-90, Nb-94, and Tc-99, and the total alpha from the radioactive waste acceptance criteria, the measurement of the activity concentration of these nuclides in low and intermediate levels of radioactive waste such as in paper, cotton, vinyl and plastic samples was investigated. A dry ashing method was applied to obtain a concentration effect of the samples. Owing to the temperature dependence of the volatility for cesium, the temperature of 300 to 650 deg. C was examined. It was found that 450 deg. C is themore » optimum dry ashing temperature. After dry ashing, the produced ash was dissolved with HNO{sub 3}, HCl, and HF by a high-performance microwave digestion system. The ash sample, for the most part, was completely dissolved with 10 mL of HNO{sub 3}, 4 mL of HCl, and 0.25 mL of HF by a high-performance microwave digestion system using a nova high temperature rotor at 250 deg. C for 90 min until reaching 0.2 g. To confirm the reliability of cesium loss after the performance of the dry ashing procedure, a cesium standard solution for AAS and a Cs-137 standard solution for gamma spectrometry were added to a paper towel or a planchet of stainless steel, respectively. Cesium was measured by AAS, ICP-MS, and gamma spectrometry. The volatility of cesium did not occur until 450 deg. C ashing. (authors)« less

Correlations between potassium, rubidium and cesium ((133)Cs and (137)Cs) in sporocarps of Suillus variegatus in a Swedish boreal forest.

PubMed

Vinichuk, M; Rosén, K; Johanson, K J; Dahlberg, A

2011-04-01

An analysis of sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal fungi Suillus variegatus assessed whether cesium ((133)Cs and (137)Cs) uptake was correlated with potassium (K) or rubidium (Rb) uptake. The question was whether intraspecific correlations of Rb, K and (133)Cs mass concentrations with (137)Cs activity concentrations in sporocarps were higher within, rather than among, different fungal species, and if genotypic origin of sporocarps within a population affected uptake and correlation. Sporocarps (n = 51) from a Swedish forest population affected by the fallout after the Chernobyl accident were studied. The concentrations were 31.9 ± 6.79 g kg(-1) for K (mean ± SD, dwt), 0.40 ± 0.09 g kg(-1) for Rb, 8.7 ± 4.36 mg kg(-1) for (133)Cs and 63.7 ± 24.2 kBq kg(-1) for (137)Cs. The mass concentrations of (133)Cs correlated with (137)Cs activity concentrations (r = 0.61). There was correlation between both (133)Cs concentrations (r = 0.75) and (137)Cs activity concentrations (r = 0.44) and Rb, but the (137)Cs/(133)Cs isotopic ratio negatively correlated with Rb concentration. Concentrations of K and Rb were weakly correlated (r = 0.51). The (133)Cs mass concentrations, (137)Cs activity concentrations and (137)Cs/(133)Cs isotopic ratios did not correlate with K concentrations. No differences between, within or, among genotypes in S. variegatus were found. This suggested the relationships between K, Rb, (133)Cs and (137)Cs in sporocarps of S. variegatus is similar to other fungal species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiscale Modeling of Radioisotope Transfers in Watersheds, Rivers, Reservoirs and Ponds of Fukushima Prefecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheleznyak, M.; Kivva, S.; Nanba, K.; Wakiyama, Y.; Konoplev, A.; Onda, Y.; Gallego, E.; Papush, L.; Maderych, V.

2015-12-01

The highest densities of the radioisotopes in fallout from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in March 2011 were measured at the north eastern part of Fukushima Prefecture. The post-accidental aquatic transfer of cesium -134/137 includes multiscale processes: wash-off from the watersheds in solute and with the eroded soil, long-range transport in the rivers, deposition and resuspension of contaminated sediments in reservoirs and floodplains. The models of EU decision support system RODOS are used for predicting dynamics of 137Cs in the Fukushima surface waters and for assessing efficiency of the remediation measures. The transfer of 137Cs through the watershed of Niida River was simulated by DHSVM -R model that includes the modified code of the distributed hydrological and sediment transport model DHSVM (Lettenmayer, Wigmosta et al.) and new module of radionuclide transport. DHSMV-R was tested by modelling the wash-off from the USLE experimental plots in Fukushima prefecture. The model helps to quantify the influence of the differentiators of Fukushima and Chernobyl watersheds, - intensity of extreme precipitation and steepness of watershed, on the much higher values of the ratio "particulated cesium /soluted cesium" in Fukushima rivers than in Chernobyl rivers. Two dimensional model COASTOX and three dimensional model THREETOX are used to simulate the fate of 137Cs in water and sediments of reservoirs in the Manogawa River, Otagawa River, Mizunashigawa River, which transport 137Cs from the heavy contaminated watersheds to the populated areas at the Pacific coast. The modeling of the extreme floods generated by typhoons shows the resuspension of the bottom sediments from the heavy contaminated areas in reservoirs at the mouths of inflowing rivers at the peaks of floods and then re-deposition of 137Cs downstream in the deeper areas. The forecasts of 137Cs dynamics in bottom sediments of the reservoirs were calculated for the set of the scenarios of the sequences of the high floods of the next years. MOIRA -LAKE model of long term radioisotopes transfer in water, bottom sediment and fish was used for the assessments of the efficiency of the bottom sediment dredging for the remediation of the irrigation ponds at Okuma town.

Assessment of radiation exposure from cesium-137 contaminated roads for epidemiological studies in Seoul, Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, Yun-Keun; Ju, Young-Su; Lee, Won Jin; Hwang, Seung Sik; Yim, Sang-Hyuk; Yoo, Sang-Chul; Lee, Jieon; Choi, Kyung-Hwa; Burm, Eunae; Ha, Mina

2015-01-01

Objectives We aimed to assess the radiation exposure for epidemiologic investigation in residents exposed to radiation from roads that were accidentally found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium-137 (137Cs) in Seoul. Methods Using information regarding the frequency and duration of passing via the 137Cs contaminated roads or residing/working near the roads from the questionnaires that were obtained from 8875 residents and the measured radiation doses reported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, we calculated the total cumulative dose of radiation exposure for each person. Results Sixty-three percent of the residents who responded to the questionnaire were considered as ever-exposed and 1% of them had a total cumulative dose of more than 10 mSv. The mean (minimum, maximum) duration of radiation exposure was 4.75 years (0.08, 11.98) and the geometric mean (minimum, maximum) of the total cumulative dose was 0.049 mSv (<0.001, 35.35) in the exposed. Conclusions An individual exposure assessment was performed for an epidemiological study to estimate the health risk among residents living in the vicinity of 137Cs contaminated roads. The average exposure dose in the exposed people was less than 5% of the current guideline. PMID:26184047

Vitamin D metabolism impairment in the rat's offspring following maternal exposure to 137cesium.

PubMed

Tissandie, E; Guéguen, Y; Lobaccaro, J M A; Grandcolas, L; Grison, S; Aigueperse, J; Souidi, M

2009-04-01

Previous works clearly showed that chronic contamination by 137cesium alters vitamin D metabolism. Since children are known to be a high-risk group for vitamin D metabolism disorders, effects of 137Cs on vitamin D biosynthetic pathway were investigated in newborn rats. The experiments were performed in 21-day-old male offspring of dams exposed to 137Cs in their drinking water at a dose of 6,500 Bq/l (150 Bq/rat/day) during the lactation period. Significant modifications of blood calcium (-7%, P < 0.05), phosphate (+80%, P < 0.01) and osteocalcin (-25%, P < 0.05) levels were observed in contaminated offspring, associated with an increase of blood vitamin D3 (+25%, P < 0.01). Besides, decreased expression levels of cyp2r1 and cyp27b1 (-26 and -39%, respectively, P < 0.01) were measured in liver and kidney suggesting a physiological adaptation in response to the rise in vitamin D level. Expressions of vdr, ecac1, cabp-d28k, ecac2 and cabp-9k involved in renal and intestinal calcium transport were unaffected. Altogether, these data show that early exposure to post-accidental doses of 137Cs induces the alteration of vitamin D metabolism, associated with a dysregulation of mineral homeostasis.

Development and deployment of an underway radioactive cesium monitor off the Japanese coast near Fukushima Dai-ichi.

PubMed

Caffrey, J A; Higley, K A; Farsoni, A T; Smith, S; Menn, S

2012-09-01

A custom radiation monitoring system was developed by Oregon State University at the request of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to measure radioactive cesium contaminants in the ocean waters near Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The system was to be used on board the R/V Ka'imikai-O-Kanaloa during a 15 d research cruise to provide real-time approximations of radionuclide concentration and alert researchers to the possible occurrence of highly elevated radionuclide concentrations. A NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was coupled to a custom-built compact digital spectroscopy system and suspended within a sealed tank of continuously flowing seawater. A series of counts were acquired within an energy region corresponding to the main photopeak of (137)Cs. The system was calibrated using known quantities of radioactive (134)Cs and (137)Cs in a ratio equating to that present at the reactors' ocean outlet. The response between net count rate and concentration of (137)Cs was then used to generate temporal and geographic plots of (137)Cs concentration throughout the research cruise in Japanese coastal waters. The concentration of (137)Cs was low but detectable, reaching a peak of 3.8 ± 0.2 Bq/L. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of sorption technique for decontamination of liquid radwaste and natural water from cesium and strontium radionuclides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milyutin, V.V.; Gelis, V.M.; Penzin, R.A.

1995-12-31

In this paper the results obtained in field tests of decontaminating radioactive natural and industrial solutions of different chemical and radionuclide composition from cesium and strontium radionuclides are reported. Decontamination of industrial reservoir water at the Production Association Mayak (Chelyabinsk Region, Russia) was performed using CMP synthetic zeolite. Efficient decontamination of the feed water is achieved after preliminary precipitation of hardness salts in the form of carbonates. Decontamination of water from the pool for spent fuel element storage from {sup 137}Cs was conducted using NGA ferricyanide sorbent. Decontamination factors with respect to {sup 137}Cs of 400 have been reached, themore » installation throughput being 100,000 by (bed volumes). Decontamination of liquid radwaste at Murmansk Shipping Co was conducted with CFB, CMP synthetic zeolites and NGA ferricyanide sorbent as well. Decontamination of D and D solutions and wastes of the special laundry resulted in decontamination factors within the range of 20--400, 10--100, and 10--30 with respect to {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, and total {beta}-activity, respectively. Installation throughput of 3,000--5,000 bv for zeolites and 8,000--10,000 bv for ferrocyanide sorbents has been reached. Results obtained prove the high efficiency of sorption technique for decontaminating solutions from cesium and strontium radionuclides.« less

[Estimation of dietary intake of radioactive materials by total diet methods].

PubMed

Uekusa, Yoshinori; Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko

2014-01-01

Radioactive contamination in foods is a matter of great concern after the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. In order to estimate human intake and annual committed effective dose of radioactive materials, market basket and duplicate diet samples from various areas in Japan were analyzed for cesium-134 ((134)Cs), -137 ((137)Cs), and natural radionuclide potassium-40 ((40)K) by γ-ray spectroscopy. Dietary intake of radioactive cesium around Fukushima area was somewhat higher than in other areas. However, maximum committed effective doses obtained by the market basket and duplicate diet samples were 0.0094 and 0.027 mSv/year, respectively, which are much lower than the maximum permissible dose (1 mSv/year) in foods in Japan.

Estimation of the Cesium-137 Source Term from the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant Using Air Concentration and Deposition Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winiarek, Victor; Bocquet, Marc; Duhanyan, Nora; Roustan, Yelva; Saunier, Olivier; Mathieu, Anne

2013-04-01

A major difficulty when inverting the source term of an atmospheric tracer dispersion problem is the estimation of the prior errors: those of the atmospheric transport model, those ascribed to the representativeness of the measurements, the instrumental errors, and those attached to the prior knowledge on the variables one seeks to retrieve. In the case of an accidental release of pollutant, and specially in a situation of sparse observability, the reconstructed source is sensitive to these assumptions. This sensitivity makes the quality of the retrieval dependent on the methods used to model and estimate the prior errors of the inverse modeling scheme. In Winiarek et al. (2012), we proposed to use an estimation method for the errors' amplitude based on the maximum likelihood principle. Under semi-Gaussian assumptions, it takes into account, without approximation, the positivity assumption on the source. We applied the method to the estimation of the Fukushima Daiichi cesium-137 and iodine-131 source terms using activity concentrations in the air. The results were compared to an L-curve estimation technique, and to Desroziers's scheme. Additionally to the estimations of released activities, we provided related uncertainties (12 PBq with a std. of 15 - 20 % for cesium-137 and 190 - 380 PBq with a std. of 5 - 10 % for iodine-131). We also enlightened that, because of the low number of available observations (few hundreds) and even if orders of magnitude were consistent, the reconstructed activities significantly depended on the method used to estimate the prior errors. In order to use more data, we propose to extend the methods to the use of several data types, such as activity concentrations in the air and fallout measurements. The idea is to simultaneously estimate the prior errors related to each dataset, in order to fully exploit the information content of each one. Using the activity concentration measurements, but also daily fallout data from prefectures and cumulated deposition data over a region lying approximately 150 km around the nuclear power plant, we can use a few thousands of data in our inverse modeling algorithm to reconstruct the Cesium-137 source term. To improve the parameterization of removal processes, rainfall fields have also been corrected using outputs from the mesoscale meteorological model WRF and ground station rainfall data. As expected, the different methods yield closer results as the number of data increases. Reference : Winiarek, V., M. Bocquet, O. Saunier, A. Mathieu (2012), Estimation of errors in the inverse modeling of accidental release of atmospheric pollutant : Application to the reconstruction of the cesium-137 and iodine-131 source terms from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D05122, doi:10.1029/2011JD016932.

Determination of concentration factors for Cs-137 and Ra-226 in the mullet species Chelon labrosus (Mugilidae) from the South Adriatic Sea.

PubMed

Antovic, Ivanka; Antovic, Nevenka M

2011-07-01

Concentration factors for Cs-137 and Ra-226 transfer from seawater, and dried sediment or mud with detritus, have been determined for whole, fresh weight, Chelon labrosus individuals and selected organs. Cesium was detected in 5 of 22 fish individuals, and its activity ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 Bq kg(-1). Radium was detected in all fish, and ranged from 0.4 to 2.1 Bq kg(-1), with an arithmetic mean of 1.0 Bq kg(-1). In regards to fish organs, cesium activity concentration was highest in muscles (maximum - 3.7 Bq kg(-1)), while radium was highest in skeletons (maximum - 25 Bq kg(-1)). Among cesium concentration factors, those for muscles were the highest (from seawater - an average of 47, from sediment - an average of 3.3, from mud with detritus - an average of 0.8). Radium concentration factors were the highest for skeleton (from seawater - an average of 130, from sediment - an average of 1.8, from mud with detritus - an average of 1.5). Additionally, annual intake of cesium and radium by human adults consuming muscles of this fish species has been estimated to provide, in aggregate, an effective dose of about 4.1 μSv y(-1). 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

a Biokinetic Model for CESIUM-137 in the Fetus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Karen Lynn

1995-01-01

Previously, there was no method to determine the dose to the embryo, fetus, fetal organs or placenta from radionuclides within the embryo, fetus, or placenta. In the past, the dose to the fetus was assumed to be equivalent to the dose to the uterus. Watson estimated specific absorbed fractions from various maternal organs to the uterine contents which included the fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid and Sikov estimated the absorbed dose to the embryo/fetus after assuming 1 uCi of radioactivity was made available to the maternal blood.^{1,2} However, this method did not allow for the calculation of a dose to individual fetal organs or the placenta. The radiation dose to the embryo or fetus from Cs-137 in the fetus and placenta due to a chronic ingestion by the mother was determined. The fraction of Cs-137 in the maternal plasma crossing the placenta to the fetal plasma was estimated. The absorbed dose from Cs-137 in each modelled fetal organ was estimated. Since there has been more research regarding potassium in the human body, and particularly in the pregnant woman, a biokinetic model for potassium was developed first and used as a basis and confirmation of the cesium model. Available pertinent information in physiology, embryology, biokinetics, and radiation dosimetry was utilized. Due to the rapid growth of the fetus and placenta, the pregnancy was divided into four gestational periods. The numerous physiological changes that occurred during pregnancy were considered and an appropriate biokinetic model was developed for each of the gestational periods. The amount of cesium in the placenta, embryo, and fetus was estimated for each period. The dose to the fetus from cesium deposited in the embryo or fetus and in the placenta was determined for each period using Medical Internal Radiation Dosimetry (MIRD) methodology. An uncertainty analysis was also performed to account for the variability of the parameters in the biokinetic model based on the experimental data. The uncertainty in the dose estimate was calculated by propagation of errors after determining the uncertainty in the fetal and placenta mass estimates and the effective half-life.

Exposure to low doses of 137cesium and nicotine during postnatal development modifies anxiety levels, learning, and spatial memory performance in mice.

PubMed

Bellés, Montserrat; Heredia, Luis; Serra, Noemí; Domingo, José L; Linares, Victoria

2016-11-01

Radiation therapy is a major cause of long-term complications observed in survivors of pediatric brain tumors. However, the effects of low-doses of ionizing radiation (IR) to the brain are less studied. On the other hand, tobacco is one of the most heavily abused drugs in the world. Tobacco is not only a health concern for adults. It has also shown to exert deleterious effects on fetuses, newborns, children and adolescents. Exposure to nicotine (Nic) from smoking may potentiate the toxic effects induced by IR on brain development. In this study, we evaluated in mice the cognitive effects of concomitant exposure to low doses of internal radiation ( 137 Cs) and Nic during neonatal brain development. On postnatal day 10 (PND10), two groups of C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously exposed to 137-Cesium ( 137 Cs) (4000 and 8000 Bq/kg) and/or Nic (100 μg/ml). At the age of two months, neurobehavior of mice was assessed. Results showed that exposure to IR-alone or in combination with Nic-increased the anxiety-like of the animals without changing the activity levels. Moreover, exposure to IR impaired learning and spatial memory. However, Nic administration was able to reverse this effect, but only at the low dose of 137 Cs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WESF (173)Cs gamma ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenna, B. T.

1984-10-01

The Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESP) at Hanford, Washington has been separating cesium from stored liquid defense waste since 1945. This is done to alleviate the heat generated by the decay of radioactive Cs137. The cesium is converted to CsCl, doubly encapsulated in 316l stainless steel, and placed in storage. The potential utility of these Cs137 capsules as gamma radiation sources was demonstrated. Registration of the capsule with the NRC as a sealed gamma source would facilitate the licensing of non-DOE irradiation facilities using this source. To grant this registration, the NRC requires characteristics of the capsule. It must also be demonstrated that the capsule will maintain its integrity under both normal circumstances and specified abnormal conditions. The required information is provided through collation of results of studies and tests done previously by other laboratories.

Surveillance of Strontium-90 in Foods after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Uekusa, Yoshinori; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko

2015-01-01

As a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) accident, various radionuclides were released into the environment. In this study, we surveyed strontium-90 ((90)Sr) concentrations in several foodstuffs. Strontium-90 is thought to be the third most important residual radionuclide in food collected after the Fukushima Daiichi, NPP accident after following cesium-137 ((137)Cs) and cesium-134 ((134)Cs). Results of (90)Sr analyses indicated that (90)Sr was detect in 25 of the 40 radioactive cesium (r-Cs) positive samples collected in areas around the Fukushima Daiichi NPP, ranging in distance from 50 to 250 km. R-Cs positive samples were defined as containing both (134)Cs and (137)Cs which are considered to be indicators of the after-effects of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. We also detected (90)Sr in 8 of 13 r-Cs negative samples, in which (134)Cs was not detected. Strontium-90 concentrations in the r-Cs positive samples did not significantly exceed the (90)Sr concentrations in r-Cs negative samples or the (90)Sr concentration ranges in comparable food groups found in previous surveys before the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. Thus, (90)Sr concentrations in r-Cs positive samples were indistinguishable from the background (90)Sr concentrations arising from global fallout prior to the Fukushima accident, suggesting that no marked increase of (90)Sr concentrations has occurred in r-Cs positive samples as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident.

Comparison Between the NIST and the KEBS for the Determination of Air Kerma Calibration Coefficients for Narrow X-Ray Spectra and 137Cs Gamma-Ray Beams

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Michelle; Minniti, Ronaldo; Masinza, Stanslaus Alwyn

2010-01-01

Air kerma calibration coefficients for a reference class ionization chamber from narrow x-ray spectra and cesium 137 gamma-ray beams were compared between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). A NIST reference-class transfer ionization chamber was calibrated by each laboratory in terms of the quantity air kerma in four x-ray reference radiation beams of energies between 80 kV and 150 kV and in a cesium 137 gamma-ray beam. The reference radiation qualities used for this comparison are described in detail in the ISO 4037 publication.[1] The comparison began in September 2008 and was completed in March 2009. The results reveal the degree to which the participating calibration facility can demonstrate proficiency in transferring air kerma calibrations under the conditions of the said facility at the time of the measurements. The comparison of the calibration coefficients is based on the average ratios of calibration coefficients. PMID:27134777

Comparison Between the NIST and the KEBS for the Determination of Air Kerma Calibration Coefficients for Narrow X-Ray Spectra and (137)Cs Gamma-Ray Beams.

PubMed

O'Brien, Michelle; Minniti, Ronaldo; Masinza, Stanslaus Alwyn

2010-01-01

Air kerma calibration coefficients for a reference class ionization chamber from narrow x-ray spectra and cesium 137 gamma-ray beams were compared between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). A NIST reference-class transfer ionization chamber was calibrated by each laboratory in terms of the quantity air kerma in four x-ray reference radiation beams of energies between 80 kV and 150 kV and in a cesium 137 gamma-ray beam. The reference radiation qualities used for this comparison are described in detail in the ISO 4037 publication.[1] The comparison began in September 2008 and was completed in March 2009. The results reveal the degree to which the participating calibration facility can demonstrate proficiency in transferring air kerma calibrations under the conditions of the said facility at the time of the measurements. The comparison of the calibration coefficients is based on the average ratios of calibration coefficients.

[Radioactive cesium analysis in radiation-tainted beef by gamma-ray spectrometry with germanium semiconductor detector].

PubMed

Minatani, Tomiaki; Nagai, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Masashi; Otsuka, Kimihito; Sakai, Yoshimichi

2012-01-01

The detection limit and precision of radioactive cesium measurement in beef by gamma-ray spectrometry with a germanium semiconductor detector were evaluated. Measurement for 2,000 seconds using a U-8 container (100 mL) provided a detection limit of radioactive cesium (the sum of 134Cs and 137Cs) of around 20 Bq/kg. The 99% confidence interval of the measurement of provisional maximum residue limit level (491 Bq/kg) samples ranged from 447 to 535 Bq/kg. Beef is heterogeneous, containing muscle and complex fat layers. Depending on the sampled parts, the measurement value is variable. It was found that radioactive cesium content of the muscle layer was clearly different from that of fat, and slight differences were observed among parts of the sample (SD=16.9 Bq/kg), even though the same region (neck block) of beef sample was analyzed.

Spatial distributions of (137)Cs and (239+240)Pu in surface seawater within the Exclusive Economic Zone of East Coast Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Ahmad, Zaharudin; Mei-Wo, Yii; Abu Bakar, Ahmad Sanadi; Shahar, Hidayah

2010-09-01

The studies of (137)Cs and (239+240)Pu distributions in surface seawater at South China Sea within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Peninsular Malaysia were carried out in June 2008. The analysis results will serve as additional information to the expanded baseline data for Malaysia's marine environment. Thirty locations from extended study area were identified in the EEZ from which large volumes of surface seawater samples were collected. Different co-precipitation techniques were employed to concentrate cesium and plutonium separately. A known amount of (134)Cs and (242)Pu tracers were used as yield determinant. The precipitate slurry was collected and oven dried at 60(o)C for 1-2 days. Cesium precipitate was fine-ground and counted using gamma-ray spectrometry system at 661.62keV, while plutonium was separated from other radionuclides using anion exchange, electrodeposited and counted using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations of (137)Cs and (239+240)Pu were in the range of 3.40-5.89Bq/m(3) and 2.3-7.9mBq/m(3), respectively. The (239+240)Pu/(137)Cs ratios indicate that there are no new inputs of these radionuclides into the area.

Deployment of Cesium Recovered from High Level Liquid Waste for Irradiation - Indian Scenario - 13128

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vincent, Tessy; Shah, J.G.; Kumar, Amar

2013-07-01

Recovery of Cs-137 from HLW and its utilisation as source pencil in place of Co-60 is vital for medical and sewage treatment applications in India. For separation of Cs, specific ion exchange resins as well as 'Calyx crown' solvent have been developed and synthesized indigenously. A flow sheet involving separation of Cs from acidic HLW using Ammonium Molybdo Phosphate (AMP) resins, recovery of Cs from the loaded AMP column by dissolving it in alkali, ion exchange purification of Cs rich alkaline solution using Resorcinol-Formaldehyde Poly condensate (RF) resins and its elution in cesium nitrate form was developed and demonstrated. Solventmore » extraction route employing 0.03 Molar, 1-3-octyl oxy Calyx (4) arene crown-6 in 30% isodecyl alcohol and dodecane was also established using mixer settlers. Cesium lithium borosilicate glass based formulations have been considered as a glass matrix for Cs irradiation pencils. While choosing this vitreous matrix, attributes addressing maximum possible Cs-137 loading, low glass pouring temperature to minimise Cs volatility, reasonably good mechanical strength and good chemical durability have been considered. Recovered cesium nitrate solution was vitrified along with glass additives in an induction heated metallic melter and subsequently poured into 12 numbers of Cs irradiation pencils positioned on turn-table equipped with the load cell. The complete cycle involving recovery of Cs from HLW followed by its conversion into Cs pencil was demonstrated. (authors)« less

Cesium-137 concentrations in marine macroalgae from different biotopes in the Aegean Sea (Greece).

PubMed

Sawidis, Thomas; Heinrich, Gerorg; Brown, Murray-T

2003-03-01

The commonest species of red, brown, and green macroalgae were sampled from a range of biotopes in the Aegean Sea during 1998 for their 137Cs content. Significant differences in 137Cs concentrations were found among different species growing under similar environmental conditions, suggesting that uptake does not follow physical levels but is influenced by allometric parameters and physiological mechanisms. 137Cs content in collected seaweeds were in the descending order: Ulva lactuca>Enteromorpha linza>Gracilaria verrucosa>Ceramium rubrum>Cystoseira barbata. A comparison of the stations studied indicated that the degree of accumulation is also dependent on the geomorphology of the specific area. The west side of Thermaikos Gulf, where the rivers Axios, Aliakmon, and Pinios flow, was highly contaminated as was the Strymonicos Gulf where the river Strymon flows. High cesium concentrations were also observed in algae from Lemnos Island near the mouth of the Dardanelles Channel, most likely due to the horizontal circulation of water masses from the Marmaras Sea to the Aegean Sea resulting in the discharge of 137Cs during the purification process in the Black Sea through the Dardanelles Straits. It is concluded that the general dispersion of 137Cs results from the water circulation regime within the Aegean Sea. Higher levels are present in the northern part of the basin due to current circulation originating from the Black Sea and from outflow of rivers. Levels decrease to the south and east, but increase again to the west of Crete where the Black Sea water mass can be periodically traced.

Radiological impact of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on invertebrates in the coastal benthic food web.

PubMed

Sohtome, Tadahiro; Wada, Toshihiro; Mizuno, Takuji; Nemoto, Yoshiharu; Igarashi, Satoshi; Nishimune, Atsushi; Aono, Tatsuo; Ito, Yukari; Kanda, Jota; Ishimaru, Takashi

2014-12-01

Radioactive cesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) concentrations in invertebrates of benthic food web (10 taxonomic classes with 46 identified families) collected from wide areas off Fukushima Prefecture (3-500 m depth) were inspected from July 2011, four months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, to August 2013 to elucidate time-series trends among taxa and areas. Cesium-137 was detected in seven classes (77% of 592 specimens). Higher (137)Cs concentrations within detected data were often found in areas near or south of the FDNPP, which is consistent with the reported spatial distribution of (137)Cs concentrations in highly contaminated seawater and sediments after the FDNPP accident. Overall (137)Cs concentrations in invertebrates, the maxima of which (290 Bq kg(-1)-wet in the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis) were lower than in many demersal fishes, had decreased exponentially with time, and exhibited taxon-specific decreasing trends. Concentrations in Bivalvia and Gastropoda decreased clearly with respective ecological half-lives of 188 d and 102 d. In contrast, decreasing trends in Malacostraca and Polychaeta were more gradual, with longer respective ecological half-lives of 208 d and 487 d. Echinoidea showed no consistent trend, presumably because of effects of contaminated sediments taken into their digestive tract. Comparison of (137)Cs concentrations in the invertebrates and those in seawater and sediments suggest that contaminated sediments are the major source of continuing contamination in benthic invertebrates, especially in Malacostraca and Polychaeta. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 30.15 - Certain items containing byproduct material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of tritium per any other electron tube; (ii) 1 microcurie of cobalt-60; (iii) 5 microcuries of nickel-63; (iv) 30 microcuries of krypton-85; (v) 5 microcuries of cesium-137; (vi) 30 microcuries of...

10 CFR 30.15 - Certain items containing byproduct material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of tritium per any other electron tube; (ii) 1 microcurie of cobalt-60; (iii) 5 microcuries of nickel-63; (iv) 30 microcuries of krypton-85; (v) 5 microcuries of cesium-137; (vi) 30 microcuries of...

An aerial radiological survey of the project Rio Blanco and surrounding area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singman, L.V.

1994-11-01

A team from the Remote Sensing Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada, conducted an aerial radiation survey of the area surrounding ground zero of Project Rio Blanco in the northwestern section of Colorado in June 1993. The object of the survey was to determine if there were man-made radioisotopes on or near the surface resulting from a nuclear explosion in 1972. No indications of surface contamination were found. A search for the cesium-137 radioisotope was negative. The Minimum Detectable Activity for cesium-137 is presented for several detection probabilities. The natural terrestrial exposure rates in units of Roentgens per hour were mappedmore » and are presented in the form of a contour map over-laid on an aerial photograph. A second team made independent ground-based measurements in four places within the survey area. The average agreement of the ground-based with aerial measurements was six percent.« less

Sterilizing effects of cobalt-60 and cesium-137 radiation on male sea lampreys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, L.H.

1990-01-01

Male spawning-run sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus were exposed to various doses of cobalt-60 or cesium-137 radiation in an attempt to sterilize them for use in a program for controlling sea lampreys through the release of sterile males. Males captured and irradiated during the early part of the upstream migration were not effectively sterilized at the doses tested. After irradiation, the sea lampreys were more susceptible to fungal infections by Saprolegnia sp., and many died without attempting to spawn. Males captured and irradiated during the middle and late parts of the spawning migration were effectively sterilized at a dose of 2,000 rads. However, some radiation-induced mortality was observed in males captured and irradiated during the middle part of the spawning migration. Radiation is not as effective as the chemosterilant bisazir for sterilizing male sea lampreys.

SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF STRONTIUM AND CESIUM FROM SIMULATED WASTE SOLUTION WITH TITANATE ION EXCHANGERS IN A FILTER CARTRIDGE CONFIGURATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oji, L.; Martin, K.; Hobbs, D.

2011-05-26

This report describes experimental results for the selective removal of strontium and cesium from simulated waste solutions using monosodium titanate (MST) and crystalline silicotitanate (CST)-laden filter cartridges. Four types of ion exchange cartridge media (CST and MST designed by both 3M and POROX{reg_sign}) were evaluated. In these proof-of-principle tests effective uptake of both Sr-85 and Cs-137 was observed. However, the experiments were not performed long enough to determine the saturation levels or breakthrough curve for each filter cartridge. POREX{reg_sign} MST cartridges, which by design were based on co-sintering of the active titanates with polyethylene particles, seem to perform as wellmore » as the 3M-designed MST cartridges (impregnated filter membrane design) in the uptake of strontium. At low salt simulant conditions (0.29 M Na{sup +}), the instantaneous decontamination factor (D{sub F}) for Sr-85 with the 3M-design MST cartridge measured 26, representing the removal of 96% of the Sr-85. On the other hand, the Sr-85 instantaneous D{sub F} with the POREX{reg_sign} design MST cartridge measured 40 or 98% removal of the Sr-85. Strontium removal with the 3M-design MST and CST cartridges placed in series filter arrangement produced an instantaneous decontamination factor of 41 or 97.6% removal compared to an instantaneous decontamination factor of 368 or 99.7% removal of the strontium with the POREX{reg_sign} MST and CST cartridge design placed in series. At high salt simulant conditions (5.6 M Na{sup +}), strontium removal with 3M-designed MST cartridge only and with 3M-designed MST and CST cartridges operated in a series configuration were identical. The instantaneous decontamination factor and the strontium removal efficiency, under the above configuration, averaged 8.6 and 88%, respectively. There were no POREX{reg_sign} cartridge experiments using the higher ionic strength simulant solution. At low salt simulant conditions, the uptake of Cs-137 with POREX{reg_sign} CST cartridge out performed the 3M-designed CST cartridges. The POREX{reg_sign} CST cartridge, with a Cs-137 instantaneous decontamination factor of 55 and a Cs-137 removal efficiency of 98% does meet the Cs-137 decontamination goals in the low salt simulant liquor. The Cs-137 removal with 3M-designed CST cartridge produced a decontamination factor of 2 or 49% removal efficiency. The Cs-137 performance graph for the 3M-designed CST cartridge showed an early cessation in the uptake of cesium-137. This behavior was not observed with the POREX{reg_sign} CST cartridges. No Cs-137 uptake tests were performed with the POREX{reg_sign} CST cartridges at high salt simulant conditions. The 3M-designed CST cartridges, with an instantaneous Cs-137 decontamination factor of less than 3 and a Cs-137 removal efficiency of less than 50% failed to meet the Cs-137 decontamination goals in both the low and high salt simulant liquors. This poor performance in the uptake of Cs-137 by the 3M CST cartridges may be attributed to fabrication flaws for the 3M-designed CST cartridges. The reduced number of CST membrane wraps per cartridge during the cartridge design phase, from 3-whole wraps to about 1.5, may have contributed to Cs-137 laden simulant channeling/by-pass which led to the poor performance in terms of Cs-137 sorption characteristics for the 3M designed CST cartridges. The grinding of CST ion exchange materials, to reduce the particle size distribution and thus enhance their easy incorporation into the filter membranes and the co-sintering of MST with polyethylene particles, did not adversely affect the sorption kinetics of both CST and MST in the uptake of Cs-137 and Sr-85, respectively. In general, the POREX{reg_sign} based cartridges showed more resistance to simulant flow through the filter cartridges as evidenced by higher pressure differences across the cartridges. Based on these findings they conclude that incorporating MST and CST sorbents into filter membranes represent a promising method for the semi-continuous removal of radioisotopes of strontium and cesium from waste solutions.« less

Cesium-137 body burdens in Norwegian Lapps, 1965-1983.

PubMed

Westerlund, E A; Berthelsen, T; Berteig, L

1987-02-01

Results of measurements of the whole-body contents of 137Cs during the period 1965-1983 in Lapps from the Kautokeino area in Norway are reported with measurements of 137Cs in reindeer meat during the period 1966-1983. By using available data on 137Cs in precipitation for the period 1950-1980, transfer coefficients from 137Cs in precipitation to reindeer meat have been assessed. A correlation between the 137Cs content in reindeer meat and the 137Cs content in Lapp reindeer breeders has been established. The average whole-body committed dose equivalent, H50, to the reindeer breeders from internally deposited 137Cs from intakes up to year 2000 was assessed to 13 mSv with a peak value of 30 mSv. In comparison, the corresponding committed dose equivalent to the Norwegian population from internally deposited 137Cs has been estimated to be about 1 mSv. The higher intake of 137Cs by reindeer breeders is due to the lichen-reindeer-man exposure pathway.

Cesium Uptake by Rice Roots Largely Depends Upon a Single Gene, HAK1, Which Encodes a Potassium Transporter.

PubMed

Rai, Hiroki; Yokoyama, Saki; Satoh-Nagasawa, Namiko; Furukawa, Jun; Nomi, Takiko; Ito, Yasuka; Fujimura, Shigeto; Takahashi, Hidekazu; Suzuki, Ryuichiro; Yousra, ELMannai; Goto, Akitoshi; Fuji, Shinichi; Nakamura, Shin-Ichi; Shinano, Takuro; Nagasawa, Nobuhiro; Wabiko, Hiroetsu; Hattori, Hiroyuki

2017-09-01

Incidents at the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear power stations have resulted in widespread environmental contamination by radioactive nuclides. Among them, 137cesium has a 30 year half-life, and its persistence in soil raises serious food security issues. It is therefore important to prevent plants, especially crop plants, from absorbing radiocesium. In Arabidopsis thaliana, cesium ions are transported into root cells by several different potassium transporters such as high-affinity K+ transporter 5 (AtHAK5). Therefore, the cesium uptake pathway is thought to be highly redundant, making it difficult to develop plants with low cesium uptake. Here, we isolated rice mutants with low cesium uptake and reveal that the Oryza sativa potassium transporter OsHAK1, which is expressed on the surfaces of roots, is the main route of cesium influx into rice plants, especially in low potassium conditions. During hydroponic cultivation with low to normal potassium concentrations (0-206 µM: the normal potassium level in soil), cesium influx in OsHAK1-knockout lines was no greater than one-eighth that in the wild type. In field experiments, knockout lines of O. sativa HAK1 (OsHAK1) showed dramatically reduced cesium concentrations in grains and shoots, but their potassium uptake was not greatly affected and their grain yields were similar to that of the wild type. Our results demonstrate that, in rice roots, potassium transport systems other than OsHAK1 make little or no contribution to cesium uptake. These results show that low cesium uptake rice lines can be developed for cultivation in radiocesium-contaminated areas. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mass selective separation applied to radioisotopes of cesium: Mass selective applied to radioisotopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dion, Michael; Eiden, Greg; Farmer, Orville

2016-07-22

A developed technique that uses the intrinsic mass-based separation capability of a quadrupole mass spectrometer has been used to resolve spectral radiometric interference of two isotopes of the same element. In this work the starting sample was a combination of 137Cs and 134Cs and was (activity) dominated by 137Cs and this methodology separated and “implanted” 134Cs that was later quantified for spectral features and ac- tivity with traditional radiometric techniques. This work demonstrated a 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio enhancement of >4 orders of magnitude and complete removal of 137Cs spectral features from the implanted target mass (i.e., 134).

10 CFR 20.2206 - Reports of individual monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... quantitites: Radionuclide Quantity of radionuclide 1 in curies Cesium-137 1 Cobalt-60 1 Gold-198 100 Iodine-131 1 Iridium-192 10 Krypton-85 1,000 Promethium-147 10 Techetium-99m 1,000 1 The Commission may...

10 CFR 20.2206 - Reports of individual monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... quantitites: Radionuclide Quantity of radionuclide 1 in curies Cesium-137 1 Cobalt-60 1 Gold-198 100 Iodine-131 1 Iridium-192 10 Krypton-85 1,000 Promethium-147 10 Techetium-99m 1,000 1 The Commission may...

Biological proliferation of cesium-137 through the detrital food chain in a forest ecosystem in Japan

PubMed Central

Murakami, Masashi; Ohte, Nobuhito; Suzuki, Takahiro; Ishii, Nobuyoshi; Igarashi, Yoshiaki; Tanoi, Keitaro

2014-01-01

Radionuclides, including 137Cs, were released from the disabled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and had been deposited broadly over forested areas of north-eastern Honshu Island, Japan. In the forest, 137Cs was highly concentrated on leaf litters deposited in autumn 2010, before the accident. Monitoring of the distribution of 137Cs among functional groups clearly showed the role of the detrital food chain as the primary channel of 137Cs transfer to consumer organisms. Although many studies have reported the bioaccumulation (or dilution) of radioactive materials through trophic interactions, the present results highlight the importance of examining multiple possible pathways (e.g., grazing vs. detrital chains) in the proliferation of 137Cs through food webs. These results provide important insight into the future distribution and transfer of 137Cs within forest ecosystems. PMID:24398571

Determination of low (137)Cs concentration in seawater using ammonium 12-molybdophosphate adsorption and chemical separation method.

PubMed

Park, J H; Chang, B U; Kim, Y J; Seo, J S; Choi, S W; Yun, J Y

2008-12-01

A new method has been developed for analyzing (137)Cs in a small volume of seawater. Ammonium 12-molybdophosphate (AMP) was used two times during pretreatment procedure. The first step was to adsorb (137)Cs in seawater samples into AMP in order to reduce sample volume, and the second was to remove (87)Rb, interference nuclide for beta counting. The AMP adsorbing (137)Cs was dissolved by sodium hydroxide solution, and then (137)Cs was finally formed to be cesium chloroplatinate precipitate by adding 10% hexachloroplatinic acid. The beta rays emitted from (137)Cs were measured with a low background gas-proportional alpha/beta counter. This method was applied to several seawater samples taken in the East Sea of Korea. Compared to the routinely used gamma-spectrometry method, this new AMP method was reliable and suitable for analyzing (137)Cs in deep seawater.

An assessment of potential health impacts on Utrok Atoll from exposure to cesium-137 (137Cs) and plutonium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T

2007-07-24

Residual fallout contamination from the nuclear test program in the Marshall Islands is a concern to Marshall Islanders because of the potential health risks associated with exposure to residual fallout contamination in the environment. Scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have been monitoring the amount of fallout radiation delivered to Utrok Atoll residents over the past 4 years. This briefing document gives an outline of our findings from the whole body counting and plutonium bioassay monitoring programs. Additional information can be found on the Marshall Islands web site (http://eed.lnl.gov/mi/). Cesium-137 is an important radioactive isotope produced in nuclear detonationsmore » and can be taken up from coral soils into locally grown food crop products that form an important part of the Marshallese diet. The Marshall Islands whole body counting program has clearly demonstrated that the majority of Utrok Atoll residents acquire a very small but measurable quantity of cesium-137 in their bodies (Hamilton et al., 2006; Hamilton et. al., 2007a; 2007b;). During 2006, a typical resident of Utrok Atoll received about 3 mrem of radiation from internally deposited cesium-137 (Hamilton et al., 2007a). The population-average dose contribution from cesium-137 is around 2% of the total radiation dose that people normally experience from naturally occurring radiation sources in the Marshall Islands and is thousands of times lower than the level where radiation exposure is known to produce measurable health effects. The existing dose estimates from the whole body counting and plutonium bioassay programs are also well below radiological protection standards for protection of the public as prescribed by U.S. regulators and international agencies including the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claim Tribunal (NCT). Similarly, the level of internally deposited plutonium found in Utrok Atoll residents is well within the range normally expected for people living in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition, the preliminary results of the bioassay program on Utrok Atoll (Hamilton et al., 2007b) provide clear evidence that residents of Utrok Atoll have never acquired a significant uptake of plutonium either through an acute exposure event or from long-term chronic exposure to plutonium in the environment. This information and data should provide a level of assurance to the Utrok Atoll population group and its leadership that the dose contribution from exposure to residual radioactive fallout contamination on Utrok Atoll is very low, and is not likely to have any discernible impact on human health. We also estimate that the dose contribution based on current radiological exposure conditions will not produce any additional cancer fatalities (or any other measurable health condition) above that normally expected to arise in a population group of similar size. The potential risks from any genetic illnesses caused by exposure to residual fallout contamination in the environment will be even lower still. In conclusion, the data and information developed from the radiological protection monitoring program on Utrok appear to support a consensus that it is safe to live on Utrok Atoll. The health risks from exposure to residual fallout contamination on the atoll are minimal when compared with other lifetime risks that people normally experience, and are very small when compared to the threshold where radiation health effects could be either medically diagnosed in an individual or epidemiologically discerned in a group of people.« less

Comparison of the effectiveness of exposure to low LET helium particles (4He) and gamma rays (137Cs) on the disruption of cognitive performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rats were exposed to either Helium (4He) particles (1000 MeV/n; 0.1 – 10 cGy; head-only) or Cesium 137Cs gamma rays (50 – 400 cGy; whole body) and the effects of irradiation on cognitive performance evaluated. The results indicated that exposure to doses of 4He particles as low as 0.1 cGy disrupted...

Radioactive contamination of pine (Pinus sylvestris) in Krasnoyarsk (Russia) following fallout from the Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Bolsunovsky, A; Dementyev, D

2014-12-01

Following the Fukushima accident in March 2011, samples of pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) were collected from three sites near the city of Krasnoyarsk (Siberia, Russia) during 2011-2012 and analyzed for artificial radionuclides. Concentrations of Fukushima-derived radionuclides in the samples of pine needles in April 2011 reached 5.51 ± 0.52 Bq kg(-1)(131)I, 0.92 ± 0.04 Bq kg(-1)(134)Cs, and 1.51 ± 0.07 Bq kg(-1)(137)Cs. An important finding was the detection of (134)Cs from the Fukushima accident not only in the pine needles and branches but also in the new shoots in 2012, which suggested a transfer of Fukushima cesium isotopes from branches to shoots. In 2011 and 2012, the (137)Cs/(134)Cs ratio for pine needles and branches collected in sampling areas Krasnoyarsk-1 and Krasnoyarsk-2 was greater than 1 (varying within a range of 1.2-2.6), suggesting the presence of "older", pre-Fukushima accident (137)Cs. Calculations showed that for pine samples growing in areas of the Krasnoyarskii Krai unaffected by contamination from the nuclear facility, the activity of the Fukushima-derived cesium isotopes was two-three times higher than the activity of the pre-accident (137)Cs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of cesium on cement mortar from aqueous solutions.

PubMed

Volchek, Konstantin; Miah, Muhammed Yusuf; Kuang, Wenxing; DeMaleki, Zack; Tezel, F Handan

2011-10-30

The adsorption of cesium on cement mortar from aqueous solutions was studied in series of bench-scale tests. The effects of cesium concentration, temperature and contact time on process kinetics and equilibrium were evaluated. Experiments were carried out in a range of initial cesium concentrations from 0.0103 to 10.88 mg L(-1) and temperatures from 278 to 313 K using coupons of cement mortar immersed in the solutions. Non-radioactive cesium chloride was used as a surrogate of the radioactive (137)Cs. Solution samples were taken after set periods of time and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Depending on the initial cesium concentration, its equilibrium concentration in solution ranged from 0.0069 to 8.837 mg L(-1) while the respective surface concentration on coupons varied from 0.0395 to 22.34 μg cm(-2). Equilibrium test results correlated well with the Freundlich isotherm model for the entire test duration. Test results revealed that an increase in temperature resulted in an increase in adsorption rate and a decrease in equilibrium cesium surface concentration. Among several kinetic models considered, the pseudo-second order reaction model was found to be the best to describe the kinetic test results in the studied range of concentrations. The adsorption activation energy determined from Arrhenius equation was found to be approximately 55.9 kJ mol(-1) suggesting that chemisorption was the prevalent mechanism of interaction between cesium ions and cement mortar. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Cs-134 and 137 released by Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in ground, soil, and stream waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Hada, Manami; Ishwar, Pun; Abe, Yutaka

2013-04-01

Due to Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant accident occurred in March 2011, large amount of radionuclides was released into the atmosphere and was fallen onto ground by rainfall. Few researches have monitored radioactive cesium dynamics in whole hydrological cycle system such as groundwater, soil water, spring water and stream water. Thus, the purpose of this study is to monitor concentration of radioactive cesium in those waters in time series in the headwaters. We have performed an intensive monitoring at three small mountainous catchments in Yamakiya district, Kawamata town, Fukushima prefecture, locating 35 km northwest from Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant since June 2011, also we consider the movement of radioactive cesium and its relation with the hydrological cycle.

On the usability of frequency distributions and source attribution of Cs-137 detections encountered in the IMS radio-nuclide network for radionuclide event screening and climate change monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, A.; Wotawa, G.; Zähringer, M.

2009-04-01

Under the provisions of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), airborne radioactivity is measured by means of high purity Germanium gamma ray detectors deployed in a global monitoring network. Almost 60 of the scheduled 80 stations have been put in provisional operations by the end of 2008. Each station daily sends the 24 hour samples' spectroscopic data to the Vienna based Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the CTBT Organization (CTBTO) for review for treaty-relevant nuclides. Cs-137 is one of these relevant isotopes. Its typical minimum detectable concentration is in the order of a few Bq/m3. However, this isotope is also known to occur in atmospheric trace concentrations, due to known non CTBT relevant processes and sources related to, for example, the re-suspension of cesium from historic nuclear tests and/or the Chernobyl reactor disaster, temporarily enhanced by bio-mass burning (Wotawa et al. 2006). Properly attributed cesium detections can be used as a proxy to detect Aeolian dust events (Igarashi et al, 2001) that potentially carry cesium from all aforementioned sources but are also known to play an important role for the radiative forcing in the atmosphere (shadow effect), at the surface (albedo) and the carbon dioxide cycle when interacting with oceanic phytoplankton (Mikami and Shi, 2005). In this context this paper provides a systematic attribution of recent Cs-137 detections in the PTS monitoring network in order to Characterize those stations which are regularly affected by Cs-137 Provide input for procedures that distinguish CTBT relevant detection from other sources (event screening) Explore on the capability of certain stations to use their Cs-137 detections as a proxy to detect aeolian dust events and to flag the belonging filters to be relevant for further investigations in this field (-> EGU-2009 Session CL16/AS4.6/GM10.1: Aeolian dust: initiator, player, and recorder of environmental change). References Igarashi, Y., M. Aoyama, K. Hirose,M. Takashi and S. Yabuki, 2001: Is It Possible to Use 90Sr and 137Cs As Tracers for the Aeolian Dust Transport? Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 130, 349-354. Mikami, M. and G. Shi, 2005: Preliminary summary of aeolian dust experiment on climate impact -Japan-Sino joint project ADEC. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 7, 05985 Wotawa, G., L.-E. De Geer, A. Becker, R.D'Amours, M. Jean, R. Servranck and K. Ungar, 2006: Inter- and intra-continental transport of radioactive cesium released by boreal forest fires, Geophys. Res. Lett. 33, L12806, doi: 10.1029/2006GL026206 Disclaimer The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission.

Sediment-deposition rates and organic compounds in bottom sediment at four sites in Lake Mead, Nevada, May 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Covay, K.J.; Beck, D.A.

2001-01-01

In May 1998 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, investigated rates of sediment deposition and concentrations of selected synthetic organic compounds at four sites in Lake Mead. Sediment cores were extracted from two sites (one shallow and one deep) in Las Vegas Bay, from one site in the Overton Arm, and from one site near the historic confluence of the Colorado and Virgin Rivers. The sediment cores were age-dated using cesium-137 and were analyzed for the presence of organochlorine compounds (pesticides and degradation products, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and furans) and for semivolatile organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols). Sediment-deposition rates after impoundment of the Colorado River by Hoover Dam were determined by measuring the accumulation of mass during three different periods: (1) from the approximate impoundment date for each site (1935-37) to the initial occurrence of cesium-137 in the atmosphere (1952); (2) from 1952 to the maximum concentration of cesium-137 in the atmosphere (1964); and (3) from 1964 to the collection date of the sample (1998). Sediment-deposition rates for the entire post-impoundment period (1935-98) averaged 1.45 (g/cm2)/yr (grams per square centimeter per year) at the Las Vegas Bay shallow site, 1.25 (g/cm2)/yr at the Las Vegas Bay deep site, 0.80 (g/cm2)/yr at the Overton Arm site, and 0.65 (g/cm2)/yr at the Colorado and Virgin Rivers confluence site. Sediment-deposition rates after impoundment of the Colorado River by Hoover Dam were determined by measuring the accumulation of mass during three different periods: (1) from the approximate impoundment date for each site (1935-37) to the initial occurrence of cesium-137 in the atmosphere (1952); (2) from 1952 to the maximum concentration of cesium-137 in the atmosphere (1964); and (3) from 1964 to the collection date of the sample (1998). Sediment-deposition rates for the entire post-impoundment period (1935-98) averaged 1.45 (g/cm2)/yr (grams per square centimeter per year) at the Las Vegas Bay shallow site, 1.25 (g/cm2)/yr at the Las Vegas Bay deep site, 0.80 (g/cm2)/yr at the Overton Arm site, and 0.65 (g/cm2)/yr at the Colorado and Virgin Rivers confluence site. Total numbers of synthetic organic compounds detected in sediment samples were 48 at the Las Vegas Bay shallow site, 57 at the Las Vegas Bay deep site, 26 at the Overton Arm site, and 31 at the Colorado and Virgin Rivers confluence site. The most commonly detected organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl compounds were dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. The most commonly detected dioxin compounds were tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and octochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The most commonly detected furan compounds were tetrachlorodibenzofuran and octochlorodibenzofuran. The most commonly detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons included perylene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene, and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene. The most commonly detected phenol compound was phenol.

Elevated congenital anomaly rates and incorporated cesium-137 in the Polissia region of Ukraine.

PubMed

Wertelecki, Wladimir; Koerblein, Alfred; Ievtushok, Bogdana; Zymak-Zakutnia, Nataliya; Komov, Oleksandr; Kuznietsov, Illia; Lapchenko, Serhiy; Sosyniuk, Zoriana

2016-03-01

Investigations soon after the 1986 Chornobyl (Chernobyl in Russian) accident of exposed populations residing elsewhere in Europe led government and international agencies to conclude that exposures to cesium-137 (Cs-137) were not teratogenic. Our observations of elevated population rates of neural tube defects (NTDs) and microcephaly and microphthalmia (M/M) in the Rivne Province in Ukraine, which were among the highest in Europe, prompted this follow-up investigation inclusive of whole-body counts (WBCs) of Cs-137 among ambulatory patients and pregnant women residing in Polissia, the most polluted region in Rivne. Yearly (2000-2012) population rates of NTDs and M/M and WBC patterns of ambulatory patients (2001-2010) and pregnant women (2011-2013) in Polissia and non-Polissia regions of Rivne were analyzed. The NTD and M/M population rates in Rivne remain elevated and are statistically significantly higher in Polissia than in non-Polissia. The WBCs among residents in Polissia are statistically significantly higher than among those from non-Polissia. NTD and M/M rates are highest in the Polissia region of Rivne and are among the highest in Europe. In Polissia, the WBCs of Cs-137 are above officially set permissible upper limits. The results are based on aggregate data of NTDs and M/Ms and average WBC values. Further investigations of causality of the high rates of NTDs and M/Ms are needed and urgent strengthening policies and implementations to reduce exposures to teratogens, in particular radioactive nuclides and alcohol, and consumption of folic acid supplements are indicated. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chronic exposure of adult, postnatal and in utero rat models to low-dose 137Cesium: impact on circulating biomarkers

PubMed Central

Manens, Line; Grison, Stéphane; Bertho, Jean-Marc; Lestaevel, Philippe; Guéguen, Yann; Benderitter, Marc; Aigueperse, Jocelyne; Souidi, Maâmar

2016-01-01

The presence of 137Cesium (137Cs) in the environment after nuclear accidents at Chernobyl and more recently Fukushima Daiichi raises many health issues for the surrounding populations chronically exposed through the food chain. To mimic different exposure situations, we set up a male rat model of exposure by chronic ingestion of a 137Cs concentration likely to be ingested daily by residents of contaminated areas (6500 Bq.l−1) and tested contaminations lasting 9 months for adult, neonatal and fetal rats. We tested plasma and serum biochemistry to identify disturbances in general indicators (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and electrolytes) and in biomarkers of thyroid, heart, brain, bone, kidney, liver and testis functions. Analysis of the general indicators showed increased levels of cholesterol (+26%), HDL cholesterol (+31%), phospholipids B (+15%) and phosphorus (+100%) in the postnatal group only. Thyroid, heart, brain, bone and kidney functions showed no blood changes in any model. The liver function evaluation showed changes in total bilirubin (+67%) and alkaline phosphatase (–11%) levels, but only for the rats exposed to 137Cs intake in adulthood. Large changes in 17β-estradiol (–69%) and corticosterone (+36%) levels affected steroidogenesis, but only in the adult model. This study showed that response profiles differed according to age at exposure: lipid metabolism was most radiosensitive in the postnatal model, and steroid hormone metabolism was most radiosensitive in rats exposed in adulthood. There was no evidence of deleterious effects suggesting a potential impact on fertility or procreation. PMID:27466399

Estimation of errors in the inverse modeling of accidental release of atmospheric pollutant: Application to the reconstruction of the cesium-137 and iodine-131 source terms from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winiarek, Victor; Bocquet, Marc; Saunier, Olivier; Mathieu, Anne

2012-03-01

A major difficulty when inverting the source term of an atmospheric tracer dispersion problem is the estimation of the prior errors: those of the atmospheric transport model, those ascribed to the representativity of the measurements, those that are instrumental, and those attached to the prior knowledge on the variables one seeks to retrieve. In the case of an accidental release of pollutant, the reconstructed source is sensitive to these assumptions. This sensitivity makes the quality of the retrieval dependent on the methods used to model and estimate the prior errors of the inverse modeling scheme. We propose to use an estimation method for the errors' amplitude based on the maximum likelihood principle. Under semi-Gaussian assumptions, it takes into account, without approximation, the positivity assumption on the source. We apply the method to the estimation of the Fukushima Daiichi source term using activity concentrations in the air. The results are compared to an L-curve estimation technique and to Desroziers's scheme. The total reconstructed activities significantly depend on the chosen method. Because of the poor observability of the Fukushima Daiichi emissions, these methods provide lower bounds for cesium-137 and iodine-131 reconstructed activities. These lower bound estimates, 1.2 × 1016 Bq for cesium-137, with an estimated standard deviation range of 15%-20%, and 1.9 - 3.8 × 1017 Bq for iodine-131, with an estimated standard deviation range of 5%-10%, are of the same order of magnitude as those provided by the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and about 5 to 10 times less than the Chernobyl atmospheric releases.

Integrating Ecology and Watershed Processes: Historical Rangeland Change as a Driver of Sediment Yield and Impacts on Reservoir Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, M.; Wilcox, B. P.; Marcantonio, F.; Popescu, S. C.

2014-12-01

Rural lands increasingly are receiving attention for the ecosystem services they provide to growing populations. Among the most important of these is water yield and storage in rangelands. Yet rangelands are dynamic, with large land use/land cover changes over time. Uncertainty remains about the effects of these changes on rangeland function and how they affect potential benefits to populations that depend on them. We investigated rangelands in central Texas, USA to quantify changes in land cover and land use and resulting trends in sediment yield over time. Examining eight watersheds totaling 230 km2, we classified land cover using aerial photos from the late 1930s to 2012, focusing on woody plant cover. In addition, we digitized cultivated areas over time. Finally, we collected sediment cores from reservoirs at the base of each watershed and created a chronosequence of sedimentation trends using cesium-137 and lead-210 tracers. Cropland exhibited major reductions nearing 80% in all areas. Woody plant cover trends varied geographically, from steady decreases to decline followed by rebound to consistent increases in shrub extent. Cesium-137 profiles indicated sedimentation rates generally have decreased by more than 50% since 1963. Since then, rates in all areas have been quite stable. Cesium-137 and lead-210 rate estimates were similar (p = 0.69). At its peak, sedimentation in the smaller, semi-urban watershed occurred 1400% faster per unit area than in rural watersheds. Results indicate changing shrub cover is not a primary driver of sediment dynamics in these watersheds. Rather, it is likely that a combination of severe drought and land use history is responsible for periods of high sediment yield and reservoir storage loss

The contribution of sediment from forested areas of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gellis, A.; Brakebill, J.

2012-12-01

Fine-grained sediment is a major pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay and its receiving waters. Sediment budget studies have been conducted in small basins draining to the Bay over the last decade to understand the important sources of fine-grained sediment, quantify erosion rates, and determine sediment yields. Sediment budget approaches include modeling (SPARROW), sediment fingerprinting, and quantifying upland rates of erosion (Cesium-137). SPARROW model results indicate that forests deliver between 2 to 8% of the total sediment to the Bay. Sediment-fingerprinting results from small watershed studies indicate that forests contribute between 13 to 29 % of the sediment. The Cesium-137 technique was used to quantify soil redistribution (erosion and deposition) rates for forested areas in the Linganore Creek (146 km2) watershed which drains the Piedmont Physiographic Province. Average forest erosion rates measured in 2009 for Linganore Creek using Cesium-137 were 2.6 t/ha/yr. With 27% of the Linganore Creek watershed in forest, over 10,300 may be eroded off of forested lands which is more than the average annual suspended-sediment load (8,050 Mg/yr) in Linganore Creek, indicating that much of the eroded forest sediment goes in storage. Most of the forested areas in the Chesapeake Bay watershed were cut down for agriculture between the time of European colonization and the early 20th Century. In the late 20th century forested lands show an increase in areal extent. Although studies have not been conducted to understand why these secondary growth forests are eroding, it may involve that these forests have not fully recovered from deforestation. Soil profiles are thin, and runoff and sediment relations may have been altered, leading to high rates of erosion.

The Impact of Time on Decorporation Efficacy After a "Dirty Bomb" Attack Studied by Simulation.

PubMed

Rump, A; Stricklin, D; Lamkowski, A; Eder, S; Abend, M; Port, M

2016-11-01

Background: In the case of a nuclear or radiological incident, there is a risk of external and internal contamination with radionuclides in addition to external irradiation. There is no consensus whether decorporation treatment should be initiated right away on spec or pending the results of internal dosimetry to determine the indication. Method: Based on biokinetic models for plutonium-239, americium-241 and cesium-137, the efficacy of a decorporation treatment using DTPA or Prussian blue was simulated depending on the initiation time and the duration of treatment for different invasion pathways and physicochemical properties of the inhaled compounds. Results: For the same level of radioactivity incorporated, the committed effective dose increases with the speed of the invasion process. The impact of the initiation time of a decorporation treatment is particularly important when the absorption of the radionuclide is fast. Even if started early after incorporation, the therapeutic efficacy is less for americium-241 or cesium-137 compared to plutonium-239. Therapeutic efficacy increases with treatment duration up to about 90 days for plutonium-239 and cesium-137, whereas a prolongation of the treatment over this limit may further enhance efficacy in the case of americium-241. Conclusion: In the case of a nuclear incident, several fractions with different but a priori unknown physicochemical properties may be inhaled. Thus, decorporation therapy should be started as soon as possible after the incorporation of the radionuclide(s), as a loss of efficacy caused by a delay of treatment initiation possibly cannot be compensated later on. Treatment should be pursued for several months. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Development of Urinary Biomarkers for Internal Exposure by Cesium-137 Using a Metabolomics Approach in Mice

PubMed Central

Goudarzi, Maryam; Weber, Waylon; Mak, Tytus D.; Chung, Juijung; Doyle-Eisele, Melanie; Melo, Dunstana; Brenner, David J.; Guilmette, Raymond A.; Fornace, Albert J.

2014-01-01

Cesium-137 is a fission product of uranium and plutonium in nuclear reactors and is released in large quantities during nuclear explosions or detonation of an improvised device containing this isotope. This environmentally persistent radionuclide undergoes radioactive decay with the emission of beta particles as well as gamma radiation. Exposure to 137Cs at high doses can cause acute radiation sickness and increase risk for cancer and death. The serious health risks associated with 137Cs exposure makes it critical to understand how it affects human metabolism and whether minimally invasive and easily accessible samples such as urine and serum can be used to triage patients in case of a nuclear disaster or a radiologic event. In this study, we have focused on establishing a time-dependent metabolomic profile for urine collected from mice injected with 137CsCl. The samples were collected from control and exposed mice on days 2, 5, 20 and 30 after injection. The samples were then analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/TOFMS) and processed by an array of informatics and statistical tools. A total of 1,412 features were identified in ESI+ and ESI− modes from which 200 were determined to contribute significantly to the separation of metabolomic profiles of controls from those of the different treatment time points. The results of this study highlight the ease of use of the UPLC/TOFMS platform in finding urinary biomarkers for 137Cs exposure. Pathway analysis of the statistically significant metabolites suggests perturbations in several amino acid and fatty acid metabolism pathways. The results also indicate that 137Cs exposure causes: similar changes in the urinary excretion levels of taurine and citrate as seen with external-beam gamma radiation; causes no attenuation in the levels of hexanoylglycine and N-acetylspermidine; and has unique effects on the levels of isovalerylglycine and tiglylglycine. PMID:24377719

Cesium-137 Contaminated Roads and Health Problems in Residents: an Epidemiological Investigation in Seoul, 2011.

PubMed

Ha, Mina; Ju, Young Su; Lee, Won Jin; Hwang, Seung Sik; Yoo, Sang Chul; Choi, Kyung Hwa; Burm, Eunae; Lee, Jieon; Lee, Yun Keun; Im, Sanghyuk

2018-02-26

In 2011, two roads in a residential area in Seoul were found to be contaminated with the radionuclide cesium-137 (137Cs). In response to public concerns, an epidemiological study was conducted. The standardized cancer incidence ratios in the affected and neighboring regions were calculated based on the central cancer registry. Households in the region were sampled using the random stratified sampling technique, and questionnaires were administered to family members, via home visit and via students in elementary to high schools. Information on duration of residency and frequency of use of the roads was applied to calculate cumulative radiation exposure dose from the roads, alongside with the reported 137Cs contamination amounts. Information on past medical history, perceived risk, anxiety and psychological stress was also obtained. Of the 31,053 residents, 8,875 were analyzed. To examine possible associations between radiation exposure and health problems, logistic regression adjusted for covariates were performed with consideration of the sampling design, population weight and stratification. No significant association was found between self-informed diseases, including cancers, and estimated radiation exposure dose. According to an increase of radiation level, a significant increase in anxiety in all and a decline in the psychosocial wellbeing of the adults was noted. The risk perception level was higher in the elderly, females, the less educated, and the highest exposed individuals. This study provides a basis for risk communication with residents and community environmental health policy. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Cesium-137 Contaminated Roads and Health Problems in Residents: an Epidemiological Investigation in Seoul, 2011

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background In 2011, two roads in a residential area in Seoul were found to be contaminated with the radionuclide cesium-137 (137Cs). In response to public concerns, an epidemiological study was conducted. Methods The standardized cancer incidence ratios in the affected and neighboring regions were calculated based on the central cancer registry. Households in the region were sampled using the random stratified sampling technique, and questionnaires were administered to family members, via home visit and via students in elementary to high schools. Information on duration of residency and frequency of use of the roads was applied to calculate cumulative radiation exposure dose from the roads, alongside with the reported 137Cs contamination amounts. Information on past medical history, perceived risk, anxiety and psychological stress was also obtained. Of the 31,053 residents, 8,875 were analyzed. To examine possible associations between radiation exposure and health problems, logistic regression adjusted for covariates were performed with consideration of the sampling design, population weight and stratification. Results No significant association was found between self-informed diseases, including cancers, and estimated radiation exposure dose. According to an increase of radiation level, a significant increase in anxiety in all and a decline in the psychosocial wellbeing of the adults was noted. The risk perception level was higher in the elderly, females, the less educated, and the highest exposed individuals. Conclusion This study provides a basis for risk communication with residents and community environmental health policy. PMID:29441737

Chlorine-36 and cesium-137 in ice-core samples from mid-latitude glacial sites in the Northern Hemisphere

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, J.R.; Cecil, L.D.; Synal, H.-A.; Kreutz, K.J.; Wake, C.P.; Naftz, D.L.; Frape, S.K.

2000-01-01

Chlorine-36 (36Cl) concentrations, 36Cl/Cl ratios, and 36Cl fluxes in ice-core samples collected from the Upper Fremont Glacier (UFG) in the Wind River Mountain Range, Wyoming, United States and the Nangpai Gosum Glacier (NGG) in the Himalayan Mountains, Nepal, were determined and compared with published results from the Dye-3 ice-core drilling site on the Greenland Ice Sheet. Cesium-137 (137Cs) concentrations in the NGG also were determined. The background fluxes for 36Cl for each glacial site were similar: (1.6??0.3)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the UFG samples, (0.7??0.1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the NGG samples, and (0.4??0.1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the Dye-3 samples. The 36Cl fluxes in ice that was deposited as snow during peak atmospheric nuclear weapon test (1957-1958) were (33??1)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the UFG site, (291??3)??10-2 atoms/cm2 s for the NGG site, and (124??5)??10-2 atoms/ cm2 s for the Dye-3 site. A weapon test period 137Cs concentration of 0.79??0.05 Bq/kg in the NGG ice core also was detected in the same section of ice that contained the largest 36Cl concentration. ?? 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Transport of iodine and cesium via the grass-cow-milk pathway after the Chernobyl accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirchner, G.

1994-06-01

More than 150 data sets giving time-dependent concentrations of {sup 131}I and {sup 137}Cs in feed and milk of cows after the Chernobyl accident are evaluated using a minimal compartmental modeling approach. Transfer of cesium via the grass-cow-milk pathway is adequately described by a three-compartmental model. No unique model results for {sup 131}I, as a compartment with slow secretion of {sup 131}I into milk, are identified for some datasets only. Frequency distributions of weathering half-lives on grass and of equilibrium feed-to-milk transfer coefficients are approximately lognormal. Mean values of weathering half-lives on plants are 9.1 {plus_minus} 0.6 d for iodinemore » and 11.1 {plus_minus} 0.8 d for cesium, in good agreement with means established from experiments performed before 1986. Mean values of equilibrium feed-to-milk transfer coefficients are 3.4 {plus_minus} 0.4 10{sup {minus}3} d L{sup {minus}1} for {sup 131}I and 5.4 {plus_minus} 0.5 10{sup {minus}3} d L{sup {minus}1} for {sup 137}Cs. Both are lower than means calculated from the pre-Chernobyl data base. Plausible explanations of the differences include (1) reduced availability of fallout compared to soluble tracer; (2) underestimation of post-Chernobyl transfer coefficients by some experiments concluded too early to record slow transport processes; and (3) reduced transfer of {sup 131}I compared to long-lived iodine isotopes due to decay during fixation in the thyroid. Feed-to-milk transfer of {sup 131}I is related to milk yield, but no influence of milk yield and type of feed on transfer is apparent for cesium. 73 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Anthropogenic radionuclides for estimating rates of soil redistribution by wind

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Erosion of soil by wind and water is a degrading process that affects millions of hectares worldwide. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and the resulting fallout of anthropogenic radioisotopes, particularly Cesium 137, has made possible the estimation of mean soil redistribution rates. The pe...

Anthropogenic radioisotopes to estimate rates of soil redistribution by wind

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Erosion of soil by wind and water is a degrading process that affects millions of hectares worldwide. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and the resulting fallout of anthropogenic radioisotopes, particularly Cesium 137, has made possible the estimation of mean soil redistribution rates. The pe...

Colloid-facilitated transport of cesium in variably saturated Hanford sediments.

PubMed

Chen, Gang; Flury, Markus; Harsh, James B; Lichtner, Peter C

2005-05-15

Radioactive 137Cs has leaked from underground waste tanks into the vadose zone at the Hanford Reservation in south-central Washington State. There is concern that 137Cs, currently located in the vadose zone, can reach the groundwater. In this study, we investigated whether, and to what extent, colloidal particles can facilitate the transport of 137Cs at Hanford. We used colloidal materials isolated from Hanford sediments. Transport experiments were conducted under variably saturated, steady-state flow conditions in repacked, 20 cm long Hanford sediment columns, with effective water saturations ranging from 0.2 to 1.0. Cesium, pre-associated with colloids, was stripped off during transport through the sediments. The higher the flow rates, the less Cs was stripped off, indicating in part that Cs desorption from carrying colloids was a residence-time-dependent process. Depending on the flow rate, up to 70% of the initially sorbed Cs desorbed from colloidal carriers and was captured in the stationary sediments. Less Cs was stripped off colloids under unsaturated than under saturated flow conditions at similar flow rates. This phenomenon was likely due to the reduced availability of sorption sites for Cs on the sediments as the water content decreased and water flow was divided between mobile and immobile regions.

Atmospheric radionuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident observed in Vietnam.

PubMed

Long, N Q; Truong, Y; Hien, P D; Binh, N T; Sieu, L N; Giap, T V; Phan, N T

2012-09-01

Radionuclides from the reactor accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant were observed in the surface air at stations in Hanoi, Dalat, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in Vietnam, about 4500 km southwest of Japan, during the period from March 27 to April 22, 2011. The maximum activity concentrations in the air measured at those three sites were 193, 33, and 37 μBq m(-3) for (131)I, (13)(4)Cs, and (13)(7)Cs, respectively. Peaks of radionuclide concentrations in the air corresponded to arrival of the air mass from Fukushima to Vietnam after traveling for 8 d over the Pacific Ocean. Cesium-134 was detected with the (134)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratio of about 0.85 in line with observations made elsewhere. The (131)I/(137)Cs activity ratio was observed to decrease exponentially with time as expected from radioactive decay. The ratio at Dalat, where is 1500 m high, was higher than those at Hanoi and HCMC in low lands, indicating the relative enrichment of the iodine in comparison to cesium at high altitudes. The time-integrated surface air concentrations of the Fukushima-derived radionuclides in the Southeast Asia showed exponential decrease with distance from Fukushima. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Garrett N.; Russell, Renee L.; Peterson, Reid A.

This report summarizes the work performed to evaluate multiple, cesium loading, and elution cycles for small columns containing SRF resin using a simple, high-level waste (HLW) simulant. Cesium ion exchange loading and elution curves were generated for a nominal 5 M Na, 2.4E-05 M Cs, 0.115 M Al loading solution traced with 134Cs followed by elution with variable HNO3 (0.02, 0.07, 0.15, 0.23, and 0.28 M) containing variable CsNO3 (5.0E-09, 5.0E-08, and 5.0E-07 M) and traced with 137Cs. The ion exchange system consisted of a pump, tubing, process solutions, and a single, small ({approx}15.7 mL) bed of SRF resin withmore » a water-jacketed column for temperature-control. The columns were loaded with approximately 250 bed volumes (BVs) of feed solution at 45 C and at 1.5 to 12 BV per hour (0.15 to 1.2 cm/min). The columns were then eluted with 29+ BVs of HNO3 processed at 25 C and at 1.4 BV/h. The two independent tracers allowed analysis of the on-column cesium interaction between the loading and elution solutions. The objective of these tests was to improve the correlation between the spent resin cesium content and cesium leached out of the resin in subsequent loading cycles (cesium leakage) to help establish acid strength and purity requirements.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosoff, B.; Cohn, S.H.; Spencer, H.

The main pathway of Cs/sup 137/ excretion in man following either intravenous or oral administration is via the kidney. The urinary to fecal ratio is approximately 10 : 1. Orally administered Cs/137/ is rapidly and almost completely absorbed. The metabolism of the radioisotope was shown to be similar following either intravenous or oral administration. Cs/sup 137/ disappears very rapidly from plasma and is taken up by red blood cells. The biological half-life of cesium in man deterrained by analyses of excreta of two patients was found to be 50 and 60 days respectively. These values are similar to the biologicalmore » half- lives obtained by long term whole-body counting studies. The distribution of Cs/ sup 137/ in man is fairly uniform in the soft tissues and the concentration decreases with time at different rates. Attempts to enhance the excretion rate of Cs/sup 137/ with diuretics, corticosteroids, and ion exchange resins were unsuccessful. (auth)« less

Chronic exposure of adult, postnatal and in utero rat models to low-dose 137Cesium: impact on circulating biomarkers.

PubMed

Manens, Line; Grison, Stéphane; Bertho, Jean-Marc; Lestaevel, Philippe; Guéguen, Yann; Benderitter, Marc; Aigueperse, Jocelyne; Souidi, Maâmar

2016-11-01

The presence of 137 Cesium ( 137 Cs) in the environment after nuclear accidents at Chernobyl and more recently Fukushima Daiichi raises many health issues for the surrounding populations chronically exposed through the food chain. To mimic different exposure situations, we set up a male rat model of exposure by chronic ingestion of a 137 Cs concentration likely to be ingested daily by residents of contaminated areas (6500 Bq.l -1 ) and tested contaminations lasting 9 months for adult, neonatal and fetal rats. We tested plasma and serum biochemistry to identify disturbances in general indicators (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and electrolytes) and in biomarkers of thyroid, heart, brain, bone, kidney, liver and testis functions. Analysis of the general indicators showed increased levels of cholesterol (+26%), HDL cholesterol (+31%), phospholipids B (+15%) and phosphorus (+100%) in the postnatal group only. Thyroid, heart, brain, bone and kidney functions showed no blood changes in any model. The liver function evaluation showed changes in total bilirubin (+67%) and alkaline phosphatase (-11%) levels, but only for the rats exposed to 137 Cs intake in adulthood. Large changes in 17β-estradiol (-69%) and corticosterone (+36%) levels affected steroidogenesis, but only in the adult model. This study showed that response profiles differed according to age at exposure: lipid metabolism was most radiosensitive in the postnatal model, and steroid hormone metabolism was most radiosensitive in rats exposed in adulthood. There was no evidence of deleterious effects suggesting a potential impact on fertility or procreation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

A nonintrusive nuclear monitor for measuring liquid contents in sealed vessels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J. J.; Mall, G. H.

1984-01-01

A nonintrusive nuclear technique for monitoring fluid contents in sealed vessels, regardless of the fluid distribution inside the vessels is described. The technique is applicable to all-g environments. It is based on the differences in Cesium-137 gamma ray attenuation coefficients in air and the test liquids.

76 FR 44378 - Policy Statement of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the Protection of Cesium-137...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... of licensees (users in the blood irradiation industry, biomedical research institutions, the... irradiation, (b) bio- medical and industrial research, and (c) calibration of instrumentation and dosimetry... their applications in blood irradiation, bio-medical and industrial research, and calibration of...

A Simple and Rapid Method for Reducing Radiocesium Concentrations in Wild Mushrooms ( Cantharellus and Boletus ) in the Course of Cooking.

PubMed

Steinhauser, Georg; Steinhauser, Veronika

2016-11-01

Many species of mushrooms are known accumulators of radioactive cesium ( 137 Cs and 134 Cs). Even years and decades after major nuclear accidents, especially those at Chernobyl and Fukushima, mushrooms exhibit high concentrations of these radionuclides. We investigated a simple method for reducing the activity of radiocesium in wild mushrooms (chanterelles, Cantharellus cibarius ; and boleti, Boletus edulis ) during cooking. The juice generated while cooking mushrooms contains a relatively high fraction of the total cesium. The amount of juice can be increased by washing the mushrooms with water prior to cooking. By removing the juice, up to 29% of the radiocesium can be easily removed from chanterelles. Because boleti have a lower affinity for cesium, activity levels were lower in boleti than in chanterelles. The fraction of radiocesium in the juice was lower in boleti than in chanterelles.

75 FR 60149 - Notice of Public Meeting To Solicit Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on the Protection of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

... applications that benefit society: (a) Blood irradiation; (b) Bio-medical and industrial research; and (c) Calibration of instrumentation and dosimetry. Panel presentations: Equipment needs of the blood irradiation industry. Conduct of bio-medical research in view of cesium-137 irradiation. Issues in calibration...

Radioactively-hot particles detected in dusts and soils from Northern Japan by combination of gamma spectrometry, autoradiography, and SEM/EDS analysis and implications in radiation risk assessment.

PubMed

Kaltofen, Marco; Gundersen, Arnie

2017-12-31

After the March 11, 2011, nuclear reactor meltdowns at Fukushima Dai-ichi, 180 samples of Japanese particulate matter (dusts and surface soils) and 235 similar U.S. and Canadian samples were collected and analyzed sequentially by gamma spectrometry, autoradiography, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Samples were collected and analyzed over a five-year period, from 2011 to 2016. Detectable levels of 134 Cs and 137 Cs were found in 142 of 180 (80%) Japanese particulate matter samples. The median radio-cesium specific activity of Japanese particulate samples was 3.2kBqkg -1 ±1.8kBqkg -1 , and the mean was 25.7kBqkg -1 (σ=72kBqkg -1 ). The U.S. and Canadian mean and median radio‑cesium activity levels were <0.03kBqkg -1 . U.S. and Canadian samples had detectable 134 Cs and 137 Cs in one dust sample out of 32 collected, and four soils out of 74. The maximum US/Canada radio-cesium particulate matter activity was 0.30±0.10kBqkg -1 . The mean in Japan was skewed upward due to nine of the 180 (5%) samples with activities >250kBqkg -1 . This skewness was present in both the 2011 and 2016 sample sets. >300 individual radioactively-hot particles were identified in samples from Japan; composed of 1% or more of the elements cesium, americium, radium, polonium, thorium, tellurium, or strontium. Some particles reached specific activities in the MBqμg -1 level and higher. No cesium-containing hot particles were found in the U.S. sample set. Only naturally-occurring radionuclides were found in particles from the U.S. background samples. Some of the hot particles detected in this study could cause significant radiation exposures to individuals if inhaled. Exposure models ignoring these isolated hot particles would potentially understate human radiation dose. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurements of plutonium, 237Np, and 137Cs in the BCR 482 lichen reference material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lavelle, Kevin B.; Miller, Jeffrey L.; Hanson, Susan K.

Select anthropogenic radionuclides were measured in lichen reference material, BCR 482. This material was originally collected in Axalp, Switzerland in 1991 and is composed of the epiphytic lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. Samples from three separate bottles of BCR 482 were analyzed for uranium, neptunium, and plutonium isotopes by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and analyzed for cesium-137 by gamma-ray spectrometry. The isotopic composition of the radionuclides measured in BCR 482 suggests contributions from both global fallout resulting from historical nuclear weapons testing and more volatile materials released following the Chernobyl accident.

Measurements of plutonium, 237Np, and 137Cs in the BCR 482 lichen reference material

DOE PAGES

Lavelle, Kevin B.; Miller, Jeffrey L.; Hanson, Susan K.; ...

2015-10-01

Select anthropogenic radionuclides were measured in lichen reference material, BCR 482. This material was originally collected in Axalp, Switzerland in 1991 and is composed of the epiphytic lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea. Samples from three separate bottles of BCR 482 were analyzed for uranium, neptunium, and plutonium isotopes by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and analyzed for cesium-137 by gamma-ray spectrometry. The isotopic composition of the radionuclides measured in BCR 482 suggests contributions from both global fallout resulting from historical nuclear weapons testing and more volatile materials released following the Chernobyl accident.

Predicting the long-term (137)Cs distribution in Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident: a parameter sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masaaki; Kitamura, Akihiro; Oda, Yoshihiro; Onishi, Yasuo

2014-09-01

Radioactive materials deposited on the land surface of Fukushima Prefecture from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant explosion is a crucial issue for a number of reasons, including external and internal radiation exposure and impacts on agricultural environments and aquatic biota. Predicting the future distribution of radioactive materials and their fates is therefore indispensable for evaluation and comparison of the effectiveness of remediation options regarding human health and the environment. Cesium-137, the main radionuclide to be focused on, is well known to adsorb to clay-rich soils; therefore its primary transportation mechanism is in the form of soil erosion on the land surface and transport of sediment-sorbed contaminants in the water system. In this study, we applied the Soil and Cesium Transport model, which we have developed, to predict a long-term cesium distribution in the Fukushima area, based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation and simple sediment discharge formulas. The model consists of calculation schemes of soil erosion, transportation and deposition, as well as cesium transport and its future distribution. Since not all the actual data on parameters is available, a number of sensitivity analyses were conducted here to find the range of the output results due to the uncertainties of parameters. The preliminary calculation indicated that a large amount of total soil loss remained in slope, and the residual sediment was transported to rivers, deposited in rivers and lakes, or transported farther downstream to the river mouths. Most of the sediment deposited in rivers and lakes consists of sand. On the other hand, most of the silt and clay portions transported to river were transported downstream to the river mouths. The rate of sediment deposition in the Abukuma River basin was three times as high as those of the other 13 river basins. This may be due to the larger catchment area and more moderate channel slope of the Abukuma River basin than those of the other rivers. Annual sediment outflows from the Abukuma River and the total from the other 13 river basins were calculated as 3.2 × 10(4)-3.1 × 10(5) and 3.4 × 10(4)-2.1 × 10(5)ty(-1), respectively. The values vary between calculation cases because of the critical shear stress, the rainfall factor, and other differences. On the other hand, contributions of those parameters were relatively small for (137)Cs concentration within transported soil. This indicates that the total amount of (137)Cs outflow into the ocean would mainly be controlled by the amount of soil erosion and transport and the total amount of (137)Cs concentration remaining within the basin. Outflows of (137)Cs from the Abukuma River and the total from the other 13 river basins during the first year after the accident were calculated to be 2.3 × 10(11)-3.7 × 10(12) and 4.6 × 10(11)-6.5 × 10(12)Bqy(-1), respectively. The former results were compared with the field investigation results, and the order of magnitude was matched between the two, but the value of the investigation result was beyond the upper limit of model prediction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Porous three-dimensional graphene foam/Prussian blue composite for efficient removal of radioactive 137Cs

PubMed Central

Jang, Sung-Chan; Haldorai, Yuvaraj; Lee, Go-Woon; Hwang, Seung-Kyu; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

2015-01-01

In this study, a simple one-step hydrothermal reaction is developed to prepare composite based on Prussian blue (PB)/reduced graphene oxide foam (RGOF) for efficient removal of radioactive cesium (137Cs) from contaminated water. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that cubic PB nanoparticles are decorated on the RGO surface. Owing to the combined benefits of RGOF and PB, the composite shows excellent removal efficiency (99.5%) of 137Cs from the contaminated water. The maximum adsorption capacity is calculated to be 18.67 mg/g. An adsorption isotherm fit-well the Langmuir model with a linear regression correlation value of 0.97. This type of composite is believed to hold great promise for the clean-up of 137Cs from contaminated water around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents. PMID:26670798

Small Column Ion Exchange Testing of Superlig 644 for Removal of 137Cs from Hanford Tank Waste Envelope A (Tank 241-AW-101)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DE Kurath; DL Blanchard; JR Bontha

The current BNFL Inc. flow sheet for the pretreatment of the Hanford High-Level tank wastes includes the use of Superlig{reg_sign} materials for the removal of {sup 137}Cs from the aqueous fraction of the waste. The Superlig materials applicable to cesium removal include the cesium selective Superlig 632 and Superlig 644. These materials have been developed and supplied by IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc., American Fork, UT. The work contained in this report involves testing the Superlig 644 ion exchange material in a small dual column system (15 mL each; L/D = 5.7). The sample processed was approximately 2.5 L of dilutedmore » waste [Na{sup +}] = 4.6M from Tank 241-AW-101 (Envelope A). This waste had been previously clarified in a single tube cross-flow filtration unit. All ion exchange process steps were tested including resin bed preparation, loading, feed displacement water rinse, elution and resin regeneration. During the initial run, the lag column did not perform as expected so that the {sup 137}Cs concentration in the effluent composite was above the LAW treatment limits. This required a second column run with the partially decontaminated feed that was conducted at a higher flow rate. A summary of performance measures for both runs is shown in Table S1. The Cs {lambda} values represent a measure of the effective capacity of the SL-644 resin. The Cs {lambda} of 143 for the lead column in run 1 is very similar to the value obtained by the Savannah River Technology Center during Phase 1A testing. The larger Cs {lambda} value for run 2 reflects a general trend for the effective capacity of the SL-644 material to increase as the cesium concentration decreases. The low value for the lag column during the first run indicates that it did not perform as expected. This may have been due to insufficient conditioning of the bed prior to the start of the loading step or to air in the bed that caused channeling. Equilibrium data obtained with batch contacts using the AW-101 Cs IX feed indicates a range for the Cs {lambda} of 80--97. The maximum decontamination factor (DF) for {sup 137}CS is based on analysis of the first samples collected from each column and the concentration in the feed for each run. While the DF's are lower for the second run, this is attributed to the lower {sup 137}Cs concentration in the feed and the increased flowrate. The overall composite DF for run 2 was quite good since both columns functioned well. The overall DF for both runs was 3,000, which provided an effluent with a {sup 137}Cs concentration of 5.89E-02 Ci/m{sup 3} (C/C{sub 0} = 3.3 IE-04). The {sup 137}Cs concentration in the effluent composite was 7.3% of the contract limit for {sup 137}Cs and also below the basis of design limit.« less

Studies on soil to grass transfer factor (Fv) and grass to milk transfer coefficient (Fm) for cesium in Kaiga region.

PubMed

Karunakara, N; Ujwal, P; Yashodhara, I; Rao, Chetan; Sudeep Kumara, K; Dileep, B N; Ravi, P M

2013-10-01

Detailed studies were carried out to establish site-specific soil to grass transfer factors (Fv) and grass to cow milk transfer coefficients (Fm) for radioactive cesium ((137)Cs) and stable cesium (Cs) for Kaiga region, where a nuclear power station has been in operation for more than 10 years. The study included adopted cows, cows of local farmers, and cows from the dairy farm. A grass field was developed specifically for the study and 2 local breed cows were adopted and allowed to graze in this grass field. The soil and grass samples were collected regularly from this field and analyzed for the concentrations of (137)Cs and stable Cs to evaluate the soil to grass Fv values. The milk samples from the adopted cows were analyzed for the (137)Cs and stable Cs concentrations to evaluate Fm values. For comparison, studies were also carried out in dominant grazing areas in different villages around the nuclear power plant and the cows of local farmers which graze in these areas were identified and milk samples were collected and analyzed regularly. The geometric mean values of Fv were found to be 1.1 × 10(-1) and 1.8 × 10(-1) for (137)Cs and stable Cs, respectively. The Fm of (137)Cs had geometric mean values of 1.9 × 10(-2) d L(-1) and 4.6 × 10(-2) d L(-1), respectively, for adopted Cows 1 and 2; 1.7 × 10(-2) d L(-1) for the cows of local farmers, and 4.0 × 10(-3) d L(-1) for the dairy farm cows. The geometric mean values of Fm for stable Cs were similar to those of (137)Cs. The Fm value for the dairy farm cows was an order of magnitude lower than those for local breed cows. The Fm values observed for the local breed cows were also an order of magnitude higher when compared to the many values reported in the literature and in the IAEA publication. Possible reasons for this higher Fm values were identified. The correlation between Fv and Fm values for (137)Cs and stable Cs and their dependence on the potassium content ((40)K and stable K) in the soil and grass were also studied. In order to estimate the ingestion dose accurate data of the dietary habits of the population was necessary and this data was collected through a well planned demographic survey. The internal doses to a child due to the ingestion of (137)Cs along with the milk of the local cows and from the dairy farm were found to be 0.29 μSv y(-1) and 0.04 μSv y(-1),while that to an adult were 0.39 μSv y(-1) and 0.05 μSv y(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

(137)Cs, (40)K and (210)Po in marine mammals from the southern Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Ciesielski, Tomasz; Góral, Marta; Szefer, Piotr; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro; Bojanowski, Ryszard

2015-12-15

This study provides information on baseline concentrations of the radionuclides Cesium-137, Potassium-40 and Polonium-210 in sea mammals from the Baltic Sea. The radionuclides were analyzed in the liver, kidney and muscle of harbor porpoises, striped dolphins, and gray and ringed seals from the Polish coast by γ- and α-spectrometry. Median (137)Cs activities were 14.8, 13.2 and 23.2 Bq kg(-1) w.w. in the liver, kidney and muscles, respectively. Activities of (40)K and (210)Po in the respective tissues were found to be 79.1, 79.8 and 111 Bq kg(-1) for (40)K and 58.1, 59.2 and 32.9 Bq kg(-1) for (210)Po. The measured (137)Cs concentrations were extraordinarily high in comparison to those reported in sea mammals from other locations. However, dose assessments did not imply health effects from (137)Cs exposure in Baltic Sea mammals. Correlations between (137)Cs tissue activities and reported sea water concentrations highlight the potential use of marine mammals for biomonitoring purposes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of Radioactive Cesium Released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Nostoc commune

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Hideaki; Shirato, Susumu; Tahara, Tomoya; Sato, Kenji; Takenaka, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident released large amounts of radioactive substances into the environment and contaminated the soil of Tohoku and Kanto districts in Japan. Removal of radioactive material from the environment is an urgent problem, and soil purification using plants is being considered. In this study, we investigated the ability of 12 seed plant species and a cyanobacterium to accumulate radioactive material. The plants did not accumulate radioactive material at high levels, but high accumulation was observed in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. In Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, N. commune accumulated 415,000 Bq/kg dry weight 134Cs and 607,000 Bq kg−1 dry weight 137Cs. The concentration of cesium in N. commune tended to be high in areas where soil radioactivity was high. A cultivation experiment confirmed that N. commune absorbed radioactive cesium from polluted soil. These data demonstrated that radiological absorption using N. commune might be suitable for decontaminating polluted soil. PMID:24256969

Activity ratios in soil contaminated by the source of different reactor condition in the FDNPP accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satou, Yukihiko; Sueki, Keisuke; Sasa, Kimikazu; Matsunaka, Tetsuya; Shibayama, Nao; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Kinoshita, Norikazu

2014-05-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident caused radioactive contamination on the surface soil at Fukushima and its adjacent prefectures. Substantial contamination has been found in the northwestern area from the FDNPP, according to the airborne monitoring and ground base survey by the Japanese government. Activity ratios would have characteristic information on emission sources because each relevant reactor had different amount of radionuclide and different activity ratio. The ratios can be used to clarify more detailed source and process in the contamination. We have addressed to consider them in Namie town, northwestern region from the FDNPP. This study focused on the gamma-ray emitting radionuclides of 134Cs, 137Cs, and 110mAg. The activities were decay-corrected as of 11th March, 2011 when all nuclear reactors scrammed. Data of activity ratios by our results and the Japanese official report classified the investigated northwestern region into 3 groups. Ratios of 0.02 for 110mAg/137Cs and 0.90 for 134Cs/137Cs were observed in the northern region of 15 km inside from the FDNPP. On the other hand, two kinds of 110mAg/137Cs ratios of 0.005 and 0.002 were distributed broadly in the region 60 km away from the plant. The 134Cs/137Cs ratio was 0.98 there. The activity ratios of 110mAg/137Cs and 134Cs/137Cs in the northern region from the FDNPP correspond to those of nuclear fuel in Unit 1 according to estimation using the ORIGEN code. The 134Cs/137Cs in the northwestern area from FDNPP agrees with that of Unit 2 and 3. The 110mAg/137Cs ratios of 0.005 and0.002 are 1/5 - 1/10 of the Unit 2 and 3. Official report has announced that discharges of the radionuclides from Unit 2 and 3 occurred on 14th March, 2011. It is known that contamination in the northwestern region from the FDNPP took place on 15th March, 2011. Plausible species for silver in reactor core, metal, and halide etc. have higher boiling point than those species for cesium. The core would be cooled down to lower temperature of the boiling point of silver at the timing contamination occurred. Thus, silver with higher boiling point was not much released than cesium with lower boiling point. The 110mAg/137Cs ratio has served to identify the specific sources of contamination in the northwestern area from the FDNPP.

Wild game consumption habits among Italian shooters: relevance for intakes of cadmium, perfluorooctanesulphonic acid, and 137cesium as priority contaminants.

PubMed

Ferri, Mauro; Baldi, Loredana; Cavallo, Stefania; Pellicanò, Roberta; Brambilla, Gianfranco

2017-05-01

The consumption habits of 766 Italian shooters (96% males, 4% females), on average 52 years old, have been investigated, in Italy, through the distribution of questionnaires delivered during shooters' attendance to training and teaching courses, in compliance with 853/2004/EC Regulation provisions on food hygiene. The most consumed wild species recorded were pheasant > woodcock > choke among feathered animals, and wild boar > hare > roe deer among mammals, respectively. An average of 100-200 g game per serving (four servings per month) was consumed, with highest intakes of 3000 g per month; meat, liver, and heart were the preferred food items. Mammalian and feathered game was regularly consumed with friends and relatives in 83% and in 60% of cases, respectively. Accounting for an inventoried population of 751,876 shooters in Italy, it is estimated that there is regular consumption of wild game in around the 3% of the Italian population. More than 80% of responders were aware of health risks related to game handling and to food safety issues. Due to the occurrence in wild boar meat and liver of the heavy metal cadmium (Cd), the persistent organic pollutant perfluorooctan sulphonic acid (PFOS), and the radionuclide 137 cesium ( 137 Cs), it was possible to demonstrate the usefulness of such a food consumption database for intake assessment in this sensitive group of consumers. In high consumers of wild boar, threshold concentrations for intakes have been estimated in the ranges of 48-93 ng g -1 for Cd, 35-67 ng g -1 for PFOS and 0.20-0.34 Bq kg -1 for 137 Cs.

Atmospheric radioactivity of Cs-134/137 observed at Namie, Fukushima: seasonal variation and contribution of biological re-suspension.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kita, K.

2015-12-01

Radionuclides emitted by the accident in Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNDPP) have been deposited on the soil, ocean and vegetation. Even after about 4 years since the FNDPP accident significant activities of the radionuclides have been observed over severely contaminated areas. Re-suspension of radioactive cesium from the soil and vegetation to the atmosphere has been one of significant paths for its diffusion after the accident. Although the quantitative understanding of the re-suspensions is important for the prediction of future transition of radionuclides, its mechanism, identification of aerosol species which bring radioactive cesium, and the resuspension flux have not been understood in Fukushima. 　We are continuously measuring atmospheric concentration of Cs-134/137 radioactivity at Tsushima, Namie-town, located about 30km northwest from FNDPP with high-volume air samplers. It showed clear seasonal variation: it increase from April to June, and decreased from September to December. In winter and spring, it was weakly but positively correlated with the surface wind speed. On the contrary, it did not depend on the wind speed in summer and autumn. It also has different diurnal variation: higher activities were observed in daytime in winter/spring, while the activities were obviously higher in nighttime in summer/autumn. The size distribution of aerosols contributing to the Cs-134/137 re-suspension has been measured using cascade impactors attached with high-volume air samplers, and it also shows different features in winter/spring and summer/autumn. These results indicate that the mechanism of the Cs-134/137 re-suspension is different with the season in Fukushima. Scanning electron microscope observation showed that most of suspended coarse particles were soil particles in spring and biogenic particles in autumn. Details on the Cs-134/137 re-suspension mechanisms revealed by our observations and contribution of biogenic emission will be presented in the meeting.

Bioconcentration of fallout sup 137 Cs by fungi and red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mihok, S.; Schwartz, B.; Wiewel, A.M.

1989-12-01

Cesium-137 and 40K concentrations were measured in vegetation and in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) in southeastern Manitoba, Canada, following the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Voles from wet coniferous habitats contained concentrations of {sup 137}Cs twenty- to fiftyfold higher than voles from deciduous habitats. Maximum {sup 137}Cs values were observed in autumn. Voles captured in a spruce bog at this time contained an average body burden of about 11 Bq. Concentrations in vegetation samples were similar to those found by other researchers. Overall, there was only minimal evidence of contamination attributable to Chernobyl in either vegetation or voles. The primary sourcemore » of {sup 137}Cs in voles appeared to be dietary, particularly mushrooms that contained up to 74 Bq g-1 ash. Based on physiological constraints, mushrooms were the only plausible source of {sup 137}Cs in autumn diets. Elevated values at other times in coniferous areas may have been related to the consumption of epiphytic lichens. These findings suggest that fungi, or the animals that consume them, can serve as sensitive indicators of {sup 137}Cs contamination in the environment.« less

Artificial radionuclides in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea in the fall of 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kadzhene, G.I.; Kleiza, I.V.; Korotkov, V.P.

1987-10-01

The authors compare data from the literature with data taken in the fall of 1984 on the concentrations of cesium 137, strontium 90, cesium 144, and tritium in the waters of the Baltic and North seas. Sampling was conducted along the coastal regions as well as offshore and the consequent concentration and distribution profiles are mapped. They attempt to assess the weight of meteorological and water current as well as seasonal factors on the determined levels and also point to possible sources of the isotopes, including nuclear power plants situated along Baltic and North Sea shorelines and an atmospheric testmore » of a thermonuclear bomb carried out by China.« less

Multi-millennial record of erosion and fires in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, USA In: Greenberg, CH and BS Collins (eds.)

Treesearch

David S. Leigh

2016-01-01

Bottomland sediments from the southern Blue Ridge Mountains provide a coarse-resolution, multi-millennial stratigraphic record of past regional forest disturbance (soil erosion). This record is represented by 12 separate vertical accretion stratigraphic profi les that have been dated by radiocarbon, luminescence, cesium-137, and correlation methods...

Atmospheric behavior, deposition, and budget of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morino, Y.; Ohara, T.; Nishizawa, M.

2011-12-01

To understand the atmospheric behavior of radioactive materials emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the nuclear accident that accompanied the great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, we simulated the transport and deposition of iodine-131 and cesium-137 using a chemical transport model. The model roughly reproduced the observed temporal and spatial variations of deposition rates over 15 Japanese prefectures (60-400 km from the plant), including Tokyo, although there were some discrepancies between the simulated and observed rates. These discrepancies were likely due to uncertainties in the simulation of emission, transport, and deposition processes in the model. A budget analysis indicated that approximately 13% of iodine-131 and 22% of cesium-137 were deposited over land in Japan, and the rest was deposited over the ocean or transported out of the model domain (700 × 700 km2). Radioactivity budgets are sensitive to temporal emission patterns. Accurate estimation of emissions to the air is important for estimation of the atmospheric behavior of radionuclides and their subsequent behavior in land water, soil, vegetation, and the ocean.

Atmospheric behavior, deposition, and budget of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morino, Yu; Ohara, Toshimasa; Nishizawa, Masato

2011-09-01

To understand the atmospheric behavior of radioactive materials emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the nuclear accident that accompanied the great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, we simulated the transport and deposition of iodine-131 and cesium-137 using a chemical transport model. The model roughly reproduced the observed temporal and spatial variations of deposition rates over 15 Japanese prefectures (60-400 km from the plant), including Tokyo, although there were some discrepancies between the simulated and observed rates. These discrepancies were likely due to uncertainties in the simulation of emission, transport, and deposition processes in the model. A budget analysis indicated that approximately 13% of iodine-131 and 22% of cesium-137 were deposited over land in Japan, and the rest was deposited over the ocean or transported out of the model domain (700 × 700 km2). Radioactivity budgets are sensitive to temporal emission patterns. Accurate estimation of emissions to the air is important for estimation of the atmospheric behavior of radionuclides and their subsequent behavior in land water, soil, vegetation, and the ocean.

Bioaccumulation factors and the steady state assumption for cesium isotopes in aquatic foodwebs near nuclear facilities.

PubMed

Rowan, D J

2013-07-01

Steady state approaches, such as transfer coefficients or bioaccumulation factors, are commonly used to model the bioaccumulation of (137)Cs in aquatic foodwebs from routine operations and releases from nuclear generating stations and other nuclear facilities. Routine releases from nuclear generating stations and facilities, however, often consist of pulses as liquid waste is stored, analyzed to ensure regulatory compliance and then released. The effect of repeated pulse releases on the steady state assumption inherent in the bioaccumulation factor approach has not been evaluated. In this study, I examine the steady state assumption for aquatic biota by analyzing data for two cesium isotopes in the same biota, one isotope in steady state (stable (133)Cs) from geologic sources and the other released in pulses ((137)Cs) from reactor operations. I also compare (137)Cs bioaccumulation factors for similar upstream populations from the same system exposed solely to weapon test (137)Cs, and assumed to be in steady state. The steady state assumption appears to be valid for small organisms at lower trophic levels (zooplankton, rainbow smelt and 0+ yellow perch) but not for older and larger fish at higher trophic levels (walleye). Attempts to account for previous exposure and retention through a biokinetics approach had a similar effect on steady state, upstream and non-steady state, downstream populations of walleye, but were ineffective in explaining the more or less constant deviation between fish with steady state exposures and non-steady state exposures of about 2-fold for all age classes of walleye. These results suggest that for large, piscivorous fish, repeated exposure to short duration, pulse releases leads to much higher (137)Cs BAFs than expected from (133)Cs BAFs for the same fish or (137)Cs BAFs for similar populations in the same system not impacted by reactor releases. These results suggest that the steady state approach should be used with caution in any situation where reactor releases are episodic or pulse in nature, even if the magnitude of these releases is small. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quantifying annual internal effective 137Cesium dose utilizing direct body-burden measurement and ecological dose modeling.

PubMed

Jelin, Benjamin A; Sun, Wenjie; Kravets, Alexandra; Naboka, Maryna; Stepanova, Eugenia I; Vdovenko, Vitaliy Y; Karmaus, Wilfried J; Lichosherstov, Alex; Svendsen, Erik R

2016-11-01

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) accident represents one of the most significant civilian releases of 137 Cesium ( 137 Cs, radiocesium) in human history. In the Chernobyl-affected region, radiocesium is considered to be the greatest on-going environmental hazard to human health by radiobiologists and public health scientists. The goal of this study was to characterize dosimetric patterns and predictive factors for whole-body count (WBC)-derived radiocesium internal dose estimations in a CNPP-affected children's cohort, and cross-validate these estimations with a soil-based ecological dose estimation model. WBC data were used to estimate the internal effective dose using the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 67 dose conversion coefficient for 137 Cs and MONDAL Version 3.01 software. Geometric mean dose estimates from each model were compared utilizing paired t-tests and intra-class correlation coefficients. Additionally, we developed predictive models for WBC-derived dose estimation in order to determine the appropriateness of EMARC to estimate dose for this population. The two WBC-derived dose predictive models identified 137 Cs soil concentration (P<0.0001) as the strongest predictor of annual internal effective dose from radiocesium validating the use of the soil-based EMARC model. The geometric mean internal effective dose estimate of the EMARC model (0.183 mSv/y) was the highest followed by the ICRP 67 dose estimates (0.165 mSv/y) and the MONDAL model estimates (0.149 mSv/y). All three models yielded significantly different geometric mean dose (P<0.05) estimates for this cohort when stratified by sex, age at time of exam and season of exam, except for the mean MONDAL and EMARC estimates for 15- and 16-year olds and mean ICRP and MONDAL estimates for children examined in Winter. Further prospective and retrospective radio-epidemiological studies utilizing refined WBC measurements and ecological model dose estimations, in conjunction with findings from animal toxicological studies, should help elucidate possible deterministic radiogenic health effects associated with chronic low-dose internal exposure to 137 Cs.

Epiphytic fruticose lichens as biomonitors for retrospective evaluation of the (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio in Fukushima fallout.

PubMed

Ramzaev, V; Barkovsky, A; Gromov, A; Ivanov, S; Kaduka, M

2014-12-01

In 2011-2013, sampling of epiphytic fruticose lichens of the genera Usnea, Bryoria and Alectoria was carried out on Sakhalin and Kuril Islands (the Sakhalin region, Russia) to investigate contamination of these organisms with the Fukushima-derived (134)Cs and (137)Cs. Activities of the radionuclides were determined in all 56 samples of lichens taken for the analysis. After correction for radioactive decay (on 15 March 2011), the activity concentrations ranged from 2.1 Bq kg(-1) (d.w.) to 52 Bq kg(-1) for (134)Cs and from 2.3 Bq kg(-1) to 52 Bq kg(-1) for (137)Cs. Cesium-134 and (137)Cs activities for the whole set of lichens (n = 56) were strongly positively correlated; Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated as 0.991 (P < 0.01). The activity concentrations of (134)Cs and (137)Cs in Usnea lichens from the Sakhalin and Kunashir islands declined with a factor of three in the period from 2011 to 2013. The average biological half-time for both cesium radionuclides in lichens of the genus Usnea is estimated as 1.3 y. The mean of 0.99 ± 0.10 and median of 0.99 were calculated for the decay corrected (134)Cs/(137)Cs activities ratios in the lichens (n = 56). The radionuclides ratio in the lichens did not depend on location of sampling site, species and the time that had passed after the Fukushima accident. The regression analysis has shown the background pre-Fukushima level of (137)Cs of 0.4 ± 0.3 Bq kg(-1), whereas the ratio between the Fukushima-borne (134)Cs and (137)Cs in the lichens was estimated as 1.04. The (134)Cs/(137)Cs activities ratio in lichens from the Sakhalin region is consistent with the ratios reported by others for the heavy contaminated areas on Honshu Island in Japan following the Fukushima accident. The activity concentrations of natural (7)Be in lichens from the Sakhalin region varied between 100 Bq kg(-1) and 600 Bq kg(-1); the activity concentrations did not exhibit temporal variations during a 2y-period of observations. The applicability of epiphytic fruticose lichens as retrospective bio-monitors for the air-borne radiocesium contamination of the environment is discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fallout radioactivity in soil and food samples in the Ukraine: Measurements of iodine, plutonium, cesium, and strontium isotopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoshi, Masaharu; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kawamura, Hisao

1994-08-01

To estimate the level and distribution of fallout attributable to the Chernobyl accident in the Ukraine, the authors sampled several kinds of substances at Korosten, Zhitomir and at Katyuzhanka, Vishgorod, Kiev in the Ukraine, and measured {sup 137}Cs, {sup 134}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 129}I, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239,240}Pu, and the density of {sup 127}I (stable). The substances investigated were soil, dry milk, wheat, rye, drinking water, and mushrooms. Except for the mushrooms collected, which were sampled at Katyuzhanka, Vishgorod, and at Kiev, all substances were at Korosten, Zhitomir. The activity of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 134}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 238}Pu, andmore » {sup 239,240}Pu were all higher in soil and mushrooms than in the other four substances. The activity of {sup 137}Cs was 960 and 1,210 Bq kg{sup {minus}1} in the two soil samples and 6,110 of Bq kg{sup {minus}1} in the mushrooms. The activity of {sup 134}Cs was {approximately} 15% of {sup 137}Cs in the two soil samples while <3% of {sup 137}Cs in the mushrooms. The activity concentration level of {sup 90}Sr as compared to {sup 137}Cs concentration was 15-31% in food samples other than mushrooms but only 1.9% in mushrooms and 1.4 and 1.2% in the two soil samples. The radioactivity ratios, {sup 238}Pu:{sup 239,240}Pu and {sup 239,240}Pu:{sup 137}Cs, suggested that the proportion of cesium radioisotopes and {sup 239,240}Pu in the soil attributable to the Chernobyl accident was {approximately}100% and 10-20%, respectively, while {approximately} 100% of {sup 239,240}Pu in the mushrooms was attributable to the accident. The activity of {sup 129}I was small but the ratio of {sup 129}I:{sup 127}I in the two soil samples was 4.3x10{sup {minus}8} and 1.0x10{sup {minus}7}, which is {approximately} 10 times larger than that in the global fallout. These results suggest that the areas where the soil was sampled are iodine-deficient and were contaminated slightly by the Chernobyl accident. 12 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.« less

Discharge process of cesium during rainstorms in headwater catchments, Fukushima, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Iwagami, Sho; Nishino, Masataka; Konuma, Ryohei

2014-05-01

We monitored Cs-137 concentrations in stream water, groundwater, soil water and rainwater in the Yamakiya district located approximately 35 km north west of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) from June 2011 through July 2013, focusing on rainfall-runoff processes during the rainstorm events. Two catchments with different land cover (Iboishiyama and Koutaishiyama) were instrumentd, and stream water, groundwater, soil water and rainwater were sampled for approximately one month at each site, and intensive sampling was conducted during rainstorm events. The 137Cs concentration in stream water showed a relatively quick decreasing trend during 2011. Also, during rainfall events, the Cs-137 concentration in stream water showed a temporary increase. End Member Mixing Analysis was applied to evaluate contribution of groundwater, soil water and rainwater in discharge water during rainstorm events. The groundwater component was dominant in the runoff, whereas rainwater was main source for the Cs-137 concentration of the stream increasing during the storm events. In addition, a leaching of Cs-137 from the suspended sediments and the organic materials seemed to be also important sources to the stream.

The Determination of Soil-plant Transfer Coefficients of Cesium-137 and Other Elements by γ-Ray Measurement and PIXE Analysis, for use in the Remediation of Fukushima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, K.; Fujita, A.; Toyama, S.; Terakawa, A.; Matsuyama, S.; Arai, H.; Osada, N.; Takyu, S.; Matsuyama, T.; Koshio, S.; Watanabe, K.; Ito, S.; Kasahara, K.

Edible wild plants growing in the area around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remain contaminated. It is important to identify plants with low levels of contamination for the restoration of agriculture in the area. We collected specimens of 10 wild plant species growing in Iitate village which is one of the most highly contaminated areas and also sampled the soil beneath each plant. We measured the specific activity of 137Cs and the concentrations of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Rb and Sr in these samples using a germanium detector and PIXE analysis, respectively. We compared the soil-plant transfer coefficient of 137Cs with those of each element and determined their correlation with 137Cs. It was found that a low Sr transfer coefficient could be used to determine the plants with a low 137Cs transfer coefficient. We suggest that PIXE analysis is a useful analysis technique for agricultural remediation projects in highly contaminated areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Method for ultra-trace cesium isotope ratio measurements from environmental samples using thermal ionization mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.; Mann, Nick R.

2015-05-01

135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios can provide the age, origin and history of environmental Cs contamination. Relatively high precision 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratio measurements from samples containing femtogram quantities of 137Cs are needed to accurately track contamination resuspension and redistribution following environmental 137Cs releases; however, mass spectrometric analyses of environmental samples are limited by the large quantities of ionization inhibitors and isobaric interferences which are present at relatively high concentrations in the environment. We report a new approach for Cs purification from environmental samples. An initial ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile (AMP-PAN) column provides a robust method for extracting Cs under a wide varietymore » of sample matrices and mass loads. Cation exchange separations using a second AMP-PAN column result in more than two orders of magnitude greater Cs/Rb separation factors than commercially available strong cation exchangers. Coupling an AMP-PAN cation exchanging step to a microcation column (AG50W resin) enables consistent 2-4% (2σ) measurement errors for samples containing 3-6,000 fg 137Cs, representing the highest precision 135Cs/ 137Cs ratio measurements currently reported for soil samples at the femtogram level.« less

Model depiction of the atmospheric flows of radioactive cesium emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Teruyuki; Misawa, Shota; Morino, Yu; Tsuruta, Haruo; Goto, Daisuke; Uchida, Junya; Takemura, Toshihiko; Ohara, Toshimasa; Oura, Yasuji; Ebihara, Mitsuru; Satoh, Masaki

2017-12-01

In this study, a new method is proposed for the depiction of the atmospheric transportation of the 137Cs emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. This method employs a combination of the results of two aerosol model ensembles and the hourly observed atmospheric 137Cs concentration at surface level during 14-23 March 2011 at 90 sites in the suspended particulate matter monitoring network. The new method elucidates accurate transport routes and the distribution of the surface-level atmospheric 137Cs relevant to eight plume events that were previously identified. The model ensemble simulates the main features of the observed distribution of surface-level atmospheric 137Cs. However, significant differences were found in some cases, and this suggests the need to improve the modeling of the emission scenario, plume height, wet deposition process, and plume propagation in the Abukuma Mountain region. The contributions of these error sources differ in the early and dissipating phases of each event, depending on the meteorological conditions.

Tree-ring strontium-90 and cesium-137 as potential indicators of radioactive pollution.

PubMed

Kagawa, Akira; Aoki, Toru; Okada, Naoki; Katayama, Yukio

2002-01-01

To examine whether tree rings can be used to detect or assess local historical 90Sr or 137Cs fallout, such as that resulting from the Hiroshima atomic bomb, radial distribution of 90Sr and 137Cs in trees was examined. We studied a gymnosperm [Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica (L. f.) D. Don] and an angiosperm (Japanese persimmon, Diospyros kaki Thunb.) tree species from the vicinity of the atomic bomb hypocenter, and from other locations in Japan. A significant amount of 137Cs was detected in tree rings formed before 1945, indicating lateral migration of Cs. In contrast, the specific activity of 90Sr in the Hiroshima Japanese cedar showed the highest level in 1945, due to relatively immobile characteristics of Sr compared with Cs. Strontium-90 and Sr analyses in tree rings helped identify and distinguish between residual 90Sr activity from the Hiroshima atomic bomb and the atmospheric nuclear testing. This indicates the possibility of detecting or assessing previous local 90Sr pollution through with treering analysis.

Radiation disinfestation of food and agricultural products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moy, J.H.

1985-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a conference on the radiodisinfestation of food and crops. Topics considered at the conference included food irradiation's impact of the US Agency for International Development, FDA regulations, irradiation as a quarantine treatment, quality attributes of irradiated fruits, low-dose irradiation, cesium 137 as a radiation source, radiosterilization, economic feasibility, marketing, consumer acceptance, and the packaging of irradiated products.

Polonium-210 content of human tissues in relation to dietary habit.

PubMed

Hill, C R

1966-05-27

Concentrations of polonium-210, a natural fallout nuclide, in human placentas collected in northern Canada ranged up to 27.8 picocuries per 100 grains, or 80 times the average United Kingdom value. High levels are related to the inclusion of reindeer or caribou meat in the diet, and a correlation exists between the eoncentrations of polonium-210 and cesium-137 in the placentas.

Power ramp induced iodine and cesium redistribution in LWR fuel rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sontheimer, F.; Vogl, W.; Ruyter, I.; Markgraf, J.

1980-01-01

Volatile fission product migration in LWR fuel rods which are power ramped above a certain threshold beyond the envelope of their previous power history, plays an important role in stress corrosion cracking of Zircaloy. This may cause fuel rods to fail already at stresses below the yield strength. In the HFR, Petten, many power ramp experiments have been performed with subsequent examination of the ramped rods for fission product distribution. This study describes the measurement of iodine and cesium distribution using γ-spectroscopy of I-131 and Cs-137. An evaluation method is presented which makes the determination of absolute amounts of I/Cs feasible. It is shown that a threshold for I/Cs redistribution exists beyond which it depends strongly on local fuel rod power and fuel type.

Cesium and strontium ion exchange on the framework titanium silicate M2Ti2O3SiO4.nH2O (M = H, Na).

PubMed

Solbrå, S; Allison, N; Waite, S; Mikhalovsky, S V; Bortun, A I; Bortun, L N; Clearfield, A

2001-02-01

The ion exchange properties of the titanium silicate, M2Ti2O3SiO4.nH2O (M = H, Na), toward stable and radioactive 137Cs+ and 89Sr2+, have been examined. By studying the cesium and strontium uptake in the presence of NaNO3, CaCl2, NaOH, and HNO3 (in the range of 0.01-6 M) the sodium titanium silicate was found to be an efficient Cs+ ion exchanger in acid, neutral, and alkaline media and an efficient Sr2+ ion exchanger in neutral and alkaline media, which makes it promising for treatment of contaminated environmental media and biological systems.

Optimizing Fukushima Emissions Through Pattern Matching and Genetic Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, D. D.; Simpson, M. D.; Philip, C. S.; Baskett, R.

2017-12-01

Hazardous conditions during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) accident hindered direct observations of the emissions of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. A wide range of emissions are estimated from bottom-up studies using reactor inventories and top-down approaches based on inverse modeling. We present a new inverse modeling estimate of cesium-137 emitted from the Fukushima NPP. Our estimate considers weather uncertainty through a large ensemble of Weather Research and Forecasting model simulations and uses the FLEXPART atmospheric dispersion model to transport and deposit cesium. The simulations are constrained by observations of the spatial distribution of cumulative cesium deposited on the surface of Japan through April 2, 2012. Multiple spatial metrics are used to quantify differences between observed and simulated deposition patterns. In order to match the observed pattern, we use a multi-objective genetic algorithm to optimize the time-varying emissions. We find that large differences with published bottom-up estimates are required to explain the observations. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Uptake of cesium-137 by crops from contaminated soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demirel, H.; Oezer, I.; Celenk, I.

1994-11-01

The Turkish tea crop was contaminated following the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Finding ways to dispose of the contaminated tea (Camellia sinensis L.) without damaging the environment was the goal of this research conducted at the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEA). In this study, an investigation was made of {sup 137}Cs activities of the plants and the ratios of transfer of {sup 137}Cs activity to plants when the contaminated tea was applied to the soil. Experiments were conducted in the field and in pots under greenhouse conditions. The activities of the tea applied in the field ranged from 12 500 tomore » 72 800 Bq/m{sup 2}, whereas this activity was constant at 8000 Bq/pot in the greenhouse experiment. The transfer of {sup 137}Cs from soil to the plants was between 0.037 and 1.057% for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), corn (Zea mays indentata Sturt), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and grass (Lolium perenne L.). The ratio of the transfer of {sup 137}Cs activity to plants increased as the activity {sup 137}Cs in tea applied to soil was increased. The activity in the plants increased due to increased uptake of {sup 137}Cs by plants. 12 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robison, W; Stone, E; Hamilton, T

Bikini Island was contaminated March 1, 1954 by the Bravo detonation (U.S nuclear test series, Castle) at Bikini Atoll. About 90% of the estimated dose from nuclear fallout to potential island residents is from cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) transferred from soil to plants that are consumed by residents. Thus, radioecology research efforts have been focused on removing {sup 137}Cs from soil and/or reducing its uptake into vegetation. Most effective was addition of potassium (K) to soil that reduces {sup 137}Cs concentration in fruits to 3-5% of pretreatment concentrations. Initial observations indicated this low concentration continued for some time after K wasmore » last applied. Long-term studies were designed to evaluate this persistence in more detail because it is very important to provide assurance to returning populations that {sup 137}Cs concentrations in food (and, therefore, radiation dose) will remain low for extended periods, even if K is not applied annually or biennially. Potassium applied at 300, 660, 1260, and 1970 kg ha{sup -1} lead to a {sup 137}Cs concentration in drinking coconut meat that is 34, 22, 10, and about 4 % of original concentration, respectively. Concentration of {sup 137}Cs remains low 8 to 10 y after K is last applied. An explanation for this unexpected result is discussed.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robison, W L; Stone, E L; Hamilton, T F

Bikini Island was contaminated March 1, 1954 by the Bravo detonation (U.S nuclear test series, Castle) at Bikini Atoll. About 90% of the estimated dose from nuclear fallout to potential island residents is from cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) transferred from soil to plants that are consumed by residents. Thus, radioecology research efforts have been focused on removing {sup 137}Cs from soil and/or reducing its uptake into vegetation. Most effective was addition of potassium (K) to soil that reduces {sup 137}Cs concentration in fruits to 3-5% of pretreatment concentrations. Initial observations indicated this low concentration continued for some time after K wasmore » last applied. Long-term studies were designed to evaluate this persistence in more detail because it is very important to provide assurance to returning populations that {sup 137}Cs concentrations in food (and, therefore, radiation dose) will remain low for extended periods, even if K is not applied annually or biennially. Potassium applied at 300, 660, 1260, and 2070 kg ha{sup -1} lead to a {sup 137}Cs concentration in drinking coconut meat that is 34, 22, 10, and about 4% of original concentration, respectively. Concentration of {sup 137}Cs remains low 8 to 10 y after K is last applied. An explanation for this unexpected result is discussed.« less

An overview of Fukushima radionuclides measured in the northern hemisphere.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Ballard, S; Nelson, R

2013-08-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 resulted in the tragic accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and subsequently uncontrolled release of radioactive contaminants into the atmosphere. This review article attempts to compile and interpret data collected by various national and international monitoring networks in response to the Fukushima releases across the northern hemisphere. The majority of the releases occurred during the period March 12-22 with a maximum release phase from March 14-17, 2011. The radioactivity released was dominated by volatile fission products including isotopes of the noble gases (xenon and krypton), iodine, cesium, and tellurium. The radioactive gases and particles released in the accident were dispersed over the middle latitudes of the entire northern hemisphere and for the first time also measured in the southern Hemisphere. Isotopes of iodine and cesium were detected in air, water, milk and food samples collected across the entire northern hemisphere. Elevated levels of fission products were detected from March to May 2011 at many locations over the northern hemisphere. This article focuses on the most prevalent cesium and iodine isotopes, but other secondary isotopes are also discussed. Spatial and temporal patterns and differences are contrasted. The activity ratios of (131)I/(137)Cs and (134)Cs/(137)Cs measured at several locations are evaluated to gain an insight into the fuel burn-up, the inventory of radionuclides in the reactor and the isotopic signature of the accident. It is important to note that all of the radiation levels detected outside of Japan have been very low and are well below any level of public and environmental hazard. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analysis of Breakthrough Profiles Based on Gamma Ray Emission Along Loaded Packed Bed Columns: Comparative Evaluation of Ionsiv IE-911 and Chabazite Zeolite for the Removal of Radiostrontium and Cesium from Groundwater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bostick, D.T.; DePaoli, S.M.; Lucero, A.J.

1999-10-18

A gamma counting system has been assembled that can profile the breakthrough fronts of gamma-emitting radioisotopes longitudinally and axially along a loaded column. This profiling technique has been particularly useful in columns studies such as those performed with IONSP IE-911, a crystalline silicotitanate (CST) manufactured by UOP, in which unusually long operating times are required to observe cesium breakthrough in column effluent. The length of the mass transfer zone and extent of column saturation can be detected early in a column study by viewing the relative emission of gamma emitters along I the length of the column. In this study,more » gamma scans were used to analyze loaded CST and zeolite columns used in the treatment of process wastewater simulant and actual groundwater. Results indicate good run-to-run reproductibility in acquiring the scans. The longitudinal gamma scans for both {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs conformed with breakthrough results reported on the basis of column effluent activity. Although not obvious from data obtained by monitoring effluent activity, the gamma scans indicated that both cesium and strontium in the saturated zone of the CST column are slowly displaced by the higher levels of groundwater cations and are then resorbed further down the column. This displacement phenomenon identified by gamma scans was verified using data from a zeolite column, in which both the gamma scan and column effluent data exhibited radionuclide displacement by groundwater cations. The gamma emission intensities from the CST column runs are used to quantitate and compare the distribution coefficient and loading capacity of {sup 137}Cs on CST versus zeolite.« less

An Inorganic Microsphere Composite for the Selective Removal of Cesium 137 from Acidic Nuclear Waste Solutions - Parts 1 and 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. J. Tranter; T. A. Vereschchagina; V. Utgikar

2009-03-01

A new inorganic ion exchange composite for removing radioactive cesium from acidic waste streams has been developed. The new material consists of ammonium molybdophosphate, (NH4)3P(Mo3O10)4•3H2O (AMP), synthesized within hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (AMP-C), which are produced as a by-product from coal combustion. The selective cesium exchange capacity of this inorganic composite was evaluated in bench-scale column tests using simulated sodium bearing waste solution as a surrogate for the acidic tank waste currently stored at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Total cesium loading on the columns at saturation agreed very well with equilibrium values predicted from isotherm experiments performed previously. A numericalmore » algorithm for solving the governing partial differential equations (PDE) for cesium uptake was developed using the intraparticle mass transfer coefficient obtained from previous batch kinetic experiments. Solutions to the governing equations were generated to obtain the cesium concentration at the column effluent as a function of throughput volume using the same conditions as those used for the actual column experiments. The numerical solutions of the PDE fit the column break through data quite well for all the experimental conditions in the study. The model should therefore provide a reliable prediction of column performance at larger scales. A new inorganic ion exchange composite consisting of ammonium molybdophosphate, (NH4)3P(Mo3O10)4•3H2O (AMP), synthesized within hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (AMP-C) has been developed. Two different batches of the sorbent were produced resulting in 20% and 25% AMP loading for two and three loading cycles, respectively. The selective cesium exchange capacity of this inorganic composite was evaluated using simulated sodium bearing waste solution as a surrogate for the acidic tank waste currently stored at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Equilibrium isotherms obtained from these experiments were very favorable for cesium uptake and indicated maximum cesium loading of approximately 9 % by weight of dry AMP. Batch kinetic experiments were also performed to obtain the necessary data to estimate the effective diffusion coefficient for cesium in the sorbent particle. These experiments resulted in effective intraparticle cesium diffusivity coefficients of 4.99 x 10-8 cm2/min and 4.72 x 10-8 cm2/min for the 20% and 25 % AMP-C material, respectively.« less

The Effect of Pressure and Organic Constituents on the Cesium Ion Exchange Performance of IONSIV IE-911

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fondeur, F.F.

2000-07-18

This study examined cesium ({sup 137}Cs) ion exchange of crystalline silicotitanate (CST) in simulated waste solution. In particular, the study focused on the effect of CST pretreatment on the kinetics and extent of cesium adsorption. The test used IONSIV{reg_sign}IE-911 (UOP LLC, Molecular Sieves Division, Des Plaines, IL), the engineered form of CST. Pretreatment steps examined include: soaking CST in 2M NaOH solution for three days, exposing CST to 50% relative humidity for one week, flowing organic-containing (saturated) salt solution through a CST packed bed (at 5 cm/min. superficial velocity), or drying CST in air at 100 C for three days.more » Some tests occurred under 50 and 25 psig of argon. The following conclusions summarize the results. Pretreatment of IE-911 in organic-containing (e.g., tri-n-butyl phosphate, dibutylphosphate, butanol, paraffin and Dow Corning H-10 defoamer) simulated waste or simulated waste yielded a 83% slower rate of cesium adsorption and 56% lower cesium capacity after one week. Pretreatment of IE-911 in 2M caustic solution for 48 hours yielded a slower approach to equilibrium cesium distribution in batch contact tests--7.7 mL/(g*h) during the first 48 hours and 2.4 ml/(g*h) thereafter. Carboxylates and adsorbed carbonates inside the pores likely affect the cesium transport by either increasing the path-length or reducing mass transfer rate. Heating IE-911 as received from the vendor at 100 C for 24 hours significantly degraded its cesium removal performance by a 40.7% reduction in capacity and 43% reduction in sorption rate over one week of testing. Testing determined nearly identical distribution coefficients K{sub d} between lot {number_sign} 9990-9681-0004 and 9990-9881-0005 (i.e., difference of only 5.6%). Tests measuring water insertion rates into IE-911 show that hydration of the IE-911 does not appear to limit the rate of cesium sorption. Increasing the atmospheric pressure from 0 to 50 psig had no effect on cesium sorption. Note that lower apparent capacity or slower cesium sorption rate in these limited-duration batch contact tests as a result of pretreatment do not necessarily imply reduced dynamic performance in a flowing ion-exchange application. The experiments that provided the bases for the currently proposed facility design used caustic-pretreated IE-911. Another report will assess whether the presence of the organic compounds in the waste solution impeded column performance.« less

SEPARATION OF Cs$sup 137$ FROM HIGH-ACTIVITY RADIOACTIVE WASTE (in Dutch)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1963-01-01

A process was developed on a laboratory scale to separate Cs/sup 137/ from waste fuels of atomic reactors. The recovery of this powerful and industrially important gamma emitter of 30 years half life is said to be so simple as to make it possible on an industrial scale. It is based on the preferential absorption of Cs by ammonium phosphor-molybdate from the nitric acid solution of the waste material and the subsequent extraction of Cs from its absorber. This method is more practical than other processes which are based upon precipitation and recrystallization of cesium salts. It was successfully testedmore » on waste solutions of very different compositions. (OID)« less

Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry System for Measurement of Environmental Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pibida, L.; McMahon, C. A.; Nörtershäuser, W.; Bushaw, B. A.

2002-10-01

A resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) system has been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for sensitive and selective determination of radio-cesium in the environment. The overall efficiency was determined to be 4×10-7 with a combined (laser and mass spectrometer) selectivity of 108 for both 135Cs and 137Cs with respect to 133Cs. RIMS isotopic ratio measurements of 135Cs/ 137Cs were performed on a nuclear fuel burn-up sample and compared to measurements on a similar system at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and to conventional thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results of preliminary RIMS investigations on a freshwater lake sediment sample are also discussed.

Radiocesium migration in the litter layer of different forest types in Fukushima, Japan.

PubMed

Kurihara, Momo; Onda, Yuichi; Kato, Hiroaki; Loffredo, Nicolas; Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Coppin, Frederic

2018-07-01

Cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) migration in the litter layer consists of various processes, such as input via throughfall, output via litter decomposition, and input from deeper layers via soil organism activity. We conducted litter bag experiments over 2 years (December 2014-November 2016) to quantify the inputs and outputs of 137 Cs in the litter layer in a Japanese cedar plantation (Cryptomeria japonica) and a mixed broadleaf forest dominated by Quercus serrata located 40 km northwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The experiments included four conditions, combining contaminated and non-contaminated litter and deeper layer material, and the inputs and outputs were estimated from the combination of 137 Cs increases and decreases in the litter layer under each condition. The 137 Cs dynamics differed between the two forests. In the C. japonica forest, some 137 Cs input via throughfall remained in the litter layer, and downward 137 Cs flux passed through the litter layer was 0.42 (/year).Upward flux of 137 Cs from the deeper layer was very restricted, < 0.017 (/year). In the broadleaf forest, migration of 137 Cs in throughfall into deeper layers was restricted, downward 137 Cs flux was less than 0.003 (/year).Upward input of 137 Cs from the deeper layer was prominent, 0.037 (/year). 137 Cs output via litter decomposition was observed in both forests. The flux in the C. japonica forest was slower than that in the broadleaf forest, 0.12 and 0.15 (/year), respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mutant quantity and quality in mammalian cells (AL) exposed to cesium-137 gamma radiation: effect of caffeine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGuinness, S. M.; Shibuya, M. L.; Ueno, A. M.; Vannais, D. B.; Waldren, C. A.; Chatterjee, A. (Principal Investigator)

1995-01-01

We examined the effect of caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) on the quantity and quality of mutations in cultured mammalian AL human-hamster hybrid cells exposed to 137Cs gamma radiation. At a dose (1.5 mg/ml for 16 h) that reduced the plating efficiency (PE) by 20%, caffeine was not itself a significant mutagen, but it increased by approximately twofold the slope of the dose-response curve for induction of S1- mutants by 137Cs gamma radiation. Molecular analysis of 235 S1- mutants using a series of DNA probes mapped to the human chromosome 11 in the AL hybrid cells revealed that 73 to 85% of the mutations in unexposed cells and in cells treated with caffeine alone, 137Cs gamma rays alone or 137Cs gamma rays plus caffeine were large deletions involving millions of base pairs of DNA. Most of these deletions were contiguous with the region of the MIC1 gene at 11p13 that encodes the S1 cell surface antigen. In other mutants that had suffered multiple marker loss, the deletions were intermittent along chromosome 11. These "complex" mutations were rare for 137Cs gamma irradiation (1/63 = 1.5%) but relatively prevalent (23-50%) for other exposure conditions. Thus caffeine appears to alter both the quantity and quality of mutations induced by 137Cs gamma irradiation.

Mineralogical and hydrochemical effects on adsorption removal of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by kaolinite.

PubMed

Jeong, C H

2001-01-01

Adsorption characteristics of the nuclides onto kaolinite were investigated by batch experiment under various pH conditions and concentrations of groundwater cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) and anions (HCO3-, CO3(2-) and SO4(2-). Adsorption removal of 137Cs and 90Sr by kaolinite greatly increased as the concentration of groundwater cations increased from 10(-5) to 10(-1) M. In contrast, the pH exerted a small effect on the adsorption of 137Cs and 90Sr onto kaolinite. The zeta potential of kaolinite particles showed a negative increase of amphoteric surface charge with increasing pH. The adsorption behavior of 90Sr was also highly dependent on the concentration of bicarbonate. The thermodynamic saturation index indicated that bicarbonate exerts great effect on strontium adsorption by the precipitation of a strontianite (SrCO3) and a change in pH.

Population Health in Regions Adjacent to the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-09-01

HEALTH OCEANS, AND FISHERIES EFFECTS OF RADIATION ATTN: DIRECTOR U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ATTN: WINCHESTER ENGINEERING AND OAK RIDGE ASSOCIATED...radionuclides [7]. This commission assessed population health strontium-90 and cesium-137 through the human and hygienic, environmental, and radiation food ...as intake of radioactive sub- identified strontium-90 and potassium-40 in the stances with food and water are provided below. 19 Population Health in

Chornobyl 30 years later: Radiation, pregnancies, and developmental anomalies in Rivne, Ukraine.

PubMed

Wertelecki, Wladimir; Chambers, Christina D; Yevtushok, Lyubov; Zymak-Zakutnya, Natalya; Sosyniuk, Zoriana; Lapchenko, Serhiy; Ievtushok, Bogdana; Akhmedzhanova, Diana; Komov, Oleksandr

2017-01-01

In the 30 years since the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster, there is evidence of persistent levels of incorporated ionizing radiation in adults, children and pregnant women in the surrounding area. Measured levels of Cesium-137 vary by region, and may be influenced by dietary and water sources as well as proximity to nuclear power plants. Since 2000, comprehensive, population-based birth defects monitoring has been performed in selected regions of Ukraine to evaluate trends and to generate hypotheses regarding potential causes of unexplained variations in defect rates. Significantly higher rates of microcephaly, neural tube defects, and microphthalmia have been identified in selected regions of Ukraine collectively known as Polissia compared to adjacent regions collectively termed non-Polissia, and these significantly higher rates were evident particularly in the years 2000-2009. The Polissia regions have also demonstrated higher mean whole body counts of Cesium-137 compared to values in individuals residing in other non-Polissia regions. The potential causal relationship between persistent ionizing radiation pollution and selected congenital anomaly rates supports the need for a more thorough, targeted investigation of the sources of persistent ionizing radiation and the biological plausibility of a potential teratogenic effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Radiation protocols determine acute graft-versus-host disease incidence after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in murine models.

PubMed

Schwarte, Sebastian; Bremer, Michael; Fruehauf, Joerg; Sorge, Yanina; Skubich, Susanne; Hoffmann, Matthias W

2007-09-01

Effects of radiation sources used for total body irradiation (TBI) on Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) induction were examined. In a T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mouse model, single fraction TBI was performed with different radiation devices ((60)Cobalt; (137)Cesium; 6 MV linear accelerator), dose rates (0.85; 1.5; 2.9; 5 Gy/min) and total doses before allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Recipients were observed for 120 days. Different tissues were examined histologically. Acute GvHD was induced by a dose rate of 0.85 Gy/min ((60)Cobalt) and a total dose of 9 Gy and injection of 5 x 10(5) lymph node cells plus 5 x 10(6) bone marrow cells. Similar results were obtained using 6 MV linear accelerator- (linac-) photons with a dose rate of 1.5 Gy/min and 0.85 Gy/min, a total dose of 9.5 Gy and injection of same cell numbers. TBI with (137)Cesium (dose rate: 2.5 Gy/min) did not lead reproducibly to lethal acute GvHD. Experimental TBI in murine models may induce different immunological responses, depending on total energy, total single dose and dose rate. GvHD might also be induced by TBI with low dose rates.

Spatial heterogeneity of Cs-137 soil contamination at the landscape scale of the Bryansk Region (Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Alexander; Sokolov, Anton; Linnik, Vitaly

2016-04-01

The passage of the Chernobyl plume over the Bryansk region (Russia) in the end of April 1986 led to the deposition of radionuclides on the ground by wet and dry deposition processes. According to the results of the Cs-137 air gamma survey (AGS, grid size: 100 m x100 m), which was conducted in summer 1993, it was shown that the processes of Cs-137 lateral migration took place due to nearly a fourfold increase of Cs-137 in the lower slope as compared to the upper part of the slope during a seven-year period after the Chernobyl accident. The variability patterns of Cs-137 could be described by a stochastic or a deterministic function of the measurement location. The patterns variations could be associated with the nonlinear response of many interacting variables within the landscape system. In the test area located at a distance of about 280 km from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Cs-137 surface activity typically ranges from below 7 kBq/m2 to approximately 50-60 kBq/m2 reflecting the combination of deposition due to global fallout from the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, and the relatively low levels of Chernobyl deposition to the area. To model the Cs-137 distribution depending on complex landscape attributes the following information layers were used: 1) the soil map at the scale of 1:50,000; 2) SRTM elevation data acquired from the Global Land Cover Facility at a 3 arc second resolution. Fundamental difficulties in distributed erosion modelling arise from the natural complexity of landscape systems and Cs-137 spatial heterogeneity. The SRTM DEM of the test site has a grid size about 90 m, which is not sufficient for distributed hydrological modelling at the landscape scale. The scaling problem arises because of the mismatch between SRTM DEM pixel dimensions and the size of erosion network (width about 10-50 m) that concentrates Cs-137 run-off from the overlying slopes and watershed areas. To build a hydrologically correct local drain direction (LDD) with a 12.5, 25 and 50 m grid a downscaling procedure was applied. The downscaling procedure is based on an original data approximation method - Simplicity versus Fitting (SvF). The method is to find a compromise between the simplicity of a model and the precision of experimental data replication. Using the downscaling method in a similar way, maps of cesium distribution with different levels of mesh - 12.5, 25 and 50 m were built. The study of scaling relationships for map resolution (pixel sizes) between cesium heterogeneity and DEM derivatives was conducted.

Availability of environmental radioactivity to honey bee colonies at Los Alamos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hakonson, T.E.; Bostick, K.V.

Data are presented on the availability of tritium, cesium 137, and plutonium to honey bee colonies foraging in the environment surrounding the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Sources of these radionuclides in the laboratory environs include liquid and atmospheric effluents and buried solid waste. Honey bee colonies were placed in three canyon liquid waste disposal areas and were sampled frequently, along with honey, surface water, and surrounding vegetation, to qualitatively determine the availability of these radionuclides to bees (Apis mellifera) and to identify potential food chain sources of the elements. Tritium concentrations in bee and honey samples from the canyons increasedmore » rapidly from initial values of <1 pCi/ml moisture to as much as 9.2 nCi/ml in 75 days after placement of the hives in the canyons. Seasonal patterns in foraging activities as influenced by weather and food availability were apparent in the data. It appears that several sources of tritium were utilized by the colonies, including surface water in the canyons and vegetation receiving tritium from atmospheric effluents and buried solid waste. Concentrations of cesium 137 and plutonium were generally low or undetectable in bees throughout the study. However, levels of both nuclides increased by factors of 10 to 20 in bees from two of the canyon study areas during a 3-month period in 1973. It was speculated that the liquid effluents in the two canyons were the source of the increased concentrations in bee samples, since this water was the only significant source of /sup 137/Cs in the environs. The existence of at least three radionuclide sources in the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) environs complicates the interpretation of the data. However, it is apparent that honey bees can acquire /sup 3/H, /sup 137/Cs, and Pu from multiple sources in the environs.« less

Evaluation of observed and modelled aerosol lifetimes using radioactive tracers of opportunity and an ensemble of 19 global models

DOE PAGES

Kristiansen, N. I.; Stohl, A.; Olivie, D. J. L.; ...

2016-03-17

Aerosols have important impacts on air quality and climate, but the processes affecting their removal from the atmosphere are not fully understood and are poorly constrained by observations. This makes modelled aerosol lifetimes uncertain. In this study, we make use of an observational constraint on aerosol lifetimes provided by radionuclide measurements and investigate the causes of differences within a set of global models. During the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant accident of March 2011, the radioactive isotopes cesium-137 ( 137Cs) and xenon-133 ( 133Xe) were released in large quantities. Cesium attached to particles in the ambient air, approximately according to theirmore » available aerosol surface area. 137Cs size distribution measurements taken close to the power plant suggested that accumulation-mode (AM) sulfate aerosols were the main carriers of cesium. Hence, 137Cs can be used as a proxy tracer for the AM sulfate aerosol's fate in the atmosphere. In contrast, the noble gas 133Xe behaves almost like a passive transport tracer. Global surface measurements of the two radioactive isotopes taken over several months after the release allow the derivation of a lifetime of the carrier aerosol. We compare this to the lifetimes simulated by 19 different atmospheric transport models initialized with identical emissions of 137Cs that were assigned to an aerosol tracer with each model's default properties of AM sulfate, and 133Xe emissions that were assigned to a passive tracer. We investigate to what extent the modelled sulfate tracer can reproduce the measurements, especially with respect to the observed loss of aerosol mass with time. Modelled 137Cs and 133Xe concentrations sampled at the same location and times as station measurements allow a direct comparison between measured and modelled aerosol lifetime. The e-folding lifetime τ e, calculated from station measurement data taken between 2 and 9 weeks after the start of the emissions, is 14.3 days (95 % confidence interval 13.1–15.7 days). The equivalent modelled τ e lifetimes have a large spread, varying between 4.8 and 26.7 days with a model median of 9.4 ± 2.3 days, indicating too fast a removal in most models. Because sufficient measurement data were only available from about 2 weeks after the release, the estimated lifetimes apply to aerosols that have undergone long-range transport, i.e. not for freshly emitted aerosol. However, modelled instantaneous lifetimes show that the initial removal in the first 2 weeks was quicker (lifetimes between 1 and 5 days) due to the emissions occurring at low altitudes and co-location of the fresh plume with strong precipitation. Deviations between measured and modelled aerosol lifetimes are largest for the northernmost stations and at later time periods, suggesting that models do not transport enough of the aerosol towards the Arctic. The models underestimate passive tracer ( 133Xe) concentrations in the Arctic as well but to a smaller extent than for the aerosol ( 137Cs) tracer. As a result, this indicates that in addition to too fast an aerosol removal in the models, errors in simulated atmospheric transport towards the Arctic in most models also contribute to the underestimation of the Arctic aerosol concentrations.« less

Evaluation of Observed and Modelled Aerosol Lifetimes Using Radioactive Tracers of Opportunity and an Ensemble of 19 Global Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kristiansen, N. I.; Stohl, A.; Olivie, D. J. L.; Croft, B.; Sovde, O. A.; Klein, H.; Christoudias, T.; Kunkel, D.; Leadbetter, S. J.; Lee, Y. H.;

Fish pollution with anthropogenic 137Cs in the southern Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Zalewska, Tamara; Suplińska, Maria

2013-02-01

This paper presents the results of a study on changes in (137)Cs activity concentrations in three fish species from the southern Baltic Sea: cod (Gadus morhua), herring (Clupea harengus) and flounder (Platichtys flesus), in the period 2000-2010. During the study period a marked decline in cesium activity concentration in fish muscle tissue was observed, which reflected changes in radionuclide activity concentration in seawater. No statistically significant temporal trends were determined in changes of concentration factors (CF(fish/seawater)) calculated for the examined fish species. The analysis of (137)Cs activity as a function of ichthyological parameters revealed the lack of a relationship between radionuclide activity concentrations in herring muscle tissue and the fish age in an narrow age range (2-4 years). However, a reverse proportionality of total fish mass, as well as body length, against (137)Cs activity concentrations in muscles was well documented. The latter observation can be the direct result of the dilution effect related to the increase of fish body weight. (137)Cs activity concentration in muscle tissue of the five fish species forms a declining sequence: Gadus morhua, Platichthys flesus, Clupea harengus, Perca fluviatilis and Neogobius melanostomus. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uptake of cesium-137 and strontium-90 from contaminated soil by three plant species; application to phytoremediation.

PubMed

Fuhrmann, Mark; Lasat, Mitch M; Ebbs, Stephen D; Kochian, Leon V; Cornish, Jay

2002-01-01

A field test was conducted to determine the ability of three plant species to extract 137Cs and 90Sr from contaminated soil. Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.], and tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) were planted in a series of spatially randomized cells in soil that was contaminated in the 1950s and 1960s. We examined the potential for phytoextraction of 90Sr and 137Cs by these three species. Concentration ratios (CR) for 137Cs for redroot pigweed, Indian mustard, and tepary bean were 2.58, 0.46, and 0.17, respectively. For 90Sr they were substantially higher: 6.5, 8.2, and 15.2, respectively. The greatest accumulation of both radionuclides was obtained with redroot pigweed, even though its CR for 90Sr was the lowest, because of its relatively large biomass. There was a linear relationship between the 137Cs concentration in plants and its concentration in soil only for redroot pigweed. Uptake of 90Sr exhibits no relationship to 90Sr concentrations in the soil. Estimates of time required for removal of 50% of the two contaminants, assuming two crops of redroot pigweed per year, are 7 yr for 90Sr and 18 yr for 137Cs.

Desorption kinetics of cesium from Fukushima soils.

PubMed

Murota, Kento; Saito, Takumi; Tanaka, Satoru

2016-03-01

Understanding the behaviors of Cs(+) in soils is crucial for evaluation of the impacts of disposal of soils contaminated by radiocesium, (137)Cs. The desorption rate of Cs(+) evaluated in relatively short periods of time may not be adequate for such a purpose. In this study, we investigated long-term desorption kinetics of (137)Cs and (133)Cs from soils collected in Fukushima Prefecture by batch desorption experiments in the presence of cation exchange resin as a sorbent. The sorbent can keep the concentration of Cs(+) in the aqueous phase low and prevent re-sorption of desorbed Cs(+). Up to 60% of (137)Cs was desorbed after 139 d in dilute KCl media, which was larger than the desorption by conventional short-term extraction with 1 M ammonium acetate. Desorption of (137)Cs continued even after this period. It was also found that high concentration of K(+) prevented desorption of Cs(+) in the initial stage of desorption, but the effect was alleviated with time. The desorbed fraction of stable Cs was smaller than that of (137)Cs. This indicated that (137)Cs may gradually move to more stable states in soils. The half-life of (137)Cs desorption from the slowest sorption site was estimated to be at least two years by a three-site desorption model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are We Doing Enough to Prevent a Nuclear Terrorist Attack?

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

grams of Cesium-137 which they suspected was smuggled to Turkey from Russia through Georgia.18 Of more interest are the reported cases of smuggling...required to assemble a nuclear weapon.19 However, this does not necessarily tell the entire story . For instance, according to a Czech police 11...investigation of a 1994 seizure in Prague of 2.7 kilograms of Russian -origin highly enriched uranium (HEU),20 smugglers claimed they could deliver

Cesium-137 Decorporation Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Compartment Transit Times Male Female Mouth 15 sec 15 sec Esophagus 45 sec 45 sec Stomach 75 min 105 min Small Intestines 4 hr 4 hr Right colon 12...that is commonly used for radiation protection associated with internal hazards and it is also the unit upon which most long-term or cancer incident...Equivalent While it is imperative to understand doses to specific organs for acute effects, most predictors of long-term effects, such as cancer induction

210Pb dating of sediments in a heavily contaminated drainage channel to the La Plata estuary in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

PubMed

Di Gregorio, D E; Fernández Niello, J O; Huck, H; Somacal, H; Curutchet, G

2007-01-01

Concentrations of (210)Pb and (137)Cs in sediment samples collected from two cores at a drainage channel to the La Plata river estuary in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were measured using ultralow-background detection systems. The (210)Pb data were used to determine the rate of sediment accumulation of the sites. These results were correlated with some heavy metal (chromium and lead) concentrations of the samples in an attempt to characterize the historical input of contaminants due to the industrial development, which has taken place in this area over the last century. The (137)Cs measurements demonstrate that cesium dating is not adequate in regions of the southern hemisphere.

High spectral resolution of gamma-rays at room temperature by perovskite CsPbBr 3 single crystals

DOE PAGES

He, Yihui; Matei, Liviu; Jung, Hee Joon; ...

2018-04-23

Gamma-ray detection and spectroscopy is the quantitative determination of their energy spectra, and is of critical value and critically important in diverse technological and scientific fields. Here we report an improved melt growth method for cesium lead bromide and a special detector design with asymmetrical metal electrode configuration that leads to a high performance at room temperature. As-grown centimeter-sized crystals possess extremely low impurity levels (below 10 p.p.m. for total 69 elements) and detectors achieve 3.9% energy resolution for 122 keV 57Co gamma-ray and 3.8% for 662 keV 137Cs gamma-ray. Cesium lead bromide is unique among all gamma-ray detection materialsmore » in that its hole transport properties are responsible for the high performance. The superior mobility-lifetime product for holes (1.34 × 10 –3 cm 2 V –1) derives mainly from the record long hole carrier lifetime (over 25 μs). Here, the easily scalable crystal growth and high-energy resolution, highlight cesium lead bromide as an exceptional next generation material for room temperature radiation detection.« less

High spectral resolution of gamma-rays at room temperature by perovskite CsPbBr 3 single crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Yihui; Matei, Liviu; Jung, Hee Joon

Gamma-ray detection and spectroscopy is the quantitative determination of their energy spectra, and is of critical value and critically important in diverse technological and scientific fields. Here we report an improved melt growth method for cesium lead bromide and a special detector design with asymmetrical metal electrode configuration that leads to a high performance at room temperature. As-grown centimeter-sized crystals possess extremely low impurity levels (below 10 p.p.m. for total 69 elements) and detectors achieve 3.9% energy resolution for 122 keV 57Co gamma-ray and 3.8% for 662 keV 137Cs gamma-ray. Cesium lead bromide is unique among all gamma-ray detection materialsmore » in that its hole transport properties are responsible for the high performance. The superior mobility-lifetime product for holes (1.34 × 10 –3 cm 2 V –1) derives mainly from the record long hole carrier lifetime (over 25 μs). Here, the easily scalable crystal growth and high-energy resolution, highlight cesium lead bromide as an exceptional next generation material for room temperature radiation detection.« less

Evaluation of Cuprimine® and Syprine® for Decorporation of Radioisotopes of Cesium, Cobalt, Iridium, and Strontium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levitskaia, Tatiana G.; Creim, Jeffrey A.; Curry, Terry L.

2011-08-01

Cuprimine and Syprine are therapeutics approved by FDA to treat copper overload in Wilson Disease (a genetic defect in copper transport) by chelation and accelerated excretion of internally deposited copper. These oral therapeutics are based on respective active ingredients D-penicillamine (DPA) and N,N'-bis (2-aminoethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine dihydrochloride (Trien). Cuprimine is considered the primary treatment, although physicians increasingly are turning to Syprine as first-line therapy. Both drugs exhibit oral systemic activity and low toxicity; their biological effects and safety are established. The literature reports that these agents exhibit high affinity for a range of transition and f-metals and metalloids in vitro. Our previousmore » in vivo studies using a rodent animal model established the decorporation potential of Cuprimine and Syprine for cobalt-60 and polonium-210 (Levitskaia et al 2010a). Currently we are expanding these studies to evaluate in vivo decorporation efficacy of these drugs for several additional radionuclides. In this paper, we discuss results of this investigation using gamma-emitting radionuclides including cesium-137 (137Cs), cobalt-60 (60Co), iridium-192 (192Ir), and strontium-85 (85Sr). Short-term 48 hr pilot studies were undertaken to evaluate DPA and Trien for their in vivo decorporation potency using male Wistar-Han rats. In these studies, radionuclide solution was administered to animals by IV injection, followed by a single IV dose of either DPA or Trien. Control animals received the radionuclide alone. Results show highly effective decorporation of 60Co by DPA. DPA and Trien were modestly effective in decorporation 137Cs and 85Sr, respectively. Based on these promising findings, further studies to evaluate the dose-response pharmacokinetic profiles for decorporation are warranted.« less

Systemic Arterial Hypertension in Patients Exposed to Cesium-137 in Goiânia-GO: Prevalence Study

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, José Victor Rabelo; Pinto, Murillo Macêdo; Figueredo, Roberto Miller Pires; de Lima, Helen; Souto, Rafael; Sacchetim, Sylvana de Castro

2017-01-01

Background: Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) in the Brazilian population, in populations not exposed to Césio-137, presents a prevalence of 28% nationwide. However, in the group of radioactivity victims, these values are unknown. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of hypertension in patients exposed to Cesium-137 in Goiânia, enrolled in the Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) (Radioactivtity Victims Monitoring System) of the Centro de Assistência aos Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A) (Assistence Center for Radioactivity Victims). Methods: This is a descriptive, observational cross-sectional epidemiological study carried out in Goiânia-Goiás, from August 2013 to October 2014, with a group of patients enrolled in the Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) of the Centro de Assistência a Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A.). A total of 102 radioactive patients were divided into two groups: group 1 with 40 and group 2 with 62 participants. A field survey was conducted with a closed and semi-structured questionnaire in which the following contexts were addressed: sociodemographic profile, life habits and personal background. A database was created using the Google Forms application from the Google Web technologies company. The duly collected and stored data were imported and analyzed in the statistical software SPSS, version 21. Results: The prevalence of SAH reached a total of 25% (12 individuals) of the 48 interviewees, 50% of women (24) and 50% of men (24), of which 22.9% (11) of the radioactivity victims revealed to be smokers. Conclusion: The prevalence of SAH in the radioactivity victims population is similar to that of the population in general. PMID:28562830

Soil redistribution model for undisturbed and cultivated sites based on Chernobyl-derived cesium-137 fallout.

PubMed

Hrachowitz, Markus; Maringer, Franz-Josef; Steineder, Christian; Gerzabek, Martin H

2005-01-01

Measurements of 137Cs fallout have been used in combination with a range of conversion models for the investigation of soil relocation mechanisms and sediment budgets in many countries for more than 20 yr. The objective of this paper is to develop a conversion model for quantifying soil redistribution, based on Chernobyl-derived 137Cs. The model is applicable on uncultivated as well as on cultivated sites, taking into account temporal changes in the 137Cs depth distribution pattern as well as tillage-induced 137Cs dilution effects. The main idea of the new model is the combination of a modified exponential model describing uncultivated soil with a Chapman distribution based model describing cultivated soil. The compound model subsequently allows a dynamic description of the Chernobyl derived 137Cs situation in the soil and its change, specifically migration and soil transport processes over the course of time. Using the suggested model at the sampling site in Pettenbach, in the Austrian province of Oberösterreich 137Cs depth distributions were simulated with a correlation coefficient of 0.97 compared with the measured 137Cs depth profile. The simulated rates of soil distribution at different positions at the sampling site were found to be between 27 and 60 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). It was shown that the model can be used to describe the temporal changes of 137Cs depth distributions in cultivated as well as uncultivated soils. Additionally, the model allows to quantify soil redistribution in good correspondence with already existing models.

Aerial radiation monitoring around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant using an unmanned helicopter.

PubMed

Sanada, Yukihisa; Torii, Tatsuo

2015-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 generated a series of large tsunami that seriously damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), which resulted in the release of radioactive materials into the environment. To provide further details regarding the distribution of air dose rate and the distribution of radioactive cesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) deposition on the ground within a radius of approximately 5 km from the nuclear power plant, we carried out measurements using an unmanned helicopter equipped with a radiation detection system. The distribution of the air dose rate at a height of 1 m above the ground and the radioactive cesium deposition on the ground was calculated. Accordingly, the footprint of radioactive plumes that extended from the FDNPP was illustrated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cesium separation from contaminated milk using magnetic particles containing crystalline silicotitantes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nunez, L.; Kaminski, M.; Chemical Engineering

2000-11-01

The Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster in 1986 contaminated vast regions of prime grazing land. Subsequently, milk produced in the region has been contaminated with small amounts of the long-lived fission product cesium-137, and the Ukraine is seeking to deploy a simple separation process that will remove the Cs and preserve the nutritional value of the milk. Tiny magnetic particles containing crystalline silicotitanates (CST) have been manufactured and tested to this end. The results show that partitioning efficiency is optimized with low ratios of particle mass to volume. To achieve 90% Cs decontamination in a single-stage process, <3 g of magneticmore » CST per l milk is sufficient with a 30-min mixing time. A two-stage process would utilize <0.4 g/l per stage. The modeling of the magnetic CST system described herein can be achieved rather simply which is important for deployment in the affected Ukraine region.« less

Leaching Characteristics of Hanford Ferrocyanide Wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, Matthew K.; Fiskum, Sandra K.; Peterson, Reid A.

2009-12-21

A series of leach tests were performed on actual Hanford Site tank wastes in support of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The samples were targeted composite slurries of high-level tank waste materials representing major complex, radioactive, tank waste mixtures at the Hanford Site. Using a filtration/leaching apparatus, sample solids were concentrated, caustic leached, and washed under conditions representative of those planned for the Pretreatment Facility in the WTP. Caustic leaching was performed to assess the mobilization of aluminum (as gibbsite, Al[OH]3, and boehmite AlO[OH]), phosphates [PO43-], chromium [Cr3+] and, to a lesser extent, oxalates [C2O42-]). Ferrocyanidemore » waste released the solid phase 137Cs during caustic leaching; this was antithetical to the other Hanford waste types studied. Previous testing on ferrocyanide tank waste focused on the aging of the ferrocyanide salt complex and its thermal compatibilities with nitrites and nitrates. Few studies, however, examined cesium mobilization in the waste. Careful consideration should be given to the pretreatment of ferrocyanide wastes in light of this new observed behavior, given the fact that previous testing on simulants indicates a vastly different cesium mobility in this waste form. The discourse of this work will address the overall ferrocyanide leaching characteristics as well as the behavior of the 137Cs during leaching.« less

Animal investigation program, 1981 annual report: Nevada Test Site and vicinity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, D.D.; Giles, K.R.

1982-01-01

Data are presented from the radioanalysis of tissues, collected from animals that resided on or near the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Other than naturally occurring potassium-40, cesium-137 was the only gamma-emitting radionuclide frequently detected and was within a narrow range of activity. For example, 12 of 14 cattle muscle samples contained 15 to 65 pCi of cesium-137 per kilogram. Strontium-90 and plutonium-238 or -239 tissue concentrations were similar to those of recent years. Nanocurie levels of tritium were found in tissue from two deer that drank contaminated water draining from the tunnel test areas. Annual dose estimates to man weremore » calculated based on the daily consumption of 0.5 kg of tissue with peak radionuclide levels. The highest postulated dose was 45 millirems to the whole body from ingestion of deer muscle that drank from the tritium contaminated waters. This dose is about 9% of the radiation protection guide. Movement of deer on the NTS is discussed. In general, deer from Pahute Mesa winter in the Timber Mt. area with some movement off the NTS, while deer from Rainier Mesa winter in the Shoshone Mt. area. The sudden death of an offsite goat kid was investigated and death was attributed to enterotoxemia. No gross or microscopic lesions in necropsied animals were found that could be attributed to the effect of ionizing radiation.« less

The Approaching Obsolescence of 137Cs as a Means of Dating Wetland Soils and Sediments in North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drexler, J. Z.; Fuller, C.

2017-12-01

137Cesium is an anthropogenic radionuclide whose maximum fallout occurred in 1963/4 at the height of above-ground nuclear weapons testing. The presence of this fallout peak in core profiles has been used widely to estimate vertical accretion and carbon accumulation rates in wetlands. 137Cs dating has long been applied with little attention to uncertainty of peak position or measurement error. Initially, this caused few problems as activities were high and peaks were generally clear; however recently the clarity of peaks has deteriorated, raising questions of method efficacy. We quantified uncertainty in 137Cs dating in 52 wetland sediment/peat cores collected from 2005 - 2015 in Maine, California, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington and compared the position of each peak to the date obtained with 210Pb. We found that the two dating methods matched within 5 years for only 20% of cores with a distinct 137Cs peak. We attribute this to a decline in 137Cs efficacy for three main reasons: (1) mobility of 137Cs resulting from diffusion independent of sediments, downwashing, and/or physical/biotic perturbation, (2) on-going decay of the original 137Cs in situ (half-life = 30.17 years), which manifests in lower signal to noise ratios, and (3) 137Cs inputs from watershed/tidal sources, which have confounded the 137Cs pattern in sediments. Such reduced efficacy is of concern because carbon accumulation rates determined with 137Cs are used for informing national-scale carbon assessments and for determining the carbon storage potential of wetlands restored as offsets for the carbon market. We conclude that 137Cs dating alone has sufficient uncertainty that it should be disallowed for carbon accounting and that any use of 137Cs should be accompanied by an uncertainty analysis of peak position. Our results suggest that soon the common practice of using 137Cs to corroborate 210Pb dating will likely be obsolete in much of North America.

Prediction of Radioactive Material Proliferation in Abukuma Basin using USLE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, C. J.

2014-12-01

Due to the nuclear-power plant accident after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the residents who had resided within 20 km from the Daiichi Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant had forced to leave their hometown. The impacts by the radioactive contamination extended to numerous social elements, such as food, economy, civil engineering, community rebuilding, etc. Japanese government agencies have measured the level of radioactive contamination in urban, agricultural area, forest, riverine and ocean. The research found that the concentration level of cesium-137 (137Cs) is higher in the forest than an open area such as paddy field or rural town. Litter layers and surface layers, especially, are found to be significantly contaminated. The study calculated the estimation of contaminated soil erosion using the USLE which the idea is based on scenario that addresses a question, what if 137Cs would carry out from the forest after intensive rainfall. Predicting radioactively contaminated areas after intense rainfall is a critical matter for the future watershed risk management.

An In Situ Radiological Survey of Three Canyons at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R.J. Maurer

1999-06-01

An in situ radiological survey of Mortandad, Ten Site, and DP Canyons at the Los Alamos National Laboratory was conducted during August 19-30, 1996. The purpose of this survey was to measure the quantities of radionuclides that remain in the canyons from past laboratory operations. A total of 65 in situ measurements were conducted using high-resolution gamma radiation detectors at 1 meter above the ground. The measurements were obtained in the streambeds of the canyons beginning near the water-release points at the laboratories and extending to the ends of the canyons. Three man-made gamma-emitting radionuclides were detected in the canyons:more » americium-241 ({sup 241}Am), cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs), and cobalt-60 ({sup 60}Co). Estimated contamination levels ranged from 13.3-290.4 picocuries per gram (pCi/g)for {sup 241}Am, 4.4-327.8 pCi/g for {sup 137}Cs, and 0.4-2.6 pCi/g for {sup 60}Co.« less

Modeling and risk assessment of a 30-Year-old subsurface radioactive-liquid drain field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Lon A.; Pohl, Phillip I.

1997-11-01

The contamination from a 30-year-old radioactive liquid drain field was assessed for movement in the subsurface and potential risks to humans. This assessment included determining field concentrations of cesium 137 (137Cs) and other inorganic contaminants and modeling of the flow and transport of the liquid waste that was sent to the drain field. The field investigation detected no contamination deeper than 15 feet (4.6 m) from the bottom of the drain field. Prediction of the water content of the vadose zone showed no saturated conditions for times greater than 10 years after the known infiltration. Sensitivity analysis of the modeling parameters showed the equilibrium sorption coefficient to be the most important factor in predicting the contaminant plumes. Calibration of modeling results with field data gave a 137Cs sorption coefficient that is within the range of values found in the literature. The risk assessment for the site showed that the contamination poses no significant risk to human health.

Chronology from sediment cores collected in southwestern Everglades National Park, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernhardt, C.E.; Wingard, G.L.; Willard, D.A.; Marot, M.E.; Landacre, B.; Holmes, C.W.

2013-01-01

Age model data are presented for 10 cores from the southwestern coastal mangrove zone of Everglades National Park, Florida, collected in Common Era (CE) 2004 and 2005 and used for paleoecological analysis. Carbon-14 (14C), lead-210 (210Pb), cesium-137 (137Cs), radium-226 (226Ra), and pollen biostratigraphic information is included, and age models were generated for 6 of the 10 cores. Age reversals and sediment disturbance prevented construction of age models on the remaining four cores. Four cores present a continuous record of the last 50 to 100 years, making them useful for analyzing the impacts caused by changes in water management in south Florida. These cores are Harney River 2A and Harney River 1A, Shark River 2A, and Roberts River.

Mutant quantity and quality in mammalian cells (A{sub L}) exposed to cesium-137 gamma radiation: Effect of caffeine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGuinness, S.M.; Shibuya, M.L.; Ueno, A.M.

1995-06-01

We examined the effect of caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) on the quantity and quality of mutations in cultured mammalian A{sub L} human-hamster hybrid cells exposed to {sup 137}Cs {gamma} radiation. At a dose (1.5 mg/ml for 16 h) that reduced the plating efficiency (PE) by 20%, caffeine was not itself a significant mutagen, but it increased by approximately twofold the slope of the dose-response curve for induction of S1{sup {minus}} mutants by {sup 137}Cs {gamma} radiation. Molecular analysis of 235 S1{sup {minus}} mutants using a series of DNA probes mapped to the human chromosome 11 in the A{sub L} hybrid cells revealedmore » that 73 to 85% of the mutations in unexposed cells and in cells treated with caffeine alone, {sup 137}Cs {gamma} rays alone or {sup 137}Cs {gamma} rays plus caffeine were large deletions involving millions of base pairs of DNA. Most of these deletions were contiguous with the region of the MIC1 gene at 11p13 that encodes the S1 cell surface antigen. In other mutants that had suffered multiple marker loss, the deletions were intermittent along chromosome 11. These {open_quotes}complex{close_quotes} mutations were rare for {sup 137}Cs {gamma} irradiation (1/63 = 1.5%) but relatively prevalent (23-50%) for other exposure conditions. Thus caffeine appears to alter both the quantity and quality of mutations induced by {sup 137}Cs {gamma} irradiation. 62 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Assessment of spatial distribution of fallout radionuclides through geostatistics concept.

PubMed

Mabit, L; Bernard, C

2007-01-01

After introducing geostatistics concept and its utility in environmental science and especially in Fallout Radionuclide (FRN) spatialisation, a case study for cesium-137 ((137)Cs) redistribution at the field scale using geostatistics is presented. On a Canadian agricultural field, geostatistics coupled with a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to test three different techniques of interpolation [Ordinary Kriging (OK), Inverse Distance Weighting power one (IDW1) and two (IDW2)] to create a (137)Cs map and to establish a radioisotope budget. Following the optimization of variographic parameters, an experimental semivariogram was developed to determine the spatial dependence of (137)Cs. It was adjusted to a spherical isotropic model with a range of 30 m and a very small nugget effect. This (137)Cs semivariogram showed a good autocorrelation (R(2)=0.91) and was well structured ('nugget-to-sill' ratio of 4%). It also revealed that the sampling strategy was adequate to reveal the spatial correlation of (137)Cs. The spatial redistribution of (137)Cs was estimated by Ordinary Kriging and IDW to produce contour maps. A radioisotope budget was established for the 2.16 ha agricultural field under investigation. It was estimated that around 2 x 10(7)Bq of (137)Cs were missing (around 30% of the total initial fallout) and were exported by physical processes (runoff and erosion processes) from the area under investigation. The cross-validation analysis showed that in the case of spatially structured data, OK is a better interpolation method than IDW1 or IDW2 for the assessment of potential radioactive contamination and/or pollution.

Removal of radioactive and other hazardous material from fluid waste

DOEpatents

Tranter, Troy J [Idaho Falls, ID; Knecht, Dieter A [Idaho Falls, ID; Todd, Terry A [Aberdeen, ID; Burchfield, Larry A [W. Richland, WA; Anshits, Alexander G [Krasnoyarsk, RU; Vereshchagina, Tatiana [Krasnoyarsk, RU; Tretyakov, Alexander A [Zheleznogorsk, RU; Aloy, Albert S [St. Petersburg, RU; Sapozhnikova, Natalia V [St. Petersburg, RU

2006-10-03

Hollow glass microspheres obtained from fly ash (cenospheres) are impregnated with extractants/ion-exchangers and used to remove hazardous material from fluid waste. In a preferred embodiment the microsphere material is loaded with ammonium molybdophosphonate (AMP) and used to remove radioactive ions, such as cesium-137, from acidic liquid wastes. In another preferred embodiment, the microsphere material is loaded with octyl(phenyl)-N-N-diisobutyl-carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) and used to remove americium and plutonium from acidic liquid wastes.

Human responses to the threat of or exposure to ionizing radiation at Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, and Goiania, Brazil.

PubMed

Collins, Daniel L

2002-02-01

The psychological stressors and their aftereffects associated with the Three Mile Island accident, the Goiania, Brazil, cesium-137 accident, and the Abadia, Brazil, storage location are summarized and compared. Cross-cultural comparisons of human responses to ionizing radiation are rare. A multidisciplinary methodological approach to examining the psychological responses to ionizing radiation is even more rare. The psychological, behavioral, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular results are summarized for Three Mile Island, Goiania, and Abadia.

Seasonal changes of 137Cs in benthic plants from the southern Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Zalewska, Tamara

137 Cs activity concentrations were determined in samples of macrophytes Polysiphonia fucoides (red algae) and Zostera marina (vascular plant) collected during the entire vegetation season in the Gulf of Gdańsk in the southern Baltic Sea. The measurements showed considerable seasonality of 137 Cs activity in both species; an increase of cesium concentrations was observed from spring to autumn with maximal levels 49.1 ± 1.4 Bq kg d.w. -1 ( P. fucoides ) and 14.5 ± 1.0 Bq kg d.w. -1 ( Z. marina ) in late autumn. 137 Cs concentrations observed in a given season are the result of a number of processes, the intensity of which can differ depending on external environmental conditions. The effects of these processes can differ and their directions can frequently be opposite to one another. The examined macrophytobenthic plant species could serve as bioindicators of radionuclide pollution for monitoring purposes on condition that the samples of plants are taken within a strictly defined period of the year to give comparable results and to supply realistic information about pollution levels.

Spatial variability of soil 137Cs in the South Caspian region.

PubMed

Khoshbinfar, Soheil; Vahabi Moghaddam, Masoud

2012-05-01

In a comprehensive program of environmental radioactivity survey in South Caspian region, (137)Cs inventories in soil has been measured at more than 50 sites in the Iranian northern province of Guilan. This has been the first wide-range survey of soil radionuclide inventories in the narrow band sensitive ecosystem of south Caspian shore. Radioactivity measurements were carried out using HPGe gamma-spectrometry system. The activity concentration of (137)Cs in surface soil exhibits a mean value of 17.6 ± 9.4 Bq kg(-1), with a range of 2.3-41.7 Bq kg(-1). In many sites, split-level sampling method has been applied down to a depth of 20 cm. There were found generally two profiles. Most profiles exhibit a negative exponential distribution, while others revealed a clear subsurface peak in 5-10-cm layer. Cesium deposition in the study area has been estimated to be in the range of 0.38-2.9 kBq m(-2) with a mean value of 1.7 kBq m(-2). Distribution patterns of (137)Cs concentration levels and deposition values have been estimated using Kriging interpolation method. Observed hotspots in deposition pattern coincide with areas of higher precipitation.

Reconstruction of Long-Lived Radionuclide Intakes for Techa Riverside Residents: Cesium-137

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tolstykh, E. I.; Degteva, M. O.; Peremyslova, L. M.

2013-05-01

Radioactive contamination of the Techa River (Southern Urals, Russia) occurred from 1949–1956 due to routine and accidental releases of liquid radioactive wastes from the Mayak Production Association. The long-lived radionuclides in the releases were 90Sr and 137Cs. Contamination of the components of the Techa River system resulted in chronic external and internal exposure of about 30,000 residents of riverside villages. Data on radionuclide intake with diet are used to estimate internal dose in the Techa River Dosimetry System (TRDS), which was elaborated for the assessment of radiogenic risk for Techa Riverside residents. The 90Sri ntake function was recently improved takingmore » into account the recently available archival data on radionuclide releases and in-depth analysis of the extensive data on 90Sr measurements in Techa Riverside residents. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the dietary intake of 137Cs by Techa Riverside residents. The 137Cs intake with river water used for drinking was reconstructed on the basis of the 90Sr intake-function and the concentration ratio 137Cs/90Sr in river water. Intake via 137Cs transfer from floodplain soil to grass and cows’ milk was evaluated for the first time. As a result, the maximal 137Cs intake level was indicated near the site of releases in upper-Techa River settlements (8,000–9,000 kBq). For villages located on the lower Techa River the 137Cs intake was significantly less (down to 300 kBq). Cows’ milk was the main source of 137Cs in diet in the upper-Techa.« less

Persistence of 137Cs in the litter layers of forest soil horizons of Mount IDA/Kazdagi, Turkey.

PubMed

Karadeniz, Özlem; Karakurt, Hidayet; Çakır, Rukiye; Çoban, Fatih; Büyükok, Emir; Akal, Cüneyt

2015-01-01

In 2010-2012, an extensive study was performed in forest sites of Mount IDA (Kazdagi)/Edremit 26 years after the Chernobyl accident. The (137)Cs activity concentrations were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry in the forest soil layers (OL, OF + OH and A horizons) separately. Based on 341 surface soil samples and 118 soil profiles, activity concentrations of (137)Cs in OL horizons varied between 0.25 ± 0.14 and 70 ± 1 Bq kg(-1), while the ranges of (137)Cs activity concentrations in OF + OH and A horizons were 13 ± 1-555 ± 3 Bq kg(-1) and 2 ± 1-253 ± 2 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Cesium-137 deposition in the study area was estimated to be in the range of 1-39 kBq m(-2) and a linear relationship between the deposition of (137)Cs and the altitude was observed. The distributions of (137)Cs activities in OL, OF + OH and A horizons throughout the region were mapped in detail. The highest (137)Cs activities were found in OF + OH horizons, with markedly lower (137)Cs activity in mineral horizons of soil profiles. It is observed that (137)Cs content of humus layer increases with the thickness of the humus layer for coniferous forest sites. The (137)Cs activity concentrations were higher than the recommended screening limits (150 Bq kg(-1)) at some of the investigated areas. The current activity concentration of top soil layers indicates that over many years since the initial deposition, (137)Cs activity is keeping still high in the organic horizons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overview of insoluble radioactive cesium particles emitted from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satou, Yukihiko

2017-04-01

In the early stage of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (F1NPS) accident, number of spot type contamination has been observed in computed autoradiography (Kashimura 2013, Shibata 2013, Satou 2014). It's means presence of radioactive particles, however, insoluble cesium particle was overlooked because cesium, which is dominant radioactive element in the accident, becomes ionized in the environment. Adachi et al. (2013) showed presence of cesium (Cs)-bearing particles within air dust sample collected at Tsukuba, 170 km south from the Fukushima site, in midnight of 14 to morning of 15 March 2011. These particles were micrometer order small particles and Cs was could be detectable as element using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). However, other radioactive elements such as Co-60, Ru-103 and uranium, which were dominant element of radioactive particles delivered from Chernobyl accident, could not detected. Abe et al. (2014) employed a synchrotron radiation (SR)-micro(μ)-X-ray analysis to the Cs-bearing particles, and they were concluded that (1) contained elements derived from nuclear fission processes and from nuclear reactor and fuel materials; (2) were amorphous; (3) were highly oxidized; and (4) consisted of glassy spherules formed from a molten mixture of nuclear fuel and reactor material. In addition, Satou et al. (2016) and Yamaguchi et al. (2016) disclosed that silicate is main component of Cs-bearing particles. Satou et al. (2015) discovered two types of radioactive particles from soil samples collected in the vicinity of the F1NPS. These particles were remained in the natural environment more than four years, silicate is main component in common of each group particles. Group A particles were very similar to Cs-bearing particles reported by Adachi et al. except particle shape. On the other hand, group B is big particles found in north area from the F1NPS, and the strongest particles contained 20 kBq of Cs-137 within a particle. Radioactive ratio of Cs-134/Cs-137 of group A and B is completely different. Group B particles shown 0.92 (mean value) of Cs ratio, and specific radioactivity are much lowers than group A particles. In contrast, activity ratio in group A particles shown 1.0 (mean value), and it was consistent with previous studies by Adachi (2013). The location of soil samples, which was containing group B particles, has been contaminated with radioactive materials from Unit 1 with hydrogen explosion on 12 March (Satou et al. 2014, Chino et al. 2016). More than 300 um of diameter particles has been transported from the Unit 1 of F1NPS. This result shown that the insoluble radioactive cesium particles are emitted from not only Units 2 and/or 3 on 15 March but also Unit 1 on 12 March. The insoluble radioactive Cs particles were spread widely, and it is require to evaluation for particulate percentage of contribution in total emitted radioactive cesium, and long term monitoring of these behaviors.

Unexpected source of Fukushima-derived radiocesium to the coastal ocean of Japan

PubMed Central

Sanial, Virginie; Buesseler, Ken O.; Charette, Matthew A.; Nagao, Seiya

2017-01-01

There are 440 operational nuclear reactors in the world, with approximately one-half situated along the coastline. This includes the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), which experienced multiple reactor meltdowns in March 2011 followed by the release of radioactivity to the marine environment. While surface inputs to the ocean via atmospheric deposition and rivers are usually well monitored after a nuclear accident, no study has focused on subterranean pathways. During our study period, we found the highest cesium-137 (137Cs) levels (up to 23,000 Bq⋅m−3) outside of the FDNPP site not in the ocean, rivers, or potable groundwater, but in groundwater beneath sand beaches over tens of kilometers away from the FDNPP. Here, we present evidence of a previously unknown, ongoing source of Fukushima-derived 137Cs to the coastal ocean. We postulate that these beach sands were contaminated in 2011 through wave- and tide-driven exchange and sorption of highly radioactive Cs from seawater. Subsequent desorption of 137Cs and fluid exchange from the beach sands was quantified using naturally occurring radium isotopes. This estimated ocean 137Cs source (0.6 TBq⋅y−1) is of similar magnitude as the ongoing releases of 137Cs from the FDNPP site for 2013–2016, as well as the input of Fukushima-derived dissolved 137Cs via rivers. Although this ongoing source is not at present a public health issue for Japan, the release of Cs of this type and scale needs to be considered in nuclear power plant monitoring and scenarios involving future accidents. PMID:28973919

Hydrologic conditions at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho, emphasis; 1974-1978

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barraclough, Jack T.; Lewis, Barney D.; Jensen, Rodger G.

1981-01-01

Aqueous chemical and radioactive wastes have been discharged to shallow ponds and to shallow or deep wells on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) since 1952 and has affected the quality of the ground water in the underlying Snake River Plain aquifer. Ongoing studies conducted from 1974 through 1978 have shown the perpetuation of a perched ground-water zone in the basalt underlying the waste disposal ponds at the INEL 's Test Reactor Area and of several waste plumes in the regional aquifer created by deep well disposal at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). The perched zone contains tritium, chromium-51, cobalt-60, strontium-90, and several nonradioactive chemicals. Tritium has formed the largest waste plume south of the ICPP, and accounts for 95 percent of the total radioacticity disposed of through the ICPP disposal well. Waste plumes with similar configurations and flowpaths contain sodium, chloride, and nitrate. Strontium-90, iodine-129, and cesium-137 are also discharged through the well but they are sorbed from solution as they move through the aquifer or are discharged in very small quantities. Strontium-90 and iodine-129 have formed small waste plumes and cesium-137 is not detectable in ground-water samples. Radionuclide plume size and concentrations therein are controlled by aquifer flow conditions, the quantity discharged, radioactive decay, sorption, dilution by dispersion, and perhaps other chemical reactions. Chemical wastes are subject to the same processes except for radioactive decay. (USGS)

137Cesium-induced chromosome aberrations analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization: eight years follow up of the Goiânia radiation accident victims.

PubMed

Natarajan, A T; Santos, S J; Darroudi, F; Hadjidikova, V; Vermeulen, S; Chatterjee, S; Berg, M; Grigorova, M; Sakamoto-Hojo, E T; Granath, F; Ramalho, A T; Curado, M P

1998-05-25

The radiation accident in focus here occurred in a section of Goiânia (Brazil) where more than a hundred individuals were contaminated with 137Cesium on September 1987. In order to estimate the absorbed radiation doses, initial frequencies of dicentrics and rings were determined in 129 victims [A.T. Ramalho, PhD Thesis, Subsidios a tecnica de dosimetria citogenetica gerados a partir da analise de resultados obtidos com o acidente radiologico de Goiânia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1992]. We have followed some of these victims cytogenetically over the years seeking for parameters that could be used as basis for retrospective radiation dosimetry. Our data on translocation frequencies obtained by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) could be directly compared to the baseline frequencies of dicentrics available for those same victims. Our results provided valuable information on how precise these estimates are. The frequencies of translocations observed years after the radiation exposure were two to three times lower than the initial dicentrics frequencies, the differences being larger at higher doses (>1 Gy). The accuracy of such dose estimates might be increased by scoring sufficient amount of cells. However, factors such as the persistence of translocation carrying lymphocytes, translocation levels not proportional to chromosome size, and inter-individual variation reduce the precision of these estimates. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation and assessment of 25 years of environmental radioactivity monitoring data at Tarapur (India) nuclear site.

PubMed

Rao, D D; Baburajan, A; Sudheendran, V; Verma, P C; Hegde, A G

2010-08-01

The evaluation and assessment of monitoring data generated over a period of 1983-2007 (25 years) of a nuclear facility is presented. Time trends of particulate radioactivity, correlation between (137)Cs in discharge canal seawater and station discharged activity and correlation of (137)Cs, (60)Co, and (131)I in marine species such as sponge and Nerita (gastropod) and corresponding discharged activity are discussed. The concentration of (137)Cs and (131)I in seawater versus biota are discussed. A good correlation between (137)Cs in seawater and (137)Cs in liquid waste discharged was observed (R(2) = 0.8, p < 0.001). Similarly, correlation was good for Nerita and discharged concentration of (137)Cs, (131)I and (60)Co (R(2) = 0.55-0.73 and p < 0.001). The measurements over the years indicated that there is no accumulation of radionuclides in either the terrestrial or aquatic environments. The mean (137)Cs decreased from the pre-operational levels: 7.0-3.6 Bq kg(-1) in soil, 0.91-0.016 Bq L(-1) in milk and 0.28-0.036 Bq kg(-1) in vegetation. Similarly, the mean (90)Sr in these matrixes decreased from 3.9 to 0.26 Bq kg(-1); 0.37-0.011 Bq L(-1) and 0.34-0.022 Bq kg(-1) respectively. Cesium-137 of about 700 microBq m(-3) was measured in the air filter disks during 1986 and there was a decrease of three orders of magnitude in concentration over the 25 years. The evaluation of environmental data indicated that the radionuclide concentrations and potential impacts, in terms of effective dose to the members of public, have significantly reduced since 1969. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-Body Counter Evaluation of Internal Radioactive Cesium in Dogs and Cats Exposed to the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.

PubMed

Wada, Seiichi; Ito, Nobuhiko; Watanabe, Masamichi; Kakizaki, Takehiko; Natsuhori, Masahiro; Kawamata, Jun; Urayama, Yoshio

2017-01-01

As a result of the 2011 nuclear incident that occurred at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, a large number of abandoned dogs and cats were left within the disaster zone. A small number of these animals were rescued and cared for at shelters. Prior to the dispersal of these animals to their owners or fosterers, we evaluated the degree of internal radiocesium contamination using a specially designed whole-body counter. We conducted 863 non-invasive measurements of gamma rays due to internal radioactive cesium for 68 dogs and 120 cats at one shelter. After plotting graphs of 137Cs density we generated exponential functions of decay from seven dogs and six cats. From the regression formulae, we were able to determine the biological half-lives as 38.2 days for dogs and 30.8 days for cats. We found that in dogs there was a correlation between the biological half-life of radioactive cesium and age. Using our data, we estimated whole-body densities for each cat and dog at the time when they were rescued. We found that there were deviations in the data distributions among the different species, likely due to the timing of rescue, or living habits prior to rescue. A significant correlation was found when extracted feline reproductive organs were analyzed; the coefficients for the estimation of whole-body densities were approximately 7-fold higher than those based on the extracted feline reproductive organs. This may be due to the fact that majority of the radioactive cesium accumulates within muscular tissue with less distribution in other organs. It is possible to plan the appropriate management period in an animal shelter based on the use of the biological half-life of radioactive cesium calculated in this study. We believe that the correlations we uncovered in this work would be of great use for the management of companion animals in the event of a future nuclear accident.

Whole-Body Counter Evaluation of Internal Radioactive Cesium in Dogs and Cats Exposed to the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

PubMed Central

Wada, Seiichi; Ito, Nobuhiko; Watanabe, Masamichi; Kakizaki, Takehiko; Natsuhori, Masahiro; Kawamata, Jun; Urayama, Yoshio

2017-01-01

As a result of the 2011 nuclear incident that occurred at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, a large number of abandoned dogs and cats were left within the disaster zone. A small number of these animals were rescued and cared for at shelters. Prior to the dispersal of these animals to their owners or fosterers, we evaluated the degree of internal radiocesium contamination using a specially designed whole-body counter. We conducted 863 non-invasive measurements of gamma rays due to internal radioactive cesium for 68 dogs and 120 cats at one shelter. After plotting graphs of 137Cs density we generated exponential functions of decay from seven dogs and six cats. From the regression formulae, we were able to determine the biological half-lives as 38.2 days for dogs and 30.8 days for cats. We found that in dogs there was a correlation between the biological half-life of radioactive cesium and age. Using our data, we estimated whole-body densities for each cat and dog at the time when they were rescued. We found that there were deviations in the data distributions among the different species, likely due to the timing of rescue, or living habits prior to rescue. A significant correlation was found when extracted feline reproductive organs were analyzed; the coefficients for the estimation of whole-body densities were approximately 7-fold higher than those based on the extracted feline reproductive organs. This may be due to the fact that majority of the radioactive cesium accumulates within muscular tissue with less distribution in other organs. It is possible to plan the appropriate management period in an animal shelter based on the use of the biological half-life of radioactive cesium calculated in this study. We believe that the correlations we uncovered in this work would be of great use for the management of companion animals in the event of a future nuclear accident. PMID:28099476

Neuro-inflammatory response in rats chronically exposed to (137)Cesium.

PubMed

Lestaevel, Philippe; Grandcolas, Line; Paquet, François; Voisin, Philippe; Aigueperse, Jocelyne; Gourmelon, Patrick

2008-03-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident, behavioural disorders and central nervous system diseases were frequently observed in populations living in the areas contaminated by (137)Cs. Until now, these neurological disturbances were not elucidated, but the presence of a neuro-inflammatory response could be one explanation. Rats were exposed for 3 months to drinking water contaminated with (137)Cs at a dose of 400Bqkg(-1), which is similar to that ingested by the population living in contaminated areas in the former USSR countries. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes were assessed by real-time PCR in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. At this level of exposure, gene expression of TNF-alpha and IL-6 increased in the hippocampus and gene expression of IL-10 increased in the frontal cortex. Concentration of TNF-alpha, measured by ELISA assays, was also increased in the hippocampus. The central NO-ergic pathway was also studied: iNOS gene expression and cNOS activity were significantly increased in the hippocampus. In conclusion, this study showed for the first time that sub-chronic exposure with post-accidental doses of (137)Cs leads to molecular modifications of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and NO-ergic pathway in the brain. This neuro-inflammatory response could contribute to the electrophysiological and biochemical alterations observed after chronic exposure to (137)Cs.

CHARACTERIZATION OF TANK 5F VERTICAL COOLING COIL LEACHATES FOR SELECT RADIONUCLIDES 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oji, L.; Diprete, D.

2001-08-17

Two twenty-four inch samples of vertical sections of the cooling coils from Tank 5F, taken from Riser 1, were made available to SRNL by SRR for leaching and characterization of the leachates for select radionuclide trapped in the corrosion layer on the exterior of the cooling coils. One piece of cooling coil sample was obtained from a section of a vertical cooling coil located above the 45-inch elevation from the tank floor and the other also from a vertical section of a cooling coil located below the 45-inch elevation from the tank floor of Tank 5F. Analysis results from bothmore » cooling coils show that the predominant radionuclides contributing to the activity in both coils are strontium-90 and cesium-137. The activities for strontium-90 and cesium-137 in the Tank 5F vertical cooling coil located above the 45-inch elevation of the tank and designated as sample 5-R1-A45 averaged 1.34E-02 {+-} 1.12E-03 and 7.27E-04 {+-} 4.46E-05 Ci/ft{sup 2}, respectively, while the activities for the vertical cooling coil located below the 45-inch elevation of the tank and designated as sample 5-R1-B45 averaged 8.93E-03 {+-} 8.25E-04 for Sr-90 and 8.10E-04 {+-} 6.36E-05 Ci/ft{sup 2} for Cs-137. Other significant activity contributing radionuclides are americium-241 and europium-154/155. With the exception of the analysis result for Pu-241 in the 5-R1-A45 cooling coils samples, the target detection limits for the other radionuclides were met in both cooling coil samples. The detection limits for Pu-241 analyses result in coil sample 5-R1-A45 were not met consistently because of possible background changes during counting.« less

The distribution of fallout {sup 137}Cs in Costa Rica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salazar, A.; Mora, P.

1996-08-01

Baseline levels of {sup 137}Cs on different sites throughout the Costa Rican territory are presented in this study from local and undisturbed soils. They are believed to represent the fallout input to the land surface. Seventy samples were collected from September 1991 to December 1993, and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy. The territory was divided in three regions, Caribbean, Pacific, and Central, based on meteorological and geographical conditions to study spatial distribution of cesium. The results show a higher activity in the Caribbean region perhaps due to the wind influence and higher rain precipitation throughout the year. No relevant time variationmore » of the activity levels of reach location was found. The highest value of 17.6 Bq kg{sup {minus}1} of {sup 137}Cs is compared with it generalized derived limit, being only 1.97% of the generalized derived limit value. The mean country activity value ranges from 0.4 to 17.8 Bq kg{sup {minus}1} with an average of 3.7 Bq kg{sup {minus}1}. 10 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Radionuclide concentrations in honey bees from Area G at TA-54 during 1997. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haarmann, T.K.; Fresquez, P.R.

Honey bees were collected from two colonies located at Los Alamos National Laboratory`s Area G, Technical Area 54, and from one control (background) colony located near Jamez Springs, NM. Samples were analyzed for the following: cesium ({sup 137}Cs), americium ({sup 241}Am), plutonium ({sup 238}Pu and {sup 239,240}Pu), tritium ({sup 3}H), total uranium, and gross gamma activity. Area G sample results from both colonies were higher than the upper (95%) level background concentration for {sup 238}Pu and {sup 3}H.

Sperm precedence in female apple maggots alternately mated to normal and irradiated males

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myers, H.S.; Barry, B.D.; Burnside, J.A.

1976-01-15

A dose of irradiation (Cesium 137) of 3 krad was sufficient to sterilize both sexes of the apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh). When the irradiated male (IM) mated with normal female (NF), egg production was not reduced compared with a normal mating, but the eggs were not viable. Also, two matings of 1 NF with either 2 IM or with 1 NM and 1 IM, produced fewer eggs than a single mating with 1 normal male. Sperm precedence exhibited for the 2nd of the 2 matings was not complete.

Cask weeping mitigation

DOEpatents

Krumhansl, James L.; Brady, Patrick V.; Teter, David M.; McConnell, Paul

2007-09-18

A method (and concomitant kit) for treating a surface to reduce subsequent .sup.137Cs nuclide desorption comprising contacting the surface with a first cation-containing solution, the cation being one or more of Cs.sup.+, Rb.sup.+, Ag.sup.+, Tl.sup.+, K.sup.+, and NH.sub.4.sup.+, and contacting the surface with a second cation-containing solution, the cation being one or more of Cs.sup.+, Rb.sup.+, Ag.sup.+, Tl.sup.+, K.sup.+, and NH.sub.4.sup.+, thereby reducing amounts of radioactive cesium embedded in clays found on the surface.

Sedimentation in Lake Onalaska, Navigation Pool 7, upper Mississippi River, since impoundment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Korschgen, C.E.; Jackson, G.A.; Muessig, L.F.; Southworth, D.C.

1987-01-01

Sediment accumulation was evaluated in Lake Onalaska, a 2800-ha backwater impoundment on the Upper Mississippi River. Computer programs were used to process fathometric charts and generate an extensive data set on water depth for the lake. Comparison of 1983 survey data with pre-impoundment (before 1937) data showed that Lake Onalaska had lost less than 10 percent of its original mean depth in the 46 years since impoundment. Previous estimates of sedimentation rates based on Cesium-137 sediment core analysis appear to have been too high. (DBO)

Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the rate of 137Cs gamma rays dispersion in gallium arsenide compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haider, F. A.; Chee, F. P.; Abu Hassan, H.; Saafie, S.

2017-01-01

Radiation effects on Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) have been tested by exposing samples to Cesium-137 (137Cs) gamma rays. Gallium Arsenide is a basic photonic material for most of the space technology communication, and, therefore, lends itself for applications where this is of concern. Monte Carlo simulations of interaction between direct ionizing radiation and GaAs structure have been performed in TRIM software, being part of SRIM 2011 programming package. An adverse results shows that energy dose does not govern the displacement of atoms and is dependent on the changes of incident angles and thickness of the GaAs target element. At certain thickness of GaAs and incident angle of 137Cs ion, the displacement damage is at its highest value. From the simulation result, it is found that if the thickness of the GaAs semiconductor material is small compared to the projected range at that particular incident energy, the energy loss in the target GaAs will be small. Hence, when the depth of semiconductor material is reduced, the range of damage in the target also decreased. However, the other factors such as quantum size effect, the energy gap between the conduction and valence band must also be taken into consideration when the dimension of the device is diminished.

Detection and analysis of particles with failed SiC in AGR-1 fuel compacts

DOE PAGES

Hunn, John D.; Baldwin, Charles A.; Gerczak, Tyler J.; ...

2016-04-06

As the primary barrier to release of radioactive isotopes emitted from the fuel kernel, retention performance of the SiC layer in tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particles is critical to the overall safety of reactors that utilize this fuel design. Most isotopes are well-retained by intact SiC coatings, so pathways through this layer due to cracking, structural defects, or chemical attack can significantly contribute to radioisotope release. In the US TRISO fuel development effort, release of 134Cs and 137Cs are used to detect SiC failure during fuel compact irradiation and safety testing because the amount of cesium released by a compactmore » containing one particle with failed SiC is typically ten or more times higher than that released by compacts without failed SiC. Compacts with particles that released cesium during irradiation testing or post-irradiation safety testing at 1600–1800 °C were identified, and individual particles with abnormally low cesium retention were sorted out with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Irradiated Microsphere Gamma Analyzer (IMGA). X-ray tomography was used for three-dimensional imaging of the internal coating structure to locate low-density pathways through the SiC layer and guide subsequent materialography by optical and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, all three cesium-releasing particles recovered from as-irradiated compacts showed a region where the inner pyrocarbon (IPyC) had cracked due to radiation-induced dimensional changes in the shrinking buffer and the exposed SiC had experienced concentrated attack by palladium; SiC failures observed in particles subjected to safety testing were related to either fabrication defects or showed extensive Pd corrosion through the SiC where it had been exposed by similar IPyC cracking.« less

Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Plutonium and Cesium Isotopes in Modeling of BR3 Reactor Spent Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conant, Andrew; Erickson, Anna; Robel, Martin

Nuclear forensics has a broad task to characterize recovered nuclear or radiological material and interpret the results of investigation. One approach to isotopic characterization of nuclear material obtained from a reactor is to chemically separate and perform isotopic measurements on the sample and verify the results with modeling of the sample history, for example, operation of a nuclear reactor. The major actinide plutonium and fission product cesium are commonly measured signatures of the fuel history in a reactor core. This study investigates the uncertainty of the plutonium and cesium isotope ratios of a fuel rod discharged from a research pressurizedmore » water reactor when the location of the sample is not known a priori. A sensitivity analysis showed overpredicted values for the 240Pu/ 239Pu ratio toward the axial center of the rod and revealed a lower probability of the rod of interest (ROI) being on the periphery of the assembly. The uncertainty analysis found the relative errors due to only the rod position and boron concentration to be 17% to 36% and 7% to 15% for the 240Pu/ 239Pu and 137Cs/ 135Cs ratios, respectively. Lastly, this study provides a method for uncertainty quantification of isotope concentrations due to the location of the ROI. Similar analyses can be performed to verify future chemical and isotopic analyses.« less

Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Plutonium and Cesium Isotopes in Modeling of BR3 Reactor Spent Fuel

DOE PAGES

Conant, Andrew; Erickson, Anna; Robel, Martin; ...

2017-02-03

Nuclear forensics has a broad task to characterize recovered nuclear or radiological material and interpret the results of investigation. One approach to isotopic characterization of nuclear material obtained from a reactor is to chemically separate and perform isotopic measurements on the sample and verify the results with modeling of the sample history, for example, operation of a nuclear reactor. The major actinide plutonium and fission product cesium are commonly measured signatures of the fuel history in a reactor core. This study investigates the uncertainty of the plutonium and cesium isotope ratios of a fuel rod discharged from a research pressurizedmore » water reactor when the location of the sample is not known a priori. A sensitivity analysis showed overpredicted values for the 240Pu/ 239Pu ratio toward the axial center of the rod and revealed a lower probability of the rod of interest (ROI) being on the periphery of the assembly. The uncertainty analysis found the relative errors due to only the rod position and boron concentration to be 17% to 36% and 7% to 15% for the 240Pu/ 239Pu and 137Cs/ 135Cs ratios, respectively. Lastly, this study provides a method for uncertainty quantification of isotope concentrations due to the location of the ROI. Similar analyses can be performed to verify future chemical and isotopic analyses.« less

Lineal energy calibration of mini tissue-equivalent gas-proportional counters (TEPC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conte, V.; Moro, D.; Grosswendt, B.; Colautti, P.

2013-07-01

Mini TEPCs are cylindrical gas proportional counters of 1 mm or less of sensitive volume diameter. The lineal energy calibration of these tiny counters can be performed with an external gamma-ray source. However, to do that, first a method to get a simple and precise spectral mark has to be found and then the keV/μm value of this mark. A precise method (less than 1% of uncertainty) to identify this markis described here, and the lineal energy value of this mark has been measured for different simulated site sizes by using a 137Cs gamma source and a cylindrical TEPC equipped with a precision internal 244Cm alpha-particle source, and filled with propane-based tissue-equivalent gas mixture. Mini TEPCs can be calibrated in terms of lineal energy, by exposing them to 137Cesium sources, with an overall uncertainty of about 5%.

The effect of gamma irradiation on chemical, morphology and optical properties of polystyrene nanosphere at various exposure time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alhaji Yabagi, Jibrin; Isah Kimpa, Mohammed; Nmayaya Muhammad, Muhammad; Rashid, Saiful Bin; Zaidi, Embong; Arif Agam, Mohd

2018-01-01

Irradiation of polymers causes structural, chemical and the optical properties changes. Polystyrene nanosphere was drop coated to substrates and the gamma irradiation was carried out in a Cesium-137 (Cs-137) source chamber at different time (1-5 hours) with constant dose of 30 kGy. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to characterize the chemical properties of irradiated polystyrene while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to study the surface morphological changes of the samples. The optical energy band gaps of the thin films were investigated and studied using transmittance and absorbance measurements. The results obtained revealed that as irradiation time increases the optical properties changes and polystyrene gradually undergoes crystal to carbonaceous from its amorphous state. The average particles diameter and roughness of the samples decreases with increasing irradiation time.

137Cs and 210Po in Pacific Walrus and Bearded Seal from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T F; Seagars, D J; Jokela, T

2005-02-02

The activity concentration of Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) and naturally-occurring Polonium-210 ({sup 210}Po) were measured in the muscle tissue, kidney and liver of Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) collected by native hunters from the Bering Sea. The mean {sup 137}Cs concentrations in muscle, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus were 0.07, 0.09 and 0.07 Bq kg{sup -1} (N= 5, wet weight), respectively, and 0.17, 0.10, and 0.17 Bq kg{sup -1} (N=2, wet weight), respectively, in bearded seal. In general, {sup 137}Cs tissue concentrations are significantly lower than those previously reported for mammals from other regions. Bymore » comparison, {sup 210}Po activity concentrations appear to be higher than those reported elsewhere but a larger variation. The mean {sup 210}Po concentration in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus (N=5, wet weight) were 28.7, 189, and 174 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. This compares with {sup 210}Po concentration values (N=2, wet weight) of 27, 207, and 68 Bq kg{sup -1} measured in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney, of bearded seal, respectively. Estimated bioaccumulation factors--as defined by the radionuclide concentration ratio between the target tissue to that in sea water--were two to three orders of magnitude higher for {sup 210}Po that those of {sup 137}Cs. We conclude from radiological dose estimates that ingestion of {sup 137}Cs in foods derived from walrus and seal will pose no threat to human health. This work has important implications for assessing health risks to Alaskan coastal communities concerned about the dumping of nuclear waste in the Russia Arctic.« less

Radionuclides in ground water at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knobel, LeRoy L.; Mann, Larry J.

1988-01-01

Sampling for radionuclides in groundwater was conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory during September to November 5 1987. Water samples from 80 wells that obtain water from the Snake River Plain aquifer and 1 well that obtains water from a shallow, discontinuous perched-water body at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex were collected and analyzed for tritium, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), americium-241, cesium-137, cobalt-60, and potassium-40--a naturally occurring radionuclide. The groundwater samples were analyzed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in Idaho. Tritium and strontium-90 concentrations ranged from below the reporting level to 80.6 +/-0.000005 and 193 +/-5x10 to the minus eight micrograms Ci/ml, respectively. Water from a disposal well at Test Area North--which has not been used to dispose of waste water since September 1972--contained 122 +/-9x10 to the minus eleven micrograms Ci/ml of plutonium-238, 500 +/-20x10 to the minus eleven of plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), 21 +/-4x10 to the minus eleven micrograms Ci/ml of americium-241, and 750 +/-20x10 to the minus eight micrograms Ci/ml cesium-137; the presence of these radionuclides was verified by resampling and reanalysis. The disposal well had 8.9 +/-0.0000009 micrograms Ci/ml of cobalt-60 on October 28, 1987, but cobalt-60 was not detected when the well was resampled on January 11, 1988. Potassium-40 concentrations were less than the reporting level in all wells. (USGS)

Sedimentation of Lake Taneycomo, Missouri, 1913-1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berkas, W.R.

1989-01-01

On the basis of the data from a sedimentation survey done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, during 1935 and data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1987, the volume of sediment accumulated in Lake Taneycomo from 1913 to 1935 and 1913 to 1987 was determined. Table Rock Dam, built directly upstream from Lake Taneycomo during 1958, eliminated about 92% of the 4,644-sq mi basin from contributing sediment directly to the lake. Cesium-137 isotope was used as a tracer in the sediment to determine the quantity of deposition in the lake after Table Rock Dam was completed. The relation between cross-sectional area and distance upstream from the dam (curve method) was used to determine the 1913 (original), the 1935, and the 1987 volumes of Lake Taneycomo. A total of 910,000,000 cu ft of sediment accumulated between 1913 and 1935, 42% of the original volume of the lake. A total of 1 ,066,000,000 cu ft of sediment accumulated between 1913 and 1987 , 49% of the original volume. Lake Taneycomo seems to be functioning as an alluvial river, responding to the new energy gradient established by the spillway at Ozark Beach Dam, and later to changes in the sediment load. The upper two-thirds of the lake seems to have been scoured after Table Rock Dam greatly decreased the sediment load to the lake. The cesium-137 analysis indicated that sediment is still accumulating in the lower reaches of the lake, with measured accumulation generally ranging from 0.2 to 2.6 ft. (USGS)

Proceedings of the Chornobyl phytoremediation and biomass energy conversion workshop (in English;Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartley, J.; Tokarevsky, V.

1998-06-01

Many concepts, systems, technical approaches, technologies, ideas, agreements, and disagreements were vigorously discussed during the course of the 2-day workshop. The workshop was successful in generating intensive discussions on the merits of the proposed concept that includes removal of radionuclides by plants and trees (phytoremediation) to clean up soil in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), use of the resultant biomass (plants and trees) to generate electrical power, and incorporation of ash in concrete casks to be used as storage containers in a licensed repository for low-level waste. Twelve years after the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Unit 4 accident, whichmore » occurred on April 26, 1986, the primary 4radioactive contamination of concern is from radioactive cesium ({sup 137}Cs) and strontium ({sup 90}Sr). The {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr were widely distributed throughout the CEZ. The attendees from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Denmark and the US provided information, discussed and debated the following issues considerably: distribution and characteristics of radionuclides in CEZ; efficacy of using trees and plants to extract radioactive cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) from contaminated soil; selection of energy conversion systems and technologies; necessary infrastructure for biomass harvesting, handling, transportation, and energy conversion; radioactive ash and emission management; occupational health and safety concerns for the personnel involved in this work; and economics. The attendees concluded that the overall concept has technical and possibly economic merits. However, many issues (technical, economic, risk) remain to be resolved before a viable commercial-scale implementation could take place.« less

Evaluation and Testing of IONSIV IE-911 for the Removal of Cesium-137 from INEEL Tank Waste and Dissolved Calcines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

N. R. Mann; T. A. Todd; K. N. Brewer

1999-04-01

Development of waste treatment processes for the remediation of radioactive wastes is currently underway. A number of experiments were performed at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Environmental Center (INTEC) located at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) with the commercially available sorbent material, IONSIV IE-911, crystalline silicotitanate (CST), manufactured by UOP LLC. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the removal efficiency, sorbent capacity and selectivity of CST for removing Cs-137 from actual and simulated acidic tank waste in addition to dissolved pilot-plant calcine solutions. The scope of this work included batch contact tests performed with non-radioactivemore » dissolved Al and Run-64 pilot plant calcines in addition to simulants representing the average composition of tank waste. Small-scale column tests were performed with actual INEEL tank WM-183 waste, tank waste simulant, dissolved Al and Run-64 pilot plant calcine solutions. Small-scale column experiments using actual WM-183 tank waste resulted in fifty-percent Cs-137 breakthrough at approximately 589 bed volumes. Small-scale column experiments using the tank waste simulant displayed fifty-percent Cs-137 breakthrough at approximately 700 bed volumes. Small-scale column experiments using dissolved Al calcine simulant displayed fifty-percent Cs-137 breakthrough at approximately 795 bed volumes. Column experiments with dissolved Run-64, pilot plant calcine did not reach fifty-percent breakthrough throughout the test.« less

The Natural Enrichment of Stable Cesium in Weathered Micaceous Materials and Its Implications for 137Cs Sorption.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elliott, W. Crawford; Kahn, Bernd; Rosson, Robert

2011-11-14

In this exploratory project, we are testing two interrelated hypotheses about the sorption of Cs within weathered micaceous materials in subsurface regolith materials from the Savannah River Site (SRS) located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain: 1) that stable cesium has become significantly enriched relative to potassium in subsurface micaceous particles as a result of chemical weathering processes; and 2) that the Cs so present is sufficient to be a major factor determining the ability of the subsurface materials to take up and hold 137Cs. To test these hypotheses, we collected by hand augur soil samples corresponding to soils representative atmore » the SRS: upland regolith (Fuquay series); soils formed on Tobacco Road Sandstone; and, soils formed on Quaternary Alluvium. From our data, the quantification of the amounts of stable cesium concentrated in various sites within 2:1 phyllosilicates by natural processes is highly relevant toward understanding the future sorption of 137Cs by the mica, illite, vermiculite, and hydroxyl interstratified vermiculite (HIV) phases present in the subsurface at and in proximity to SRS. Studying sorption and fixation of Cs in these micaceous phases interlayers potentially leads to increased knowledge to the extent that stable Cs resists exchange with ion exchange cations (Mg, NH4, or even alkyl ammonium compounds) and to the extent that Cs can become fixed over the long term. Such knowledge will help in the development of 137Cs remediation strategies for the long-term, which is a critical aspect of the SBR goals. We characterized the mineralogy, K-Ar ages of the soil and soil clay fractions (before and after acid treatment), and alkali element chemistry (K, Rb, Cs) of the clay fractions of soils collected from these three different types of soils. The clay fractions of the Fuquay soils are composed of kaolinite, and hydroxy interstratified vermiculite (HIV). Kaolinite, HIV, quartz, gibbsite and illite are found in the quaternary soils. Leach experiments using 10% nitric acid and 50% nitric acid were performed on 62 mesh fractions to show the amounts of Cs and Rb relative to K (Cs/K, Rb/K) that are exchangeable in these soils compared to Coastal Plain micas and upper continental crust. The Cs/K and Rb/K of the leachates are considerably higher relative to both upper continental crust and relative to weathered micas found in Georgia Coast Plain sediments. The K-Ar ages of the clay fractions of five different SRS soil series were ca. 320 Ma. After leaching with nitric acid, the ages of the soil clay fractions were approximately the same as the unleached soil clays. Based on the similarity of these ages to the ages of Coastal Plain micas, the K and Ar remaining after treatment is believed to be enclosed in a relect mica in the HIV phases in the soils. The HIV is likely a mica-HIV intergrade. Based on these data, stable cesium has become significantly enriched relative to potassium in subsurface micaceous particles as a result of chemical weathering processes in the SRS Fuquay soils studied thus far. Our data permit the interpretation describing the sorption of Cs and Rb in an apex site or in a hard to reach hard-to-exchange sorption site during pedogenesis. In terms of testing the second hypothesis, our work is ongoing and we report some preliminary data on Cs-137 and Rb-85 exchange experiments on select SRS Fuquay soils (-2 mm). Our isotopic equilibration experiments using Cs and Rb isotopes in separate exchange experiments show only small amounts of Cs and Rb in the original sample is exchangeable isotopically for a period of a few weeks in acidified conditions. The isotope exchange experiments provide support for our interpretation that pedogenically accumulated Cs (and Rb) occupy sites that are unavailable to exchange or exchange slowly in acid conditions corresponding to present conditions in SRS soils. In more basic solutions, greater exchange isotopic exchange is noted and suggests an expansion of interlayer sites thereby permitting more isotopic exchange of Cs and Rb.« less

Estimates of soil erosion using cesium-137 tracer models.

PubMed

Saç, M M; Uğur, A; Yener, G; Ozden, B

2008-01-01

The soil erosion was studied by 137Cs technique in Yatagan basin in Western Turkey, where there exist intensive agricultural activities. This region is subject to serious soil loss problems and yet there is not any erosion data towards soil management and control guidelines. During the soil survey studies, the soil profiles were examined carefully to select the reference points. The soil samples were collected from the slope facets in three different study areas (Kirtas, Peynirli and Kayisalan Hills). Three different models were applied for erosion rate calculations in undisturbed and cultivated sites. The profile distribution model (PDM) was used for undisturbed soils, while proportional model (PM) and simplified mass balance model (SMBM) were used for cultivated soils. The mean annual erosion rates found using PDM in undisturbed soils were 15 t ha(-1) year(-1) at the Peynirli Hill and 27 t ha(-1) year(-1) at the Kirtas Hill. With the PM and SMBM in cultivated soils at Kayişalan, the mean annual erosion rates were obtained to be 65 and 116 t ha(-1) year(-1), respectively. The results of 137Cs technique were compared with the results of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE).

Plutonium and cesium baseline concentrations in seawater from northern Arabian Gulf.

PubMed

Uddin, S; Aba, A; Behbehani, M; Al-Ghadban, A N; Al-Zekri, W; Al-Shammari, H

2017-07-15

The Arabian Gulf is a semi-enclosed water body that has witnessed accelerated anthropogenic activity, in terms of commissioning of nuclear power plants, desalination facilities, oil refineries and extensive coastal development. Furthermore, three wars during the past three decades is a potential worry. This study presents the first plutonium baseline in seawater from the Northern Arabian Gulf. The 239+240 Pu concentrations in seawater vary, between 2.9 and 4.9mBqm -3 , a range that is comparable to other water masses at this latitude. The 238 Pu ranged between 0.04 and 0.05mBqm -3 and the 137 Cs concentration between 1.04 and 1.18Bqm -3 . The ratio of 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu at all eight sampling stations was 0.01, while the ratio of 239+240 Pu/ 137 Cs varied between 0.01 and 0.02. The presence of 137 Cs and 239+240 Pu in seawater from this region can mainly be attributed to the global atmospheric deposition and fluvial transport. The seawater concentration of 239+240 Pu is five order of magnitude lower than bottom sediments in the area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of radioelement volatility during the vitrification of radioactive wastes by arc plasma.

PubMed

Ghiloufi, Imed

2009-04-15

A computer model is used to simulate the volatility of some radioelements cesium ((137)Cs), cobalt ((60)Co), and ruthenium ((106)Ru) during the radioactive wastes vitrification by thermal plasma. This model is based on the calculation of system composition using the free enthalpy minimization method, coupled with the equation of mass transfer at the reactional interface. The model enables the determination of the effects of various parameters (e.g., temperature, plasma current, and matrix composition) on the radioelement volatility. The obtained results indicate that any increase in molten bath temperature causes an increase in the cobalt volatility; while ruthenium has a less obvious behavior. It is also found that the oxygen flux in the carrier gas supports the radioelement incorporations in the containment matrix, except in the case of the ruthenium which is more volatile under an oxidizing atmosphere. For electrolyses effects, an increase in the plasma current considerably increases both the vaporization speed and the vaporized quantities of (137)Cs and (60)Co. The increase of silicon percentage in the containment matrix supports the incorporation of (60)Co and (137)Cs in the matrix. The simulation results are compared favorably to the experimental measurements obtained by emission spectroscopy.

Records of wells and chemical analyses of water from wells for the period June 13, 1984 to December 4, 1986 at the Maxey Flats Radioactive Waste Disposal Site, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyverse, M.A.

1987-01-01

Lithologic data are presented for 113 wells drilled at the Maxey Flats Radioactive Waste Disposal Site for the period June 13, 1984 to December 4, 1986. Water levels, tritium concentrations, and specific conductance are also presented for wells yielding sufficient water for measuring and sampling. At least one sample was collected from most wells for the determination of gross alpha and beta activity. These activities and the results for gamma emitting radionuclides (Cobalt 60 and Cesium 137) are also presented. (USGS)

Comparison study of photon attenuation characteristics of Lead-Boron Polyethylene by MCNP code, XCOM and experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Jia, Mingchun; Gong, Junjun; Xia, Wenming

2017-08-01

The linear attenuation coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient and mean free path of various Lead-Boron Polyethylene (PbBPE) samples which can be used as the photon shielding materials in marine reactor have been simulated using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP)-5 code. The MCNP simulation results are in good agreement with the XCOM values and the reported experimental data for source Cesium-137 and Cobalt-60. Thus, this method based on MCNP can be used to simulate the photon attenuation characteristics of various types of PbBPE materials.

A comparative evaluation of IONSIV{reg_sign} IE-911 and chabazite zeolite for the removal of radiostrontium and cesium from wastewater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bostick, D.T.; DePaoli, S.M.; Guo, B.

1998-11-01

Natural chabazite zeolite was selected as the baseline treatment technology for the removal of fission products, namely {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs, from near-neutral-pH process wastewater and groundwater. The sorbent IONSIV{reg_sign} IE-911, a crystalline silicotitanate manufactured by UOP, was recently tested in this capacity and found to compare extremely well against the baseline material. This paper presents and compares the results of similar batch and column tests performed using both materials, and summarizes the physical and chemical characteristics of the sorbents.

Dissolution of spent nuclear fuel in carbonate-peroxide solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soderquist, Chuck; Hanson, Brady

2010-01-01

This study shows that spent UO2 fuel can be completely dissolved in a room temperature carbonate-peroxide solution apparently without attacking the metallic Mo-Tc-Ru-Rh-Pd fission product phase. In parallel tests, identical samples of spent nuclear fuel were dissolved in nitric acid and in an ammonium carbonate, hydrogen peroxide solution. The resulting solutions were analyzed for strontium-90, technetium-99, cesium-137, europium-154, plutonium, and americium-241. The results were identical for all analytes except technetium, where the carbonate-peroxide dissolution had only about 25% of the technetium that the nitric acid dissolution had.

Cesium migration in saturated silica sand and Hanford sediments as impacted by ionic strength.

PubMed

Flury, Markus; Czigány, Szabolcs; Chen, Gang; Harsh, James B

2004-07-01

Large amounts of 137Cs have been accidentally released to the subsurface from the Hanford nuclear site in the state of Washington, USA. The cesium-containing liquids varied in ionic strengths, and often had high electrolyte contents, mainly in the form of NaNO3 and NaOH, reaching concentrations up to several moles per liter. In this study, we investigated the effect of ionic strengths on Cs migration through two types of porous media: silica sand and Hanford sediments. Cesium sorption and transport was studied in 1, 10, 100, and 1000 mM NaCl electrolyte solutions at pH 10. Sorption isotherms were constructed from batch equilibrium experiments and the batch-derived sorption parameters were compared with column breakthrough curves. Column transport experiments were analyzed with a two-site equilibrium-nonequilibrium model. Cesium sorption to the silica sand in batch experiments showed a linear sorption isotherm for all ionic strengths, which matched well with the results from the column experiments at 100 and 1000 mM ionic strength; however, the column experiments at 1 and 10 mM ionic strength indicated a nonlinear sorption behavior of Cs to the silica sand. Transport through silica sand occurred under one-site sorption and equilibrium conditions. Cesium sorption to Hanford sediments in both batch and column experiments was best described with a nonlinear Freundlich isotherm. The column experiments indicated that Cs transport in Hanford sediments occurred under two-site equilibrium and nonequilibrium sorption. The effect of ionic strength on Cs transport was much more pronounced in Hanford sediments than in silica sands. Effective retardation factors of Cs during transport through Hanford sediments were reduced by a factor of 10 when the ionic strength increased from 100 to 1000 mM; for silica sand, the effective retardation was reduced by a factor of 10 when ionic strength increased from 1 to 1000 mM. A two order of magnitude change in ionic strength was needed in the silica sand to observe the same change in Cs retardation as in Hanford sediments. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

AFCF and clinoptilolite use in reduction of (137)Cs deposition in several days' contaminated broiler chicks.

PubMed

Mitrovic, B; Vitorovic, G; Vitorovic, D; Dakovic, A; Stojanovic, M

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the binding efficiency of AFCF and clinoptilolite, mixed to the feed and administered orally using gastric tube to chronically (137)Cs alimentary contaminated broiler chicks. Seventy-five male Hybro broiler chicks, between 35 and 47 days of age were divided into five groups (15 birds per group) reared in cages (five birds in a cage) and fed a standard diet. Every day during 13 days of the experimental period all chicks received orally 1 ml CsCl water solution with activity of 1310 Bq ml(-1)(137)Cs (gastric tube). Group 1 was the control group and received no binders. The experimental groups received the binders. Group 2 received 0.2 g of AFCF in the form of water solution (gastric tube); group 3 received 0.2% AFCF in the feed; group 4 received 2g clinoptilolite in the form of water suspension (gastric tube) and group 5 received 2% clinoptilolite in the feed. Five chicks from each group were sacrificed on days 4, 10 and 13 of the experimental period. Using gamma spectrometric methods specific activity of (137)Cs was determined in the samples of breast meat, liver and gizzard. The results obtained showed that administering binders to the chronically contaminated broiler chicks significantly (p<0.01) reduced (137)Cs transfer and deposition in breast meat, liver and gizzard. Decreasing deposition of (137)Cs in breast meat and internal organs increased with time of contamination and binders' administration. With AFCF as a cesium binder, on day 13 of measuring the (137)Cs activity in breast meat was 80-83% lower than that in the control group, 89% in liver and 83-84% in gizzard. Natural clinoptilolite demonstrated lower binding efficiency. On day 13 of measuring the (137)Cs activity in breast meat was 53-69% lower than that in the control group, 67-60% in liver and 59-71% in gizzard.

Effects of long-term low-level radiation exposure after the Chernobyl catastrophe on immunoglobulins in children residing in contaminated areas: prospective and cross-sectional studies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background After the Chernobyl nuclear incident in 1986, children in the Narodichesky region, located 80 km west of the Chernobyl Power Plant, were exposed to 137Cesium (137Cs). Little is known about the effects of chronic low-level radiation on humoral immune responses in children residing in contaminated areas. Methods In four different approaches we investigated the effect of residential 137Cs exposure on immunoglobulins A, G, M, and specific immunoglobulin E in children. In a dynamic cohort (1993–1998) we included 617 children providing 2,407 repeated measurements; 421 and 523 children in two cross-sectional samples (1997–1998 and 2008–2010, respectively); and 25 participants in a small longitudinal cohort (1997–2010). All medical exams, blood collections, and analyses were conducted by the same team. We used mixed linear models to analyze repeated measurements in cohorts and general linear regression models for cross-sectional studies. Results Residential soil contamination in 2008 was highly correlated with the individual body burden of 137Cs. Serum IgG and IgM concentrations increased between 1993 and 1998. Children with higher 137Cs soil exposure had lower serum IgG levels, which, however, increased in the small cohort assessed between 1997 and 2010. Children within the fourth quintile of 137Cs soil exposure (266–310 kBq/m2) had higher IgM serum concentrations between 1993 and 1998 but these declined between 1997 and 2010. IgA remained stable with median 137Cs exposures related to higher IgA levels, which was corroborated in the cross-sectional study of 2008–2010. Specific IgE against indoor allergens was detected less often in children with higher 137Cs exposure. Conclusions Our findings show radiation-related alterations of immunoglobulins which by themselves do not constitute adverse health effects. Further investigations are necessary to understand how these changes affect health status. PMID:24886042

Depth distribution of cesium-137 in paddy fields across the Fukushima pollution plume in 2013.

PubMed

Lepage, Hugo; Evrard, Olivier; Onda, Yuichi; Lefèvre, Irène; Laceby, J Patrick; Ayrault, Sophie

2015-09-01

Large quantities of radiocesium were deposited across a 3000 km(2) area northwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant after the March 2011 accident. Although many studies have investigated the fate of (137)Cs in soil in the months following the accident, the depth distribution of this radioactive contaminant in rice paddy fields requires further examination after the typhoons that occurred in this region. Such investigations will help minimize potential human exposure in rice paddy fields. Radionuclide activity concentrations, organic content and particle size were analysed in 10 soil cores sampled from paddy fields in November 2013, 20 km north of the Fukushima power plant. Our results demonstrate limited depth migration of (137)Cs with the majority concentrated in the uppermost layers of soils (<5 cm). More than 30 months after the accident, between 46.8 and 98.7% of the total (137)Cs inventories was found within the top 5 cm of the soil surface, despite cumulative rainfall totalling 3300 mm. Furthermore, there were no significant correlations between (137)Cs depth distribution and the other parameters. We attributed the maximum depth penetration of (137)Cs to grass cutting (73.6-98.5% of (137)Cs in the upper 5 cm) and farming operations (tillage - 46.8-51.6% of (137)Cs in the upper 5 cm). As this area is exposed to erosive events, ongoing decontamination works may increase soil erodibility. We therefore recommend the rapid removal of the uppermost - contaminated - layer of the soil after removing the vegetation to avoid erosion of contaminated material during the subsequent rainfall events. Further analysis is required to thoroughly understand the impacts of erosion on the redistribution of radiocesium throughout the Fukushima Prefecture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of radionuclide accumulation in benthic organisms and fish of the Barents and Kara Seas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matishov, G.G.; Matishov, D.G.; Rissanen, C.

1995-05-01

Artificial radionuclides play a specific role in the hydrochemical, geochemical, and hydrobiological processes that are currently occurring in the western Arctic. The existing data on radioactive contamination of different plant and animal species inhabiting the sea shelf are fragmentary. Hence, it was difficult to follow the transformation of radionuclides during their transmission along food chains, from phyto- and zoo-plankton to benthos, fish, birds, and marine mammals. In 1990-1994, the Murmansk Institute of Marine Biology organized expeditions to collect samples of residues on the sea floor and also of benthos, benthic fish, macrophytes, and other organisms inhabiting the shelf of themore » Barents and Kara Seas. These samples were tested for cesium-137, cesium-134, strontium-90, plutonium-239, plutonium-240, americium-241, and cobalt-60 in Rovaniemi (Finland) by the regional radiation administration of the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. Over 1000 tests were made. Their results provided new data on the content and distribution of these radionuclides among different components of marine ecosystems. 7 refs.« less

Assessment of dry and wet atmospheric deposits of radioactive aerosols: application to Fukushima radiocaesium fallout.

PubMed

Gonze, Marc-André; Renaud, Philippe; Korsakissok, Irène; Kato, Hiroaki; Hinton, Thomas G; Mourlon, Christophe; Simon-Cornu, Marie

2014-10-07

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident led to massive atmospheric deposition of radioactive substances onto the land surfaces. The spatial distribution of deposits has been estimated by Japanese authorities for gamma-emitting radionuclides through either airborne monitoring surveys (since April 2011) or in situ gamma-ray spectrometry of bare soil areas (since summer 2011). We demonstrate that significant differences exist between the two surveys for radiocaesium isotopes and that these differences can be related to dry deposits through the use of physically based relationships involving aerosol deposition velocities. The methodology, which has been applied to cesium-134 and cesium-137 deposits within 80-km of the nuclear site, provides reasonable spatial estimations of dry and wet deposits that are discussed and compared to atmospheric numerical simulations from the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency and the French Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety. As a complementary approach to numerical simulations, this field-based analysis has the possibility to contribute information that can be applied to the understanding and assessment of dose impacts to human populations and the environment around Fukushima.

An aerial radiological survey of the Robert Emmett Ginna Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding area, Ontario, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Proctor, A.E.

1997-06-01

Terrestrial radioactivity surrounding the Robert Emmett Ginna Nuclear Power Plant was measured using aerial radiological surveying techniques. The purpose of this survey was to document exposure rates near the plant and to identify unexpected, man-made radiation sources within the survey area. The surveyed area included land areas within a three-mile radius of the plant site. Data were acquired using an airborne detection system that employed sodium iodide, thallium-activated detectors. Exposure-rate and photopeak counts were computed from these data and plotted on aerial photographs of the survey area. Several ground-based exposure measurements were made for comparison with the aerial survey results.more » Exposure rates in the area surrounding the plant site varied from 6 to 10 microroentgens per hour. Man-made radiation (cobalt-60 within the plant site and cesium-1 37 directly over the reactor) was found at the plant site. In addition, small areas of suspected cesium-137 activity were found within the survey areas. Other than these small sites, the survey area was free of man-made radioac- tivity.« less

Individual Radiological Protection Monitoring of Utrok Atoll Residents Based on Whole Body Counting of Cesium-137 (137Cs) and Plutonium Bioassay

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T; Kehl, S; Brown, T

2007-06-08

This report contains individual radiological protection surveillance data developed during 2006 for adult members of a select group of families living on Utrok Atoll. These Group I volunteers all underwent a whole-body count to determine levels of internally deposited cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) and supplied a bioassay sample for analysis of plutonium isotopes. Measurement data were obtained and the results compared with an equivalent set of measurement data for {sup 137}Cs and plutonium isotopes from a second group of adult volunteers (Group II) who were long-term residents of Utrok Atoll. For the purposes of this comparison, Group II volunteers were consideredmore » representative of the general population on Utrok Atoll. The general aim of the study was to determine residual systemic burdens of fallout radionuclides in each volunteer group, develop data in response to addressing some specific concerns about the preferential uptake and potential health consequences of residual fallout radionuclides in Group I volunteers, and generally provide some perspective on the significance of radiation doses delivered to volunteers (and the general Utrok Atoll resident population) in terms of radiological protection standards and health risks. Based on dose estimates from measurements of internally deposited {sup 137}Cs and plutonium isotopes, the data and information developed in this report clearly show that neither volunteer group has acquired levels of internally deposited fallout radionuclides specific to nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands that are likely to have any consequence on human health. Moreover, the dose estimates are well below radiological protection standards as prescribed by U.S. regulators and international agencies, and are very small when compared to doses from natural sources of radiation in the Marshall Islands and the threshold where radiation health effects could be either medically diagnosed in an individual or epidemiologically discerned in a group of people. In general, the results from the whole-body counting measurements of 137Cs are consistent with our knowledge that a key pathway for exposure to residual fallout contamination on Utrok Atoll is low-level chronic uptake of {sup 137}Cs from the consumption of locally grown produce (Robison et al., 1999). The error-weighted, average body burden of {sup 137}Cs measured in Group I and Group II volunteers was 0.31 kBq and 0.62 kBq, respectively. The associated average, annual committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) delivered to Group I and Group II volunteers from {sup 137}Cs during the year of measurement was 2.1 and 4.0 mrem. For comparative purposes, the annual dose limit for members of the public as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is 100 mrem. Consequently, specific concerns about elevated levels of {sup 137}Cs uptake and higher risks from radiation exposure to Group I volunteers would be considered unfounded. Moreover, the urinary excretion of plutonium-239 ({sup 239}Pu) from Group I and Group II volunteers is statistically indistinguishable. In this case, the error-weighted, average urinary excretion of {sup 239}Pu from Group I volunteers of 0.10 {mu}Bq per 24-h void with a range between -0.01 and 0.23 {mu}Bq per 24-h void compares with an error-weighted average from Group II volunteers of 0.11 {mu}Bq per 24-h void with a range between -0.20 and 0.47 {mu}Bq per 24-h void. The range in urinary excretion of {sup 239}Pu from Utrok Atoll residents is very similar to that observed for other population groups in the Marshall Islands (Bogen et al., 2006; Hamilton et al., 2006a; 2006b; 2006c, 2007a; 2007b; 2007c) and is generally considered representative of worldwide background.« less

Assessing Fukushima-Derived Radiocesium in Migratory Pacific Predators.

PubMed

Madigan, Daniel J; Baumann, Zofia; Snodgrass, Owyn E; Dewar, Heidi; Berman-Kowalewski, Michelle; Weng, Kevin C; Nishikawa, Jun; Dutton, Peter H; Fisher, Nicholas S

2017-08-15

The 2011 release of Fukushima-derived radionuclides into the Pacific Ocean made migratory sharks, teleosts, and marine mammals a source of speculation and anxiety regarding radiocesium ( 134+137 Cs) contamination, despite a lack of actual radiocesium measurements for these taxa. We measured radiocesium in a diverse suite of large predators from the North Pacific Ocean and report no detectable (i.e., ≥ 0.1 Bq kg -1 dry wt) Fukushima-derived 134 Cs in all samples, except in one olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) with trace levels (0.1 Bq kg -1 ). Levels of 137 Cs varied within and across taxa, but were generally consistent with pre-Fukushima levels and were lower than naturally occurring 40 K by one to one to two orders of magnitude. Predator size had a weaker effect on 137 Cs and 40 K levels than tissue lipid content. Predator stable isotope values (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) were used to infer recent migration patterns, and showed that predators in the central, eastern, and western Pacific should not be assumed to accumulate detectable levels of radiocesium a priori. Nondetection of 134 Cs and low levels of 137 Cs in diverse marine megafauna far from Fukushima confirms negligible increases in radiocesium, with levels comparable to those prior to the release from Fukushima. Reported levels can inform recently developed models of cesium transport and bioaccumulation in marine species.

The effect of carbonate soil on transport and dose estimates for long-lived radionuclides at a U.S. Pacific test site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conrado, C L; Hamilton, T F; Robison, W L

1999-01-01

The US conducted a series of nuclear tests from 1946 to 1958 at Bikini, a coral atoll, in the Marshall Islands (MI). The aquatic and terrestrial environments of the atoll are still contaminated with several long-lived radionuclides that were generated during testing. The four major radionuclides found in terrestrial plants and soils are Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs), Strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr), Plutonium-239+240 ({sup 239+240}Pu) and Americium-241 ({sup 241}Am). {sup 137}Cs in the coral soils is more available for uptake by plants than {sup 137}Cs associated with continental soils of North America or Europe. Soil-to-plant {sup 137}Cs median concentration ratios (CR) (kBq kg{supmore » {minus}1} dry weight plant/kBq kg{sup {minus}1} dry weight soil) for tropical fruits and vegetables range between 0.8 and 36, much larger than the range of 0.005 to 0.5 reported for vegetation in temperate zones. Conversely, {sup 90}Sr median CRs range from 0.006 to 1.0 at the atoll versus a range from 0.02 to 3.0 for continental silica-based soils. Thus, the relative uptake of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr by plants in carbonate soils is reversed from that observed in silica-based soils. The CRs for {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 241}Am are very similar to those observed in continental soils. Values range from 10{sup {minus}6} to 10{sup {minus}4} for both {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 241}Am. No significant difference is observed between the two in coral soil.« less

Evaluation of ambient dose equivalent rates influenced by vertical and horizontal distribution of radioactive cesium in soil in Fukushima Prefecture.

PubMed

Malins, Alex; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Nakama, Shigeo; Saito, Tatsuo; Okumura, Masahiko; Machida, Masahiko; Kitamura, Akihiro

2016-01-01

The air dose rate in an environment contaminated with (134)Cs and (137)Cs depends on the amount, depth profile and horizontal distribution of these contaminants within the ground. This paper introduces and verifies a tool that models these variables and calculates ambient dose equivalent rates at 1 m above the ground. Good correlation is found between predicted dose rates and dose rates measured with survey meters in Fukushima Prefecture in areas contaminated with radiocesium from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. This finding is insensitive to the choice for modeling the activity depth distribution in the ground using activity measurements of collected soil layers, or by using exponential and hyperbolic secant fits to the measurement data. Better predictions are obtained by modeling the horizontal distribution of radioactive cesium across an area if multiple soil samples are available, as opposed to assuming a spatially homogeneous contamination distribution. Reductions seen in air dose rates above flat, undisturbed fields in Fukushima Prefecture are consistent with decrement by radioactive decay and downward migration of cesium into soil. Analysis of remediation strategies for farmland soils confirmed that topsoil removal and interchanging a topsoil layer with a subsoil layer result in similar reductions in the air dose rate. These two strategies are more effective than reverse tillage to invert and mix the topsoil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regression model analysis of the decreasing trend of cesium-137 concentration in the atmosphere since the Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Kitayama, Kyo; Ohse, Kenji; Shima, Nagayoshi; Kawatsu, Kencho; Tsukada, Hirofumi

2016-11-01

The decreasing trend of the atmospheric 137 Cs concentration in two cities in Fukushima prefecture was analyzed by a regression model to clarify the relation between the parameter of the decrease in the model and the trend and to compare the trend with that after the Chernobyl accident. The 137 Cs particle concentration measurements were conducted in urban Fukushima and rural Date sites from September 2012 to June 2015. The 137 Cs particle concentrations were separated in two groups: particles of more than 1.1 μm aerodynamic diameters (coarse particles) and particles with aerodynamic diameter lower than 1.1 μm (fine particles). The averages of the measured concentrations were 0.1 mBq m -3 in Fukushima and Date sites. The measured concentrations were applied in the regression model which decomposed them into two components: trend and seasonal variation. The trend concentration included the parameters for the constant and the exponential decrease. The parameter for the constant was slightly different between the Fukushima and Date sites. The parameter for the exponential decrease was similar for all the cases, and much higher than the value of the physical radioactive decay except for the concentration in the fine particles at the Date site. The annual decreasing rates of the 137 Cs concentration evaluated by the trend concentration ranged from 44 to 53% y -1 with average and standard deviation of 49 ± 8% y -1 for all the cases in 2013. In the other years, the decreasing rates also varied slightly for all cases. These indicated that the decreasing trend of the 137 Cs concentration was nearly unchanged for the location and ground contamination level in the three years after the accident. The 137 Cs activity per aerosol particle mass also decreased with the same trend as the 137 Cs concentration in the atmosphere. The results indicated that the decreasing trend of the atmospheric 137 Cs concentration was related with the reduction of the 137 Cs concentration in resuspended particles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling radiocesium transport from a river catchment based on a physically-based distributed hydrological and sediment erosion model.

PubMed

Kinouchi, Tsuyoshi; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Omata, Teppei

2015-01-01

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in March 2011 resulted in the deposition of large quantities of radionuclides, such as (134)Cs and (137)Cs, over parts of eastern Japan. Since then high levels of radioactive contamination have been detected in large areas, including forests, agricultural land, and residential areas. Due to the strong adsorption capability of radiocesium to soil particles, radiocesium migrates with eroded sediments, follows the surface flow paths, and is delivered to more populated downstream regions and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. It is therefore important to understand the transport of contaminated sediments in the hydrological system and to predict changes in the spatial distribution of radiocesium concentrations by taking the land-surface processes related to sediment migration into consideration. In this study, we developed a distributed model to simulate the transport of water and contaminated sediment in a watershed hydrological system, and applied this model to a partially forested mountain catchment located in an area highly contaminated by the radioactive fallout. Observed discharge, sediment concentration, and cesium concentration measured from June 2011 until December 2012 were used for calibration of model parameters. The simulated discharge and sediment concentration both agreed well with observed values, while the cesium concentration was underestimated in the initial period following the accident. This result suggests that the leaching of radiocesium from the forest canopy, which was not considered in the model, played a significant role in its transport from the catchment. Based on the simulation results, we quantified the long-term fate of radiocesium over the study area and estimated that the effective half-life of (137)Cs deposited in the study area will be approximately 22 y due to the export of contaminated sediment by land-surface processes, and the amount of (137)Cs remaining in the catchment will be reduced to 39% of the initial total within 30 y after contamination. This study provides a perspective on the transport of suspended sediments and radiocesium in catchments with similar land use and radiocesium contamination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Potassium on Uptake of 137Cs in Food Crops Grown on Coral Soils: Annual Crops at Bikini Atoll

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stone, E R; Robinson, W

2002-02-01

In 1954 a radioactive plume from the thermonuclear device code named BRAVO contaminated the principal residential islands, Eneu and Bikini, of Bikini Atoll (11{sup o} 36 minutes N; 165{sup o} 22 minutes E), now part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The resulting soil radioactivity diminished greatly over the three decades before the studies discussed below began. By that time the shorter-lived isotopes had all but disappeared, but strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr), and cesium-137, ({sup 137}Cs) were reduced by only one half-life. Minute amounts of the long-lived isotopes, plutonium-239+240 ({sup 239+240}Pu) and americium-241 ({sup 241}Am), were present in soil, butmore » were found to be inconsequential in the food chain of humans and land animals. Rather, extensive studies demonstrated that the major concern for human health was {sup 137}Cs in the terrestrial food chain (Robison et al., 1983; Robison et al., 1997). The following papers document results from several studies between 1986 and 1997 aimed at minimizing the {sup 137}Cs content of annual food crops. The existing literature on radiocesium in soils and plant uptake is largely a consequence of two events: the worldwide fallout of 1952-58, and the fallout from Chernobyl. The resulting studies have, for the most part, dealt either with soils containing some amount of silicate clays and often with appreciable K, or with the short-term development of plants in nutrient cultures.« less

Belted kingfishers: Under surveillance and sampled in the privacy of their own burrow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baron, L.A.; Ashwood, T.L.

The belted kingfisher, a common piscivore of the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), bioaccumulates contaminants from consumption of aquatic prey. Three kingfisher carcasses found near contaminated streams on the ORR were analyzed. Mercury, cadmium, and selenium bioaccumulated within the liver, kidney, and feathers. Additionally, PCB-1254 accumulated in muscle and lipid tissue, while Cesium-137 accumulated within the muscle and whole body. These contaminant levels have been shown to produce a variety of toxicological effects (i.e., reproductive impairment, central nervous system dysfunction) within other species of birds. In addition to use of this data for ecological risk assessment, kingfishers can also be monitoredmore » as a viable bioindicator species reflecting environmental contaminant levels over time. However, current sampling methods of burrow excavation or the use of mist nets can be detrimental to the reproductive success of the birds. The authors present a method for obtaining adequate samples of feathers and other remnants (i.e., egg shells, dried regurgitant) found in the burrow during or following the nesting season. The collection of samples following surveillance of the burrow and its contents was performed with the use of a 15 ft-long flexible, portable probe containing a video camera. Once sighted with the probe, contents of the burrow were collected by insertion of an additional tube attached to a hand held vacuum cleaner (Dirt Devil{reg_sign}). Feathers collected from a nest at an uncontaminated site contained selenium, lead and mercury. Cesium-137 was found in an egg shell collected from a nest at a radiologically contaminated site. Close-up photos of a kingfisher mother incubating her eggs and nestlings within two burrows will also be shown. This surveillance and sampling technique can also be used for monitoring other burrowing terrestrial species.« less

Distribution of Artificial Radionuclides in Abandoned Cattle in the Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

PubMed Central

Abe, Yasuyuki; Yamashiro, Hideaki; Kuwahara, Yoshikazu; Nihei, Hidekazu; Sano, Yosuke; Irisawa, Ayumi; Shimura, Tsutomu; Fukumoto, Motoi; Shinoda, Hisashi; Obata, Yuichi; Saigusa, Shin; Sekine, Tsutomu; Isogai, Emiko; Fukumoto, Manabu

2013-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident released large amounts of radioactive substances into the environment. In order to provide basic information for biokinetics of radionuclides and for dose assessment of internal exposure brought by the FNPP accident, we determined the activity concentration of radionuclides in the organs of 79 cattle within a 20-km radius around the FNPP. In all the specimens examined, deposition of Cesium-134 (134Cs, half-life: 2.065 y) and 137Cs (30.07 y) was observed. Furthermore, organ-specific deposition of radionuclides with relatively short half-lives was detected, such as silver-110m (110mAg, 249.8 d) in the liver and tellurium-129m (129mTe, 33.6 d) in the kidney. Regression analysis showed a linear correlation between the radiocesium activity concentration in whole peripheral blood (PB) and that in each organ. The resulting slopes were organ dependent with the maximum value of 21.3 being obtained for skeletal muscles (R2 = 0.83, standard error (SE) = 0.76). Thus, the activity concentration of 134 Cs and 137Cs in an organ can be estimated from that in PB. The level of radioactive cesium in the organs of fetus and infants were 1.19-fold (R2 = 0.62, SE = 0.12), and 1.51-fold (R2 = 0.70, SE = 0.09) higher than that of the corresponding maternal organ, respectively. Furthermore, radiocesium activity concentration in organs was found to be dependent on the feeding conditions and the geographic location of the cattle. This study is the first to reveal the detailed systemic distribution of radionuclides in cattle attributed to the FNPP accident. PMID:23372703

Pocomoke Sound Sedimentary and Ecosystem History

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, Thomas M.

2004-01-01

Summary of Results: Pocomoke Sound Sediment and Sediment Processes Transport of sediment from coastal marshes. Analyses of pollen and foraminifera from surface sediments in Pocomoke Sound suggest that neither the upstream forested wetlands nor coastal marshes bordering the sound have contributed appreciably to particulate matter in the 10- to 1000-micron size range that is currently being deposited in the sound. Sediment processes derived from short-lived isotope. Analyses of beryllium-7, cesium-137 and lead-210 and redox sensitive elements from Pocomoke sediments showed that there has been a significant increase in anthropogenic elements since the late 1940's when the Delmarva Peninsula became more accessible from the Baltimore-Washington region. Cesium-137 was found to be a useful tool to determine changes in sedimentation within the system. Three major stages of sedimentation occurred. Before 1950, the system was equilibrium with the agriculture activity in the watershed, whereas urbanization and agricultural activity changes during and immediately preceding World War II resulted in increased sediment flux. Around 1970, the sediment flux diminished and there was an apparent increase in bank erosion sediment to the deeper parts of the system. Rates of sediment deposition. Radiocarbon, lead-210, and pollen dating of sediment cores from Pocomoke Sound indicate relatively continuous deposition of fine-grained sediments in the main Pocomoke channel at > ~7 m water depths. Mean sediment accumulation rates during the past few centuries were relatively high (>1 cm yr -1 ). The ages of coarser-grained sediments (sands) blanketing the shallow (4.0 cm yr -1 ) at most sites throughout the Sound in post-Colonial time. These results confirm those from other regions of the bay that land-clearance increased the flux of river-borne sediment to certain r

Comparison of radionuclide levels in soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landeen, D.S.

1994-09-01

Soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogam, and small mammal samples were collected and analyzed for cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium 239/240, technetium-99, and iodine-129 from 1981 to 1986 at the US Department of Energy Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State as part of site characterization and environmental monitoring activities. Samples were collected on the 200 Areas Plateau, downwind from ongoing waste management activities. Plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals are media that are not routinely utilized in monitoring or characterization efforts for determination of radionuclide concentrations. Studies at Hanford, other US Department of Energy sites, and in eastern Europe have indicated thatmore » plant litter and cryptogams may serve as effective ``natural`` monitors of air quality. Plant litter in this study consists of fallen leaves from sagebrush and ``cryptogams`` describes that portion of the soil crust composed of mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi. Comparisons of cesium-137 and strontium-90 concentrations in the soil, sagebrush, litter, and cryptogams revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) levels in plant litter and cryptogams. Technetium-99 values were the highest in sagebrush and litter. Plutonium-238 and 239/40 and iodine-129 concentrations never exceeded 0.8 pCi/gm in all media. No evidence of any significant amounts of any radionuclides being incorporated into the small mammal community was discovered. The data indicate that plant litter and cryptogams may be better, indicators of environmental quality than soil or vegetation samples. Augmenting a monitoring program with samples of litter and cryptogams may provide a more accurate representation of radionuclide environmental uptake and/or contamination levels in surrounding ecosystems. The results of this study may be applied directly to other radioecological monitoring conducted at other nuclear sites and to the monitoring of other pollutants.« less

Health effects in a casual sample of immigrants to Israel from areas contaminated by the Chernobyl explosion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kordysh, E.A.; Goldsmith, J.R.; Cohen, R.

1995-10-01

We analyzed questionnaire and physician examination data for 1560 new immigrants from the former USSR divided into three groups by potential exposure to Chernobyl radiation. Two groups were chosen according to soil contamination by cesium-137 at former residences, as confirmed by our findings in a {sup 137}Cs body burden study. The third group consisted of {open_quotes}liquidators,{close_quotes} persons who worked at the Chernobyl site after the disaster. Liquidators had greater self-reported incidences of symptoms commonly accepted as acute effects of radiation exposure, increases in prevalence of hypertension, and more health complaints. Excesses of bronchial asthma and health complaints were reported inmore » children from the more exposed communities. Asthma prevalence in children potentially exposed in utero appears to be increased eightfold. Older adults from more exposed areas had more hypertension as assessed by history and measurements. These findings suggest the possible association of radiation exposure with several nonmalignant effects. 34 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Characterisation of MR reactor pond in nNRC 'Kurchatov institute' before dismantling work

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stepanov, Alexey; Simirsky, Yury; Semin, Ilya

2013-07-01

In this work complex α-, β-, γ-spectrometric research of water, bottom slimes and deposits on walls of the reactor pond and the storage pond of the MR reactor was made. Identify, that the main dose forming radionuclide, during dismantling work on the reactor MR, is Cs-137. It is shown, that specific activity of radionuclides in bottom slimes considerably exceed specific activity of radionuclides in water from ponds, and near to high level radioactive waste. It is detected that decreasing the water level in reactor ponds on 1 m, increase the exposure dose rate at a distance 1 m from themore » pond in 2 times. The observed increase in exposure dose rate can be explained by contribution on dose rate the cesium-137 deposed on walls of the storage pond. Effectiveness of cleaning of walls of the pool of storage from deposits by a water jet of high pressure is investigated. (authors)« less

Influence of water management and fertilizer application on (137)Cs and (133)Cs uptake in paddy rice fields.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Shokichi; Itoh, Sumio; Kihou, Nobuharu; Matsunami, Hisaya; Hachinohe, Mayumi; Hamamatsu, Shioka; Takahashi, Shigeru

2016-06-01

Cesium-137 derived from the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident contaminated large areas of agricultural land in Eastern Japan. Previous studies before the accident have indicated that flooding enhances radiocesium uptake in rice fields. We investigated the influence of water management in combination with fertilizers on (137)Cs concentrations in rice plants at two fields in southern Ibaraki Prefecture. Stable Cs ((133)Cs) in the plants was also determined as an analogue for predicting (137)Cs behavior after long-term aging of soil (137)Cs. The experimental periods comprised 3 y starting from 2012 in one field, and 2 y from 2013 in another field. These fields were divided into three water management sections: a long-flooding section without midsummer drainage, and medial-flooding, and short-flooding sections with one- or two-week midsummer drainage and earlier end of flooding than the long-flooding section. Six or four types of fertilizer subsections (most differing only in potassium application) were nested in each water management section. Generally, the long-flooding treatment led to higher (137)Cs and (133)Cs concentrations in both straw and brown rice than medial- and short-flooding treatments, although there were some notable exceptions in the first experimental year at each site. Effects of differing potassium fertilizer treatments were cumulative; the effects on (137)Cs and (133)Cs concentrations in rice plants were not obvious in 2012 and 2013, but in 2014, these concentrations were highest where potassium fertilizer had been absent and lowest where basal dressings of K had been tripled. The relationship between (137)Cs and (133)Cs in rice plants was not correlative in the first experimental year at each site, but correlation became evident in the subsequent year(s). This study demonstrates a novel finding that omitting midsummer drainage and/or delaying drainage during the grain-filling period enhances uptake of both (137)Cs and (133)Cs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Novel Ferrocyanide Functionalized Nanopourous Silica Decorporation Agent for Cesium (Cs) in Rats

PubMed Central

Timchalk, Charles; Creim, Jeffrey A; Sukwarotwat, Vichaya; Wiacek, Robert; Addleman, R Shane; Fryxell, Glen E; Yantasee, Wassana

2009-01-01

Novel decorporation agents are being developed to protect against radiological terrorist attacks. These sorbents, known as the self-assembled monolayer on mesoporous supports (SAMMS™), are hybrid materials where differing organic moieties are grafted onto mesoporous silica (SiO2). In vitro experiments focused on the evaluation, and optimization of SAMMS for capturing radiocesium (137Cs); therefore based on these studies, a ferrocyanide copper (FC-Cu-EDA)-SAMMS was advanced for in vivo evaluation. In vivo experiments were conducted comparing the performance of the SAMMS vs. insoluble Prussian blue. Groups of jugular cannulated rats (4/treatment) were evaluated. Animals in group I were administered 137Cs chloride (~40 μg/kg) by intravenous (iv) injection or oral gavage; Group II animals were administered pre-bound 137Cs- SAMMS or sequential 137Cs chloride + SAMMS (~61 ng/kg) by oral gavage; and Group III was orally administered 137Cs chloride (~61 ng/kg) followed by either 0.1 g of SAMMS or Prussian blue. Following dosing, the rats were maintained in metabolism cages for 72 hour and blood, urine and fecal samples were collected for 137Cs analysis (gamma counting). Rats were then humanely euthanized, and selected tissues analyzed. Orally administered 137Cs chloride was rapidly and well absorbed (~100% relative to iv dose), and the pharmacokinetics (blood, urine, feces & tissues) were very comparable to the iv dose group. For both exposures the urine and feces accounted for 20 and 3% of the dose, respectively. The prebound 137Cs-SAMMS was retained primarily within the feces (72% of the dose), with ~1.4% detected in the urine, suggesting that the 137Cs remained tightly bound to SAMMS. SAMMS & Prussian blue both effectively captured available 137Cs in the gut with feces accounting for 80–88% of the administered dose, while less than 2% was detected in the urine. This study suggests that the functionalized SAMMS outperforms Prussian blue in vitro at low pH, but demonstrates comparable in vivo sequestration efficacy at low exposure concentrations. The comparable response may be the result of the low 137Cs chloride dose and high sorbent dosage that was utilized. Future studies are planned to optimize SAMMS in vivo performance over a broader range of doses and conditions. PMID:20699707

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Novel Ferrocyanide Functionalized Nanopourous Silica Decorporation Agent for Cesium in Rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Timchalk, Charles; Creim, Jeffrey A.; Sukwarotwat, Vichaya

2010-09-01

Novel decorporation agents are being developed to protect against radiological terrorist attacks. These sorbents, known as the self-assembled monolayer on mesoporous supports (SAMMS™), are hybrid materials where differing organic moieties are grafted onto mesoporous silica (SiO2). In vitro experiments focused on the evaluation, and optimization of SAMMS for capturing radiocesium (137Cs); based on these studies, a ferrocyanide copper (FC-Cu-EDA)-SAMMS was advanced for in vivo evaluation. In vivo experiments were conducted comparing the performance of the SAMMS vs. insoluble Prussian blue. Groups of jugular cannulated rats (4/treatment) were evaluated. Group I was administered 137Cs (~40 μgeq/kg) by intravenous (iv) injection andmore » oral gavage; Group II was administered pre-bound 137Cs-SAMMS and sequential 137Cs + SAMMS (~61 ngeq/kg) by oral gavage; and Group III evaluated orally administered 137Cs (~0.06 μgeq/kg) followed by 0.1 g of either SAMMS or Prussian blue. Following dosing the rats were maintained in metabolism cages for 72 hour and blood, urine and fecal samples were collected for 137Cs analysis (gamma counting). Rats were then humanely euthanized, and selected tissues analyzed. Orally administered 137Cs was rapidly and well absorbed (~100% relative to iv dose), and the pharmacokinetics (blood, urine, feces & tissues) were very comparable to the iv dose group. For both exposures the urine and feces accounted for 20 and 3% of the dose, respectively. The prebound 137Cs-SAMMS was retained primarily within the feces (72% of the dose), with ~1.4% detected in the urine, suggesting that the 137Cs remained tightly bound to SAMMS. SAMMS & Prussian blue both effectively captured available 137Cs in the gut with feces accounting for 80-88% of the administered dose, while less than 2% was detected in the urine. This study suggests that the functionalized SAMMS out performs Prussian blue in vitro at low pH, but demonstrates comparable in vivo sequestration efficacy at low exposure concentrations. The comparable response may be the result of the low 137Cs dose and high sorbent dosage that was utilized. Future studies are planned to optimize SAMMS in vivo performance over a broader range of doses and conditions.« less

Characteristics of Chernobyl-derived radionuclides in particulate form in surface waters in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsunaga, Takeshi; Ueno, Takashi; Amano, Hikaru; Tkatchenko, Y.; Kovalyov, A.; Watanabe, Miki; Onuma, Yoshikazu

1998-12-01

The distribution of Chernobyl-derived radionuclides in river and lake water bodies at 6-40 km from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was studied. Current levels of radionuclides (Cesium-137, Strontium-90, Plutonium, Americium and Curium isotopes) in water bodies and their relation to the ground contamination are presented. The investigation of the radionuclide composition of aqueous and ground contamination revealed that radionuclides on suspended solids (particulate form) originate mainly from the erosion of the contaminated surface soil layer in the zone. Apparent distribution ratios between particulate and dissolved forms are compared to known distribution coefficients.

137Cs dynamics in the forest of Fukushima after the nuclear power plant accident in March 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, I.; Ohte, N.; Iseda, K.; Kobayashi, N.; Hirose, A.; Tanoi, K.

2013-12-01

The accident of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the earthquake and Tsunami in March 11th 2011, caused large amount of radioactive Cesium (137Cs) emission into the environment. In the region of Fukushima Prefecture, forest dominates more than 70 % of the land area. River water from the forest area is used for food production and also for drinking water. Thus, it is important to understand the dynamics of 137Cs deposited in the forest to predict how the radioactive Cs diffuse and discharge from the forest catchments. We measured 137Cs concentration of the tree body, litter fall, throughfall, and stemflow, in order to clarify how 137Cs deposited on the above ground biomass of the forest are transported to the forest floor. We set forest site at the upstream part of Kami-Oguni River catchment, northern part of Fukushima Prefecture. Three plots (2 deciduous stands and 1 Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation stand) were set in the forest site. Quercus serrata and C. japonica, which are representative tree species, were chosen at each plot and concentration of 137Cs on the bark, sapwood and heartwood were measured every 2 m from the ground to tree top. From each plot, 137Cs concentration of leaf litter was measured among species. Water samples of throughfall and stemflow were filtered and 137Cs concentration in suspended matter was measured. 137Cs was deposited on the bark of Q. serrata at high concentration (9-18 kBq/kg) but there were no clear relationship between tree height and concentration. 137Cs concentration of the sapwood (41 Bq/kg) was relatively higher than that of the heartwood (5 Bq/kg). It was suggested that 137Cs may be absorbed from bark and/or root. The concentration of 137Cs deposited in leaf litter varied from non-detected level to above 30 kBq/kg. The concentration was higher at evergreen tree than deciduous tree. It is considered that the litter of evergreen tree was derived from leaves on the tree canopy at the time of the accident. Also, though the leaves of deciduous trees had not been emerged at the time of the accident, significant levels of 137Cs on those leaves suggest that 137Cs may have translocated from some part of tree body. The concentration of 137Cs in rain water was below detection level. However, both throughfall and stemflow contained 137Cs at every plot. From these results, it is suggested that 137Cs deposited on the above ground biomass of the forest continues to move to the forest floor by litter fall and rain event.

Development of a Small-Sized, Flexible, and Insertable Fiber-Optic Radiation Sensor for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Yoo, Wook Jae; Shin, Sang Hun; Lee, Dong Eun; Jang, Kyoung Won; Cho, Seunghyun; Lee, Bongsoo

2015-01-01

We fabricated a small-sized, flexible, and insertable fiber-optic radiation sensor (FORS) that is composed of a sensing probe, a plastic optical fiber (POF), a photomultiplier tube (PMT)-amplifier system, and a multichannel analyzer (MCA) to obtain the energy spectra of radioactive isotopes. As an inorganic scintillator for gamma-ray spectroscopy, a cerium-doped lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO:Ce) crystal was used and two solid-disc type radioactive isotopes with the same dimensions, cesium-137 (Cs-137) and cobalt-60 (Co-60), were used as gamma-ray emitters. We first determined the length of the LYSO:Ce crystal considering the absorption of charged particle energy and measured the gamma-ray energy spectra using the FORS. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed FORS can be used to discriminate species of radioactive isotopes by measuring their inherent energy spectra, even when gamma-ray emitters are mixed. The relationship between the measured photon counts of the FORS and the radioactivity of Cs-137 was subsequently obtained. The amount of scintillating light generated from the FORS increased by increasing the radioactivity of Cs-137. Finally, the performance of the fabricated FORS according to the length and diameter of the POF was also evaluated. Based on the results of this study, it is anticipated that a novel FORS can be developed to accurately measure the gamma-ray energy spectrum in inaccessible locations such as narrow areas and holes. PMID:26343667

Improvements to the Hunter Dose tracking system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whiteside, T. S.; Aucott, T. J.; Brand, A. D.

Since 1965, the Savannah River Site (SRS) has conducted deer hunts which are open to the general public. SRS performs field monitoring for cesium-137 (Cs-137) of each harvested animal to determine whether the animal may be released to the hunter. A new field system for measuring Cs-137 in the harvested animals has been developed. The system incorporates numerous enhancements compared to the original system. The original system was composed of two Ludlum Measurements scalar-driven 2 inch x 2 inch sodium iodide counters, while the new system is based on a single Ametek Ortec Digibase-driven 2 inch x 4 inch xmore » 16 inch sodium iodide gamma spectrometer. The new system includes a series of easy-to-assemble stainless steel encapsulated lead shields. The combination of the larger detector size and lead shielding improved the detection limit of the new system by a factor of approximately three compared to the original system. This lower detection limit allows for a larger number of measurements to be directly compared to the laboratory results, in cases where animal portions have been sampled. The results from developing and using this system are presented as well as recommendations on improvements to the overall field monitoring of the SRS hunts.« less

Detailed deposition density maps constructed by large-scale soil sampling for gamma-ray emitting radioactive nuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Saito, Kimiaki; Tanihata, Isao; Fujiwara, Mamoru; Saito, Takashi; Shimoura, Susumu; Otsuka, Takaharu; Onda, Yuichi; Hoshi, Masaharu; Ikeuchi, Yoshihiro; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Kinouchi, Nobuyuki; Saegusa, Jun; Seki, Akiyuki; Takemiya, Hiroshi; Shibata, Tokushi

2015-01-01

Soil deposition density maps of gamma-ray emitting radioactive nuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident were constructed on the basis of results from large-scale soil sampling. In total 10,915 soil samples were collected at 2168 locations. Gamma rays emitted from the samples were measured by Ge detectors and analyzed using a reliable unified method. The determined radioactivity was corrected to that of June 14, 2011 by considering the intrinsic decay constant of each nuclide. Finally the deposition maps were created for (134)Cs, (137)Cs, (131)I, (129m)Te and (110m)Ag. The radioactivity ratio of (134)Cs-(137)Cs was almost constant at 0.91 regardless of the locations of soil sampling. The radioactivity ratios of (131)I and (129m)Te-(137)Cs were relatively high in the regions south of the Fukushima NPP site. Effective doses for 50 y after the accident were evaluated for external and inhalation exposures due to the observed radioactive nuclides. The radiation doses from radioactive cesium were found to be much higher than those from the other radioactive nuclides. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PLANTS AS BIO-MONITORS FOR 137CS, 238PU, 239, 240PU AND 40K AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caldwell, E.; Duff, M.; Ferguson, C.

2010-12-16

The nuclear fuel cycle generates a considerable amount of radioactive waste, which often includes nuclear fission products, such as strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) and cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs), and actinides such as uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu). When released into the environment, large quantities of these radionuclides can present considerable problems to man and biota due to their radioactive nature and, in some cases as with the actinides, their chemical toxicity. Radionuclides are expected to decay at a known rate. Yet, research has shown the rate of elimination from an ecosystem to differ from the decay rate due to physical, chemical andmore » biological processes that remove the contaminant or reduce its biological availability. Knowledge regarding the rate by which a contaminant is eliminated from an ecosystem (ecological half-life) is important for evaluating the duration and potential severity of risk. To better understand a contaminants impact on an environment, consideration should be given to plants. As primary producers, they represent an important mode of contamination transfer from sediments and soils into the food chain. Contaminants that are chemically and/or physically sequestered in a media are less likely to be bio-available to plants and therefore an ecosystem.« less

Results Of Routine Strip Effluent Hold Tank, Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank, And Caustic Wash Tank Samples From Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit During Macrobatch 4 Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, T. B.; Fink, S. D.

Strip Effluent Hold Tank (SEHT), Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank (DSSHT), and Caustic Wash Tank (CWT) samples from several of the ?microbatches? of Integrated Salt Disposition Project (ISDP) Salt Batch (?Macrobatch?) 4 have been analyzed for {sup 238}Pu, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, and by inductively-coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICPES). Furthermore, samples from the CWT have been analyzed by a variety of methods to investigate a decline in the decontamination factor (DF) of the cesium observed at MCU. The results indicate good decontamination performance within process design expectations. While the data set is sparse, the results of this set and themore » previous set of results for Macrobatch 3 samples indicate generally consistent operations. There is no indication of a disruption in plutonium and strontium removal. The average cesium DF and concentration factor (CF) for samples obtained from Macrobatch 4 are slightly lower than for Macrobatch 3, but still well within operating parameters. The DSSHT samples show continued presence of titanium, likely from leaching of the monosodium titanate in Actinide Removal Process (ARP).« less

Redox transformations and transport of cesium and iodine (-1, 0, +5) in oxidizing and reducing zones of a sand and gravel aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fox, P.M.; Kent, D.B.; Davis, J.A.

2010-01-01

Tracer tests were performed in distinct biogeochemical zones of a sand and gravel aquifer in Cape Cod, MA, to study the redox chemistry (I) and transport (Cs, I) of cesium and iodine in a field setting. Injection of iodide (I -) into an oxic zone of the aquifer resulted in oxidation of I - to molecular iodine (I2) and iodate (IO3-) over transport distances of several meters. Oxidation is attributed to Mn-oxides present in the sediment. Transport of injected IO 3- and Cs+ was retarded in the mildly acidic oxic zone, with retardation factors of 1.6-1.8 for IO3- and 2.3-4.4for Cs. Cs retardation was likely due to cation exchange reactions. Injection of IO3- into a Fe-reducing zone of the aquifer resulted in rapid and complete reduction to I- within 3 m of transport. The nonconservative behavior of Cs and I observed during the tracer tests underscores the necessity of taking the redox chemistry of I as well as sorption properties of I species and Cs into account when predicting transport of radionuclides (e.g., 129I and 137Cs) in the environment.

Shipboard determination of radiocesium in seawater after the Fukushima accident: results from the 2011-2012 Russian expeditions to the Sea of Japan and western North Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Ramzaev, V; Nikitin, A; Sevastyanov, A; Artemiev, G; Bruk, G; Ivanov, S

2014-09-01

A total of 88 seawater samples were collected during two Russian research expeditions (April-May 2011 and August-September 2012) to the Sea of Japan, the Oyashio Current region near Kuril Islands and the Kuroshio-Oyashio transition area in the western North Pacific Ocean. The observations were made aboard the R/V Pavel Gordienko and Akademik Shokalsky in order to study the impact of the Fukushima accident on radioactive contamination of the marine environment. On the board of a ship, the water samples were passed through filters to retain particles with the size of >1 micron. Cesium was extracted from the large volumes (100-3000 L) of the filtrated water using a selective fiber chemisorbent impregnated with copper ferrocyanide. Measurements of (134)Cs and (137)Cs activities in 83 samples of sorbents and 21 samples of filters were performed in the ship-based laboratory with a semiconductor HP-Ge detector. The quantified activity concentrations of dissolved radiocesium ranged from 1 Bq m(-3) to 34 Bq m(-3) for (137)Cs and from 0.2 Bq m(-3) to 29 Bq m(-3) for (134)Cs. Activity concentrations of (137)Cs and (134)Cs were strongly correlated with each other (r = 0.993, n = 59). The (137)Cs/(134)Cs activities ratio in the Fukushima-derived radiocesium inventory for the study areas was deduced to be 0.99 ± 0.03 (on 15 March 2011) and the pre-Fukushima background level of (137)Cs in seawater was estimated as 1.3 ± 0.3 Bq m(-3). The lowest activities of both isotopes were determined in the western part of the Sea of Japan near the Russian coast, while the maximal levels were observed in the open Pacific Ocean, some 500-800 km offshore the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. Contamination with (134)Cs at a level of 0.3-2.6 Bq m(-3) was registered in seawater samples collected in 2011 near the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka in the Oyashio Current region. During the period from April-May 2011 to August-September 2012, activity concentrations of (137)Cs and (134)Cs in surface waters had decreased for all seven stations repeatedly sampled in the study. A detailed observation of radiocesium distribution within the water column down to the depth of 200 m at nine stations from the Kuroshio-Oyashio Interfrontal Zone and Kuroshio Extension in 2012 revealed maximal activity concentrations of both cesium radionuclides in the 100-200 m depth layer. The average inventory of Fukushima-derived (137)Cs in the top 200 m of the water column for the nine stations was estimated as 1.19 kBq m(-2) (decay corrected to 15 March 2011) which is 4.6 times higher than the background value of 0.26 kBq m(-2) expected for this depth. The monitoring results obtained in the study and relevant data published by others show that following the Fukushima accident, the Oyashio current acts as a provider of low-contaminated subarctic waters to the heavily contaminated Kuroshio-Oyashio mixed water region. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the accident process, radioactivity release and ground contamination between Chernobyl and Fukushima-1

PubMed Central

Imanaka, Tetsuji; Hayashi, Gohei; Endo, Satoru

2015-01-01

In this report, we have reviewed the basic features of the accident processes and radioactivity releases that occurred in the Chernobyl accident (1986) and in the Fukushima-1 accident (2011). The Chernobyl accident was a power-surge accident that was caused by a failure of control of a fission chain reaction, which instantaneously destroyed the reactor and building, whereas the Fukushima-1 accident was a loss-of-coolant accident in which the reactor cores of three units were melted by decay heat after losing the electricity supply. Although the quantity of radioactive noble gases released from Fukushima-1 exceeded the amount released from Chernobyl, the size of land area severely contaminated by 137Cesium (137Cs) was 10 times smaller around Fukushima-1 compared with around Chernobyl. The differences in the accident process are reflected in the composition of the discharged radioactivity as well as in the composition of the ground contamination. Volatile radionuclides (such as 132Te-132I, 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs) contributed to the gamma-ray exposure from the ground contamination around Fukishima-1, whereas a greater variety of radionuclides contributed significantly around Chernobyl. When radioactivity deposition occurred, the radiation exposure rate near Chernobyl is estimated to have been 770 μGy h−1 per initial 137Cs deposition of 1000 kBq m−2, whereas it was 100 μGy h−1 around Fukushima-1. Estimates of the cumulative exposure for 30 years are 970 and 570 mGy per initial deposition of 1000 kBq m−2 for Chernobyl and Fukusima-1, respectively. Of these exposures, 49 and 98% were contributed by radiocesiums (134Cs + 137Cs) around Chernobyl and Fukushima-1, respectively. PMID:26568603

Effect of carbonate soil on transport and dose estimates from long-lived radionuclides at U. S. Pacific Test Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conrado, C.L.; Hamilton, T.F.; Robison, W.L.

1998-09-01

The United States conducted a series of nuclear tests from 1946 to 1958 at Bikini, a coral atoll, in the Marshall Islands (MI). The aquatic and terrestrial environments of the atoll are still contaminated with several long-lived radionuclides that were generated during testing. The four major radionuclides found in terrestrial plants and soils are Cesium-137 ({sup 137} Cs), Strontium-90 ({sup 90} Sr), Plutonium-239+ 240 ({sup 239+240}Pu) and Americium-241 ({sup 241}Am). {sup 137}Cs in the coral soils is more available for uptake by plants than {sup 137}Cs associated with continental soils of North America or Europe. Soil-to-plant {sup 137}Cs median concentrationmore » ratios (CR) (kBq kg{sup {minus}1} dry weight plant/kBq kg {sup {minus}1} dry weight soil) for tropical fruits and vegetables range between 0.8 and 36, much larger than the range of 0.005 to 0.5 reported for vegetation in temperate zones. Conversely, {sup 90}Sr median CRs range from 0.006 to 1.0 at the atoll versus a range from 0.02 to 3.0 for continental silica-based soils. Thus, the relative uptake of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr by plants in carbonate soils is reversed from that observed in silica-based soils. The CRs for {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 241}Am are very similar to those observed in continental soils. Values range from 10{sup {minus}6} to 10{sup {minus}4} for both {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 241}Am. No significant difference is observed between the two in coral soil. The uptake of {sup 137}Cs by plants is enhanced because of the absence of mineral binding sites and the low concentration of potassium in the coral soil. {sup 137}Cs is bound to the organic fraction of the soil, whereas {sup 90}Sr, {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 241}Am are primarily bound to soil particles. Assessment of plant uptake for {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr into locally grown food crops was a major contributing factor in (1) reliably predicting the radiological dose for returning residents, and (2) developing a strategy to limit the availability and uptake of {sup 137}Cs into locally g« less

Accumulation and chemical states of radiocesium by fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Sakamoto, Fuminori; Kozai, Naofumi; Yamasaki, Shinya; Yu, Qianqian

2014-05-01

After accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the fall-out radiocesium was deposited on the ground. Filamentous fungus is known to accumulate radiocesium in environment, even though many minerals are involved in soil. These facts suggest that fungus affect the migration behavior of radiocesium in the environment. However, accumulation mechanism of radiocesium by fungus is not understood. In the present study, accumulation and chemical states change of Cs by unicellular fungus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been studied to elucidate the role of microorganisms in the migration of radiocesium in the environment. Two different experimental conditions were employed; one is the accumulation experiments of radiocesium by S. cerevisiae from the agar medium containing 137Cs and a mineral of zeolite, vermiculite, smectite, mica, or illite. The other is the experiments using stable cesium to examine the chemical states change of Cs. In the former experiment, the cells were grown on membrane filter of 0.45 μm installed on the agar medium. After the grown cells were weighed, radioactivity in the cells was measured by an autoradiography technique. The mineral weight contents were changed from 0.1% to 1% of the medium. In the latter experiment, the cells were grown in the medium containing stable Cs between 1 mM and 10mM. The Cs accumulated cells were analyzed by SEM-EDS and EXAFS. The adsorption experiments of cesium by the cells under resting condition were also conducted to test the effect of cells metabolic activity. Without mineral in the medium, cells of S. cerevisiae accumulated 1.5x103 Bq/g from the medium containing 137Cs of 2.6x102 Bq/g. When mineral was added in the medium, concentration of 137Cs in the cells decreased. The concentration of 137Cs in the cells from the medium containing different minerals were in the following order; smectite, illite, mica > vermiculite > zeolite. This order was nearly the same as the inverse of distribution coefficient of mineral for 137Cs in the medium solution. The concentration of 137Cs in the cells lowered in the medium containing higher mineral content. These results indicate that radiocesium was competively accumulated in the cells with minerals in the soil. Higher concentration of stable Cs was accumulated in the cells in the metabolically active condition than in the resting cells condition. XAFS analyses showed that the k3-weighted extended-XAFS functions and the radial structural function of Cs accumulated by the cells in the metabolically active condition were similar to those in the resting condition, indicating that chemical states of the accumulated Cs were nearly the same between both conditions. These results indicate that the fungus accumulates radiocesium by competitively with minerals in the soils, and performs higher retardation of the migration of Cs in the metabolically active condition than the resting one. A part of this study is the results of "Multidisciplinary investigation on radiocesium fate and transport for safety assessment for interim storage and disposal of heterogeneous waste" carried out under the Initiatives for Atomic Energy Basic and Generic Strategic Research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

A simplified 137Cs transport model for estimating erosion rates in undisturbed soil.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinbao; Long, Yi; He, Xiubin; Fu, Jiexiong; Zhang, Yunqi

2008-08-01

(137)Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.12 years which released into the environment as a result of atmospheric testing of thermo-nuclear weapons primarily during the period of 1950s-1970s with the maximum rate of (137)Cs fallout from atmosphere in 1963. (137)Cs fallout is strongly and rapidly adsorbed by fine particles in the surface horizons of the soil, when it falls down on the ground mostly with precipitation. Its subsequent redistribution is associated with movements of the soil or sediment particles. The (137)Cs nuclide tracing technique has been used for assessment of soil losses for both undisturbed and cultivated soils. For undisturbed soils, a simple profile-shape model was developed in 1990 to describe the (137)Cs depth distribution in profile, where the maximum (137)Cs occurs in the surface horizon and it exponentially decreases with depth. The model implied that the total (137)Cs fallout amount deposited on the earth surface in 1963 and the (137)Cs profile shape has not changed with time. The model has been widely used for assessment of soil losses on undisturbed land. However, temporal variations of (137)Cs depth distribution in undisturbed soils after its deposition on the ground due to downward transport processes are not considered in the previous simple profile-shape model. Thus, the soil losses are overestimated by the model. On the base of the erosion assessment model developed by Walling, D.E., He, Q. [1999. Improved models for estimating soil erosion rates from cesium-137 measurements. Journal of Environmental Quality 28, 611-622], we discuss the (137)Cs transport process in the eroded soil profile and make some simplification to the model, develop a method to estimate the soil erosion rate more expediently. To compare the soil erosion rates calculated by the simple profile-shape model and the simple transport model, the soil losses related to different (137)Cs loss proportions of the reference inventory at the Kaixian site of the Three Gorge Region, China are estimated by the two models. The over-estimation of the soil loss by using the previous simple profile-shape model obviously increases with the time period from the sampling year to the year of 1963 and (137)Cs loss proportion of the reference inventory. As to 20-80% of (137)Cs loss proportions of the reference inventory at the Kaixian site in 2004, the annual soil loss depths estimated by the new simplified transport process model are only 57.90-56.24% of the values estimated by the previous model.

Plants as bio-monitors for Cs-137, Pu-238, Pu-239,240 and K-40 at the Savannah River Site.

PubMed

Caldwell, Eric Frank; Duff, Martine C; Ferguson, Caitlin E; Coughlin, Daniel P

2011-05-01

The Savannah River Site was constructed in South Carolina to produce plutonium (Pu) in the 1950s. Discharges associated with these now-ceased operations have contaminated large areas within the site, particularly streams associated with reactor cooling basins. Evaluating the exposure risk of contamination to an ecosystem requires methodologies that can assess the bioavailability of contaminants. Plants, as primary producers, represent an important mode of transfer of contaminants from soils and sediments into the food chain. The objective of this study was to identify local area plants for their ability to act as bio-monitors of radionuclides. The concentrations of cesium-137 ((137)Cs), potassium-40 ((40)K), (238)Pu and (239,240)Pu in plants and their associated soils were determined using γ and α spectrometry. The ratio of contamination concentration found in the plant relative to the soil was calculated to assess a concentration ratio (CR). The highest CR for (137)Cs was found in Pinus palustris needles (CR of 2.18). The correlation of soil and plant (137)Cs concentration was strong (0.76) and the R(2) (0.58) from the regression was significant (p = 0.006). This suggests the ability to predict the degree of (137)Cs contamination of a soil through analysis of the pine needles. The (238)Pu and (239,240)Pu concentrations were most elevated within the plant roots. Extremely high CR values were found in Sparganium americanum (bur-reed) roots with a value of 5.86 for (238)Pu and 5.66 for (239,240)Pu. The concentration of (40)K was measured as a known congener of (137)C. Comparing (40)K and (137)C concentrations in each plant revealed an inverse relationship for these radioisotopes. Correlating (40)K and (137)Cs was most effective in identifying plants that have a high affinity for (137)Cs uptake. The P. palustris and S. americanum proved to be particularly strong accumulators of all K congeners from the soil. Some species that were measured, warrant further investigation, are the carnivorous plant Utricularia inflata (bladderwort) and the emergent macrophyte Juncus effusus. For U. inflata, the levels of (137)Cs, (238)Pu, and (239,240)Pu (which were 3922, 8399, and 803 Bq kg(-1), respectively) in the leaves were extremely high. The highest (137)Cs concentration from the study was measured in the J. effusus root (5721 Bq kg(-1)).

The mobility of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr in agricultural soils in the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salbu, B.; Oughton, D.H.; Ratnikov, A.V.

1994-11-01

Results are presented from studies concerning the behavior of the Chernobyl-derived radionuclides {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr in soil-plant agricultural systems in the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia during 1991. The sites, representing ploughed and natural pastures, were located at varying distances between 50 and 650 km and varying directions from the Chernobyl reactor site. The {sup 137}Cs activity concentrations in the upper 0-5 cm soil layer ranged from 25-1,000 kBq m{sup {minus}2} and were higher in natural pastures as compared to ploughed pastures. For {sup 90}Sr, activity levels ranged from 1.4-40 kBq m{sup {minus}2}, and the highest {sup 90}Sr depositionmore » was observed in the Gomel Region, Belarus. The highest {sup 90}Sr:{sup 137}Cs ratio was also observed in the Gomel soils, i.e., 15% as compared to between 0.72 and 7.4% in the other soils. The mobility of radionuclides was studied by means of sequential extraction. For all soils, between 60 and 95% of the {sup 137}Cs was found to be strongly bound to soil components. In the Russian and Ukrainian soils, between 40 and 98% of the {sup 90}Sr was found in the easily extractable fractions, and the distribution of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr followed that of the naturally occurring stable isotopes of cesium and strontium. However, in the Gomel soils, between 20 and 50% of the {sup 90}Sr was easily extractable and the distribution of {sup 90}Sr within the extraction fractions did not follow that observed for stable strontium. These results are though to reflect the association of {sup 90}Sr with fuel particles deposited in the Gomel Region. The mobility of {sup 90}Sr is expected to increase with time (as the particles weather) in these soils. 24 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs.« less

The effective and environmental half-life of 137Cs at Coral Islands at the former US nuclear test site.

PubMed

Robison, William L; Conrado, Cynthia L; Bogen, Kenneth T; Stoker, A Carol

2003-01-01

The United States (US) conducted nuclear weapons testing from 1946 to 1958 at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls in the northern Marshall Islands. Based on previous detailed dose assessments for Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirik Atolls over a period of 28 years, cesium-137 (137Cs) at Bikini Atoll contributes about 85-89% of the total estimated dose through the terrestrial food chain as a result of uptake of 137Cs by food crops. The estimated integral 30, 50, and 70-year doses were based on the radiological decay of 137Cs (30-year half-life) and other radionuclides. However, there is a continuing inventory of 137Cs and 90Sr in the fresh water portion of the groundwater at all contaminated atolls even though the turnover rate of the fresh groundwater is about 5 years. This is evidence that a portion of the soluble fraction of 137Cs and 90Sr inventory in the soil is lost by transport to groundwater when rainfall is heavy enough to cause recharge of the lens, resulting in loss of 137Cs from the soil column and root zone of the plants. This loss is in addition to that caused by radioactive decay. The effective rate of loss was determined by two methods: (1) indirectly, from time-dependent studies of the 137Cs concentration in leaves of Pisonia grandis, Guettarda specosia, Tournefortia argentea (also called Messerschmidia), Scaevola taccada, and fruit from Pandanus and coconut trees (Cocos nucifera L.), and (2) more directly, by evaluating the 137Cs/90Sr ratios at Bikini Atoll. The mean (and its lower and upper 95% confidence limits) for effective half-life and for environmental-loss half-life (ELH) based on all the trees studied on Rongelap, Bikini, and Enewetak Atolls are 8.5 years (8.0 years, 9.8 years), and 12 years (11 years, 15 years), respectively. The ELH based on the 137Cs/90Sr ratios in soil in 1987 relative to the 137Cs/90Sr ratios at the time of deposition in 1954 is less than 17 years. The magnitude of the decrease below 17 years depends on the ELH for 90Sr that is currently unknown, but some loss of 90Sr does occur along with 137Cs. If the 15-year upper 95% confidence limit on ELH (corresponding to an effective half-life of 9.8 years) is incorporated into dose calculations projected over periods of 30, 50, or 70 years, then corresponding integral doses are 58, 46 and 41%, respectively, of those previously calculated based solely on radiological decay of 137Cs.

Detritus cast from heron nests as an indicator of food chain contamination. [Radioactivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rickard, W.H.; Hedlund, J.D.; Schreckhise, R.G.

Approximately 40 pairs of great blue herons nest in a single colony on the Hanford Reservation in south-central Washington. Over a two-month period in the 1975 nesting season, 170 g/m/sup 2/ of detritus, dry weight, were collected on cheesecloth blankets placed on the ground beneath the nesting colony. Seven gamma-emitting radionuclides commonly associated with airborne debris (fallout) were measured in the heron detritus. Cesium-137 was the most abundant man-induced radionuclide measured in the detritus averaging 18 picocuries per gram dry weight. Regular surveillance of heron detritus appears as a useful way to measure contaminants in heron foods gathered from themore » surrounding environment.« less

A survey of radioactive fallout data in Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DePhillips, M.P.

1995-10-23

Considerable attention has been directed by the scientific community to assessing the levels and fate of radionuclides in Arctic ecosystems. The following text and tables present available data and discussion of radionuclide fallout in Alaska. A literature search of 23 on-line databases (Table 1) using Alaska, Strontium (Sr), Cesium (Cs), Plutonium (Pu) and Radionuclide as constraint terms responded with 177 possible citations. After eliminating duplicate citations, 31 articles were available: 17 were relevant to the subject matter; the remainder addressed geologic issues. All of the cited literature addressed {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr and {sup 239,240}Pu as a result of radionuclidemore » fallout from nuclear testing or accidental release.« less

PROJECT W-551 INTERIM PRETREATMENT SYSTEM PRECONCEPTUAL CANDIDATE TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MAY TH

The Office of River Protection (ORP) has authorized a study to recommend and select options for interim pretreatment of tank waste and support Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) low activity waste (LAW) operations prior to startup of all the WTP facilities. The Interim Pretreatment System (IPS) is to be a moderately sized system which separates entrained solids and 137Cs from tank waste for an interim time period while WTP high level waste vitrification and pretreatment facilities are completed. This study's objective is to prepare pre-conceptual technology descriptions that expand the technical detail for selected solid and cesium separation technologies. This revisionmore » includes information on additional feed tanks.« less

Small round structured virus associated with an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in Chiba, Japan.

PubMed

Kasuga, K; Tokieda, M; Ohtawara, M; Utagawa, E; Yamazaki, S

1990-08-01

In an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis which originated in a restaurant in Chiba, Japan, in December, 1987, small round structured virus (SRSV) particles were observed by electron microscopy in 14 of 16 stool specimens from patients. The particles were 30 to 35 nm in diameter, possessed amorphous surface structure surrounded by fine projections and had a buoyant density of 1.36 to 1.37 g/ml in cesium chloride. Serological responses to the SRSV were found by immune electron microscopy and Western blot (WB) assay in paired sera of 12 of 19 patients. Furthermore, WB analysis revealed that the antibody against SRSV was cross-reactive to other SRSV, Tokyo 86/510.

RADSOURCE. Volume 1, Part 1, A scaling factor prediction computer program technical manual and code validation: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vance, J.N.; Holderness, J.H.; James, D.W.

1992-12-01

Waste stream scaling factors based on sampling programs are vulnerable to one or more of the following factors: sample representativeness, analytic accuracy, and measurement sensitivity. As an alternative to sample analyses or as a verification of the sampling results, this project proposes the use of the RADSOURCE code, which accounts for the release of fuel-source radionuclides. Once the release rates of these nuclides from fuel are known, the code develops scaling factors for waste streams based on easily measured Cobalt-60 (Co-60) and Cesium-137 (Cs-137). The project team developed mathematical models to account for the appearance rate of 10CFR61 radionuclides inmore » reactor coolant. They based these models on the chemistry and nuclear physics of the radionuclides involved. Next, they incorporated the models into a computer code that calculates plant waste stream scaling factors based on reactor coolant gamma- isotopic data. Finally, the team performed special sampling at 17 reactors to validate the models in the RADSOURCE code.« less

The metabolomic approach identifies a biological signature of low-dose chronic exposure to cesium 137.

PubMed

Grison, Stéphane; Martin, Jean-Charles; Grandcolas, Line; Banzet, Nathalie; Blanchardon, Eric; Tourlonias, Elie; Defoort, Catherine; Favé, Gaëlle; Bott, Romain; Dublineau, Isabelle; Gourmelon, Patrick; Souidi, Maâmar

2012-01-01

Reports have described apparent biological effects of (137)Cs (the most persistent dispersed radionuclide) irradiation in people living in Chernobyl-contaminated territory. The sensitive analytical technology described here should now help assess the relation of this contamination to the observed effects. A rat model chronically exposed to (137)Cs through drinking water was developed to identify biomarkers of radiation-induced metabolic disorders, and the biological impact was evaluated by a metabolomic approach that allowed us to detect several hundred metabolites in biofluids and assess their association with disease states. After collection of plasma and urine from contaminated and non-contaminated rats at the end of the 9-months contamination period, analysis with a LC-MS system detected 742 features in urine and 1309 in plasma. Biostatistical discriminant analysis extracted a subset of 26 metabolite signals (2 urinary, 4 plasma non-polar, and 19 plasma polar metabolites) that in combination were able to predict from 68 up to 94% of the contaminated rats, depending on the prediction method used, with a misclassification rate as low as 5.3%. The difference in this metabolic score between the contaminated and non-contaminated rats was highly significant (P = 0.019 after ANOVA cross-validation). In conclusion, our proof-of-principle study demonstrated for the first time the usefulness of a metabolomic approach for addressing biological effects of chronic low-dose contamination. We can conclude that a metabolomic signature discriminated (137)Cs-contaminated from control animals in our model. Further validation is nevertheless required together with full annotation of the metabolic indicators.

Quantitative Metabolomic Analysis of Urinary Citrulline and Calcitroic Acid in Mice after Exposure to Various Types of Ionizing Radiation.

PubMed

Goudarzi, Maryam; Chauthe, Siddheshwar; Strawn, Steven J; Weber, Waylon M; Brenner, David J; Fornace, Albert J

2016-05-20

With the safety of existing nuclear power plants being brought into question after the Fukushima disaster and the increased level of concern over terrorism-sponsored use of improvised nuclear devices, it is more crucial to develop well-defined radiation injury markers in easily accessible biofluids to help emergency-responders with injury assessment during patient triage. Here, we focused on utilizing ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to identify and quantitate the unique changes in the urinary excretion of two metabolite markers, calcitroic acid and citrulline, in mice induced by different forms of irradiation; external γ irradiation at a low dose rate (LDR) of 3.0 mGy/min and a high dose rate (HDR) of 1.1 Gy/min, and internal exposure to Cesium-137 ((137)Cs) and Strontium-90 ((90)Sr). The multiple reaction monitoring analysis showed that, while exposure to (137)Cs and (90)Sr induced a statistically significant and persistent decrease, similar doses of external γ beam at the HDR had the opposite effect, and the LDR had no effect on the urinary levels of these two metabolites. This suggests that the source of exposure and the dose rate strongly modulate the in vivo metabolomic injury responses, which may have utility in clinical biodosimetry assays for the assessment of exposure in an affected population. This study complements our previous investigations into the metabolomic profile of urine from mice internally exposed to (90)Sr and (137)Cs and to external γ beam radiation.

Assessment of self-help methods to reduce potential exposure to radiological contamination after a large-scale radiological release.

PubMed

Snyder, Emily; Drake, John; Cardarelli, John; Hall, Kathy; Szabo, Jeff; Demmer, Rick; Lindberg, Michael; Riggs, Karen; James, Ryan

2014-09-01

After the release of radioactive materials from a large radiological dispersal device (e.g., dirty bomb), improvised nuclear detonation, or nuclear power plant accident, up to hundreds of square miles may be contaminated. A portion of this area will be evacuated; however, people living in the portion that is not evacuated yet is still contaminated with low-levels of radioactive contamination will be asking for ways they can reduce their exposure. Whether cleaning activities can significantly reduce exposure is not fully understood. In this effort, the ability of cleaning activities to remove cesium (137Cs) was studied. The removal efficacy of cleaning with a commercial product, Simple Green®, was compared to cleaning with water for hard surfaces typically seen in residences. The removal efficacy of laundering fabric material surfaces was also determined for a range of conditions (e.g., fabric material type, wash temperature). During these studies, assessments of the implications of these activities (e.g., cross-contamination, resulting waste streams) were also completed. Simple Green and water were effective for removing 137Cs from plastic laminate and vinyl flooring (93.4-96.8%) but were not effective for removing 137Cs from painted wallboard and wood (7.3-68.1%). It was also determined that there was no significant difference between the two cleaners on all of the surfaces, except plastic laminate, for which Simple Green was slightly more effective. Laundering was effective for removing 137Cs contamination from polyester and cotton swatches and cotton comforters (up to 96.8% in the single swatch testing).

Quantitative Metabolomic Analysis of Urinary Citrulline and Calcitroic Acid in Mice after Exposure to Various Types of Ionizing Radiation

PubMed Central

Goudarzi, Maryam; Chauthe, Siddheshwar; Strawn, Steven J.; Weber, Waylon M.; Brenner, David J.; Fornace, Albert J.

2016-01-01

With the safety of existing nuclear power plants being brought into question after the Fukushima disaster and the increased level of concern over terrorism-sponsored use of improvised nuclear devices, it is more crucial to develop well-defined radiation injury markers in easily accessible biofluids to help emergency-responders with injury assessment during patient triage. Here, we focused on utilizing ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to identify and quantitate the unique changes in the urinary excretion of two metabolite markers, calcitroic acid and citrulline, in mice induced by different forms of irradiation; X-ray irradiation at a low dose rate (LDR) of 3.0 mGy/min and a high dose rate (HDR) of 1.1 Gy/min, and internal exposure to Cesium-137 (137Cs) and Strontium-90 (90Sr). The multiple reaction monitoring analysis showed that, while exposure to 137Cs and 90Sr induced a statistically significant and persistent decrease, similar doses of X-ray beam at the HDR had the opposite effect, and the LDR had no effect on the urinary levels of these two metabolites. This suggests that the source of exposure and the dose rate strongly modulate the in vivo metabolomic injury responses, which may have utility in clinical biodosimetry assays for the assessment of exposure in an affected population. This study complements our previous investigations into the metabolomic profile of urine from mice internally exposed to 90Sr and 137Cs and to X-ray beam radiation. PMID:27213362

Temporal variations in (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in seawater along the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast in northeastern Japan, one year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Kofuji, Hisaki; Inoue, Mutsuo

2013-10-01

Ninety-six seawater samples were collected between May 2011 and March 2012 at 6 sites along the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast, 250-450 km north of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Cesium-134 and (137)Cs concentrations were determined by low-background γ-spectrometry. During May-June 2011, (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in surface waters decreased from 1.0-2.8 to 0.7-1.5 mBq/L and from 2.1-3.9 to 1.9-3.0 mBq/L, respectively. These decreases were due to diffusion and advection in the ocean after atmospheric input of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides. However, in July-August 2011, the concentrations of both radionuclides in the water samples collected on the Pacific side of the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast exhibited 30-50-fold increases (∼40 mBq/L for (134)Cs and ∼50 mBq/L for (137)Cs) over concentrations observed at these sampling sites in June 2011 in contrast to the gradual decreases in the concentrations on the Tsugaru Strait side of the Shimokita Peninsula. These results suggest that radiocesium-contaminated waters offshore in the Pacific Ocean were transported to coastal regions along the Pacific side of the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast by ocean currents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental remediation following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tagawa, A.; Miyahara, K.; Nakayama, S.

2013-07-01

A wide area of Fukushima Prefecture was contaminated with radioactivity released by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. The decontamination pilot projects conducted by JAEA aimed at demonstrating the applicability of different techniques to rehabilitate affected areas. As most radioactive cesium is concentrated at the top of the soil column and strongly bound to mineral surfaces, there are 3 options left to decrease the gamma dose rate (usually measured 1 m above the ground surface): the stripping of the contaminated topsoil (i.e. direct removal of cesium), the dilution by mixing and the soil profile inversion. The last two options do notmore » generate waste. As the half-distance of {sup 137}Cs gammas in soil is in the order of 5-6 cm (depending on density and water content), the shielding by 50 cm of uncontaminated deep soil would theoretically reduce gamma doses by about 3 orders of magnitude. Which option is employed depends basically on the Cesium concentration in the topsoil, averaged over a 15-cm thickness. The JAEA's decontamination pilot projects focus on soil profile inversion and topsoil stripping. Two different techniques have been tested for the soil profile inversion: one is the reversal tillage by which surface soil of thickness of several tens of cm is reversed by using a tractor plough and the other is the complete interchanging of contaminated topsoil with uncontaminated subsoil by using a back-hoe. Reversal tillage with a tractor plough cost about 30 yen/m{sup 2}, which is an order of magnitude lower than that of topsoil-subsoil interchange (about 300 yen/m{sup 2}). Topsoil stripping is significantly more costly (between 550 yen/m{sup 2} and 690 yen/m{sup 2} according to the equipment used)« less

Recent developments in nanostructured inorganic materials for sorption of cesium and strontium: Synthesis and shaping, sorption capacity, mechanisms, and selectivity-A review.

PubMed

Alby, Delhia; Charnay, Clarence; Heran, Marc; Prelot, Bénédicte; Zajac, Jerzy

2018-02-15

Liquid wastes containing non-ferrous heavy metal ions and some radionuclides, 137 Cs and 90 Sr in particular, represent one of the most dangerous sources of environmental contamination. The remediation of wastewater containing such pollutants continue to be among the biggest challenges of Sustainable Development and Environmental Safety. Sorption-based technologies have proven their efficiency also in reducing the radionuclide content in aqueous streams to low-level residual activity, with the concomitant decrease in the amount of ultimate solid waste generated. Although sorption of cesium and strontium by resins, clays, and zeolites has been investigated intensively and even used in real applications, there is still considerable scope for improvement in terms of retention capacity and selectivity. Recent progress in design and preparation of nanostructured inorganic materials has attracted growing interest based on the potential for improving the retention performance when coupling such functionalities as ion exchange capacity, structural flexibility that may result in steric retention effects, as well as the propensity to interact specifically with the target metal cations. Titanate, vanadate, and tungsten based materials, manganese oxides, hexacyanoferrates, metal sulfides, ammonium molybdophosphates, or hydroxyapatite, characterized by various structures and morphologies, are reviewed with the emphasis being put on synthesis and shaping of such materials, their structure in relationship with the capacity and selectivity of trapping cesium and strontium from either single or multi-component aqueous solutions, as well as the possible retention mechanism. The potential candidates for remediation uses are selected with regard to their sorption capacity and distribution coefficient towards target cations, and also the pH window for an optimum cation capture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mobility of 137Cs in freshwater lakes: A mass balance and diffusion study of Lake St. Clair, Southeast Michigan, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jinlong; Baskaran, Mark; Niedermiller, John

2017-12-01

Cesium-137 is one of the most widely utilized anthropogenic radionuclides, both as a tracer and chronometer in the environment. Its application as an effective chronometer requires a thorough understanding of its geochemical behavior in aqueous systems. In this study, we collected and analyzed a suite of time-series water samples over a period of 8 months (April - November 2015), for particulate and dissolved 137Cs activities from a watershed in southeast Michigan, USA, using Cu2Fe(CN)6-coated cartridges developed to pre-concentrate dissolved 137Cs. We also conducted a series of laboratory experiments with the natural freshwater sediment samples and water with different chemical composition. There were seasonal variations of both particulate and dissolved 137Cs activities in the watersheds of Lake St. Clair. The distribution coefficients of 137Cs determined over a period of 8 months varied between 0.14 × 105 and 6.1 × 105 mL g-1 (mean: 2.9 × 105 mL g-1). The annual input and export flux of total 137Cs activity via rivers into and out of Lake St. Clair were calculated to be 3.6 × 1010 Bq and 1.6 × 1010 Bq, respectively. The amount of 137Cs derived by diffusion from interstitial pore water to the water column was estimated to be 0.30 × 1010 Bq (8.3% of the total input flux) which is similar to the percentage of 137Cs desorption (13%-20%) from sediment placed in oxic soft water system over a period of 30-106 days. For the same concentrations of NH4+, Mn2+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+ and Sr2+ in a distilled water, our lab work showed that the sediment-sorbed 137Cs is displaced by ions in the order NH4+ > Mn2+ > K+ > Mg2+ ≈ Ca2+ > Na+ > Sr2+. In laboratory studies, 137Cs sorbed onto sediment was found to be less mobile in oxic soft water (Kd: 2.0 × 103 mL g-1) and more mobile in anoxic soft water (Kd: 0.2 × 103 mL g-1). In a hard water system, however, there is no significant difference in Kd values for both oxic and anoxic conditions. The sequence of Kd values is: oxic soft water > oxic hard water > anoxic hard water > anoxic soft water. The desorption experiments with 137Cs-sorbed sediments also confirmed that 137Cs is much more mobile in soft water than hard water. This mobility of 137Cs under oxic hard water system makes sedimentation rate estimation by 137Cs (based on the time the introduction of 137Cs) problematic in some soft water lakes, and estuarine and coastal waters.

Sintered bentonite ceramics for the immobilization of cesium- and strontium-bearing radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Luis Humberto

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is a Department of Energy (DOE) program, that has been investigating technologies to improve fuel cycle sustainability and proliferation resistance. One of the program's goals is to reduce the amount of radioactive waste requiring repository disposal. Cesium and strontium are two primary heat sources during the first 300 years of spent nuclear fuel's decay, specifically isotopes Cs-137 and Sr-90. Removal of these isotopes from spent nuclear fuel will reduce the activity of the bulk spent fuel, reducing the heat given off by the waste. Once the cesium and strontium are separated from the bulk of the spent nuclear fuel, the isotopes must be immobilized. This study is focused on a method to immobilize a cesium- and strontium-bearing radioactive liquid waste stream. While there are various schemes to remove these isotopes from spent fuel, this study has focused on a nitric acid based liquid waste. The waste liquid was mixed with the bentonite, dried then sintered. To be effective sintering temperatures from 1100 to 1200°C were required, and waste concentrations must be at least 25 wt%. The product is a leach resistant ceramic solid with the waste elements embedded within alumino-silicates and a silicon rich phase. The cesium is primarily incorporated into pollucite and the strontium into a monoclinic feldspar. The simulated waste was prepared from nitrate salts of stable ions. These ions were limited to cesium, strontium, barium and rubidium. Barium and rubidium will be co-extracted during separation due to similar chemical properties to cesium and strontium. The waste liquid was added to the bentonite clay incrementally with drying steps between each addition. The dry powder was pressed and then sintered at various temperatures. The maximum loading tested is 32 wt. percent waste, which refers to 13.9 wt. percent cesium, 12.2 wt. percent barium, 4.1 wt. percent strontium, and 2.0 wt. percent rubidium. Lower loadings of waste were also tested. The final solid product was a hard dense ceramic with a density that varied from 2.12 g/cm3 for a 19% waste loading with a 1200°C sintering temperature to 3.03 g/cm 3 with a 29% waste loading and sintered at 1100°C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (DSC-TGA) of the loaded bentonite displayed mass loss steps which were consistent with water losses in pure bentonite. Water losses were complete after dehydroxylation at ˜650°C. No mass losses were evident beyond the dehydroxylation. The ceramic melts at temperatures greater than 1300°C. Light flash analysis found heat capacities of the ceramic to be comparable to those of strontium and barium feldspars as well as pollucite. Thermal conductivity improved with higher sintering temperatures, attributed to lower porosity. Porosity was minimized in 1200°C sinterings. Ceramics with waste loadings less than 25 wt% displayed slump, the lowest waste loading, 15 wt% bloated at a 1200°C sintering. Waste loading above 25 wt% produced smooth uniform ceramics when sintered >1100°C. Sintered bentonite may provide a simple alternative to vitrification and other engineered radioactive waste-forms.

Temporal and spatial variations of radioactive cesium levels in Northeast Japan following the Fukushima nuclear accident.

PubMed

Arai, Takaomi

2016-10-01

Radioactive emissions into the environment from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident led to global contamination. Radionuclides such as 131 I, 134 Cs, and 137 Cs were further transported to North America and Europe. Thus, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident is a global concern for both human health and the ecosystem because a number of countries ban or impose restrictions the import of Japanese products. In the present study, three-year (May 2011 to May 2014) fluctuations and accumulations of Cs, 134 Cs, and 137 Cs in two salmonid fish, white-spotted char and masu salmon were examined in Northeast Japan. The total Cs, 134 Cs, and 137 Cs levels in the fish gradually decreased throughout the three-year studied period after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident; however, higher levels (more than 100 Bq kg -1 ) were still detected in the Fukushima prefecture and neighboring prefectures in Japan 3 years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Spatial radiocesium levels gradually decreased with increasing distance from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (Fukushima prefecture). The radiocesium levels facing the Pacific Ocean area were generally higher than those facing the Sea of Japan area. These results suggest that radionuclides from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant are still widely distributed and remain in the natural environment in Northeast Japan.

Reconstruction and analysis of cesium-137 fallout deposition patterns in the Marshall Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitcomb, Robert Cleckley, Jr.

Estimates of 137Cs deposition due to fallout originating from nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands have been made for several locations in the Marshall Islands. These retrospective estimates were based primarily on historical exposure rate and gummed film measurements. The methods used to reconstruct these deposition estimates are specific for six of the Pacific tests. These methods are also similar to those used in the National Cancer Institute study for reconstructing 131I deposition from the Nevada Test Site. Reconstructed cumulative deposition estimates are validated against contemporary measurements of 137Cs concentration in soil. This validation work also includes an accounting for estimated global fallout contributions. These validations show that the overall geometric bias in predicted-to-observed (P/O) ratios is 1.0 (indicating excellent agreement). The 5th and 95th percentile range of this distribution is 0.35--2.95. The P/O ratios for estimates using historical gummed film measurements tend to slightly over-predict more than estimates using exposure rate measurements. The methods produce reasonable estimates of deposition confirming that radioactive fallout occurred at atolls further south of the four northern atolls recognized by the Department of Energy as being affected by fallout. The deposition estimate methods, supported by the very good agreement between estimates and measurements, suggest that these methods can be used for other weapons testing fallout radionuclides with confidence.

Serum Dyslipidemia Is Induced by Internal Exposure to Strontium-90 in Mice, Lipidomic Profiling Using a Data-Independent Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Approach.

PubMed

Goudarzi, Maryam; Weber, Waylon M; Chung, Juijung; Doyle-Eisele, Melanie; Melo, Dunstana R; Mak, Tytus D; Strawn, Steven J; Brenner, David J; Guilmette, Raymond; Fornace, Albert J

2015-09-04

Despite considerable research into the environmental risks and biological effects of exposure to external beam γ rays, incorporation of radionuclides has largely been understudied. This dosimetry and exposure risk assessment is challenging for first responders in the field during a nuclear or radiological event. Therefore, we have developed a workflow for assessing injury responses in easily obtainable biofluids, such as urine and serum, as the result of exposure to internal emitters cesium-137 ((137)Cs) and strontium-90 ((90)Sr) in mice. Here we report on the results of the untargeted lipidomic profiling of serum from mice exposed to (90)Sr. We also compared these results to those from previously published (137)Cs exposure to determine any differences in cellular responses based on exposure type. The results of this study conclude that there is a gross increase in the serum abundance of triacylglycerides and cholesterol esters, while phostaphatidylcholines and lysophosphatidylcholines displayed decreases in their serum levels postexposure at study days 4, 7, 9, 25, and 30, with corresponding average cumulative skeleton doses ranging from 1.2 ± 0.1 to 5.2 ± 0.73 Gy. The results show significant perturbations in serum lipidome as early as 2 days postexposure persisting until the end of the study (day 30).

Radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluation in meat of wild birds.

PubMed

Roselli, Carla; Desideri, Donatella; Cantaluppi, Chiara; Ceccotto, Federica; Feduzi, Laura; Meli, Maria Assunta

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the background activity concentration of natural radionuclides and 137 Cesium (Cs) in meat of 14 migratory birds originating from central and northern Europe. This meat is largely consumed by the Italian population. 40 K, 210 Pb, and 137 Cs were determined by gamma spectrometry and 210 Po by alpha spectrometry. The mean 40 K activity concentration detected was 490 ± 117 Bq/kg dw . In all the samples, 210 Pb was below the limit of detection (LOD), and therefore it was not possible to calculate the ratio 210 Po/ 210 Pb. The 210 Po activity concentration ranged between 0.11 ± 0.02 Bq/kg dw and 6.2 ± 0.93 Bq/kg dw with a mean value of 1.03 ± 1.75 Bq/kg dw . The 137 Cs activity concentration was not detectable or near LOD except in two samples with 45 ± 0.7 Bq/kg dw (wood pigeon, from Italy) and 139.1 ± 1.9 Bq/kg dw (woodcock, from Sweden). The effective dose of 210 Po ingested by consumption of wild birds meat accounts for only 0.01-0.6% of natural radiation exposure in Italy. These data indicate that the meat analyzed was safe.

Radioactive and Stable Cesium Distributions in Fukushima Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioshchenko, V.; Kivva, S.; Konoplev, A.; Nanba, K.; Onda, Y.; Takase, T.; Zheleznyak, M.

2015-12-01

Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident has resulted in release into the environment of large amounts of 134Cs and 137Cs and in radioactive contamination of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In Fukushima prefecture up to 2/3 of the most contaminated territory is covered with forests, and understanding of its further fate in the forest ecosystems is essential for elaboration of the long-term forestry strategy. At the early stage, radiocesium was intercepted by the trees' canopies. Numerous studies reported redistribution of the initial fallout in Fukushima forests in the followed period due to litterfall and leaching of radiocesium from the foliage with precipitations. By now these processes have transported the major part of deposited radiocesium to litter and soil compartments. Future levels of radiocesium activities in the aboveground biomass will depend on relative efficiencies of the radiocesium root uptake and its return to the soil surface with litterfall and precipitations. Radiocesium soil-to-plant transfer factors for typical tree species, soil types and landscape conditions of Fukushima prefecture have not been studied well; moreover, they may change in time with approaching to the equilibrium between radioactive and stable cesium isotopes in the ecosystem. The present paper reports the results of several ongoing projects carried out by Institute of Environmental Radioactivity of Fukushima University at the experimental sites in Fukushima prefecture. For typical Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forest, we determined distributions of radiocesium in the ecosystem and in the aboveground biomass compartments by the end of 2014; available results for 2015 are presented, too, as well as the results of test application of D-shuttle dosimeters for characterization of seasonal variations of radiocesium activity in wood. Based on the radiocesium activities in biomass we derived the upper estimates of its incorporation and root uptake fluxes, 0.7% and 3% of the total inventory in the ecosystem. Measurements of stable cesium concentrations in the biomass compartments enabled obtaining the more precise estimates. Return fluxes of both radioactive and stable cesium also were quantified, which forms the basis for modelling of the long-term redistribution of radiocesium in the studied ecosystem.

Fission Product Inventory and Burnup Evaluation of the AGR-2 Irradiation by Gamma Spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harp, Jason Michael; Stempien, John Dennis; Demkowicz, Paul Andrew

Gamma spectrometry has been used to evaluate the burnup and fission product inventory of different components from the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second TRISO-coated particle fuel irradiation test (AGR-2). TRISO fuel in this irradiation included both uranium carbide / uranium oxide (UCO) kernels and uranium oxide (UO 2) kernels. Four of the 6 capsules contained fuel from the US Advanced Gas Reactor program, and only those capsules will be discussed in this work. The inventories of gamma-emitting fission products from the fuel compacts, graphite compact holders, graphite spacers and test capsule shell were evaluated. Thesemore » data were used to measure the fractional release of fission products such as Cs-137, Cs-134, Eu-154, Ce-144, and Ag-110m from the compacts. The fraction of Ag-110m retained in the compacts ranged from 1.8% to full retention. Additionally, the activities of the radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) have been used to evaluate the burnup of all US TRISO fuel compacts in the irradiation. The experimental burnup evaluations compare favorably with burnups predicted from physics simulations. Predicted burnups for UCO compacts range from 7.26 to 13.15 % fission per initial metal atom (FIMA) and 9.01 to 10.69 % FIMA for UO 2 compacts. Measured burnup ranged from 7.3 to 13.1 % FIMA for UCO compacts and 8.5 to 10.6 % FIMA for UO 2 compacts. Results from gamma emission computed tomography performed on compacts and graphite holders that reveal the distribution of different fission products in a component will also be discussed. Gamma tomography of graphite holders was also used to locate the position of TRISO fuel particles suspected of having silicon carbide layer failures that lead to in-pile cesium release.« less

Fission Product Inventory and Burnup Evaluation of the AGR-2 Irradiation by Gamma Spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harp, Jason M.; Demkowicz, Paul A.; Stempien, John D.

Gamma spectrometry has been used to evaluate the burnup and fission product inventory of different components from the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second TRISO-coated particle fuel irradiation test (AGR-2). TRISO fuel in this irradiation included both uranium carbide / uranium oxide (UCO) kernels and uranium oxide (UO2) kernels. Four of the 6 capsules contained fuel from the US Advanced Gas Reactor program, and only those capsules will be discussed in this work. The inventories of gamma-emitting fission products from the fuel compacts, graphite compact holders, graphite spacers and test capsule shell were evaluated. These datamore » were used to measure the fractional release of fission products such as Cs-137, Cs-134, Eu-154, Ce-144, and Ag-110m from the compacts. The fraction of Ag-110m retained in the compacts ranged from 1.8% to full retention. Additionally, the activities of the radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) have been used to evaluate the burnup of all US TRISO fuel compacts in the irradiation. The experimental burnup evaluations compare favorably with burnups predicted from physics simulations. Predicted burnups for UCO compacts range from 7.26 to 13.15 % fission per initial metal atom (FIMA) and 9.01 to 10.69 % FIMA for UO2 compacts. Measured burnup ranged from 7.3 to 13.1 % FIMA for UCO compacts and 8.5 to 10.6 % FIMA for UO2 compacts. Results from gamma emission computed tomography performed on compacts and graphite holders that reveal the distribution of different fission products in a component will also be discussed. Gamma tomography of graphite holders was also used to locate the position of TRISO fuel particles suspected of having silicon carbide layer failures that lead to in-pile cesium release.« less

Area G Perimeter Surface-Soil Sampling Environmental Surveillance for Fiscal Year 1998 Hazardous and Solid Waste Group (ESH-19)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marquis Childs

1999-09-01

Material Disposal Area G (Area G) is at Technical Area 54 at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Area G has been the principal facility for the disposal of low-level, solid-mixed, and transuranic waste since 1957. It is currently LANL's primary facility for radioactive solid waste burial and storage. As part of the annual environmental surveillance effort at Area G, surface soil samples are collected around the facility's perimeter to characterize possible radionuclide movement off the site through surface water runoff During 1998, 39 soil samples were collected and analyzed for percent moisture, tritium, plutonium-238 and 239, cesium-137 and americium-241. Tomore » assess radionuclide concentrations, the results from these samples are compared with baseline or background soil samples collected in an undisturbed area west of the active portion Area G. The 1998 results are also compared to the results from analogous samples collected during 1996 and 1997 to assess changes over this time in radionuclide activity concentrations in surface soils around the perimeter of Area G. The results indicate elevated levels of all the radionuclides assessed (except cesium-137) exist in Area G perimeter surface soils vs the baseline soils. The comparison of 1998 soil data to previous years (1996 and 1997) indicates no significant increase or decrease in radionuclide concentrations; an upward or downward trend in concentrations is not detectable at this time. These results are consistent with data comparisons done in previous years. Continued annual soil sampling will be necessary to realize a trend if one exists. The radionuclide levels found in the perimeter surface soils are above background but still considered relatively low. This perimeter surface soil data will be used for planning purposes at Area G, techniques to prevent sediment tm.nsport off-site are implemented in the areas where the highest radionuclide concentrations are indicated.« less

Initial Gamma Spectrometry Examination of the AGR-3/4 Irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harp, Jason M.; Demkowicz, Paul A.; Stempien, John D.

2016-11-01

The initial results from gamma spectrometry examination of the different components from the combined third and fourth US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development TRISO-coated particle fuel irradiation tests (AGR-3/4) have been analyzed. This experiment was designed to provide information about in-pile fission product migration. In each of the 12 capsules, a single stack of four compacts with designed-to-fail particles surrounded by two graphitic diffusion rings (inner and outer) and a graphite sink were irradiated in the Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor. Gamma spectrometry has been used to evaluate the gamma-emitting fission product inventory of compacts from the irradiation andmore » evaluate the burnup of these compacts based on the activity of the radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) in the compacts. Burnup from gamma spectrometry compares well with predicted burnup from simulations. Additionally, inner and outer rings were also examined by gamma spectrometry both to evaluate the fission product inventory and the distribution of gamma-emitting fission products within the rings using gamma emission computed tomography. The cesium inventory of the scanned rings compares acceptably well with the expected inventory from fission product transport modeling. The inventory of the graphite fission product sinks is also being evaluated by gamma spectrometry.« less

SUPPLEMENTAL ANALYSES FOR SOLVENT HOLD TANK SAMPLES MCU-11-314, MCU-11-315, MCU-11-316, MCU-11-317, MCU-11-318 AND MCU-11-319

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, T.; Washington, A; . Fondeur, F.

2011-09-29

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) periodically analyses solvent samples from Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU) in support of continuing operations. A quarterly analysis of the solvent is required to maintain solvent composition within specifications. Analytical results of the analyses of Solvent Hold Tank (SHT) samples MCU-11-314, MCU-11-315, MCU-11-316, MCU-11-317, MCU-11-318 and MCU-11-319 have been previously reported. MCU has experienced a modest decline in cesium removal efficiency while processing the current feed, 'Macrobatch 3'. While the target decontamination factor (DF) is 200, the fiscal year 2011 DF average is 161. The results of the prior solvent analysis report did notmore » identify a specific factor that would correlate with the poor cesium decontamination beyond a low concentration of the suppressor, trioctylamine. New analyses of the quarterly sample are reported in this document, as well as a cross-check of {sup 137}Cs measurements for SRNL and F/H lab. Furthermore, in an attempt to discover the reason for the decline in DF at MCU, SRNL was tasked with analyzing numerous Caustic Wash Tank (CWT) and chemical feed samples.« less

Evaluation of quality-control data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey for routine water-quality activities at the Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, southeastern Idaho, 2002-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rattray, Gordon W.

2014-01-01

Quality-control (QC) samples were collected from 2002 through 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, to ensure data robustness by documenting the variability and bias of water-quality data collected at surface-water and groundwater sites at and near the Idaho National Laboratory. QC samples consisted of 139 replicates and 22 blanks (approximately 11 percent of the number of environmental samples collected). Measurements from replicates were used to estimate variability (from field and laboratory procedures and sample heterogeneity), as reproducibility and reliability, of water-quality measurements of radiochemical, inorganic, and organic constituents. Measurements from blanks were used to estimate the potential contamination bias of selected radiochemical and inorganic constituents in water-quality samples, with an emphasis on identifying any cross contamination of samples collected with portable sampling equipment. The reproducibility of water-quality measurements was estimated with calculations of normalized absolute difference for radiochemical constituents and relative standard deviation (RSD) for inorganic and organic constituents. The reliability of water-quality measurements was estimated with pooled RSDs for all constituents. Reproducibility was acceptable for all constituents except dissolved aluminum and total organic carbon. Pooled RSDs were equal to or less than 14 percent for all constituents except for total organic carbon, which had pooled RSDs of 70 percent for the low concentration range and 4.4 percent for the high concentration range. Source-solution and equipment blanks were measured for concentrations of tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, sodium, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved chromium. Field blanks were measured for the concentration of iodide. No detectable concentrations were measured from the blanks except for strontium-90 in one source solution and one equipment blank collected in September and October 2004, respectively. The detectable concentrations of strontium-90 in the blanks probably were from a small source of strontium-90 contamination or large measurement variability, or both. Order statistics and the binomial probability distribution were used to estimate the magnitude and extent of any potential contamination bias of tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, sodium, chloride, sulfate, dissolved chromium, and iodide in water-quality samples. These statistical methods indicated that, with (1) 87 percent confidence, contamination bias of cesium-137 and sodium in 60 percent of water-quality samples was less than the minimum detectable concentration or reporting level; (2) 92‒94 percent confidence, contamination bias of tritium, strontium-90, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved chromium in 70 percent of water-quality samples was less than the minimum detectable concentration or reporting level; and (3) 75 percent confidence, contamination bias of iodide in 50 percent of water-quality samples was less than the reporting level for iodide. These results support the conclusion that contamination bias of water-quality samples from sample processing, storage, shipping, and analysis was insignificant and that cross-contamination of perched groundwater samples collected with bailers during 2002–08 was insignificant.

Evaluation of sediment and 137Cs redistribution in the Oginosawa River catchment near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant using integrated watershed modeling.

PubMed

Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Malins, Alex; Funaki, Hironori; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Niizato, Tadafumi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Mori, Koji; Tada, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Takamaru; Kitamura, Akihiro; Hosomi, Masaaki

2018-02-01

The Oginosawa River catchment lies 15 km south-west of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant and covers 7.7 km 2 . Parts of the catchment were decontaminated between fall 2012 and March 2014 in preparation for the return of the evacuated population. The General-purpose Terrestrial Fluid-flow Simulator (GETFLOWS) code was used to study sediment and 137 Cs redistribution within the catchment, including the effect of decontamination on redistribution. Fine resolution grid cells were used to model local features of the catchment, such as paddy fields adjacent to the Oginosawa River. The simulation was verified using monitoring data for river water discharge rates (r = 0.92), suspended sediment concentrations, and particulate 137 Cs concentrations (r = 0.40). Cesium-137 input to watercourses came predominantly from land adjacent to river channels and forest gullies, e.g. the paddy fields in the Ogi and Kainosaka districts, as the ground in these areas saturates during heavy rain and is easily eroded. A discrepancy between the simulation and monitoring results on the sediment discharge rate following decontamination may be explained by fast erosion occurring after decontamination. Forested areas far from the channels only made a minor contribution to 137 Cs input to watercourses, total erosion of between 0.001 and 0.1 mm from May 2011 to December 2015, as ground saturation is infrequent in these areas. The 2.3-6.9% y -1 decrease in the amount of 137 Cs in forest topsoil over the study period can be explained by radioactive decay (approximately 2.3% y -1 ), along with a migration downwards into subsoil and a small amount of export. The amount of 137 Cs available for release from land adjacent to rivers is expected to be lower in future than compared to this study period, as the simulations indicate a high depletion of inventory from these areas by the end of 2015. However continued monitoring of 137 Cs concentrations in river water over future years is advised, as recultivation of paddy fields by returnees may again lead to fast erosion rates and release of the remaining inventory. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of tank 7 surface supernatant sample (FTF-7-15-26) in support of corrosion control program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oji, L. N

2015-10-01

This report provides the results of analyses on Savannah River Site Tank 7 surface supernatant liquid sample in support of the Corrosion Control Program (CCP). The measured nitrate, nitrite and free-hydroxide concentrations for the Tank 7 surface sample averaged, 3.74E-01 ± 1.88E-03, 4.17E-01 ± 9.01E-03 and 0.602 ± 0.005 M, respectively. The Tank 7 surface cesium-137, sodium and silicon concentrations were, respectively, 3.99E+08, ± 3.25E+06 dpm/mL, 2.78 M and <3.10 mg/L. The measured aluminum concentration in the Tank 7 surface sample averaged 0.11 M.

Fuel preparation for use in the production of medical isotopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Policke, Timothy A.; Aase, Scott B.; Stagg, William R.

The present invention relates generally to the field of medical isotope production by fission of uranium-235 and the fuel utilized therein (e.g., the production of suitable Low Enriched Uranium (LEU is uranium having 20 weight percent or less uranium-235) fuel for medical isotope production) and, in particular to a method for producing LEU fuel and a LEU fuel product that is suitable for use in the production of medical isotopes. In one embodiment, the LEU fuel of the present invention is designed to be utilized in an Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor (AHR) for the production of various medical isotopes including, butmore » not limited to, molybdenum-99, cesium-137, iodine-131, strontium-89, xenon-133 and yttrium-90.« less

Technology Evaluation Report: Non-destructive ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technology Evaluation Report HSRP is working to develop tools and information that will help detect the intentional introduction of chemical or biological contaminants in buildings or water systems, the containment of these contaminants, the decontamination of buildings and/or water systems, and the management of wastes generated from decontamination and cleanup operations. Evaluation of the performance of CBI Polymers’ DeconGelTM 1108, Environmental Alternatives, Inc.’s (EAI’s) Rad-Release II (RRII), Environmental Alternatives, Inc.’s SuperGel, and Intek Technologies’ LH-21. The objective of evaluating these technologies was to test their ability to remove radioactive cesium (Cs)-137 from the mixed building material coupons of brick with mortar, tile with grout, granite with mortar, all mortar and all grout coupons.

Tracing Fukushima Radionuclides in the Northern Hemisphere -An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakur, Punam; Ballard, Sally; Nelson, Roger

2013-04-01

A massive 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck the northern coast of the Honshu-island, Japan on March 11, 2011 and severely damaged the electric system of the Fukushima- Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The structural damage to the plant disabled the reactor's cooling systems. Subsequent fires, a hydrogen explosion and possible partial core meltdowns released radioactive fission products into the atmosphere. The atmospheric release from the crippled Fukushima NPP started on March 12, 2011 with a maximum release phase from March 14 to 17. The radioactivity released was dominated by volatile fission products including isotopes of the noble gases xenon (Xe-133) and krypton (Kr-85); iodine (I-131,I-132); cesium (Cs-134,Cs-136,Cs-137); and tellurium (Te-132). The non-volatile radionuclides such as isotopes of strontium and plutonium are believed to have remained largely inside the reactor, although there is evidence of plutonium release into the environment. Global air monitoring across the northern hemisphere was increased following the first reports of atmospheric releases. According to the source term, declared by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) of Japan), approximately 160 PBq (1 PBq (Peta Becquerel = 10^15 Bq)) of I-131 and 15 PBq of Cs-137 (or 770 PBq "iodine-131 equivalent"), were released into the atmosphere. The 770 PBq figure is about 15% of the Chernobyl release of 5200 PBq of "iodine-131 equivalent". For the assessment of contamination after the accident and to track the transport time of the contaminated air mass released from the Fukushima NPP across the globe, several model calculations were performed by various research groups. All model calculations suggested long-range transport of radionuclides from the damaged Fukushima NPP towards the North American Continent to Europe and to Central Asia. As a result, an elevated level of Fukushima radionuclides were detected in air, rain, milk, and vegetation samples across the northern hemisphere. Although the releases from the Fukushima NPP were pronounced, due to significant dilution of the radioactivity in the atmosphere as it was transported across the globe, the concentrations of radionuclides measured outside Japan were extremely low. The activities of I-131, Cs-134, and Cs-137 in air were estimated to have diluted by a factor of 105 to 108 during trans-Pacific transport. This paper will present a compilation of the radionuclide concentrations measured across the northern hemisphere by various national and international monitoring networks. It will focus on the most prevalent cesium and iodine isotopes, but other secondary isotopes will be discussed. Spatial and Temporal patterns and differences will be contrasted. The effects from this global radionuclide dispersal are reported and discussed. The activity ratios of ^131I/^137Cs and ^134Cs/^137Cs measured at several locations are evaluated to gain an insight into the fuel burn-up, the inventory of radionuclides in the reactor and thus on the isotopic signature of the accident. It is important to note that all of the radiation levels detected across the northern hemisphere have been very low and are well below any level of public and environmental concern.

Soil erosion modelled with USLE and PESERA using QuickBird derived vegetation parameters in an alpine catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meusburger, K.; Konz, N.; Schaub, M.; Alewell, C.

2010-06-01

The focus of soil erosion research in the Alps has been in two categories: (i) on-site measurements, which are rather small scale point measurements on selected plots often constrained to irrigation experiments or (ii) off-site quantification of sediment delivery at the outlet of the catchment. Results of both categories pointed towards the importance of an intact vegetation cover to prevent soil loss. With the recent availability of high-resolution satellites such as IKONOS and QuickBird options for detecting and monitoring vegetation parameters in heterogeneous terrain have increased. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of QuickBird derived vegetation parameters in soil erosion models for alpine sites by comparison to Cesium-137 (Cs-137) derived soil erosion estimates. The study site (67 km 2) is located in the Central Swiss Alps (Urseren Valley) and is characterised by scarce forest cover and strong anthropogenic influences due to grassland farming for centuries. A fractional vegetation cover (FVC) map for grassland and detailed land-cover maps are available from linear spectral unmixing and supervised classification of QuickBird imagery. The maps were introduced to the Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA) model as well as to the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). Regarding the latter model, the FVC was indirectly incorporated by adapting the C factor. Both models show an increase in absolute soil erosion values when FVC is considered. In contrast to USLE and the Cs-137 soil erosion rates, PESERA estimates are low. For the USLE model also the spatial patterns improved and showed "hotspots" of high erosion of up to 16 t ha -1 a -1. In conclusion field measurements of Cs-137 confirmed the improvement of soil erosion estimates using the satellite-derived vegetation data.

Automated detection of radioisotopes from an aircraft platform by pattern recognition analysis of gamma-ray spectra.

PubMed

Dess, Brian W; Cardarelli, John; Thomas, Mark J; Stapleton, Jeff; Kroutil, Robert T; Miller, David; Curry, Timothy; Small, Gary W

2018-03-08

A generalized methodology was developed for automating the detection of radioisotopes from gamma-ray spectra collected from an aircraft platform using sodium-iodide detectors. Employing data provided by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency Airborne Spectral Photometric Environmental Collection Technology (ASPECT) program, multivariate classification models based on nonparametric linear discriminant analysis were developed for application to spectra that were preprocessed through a combination of altitude-based scaling and digital filtering. Training sets of spectra for use in building classification models were assembled from a combination of background spectra collected in the field and synthesized spectra obtained by superimposing laboratory-collected spectra of target radioisotopes onto field backgrounds. This approach eliminated the need for field experimentation with radioactive sources for use in building classification models. Through a bi-Gaussian modeling procedure, the discriminant scores that served as the outputs from the classification models were related to associated confidence levels. This provided an easily interpreted result regarding the presence or absence of the signature of a specific radioisotope in each collected spectrum. Through the use of this approach, classifiers were built for cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) and cobalt-60 ( 60 Co), two radioisotopes that are of interest in airborne radiological monitoring applications. The optimized classifiers were tested with field data collected from a set of six geographically diverse sites, three of which contained either 137 Cs, 60 Co, or both. When the optimized classification models were applied, the overall percentages of correct classifications for spectra collected at these sites were 99.9 and 97.9% for the 60 Co and 137 Cs classifiers, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A chronicle of organochlorine contamination in Clear Creek, Galveston and Harris Counties, Texas, 1960-2002, as recorded in sediment cores

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter

2003-01-01

Clear Creek flows through the Texas Coastal Plain from its headwaters southeast of Houston, Texas, to Clear Lake, which empties into Galveston Bay. Segments of Clear Creek were on the State of Texas 303(d) list for 1998, 1999, and 2000 as a result of a fish consumption advisory issued by the Texas Department of Health. One of the contaminants for which the fish consumption advisory was issued is the organochlorine pesticide chlordane. Chlordane is a hydrophobic (“waterfearing”) contaminant; that is, it adsorbs to sediment at concentrations much greater than those found in water. The study described here sought to answer three questions:Does chlordane occur in Clear Creek sediments at present?Is there current loading of chlordane to Clear Creek?How has occurrence of chlordane in Clear Creek changed over time?To answer these questions, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), collected and analyzed sediment cores from Clear Creek (fig. 1). Sediment cores sometimes can be used to reconstruct historical trends in concentrations of hydrophobic contaminants (Eisenreich and others, 1989; Van Metre and others, 1997). Cores were collected from five ponds connected to Clear Creek but out of the main channel (fig. 1). Cesium-137 (137Cs) was analyzed in the cores to determine if the sediments in the cores were undisturbed and if the cores reached sediment predating 1964. The two cores that appeared most undisturbed on the basis of 137Cs profiles (see sidebar, p. 2) were further subsampled and additional samples analyzed for 137Cs, organic carbon, selected organochlorine pesticides (including chlordane), and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB).

Relative contributions of wind and water erosion to total soil loss and its effect on soil properties in sloping croplands of the Chinese Loess Plateau.

PubMed

Tuo, Dengfeng; Xu, Mingxiang; Gao, Guangyao

2018-08-15

Wind and water erosion are two dominant types of erosion that lead to soil and nutrient losses. Wind and water erosion may occur simultaneously to varying extents in semi-arid regions. The contributions of wind and water erosion to total erosion and their effects on soil quality, however, remains elusive. We used cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) inventories to estimate the total soil erosion and used the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) to quantify water erosion in sloping croplands. Wind erosion was estimated from the subtraction of the two. We also used 137 Cs inventories to calculate total soil erosion and validate the relationships of the soil quality and erosion at different slope aspects and positions. The results showed that wind erosion (1460tkm -2 a -1 ) on northwest-facing slope was responsible for approximately 39.7% of the total soil loss, and water erosion (2216tkm -2 a -1 ) accounted for approximately 60.3%. The erosion rates were 58.8% higher on northwest- than on southeast-facing slopes. Northwest-facing slopes had lower soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, clay, and silt contents than southeast-facing slopes, and thus, the 137 Cs inventories were lower, and the total soil erosions were higher on the northwest-facing slopes. The variations in soil physicochemical properties were related to total soil erosion. The lowest 137 Cs inventories and nutrient contents were recorded at the upper positions on the northwest-facing slopes due to the successive occurrence of more severe wind and water erosion at the same site. The results indicated that wind and water could accelerate the spatial variability of erosion rate and soil properties and cause serious decreases in the nutrient contents in sloping fields. Our research could help researchers develop soil strategies to reduce soil erosion according to the dominant erosion type when it occurs in a hilly agricultural area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the accident process, radioactivity release and ground contamination between Chernobyl and Fukushima-1.

PubMed

Imanaka, Tetsuji; Hayashi, Gohei; Endo, Satoru

2015-12-01

In this report, we have reviewed the basic features of the accident processes and radioactivity releases that occurred in the Chernobyl accident (1986) and in the Fukushima-1 accident (2011). The Chernobyl accident was a power-surge accident that was caused by a failure of control of a fission chain reaction, which instantaneously destroyed the reactor and building, whereas the Fukushima-1 accident was a loss-of-coolant accident in which the reactor cores of three units were melted by decay heat after losing the electricity supply. Although the quantity of radioactive noble gases released from Fukushima-1 exceeded the amount released from Chernobyl, the size of land area severely contaminated by (137)Cesium ((137)Cs) was 10 times smaller around Fukushima-1 compared with around Chernobyl. The differences in the accident process are reflected in the composition of the discharged radioactivity as well as in the composition of the ground contamination. Volatile radionuclides (such as (132)Te-(132)I, (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs) contributed to the gamma-ray exposure from the ground contamination around Fukishima-1, whereas a greater variety of radionuclides contributed significantly around Chernobyl. When radioactivity deposition occurred, the radiation exposure rate near Chernobyl is estimated to have been 770 μGy h(-1) per initial (137)Cs deposition of 1000 kBq m(-2), whereas it was 100 μGy h(-1) around Fukushima-1. Estimates of the cumulative exposure for 30 years are 970 and 570 mGy per initial deposition of 1000 kBq m(-2) for Chernobyl and Fukusima-1, respectively. Of these exposures, 49 and 98% were contributed by radiocesiums ((134)Cs + (137)Cs) around Chernobyl and Fukushima-1, respectively. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Modeling nearshore dispersal of river-derived multi-class suspended sediments and radionuclides during a flood event around the mouth of Niida River, Fukushima, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchiyama, Y.; Yamanishi, T.; Iwasaki, T.; Shimizu, Y.; Tsumune, D.; Misumi, K.; Onda, Y.

2016-12-01

A quadruple nested synoptic oceanic downscale modeling based on ROMS was carried out to investigate hydrodynamics, multi-class non-cohesive sediment transport and associated dispersal of suspended radionuclides (cesium-137; 137Cs) originated from the nuclear accident occurred at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Power Plant in March 2011. The innermost model has horizontal grid resolution of 50 m to marginally resolve the topography around the river mouth including the surf zone. The model is forced by the JCOPE2 oceanic reanalysis as the outermost boundary conditions, the GPV-MSM atmospheric reanalysis, and an in-house SWAN spectral wave hindcast embedded in the operational GPV-CWM wave reanalysis. A particular attention is paid to nearshore behaviors and inventory of the nuclides attached to terrestrial minerals with grain sizes ranging from 5 to 79 micrometers that have been occasionally discharged out to the coastal ocean through hydrological processes within the river basin even after several years since the accident. We examine oceanic dispersal of sediment and suspended 137Cs influxes from Niida River, Fukushima, evaluated with the iRIC-Nays2DH river model. Our focus is on the first flood event in late May of 2011 after the accident. Alongshore asymmetry in transport of suspended sediments and 137Cs is exhibited, comprising storm-driven southward transport confined in the shallow area due to shoreward Ekman transport associated with strong northerly wind, followed by northwestward wide-spread transport under mild southerly wind condition. About 70 % of the Niida River-derived suspended 137Cs remains near the mouth for 20 days after the flood event. Nevertheless, our model results as well as an observation suggest that the area is dominated by erosion as for high bed shear stress all the time, thus suspended radionuclides are redistributed to dissipate away in long term.

Influence of management history and landscape variables on soil organic carbon and soil redistribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Venteris, E.R.; McCarty, G.W.; Ritchie, J.C.; Gish, T.

2004-01-01

Controlled studies to investigate the interaction between crop growth, soil properties, hydrology, and management practices are common in agronomy. These sites (much as with real world farmland) often have complex management histories and topographic variability that must be considered. In 1993 an interdisiplinary study was started for a 20-ha site in Beltsville, MD. Soil cores (271) were collected in 1999 in a 30-m grid (with 5-m nesting) and analyzed as part of the site characterization. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and 137Cesium (137Cs) were measured. Analysis of aerial photography from 1992 and of farm management records revealed that part of the site had been maintained as a swine pasture and the other portion as cropped land. Soil properties, particularly soil redistribution and SOC, show large differences in mean values between the two areas. Mass C is 0.8 kg m -2 greater in the pasture area than in the cropped portion. The pasture area is primarily a deposition site, whereas the crop area is dominated by erosion. Management influence is suggested, but topographic variability confounds interpretation. Soil organic carbon is spatially structured, with a regionalized variable of 120 m. 137Cs activity lacks spatial structure, suggesting disturbance of the profile by animal activity and past structures such as swine shelters and roads. Neither SOC nor 137Cs were strongly correlated to terrain parameters, crop yields, or a seasonal soil moisture index predicted from crop yields. SOC and 137Cs were weakly correlated (r2 ???0.2, F-test P-value 0.001), suggesting that soil transport controls, in part, SOC distribution. The study illustrates the importance of past site history when interpreting the landscape distribution of soil properties, especially those strongly influenced by human activity. Confounding variables, complex soil hydrology, and incomplete documentation of land use history make definitive interpretations of the processes behind the spatial distributions difficult. Such complexity may limit the accuracy of scaling approaches to mapping SOC and soil redistribution.

Transfer factors and effective half-lives of (134)Cs and (137)Cs in different environmental sample types obtained from Northern Finland: case Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Koivurova, Matias; Leppänen, Ari-Pekka; Kallio, Antti

2015-08-01

The Fukushima NPP accident caused a small but detectable cesium fallout in northern Finland, of the order of 1 Bq/m(2). This fallout transferred further to soil, water, flora and fauna. By using modern HPGe detector systems traces of (134)Cs from the Fukushima fallout were observed in various samples of biota. In northern Finland different types of environmental samples such as reindeer meat, berries, fish, lichens and wolf were collected during 2011-2013. The observed (134)Cs concentrations varied from 0.1 Bq/kg to a few Bq/kg. By using the known (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio observed in Fukushima fallout the increase of the Fukushima accident to the (137)Cs concentrations was found to vary from 0.06 % to 6.9 % depending on the sample type. The aggregated transfer factors (Tag) and effective half-lives (Teff) for (134)Cs and (137)Cs were also determined and then compared with known values found from earlier studies which are calculated based on the fallout from the Chernobyl accident. Generally, the Tag and Teff values determined in this study were found to agree with the values found in the earlier studies. The Teff values were sample-type specific and were found to vary from 0.91 to 2.1 years for (134)Cs and the estimates for (137)Cs ranged between 1.6 and 19 years. Interestingly, the ground lichens had the longest Teff whereas the beard lichen had the shortest. In fauna, highest Tag values were determined for wolf meat ranging between 1.0 and 2.2 m(2)/kg. In flora, the highest Tag values were determined for beard lichens, ranging from 1.9 m(2)/kg to 3.5 m(2)/kg. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of sediment sources using selected chemical tracers in the Perry lake basin, Kansas, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, K.E.; Ziegler, A.C.

2009-01-01

The ability to achieve meaningful decreases in sediment loads to reservoirs requires a determination of the relative importance of sediment sources within the contributing basins. In an investigation of sources of fine-grained sediment (clay and silt) within the Perry Lake Basin in northeast Kansas, representative samples of channel-bank sources, surface-soil sources (cropland and grassland), and reservoir bottom sediment were collected, chemically analyzed, and compared. The samples were sieved to isolate the <63 ?? m fraction and analyzed for selected nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus), organic and total carbon, 25 trace elements, and the radionuclide cesium-137 (137Cs). On the basis of substantial and consistent compositional differences among the source types, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC), and 137Cs were selected for use in the estimation of sediment sources. To further account for differences in particle-size composition between the sources and the reservoir bottom sediment, constituent ratio and clay-normalization techniques were used. Computed ratios included TOC to TN, TOC to TP, and TN to TP. Constituent concentrations (TN, TP, TOC) and activities (137Cs) were normalized by dividing by the percentage of clay. Thus, the sediment-source estimations involved the use of seven sediment-source indicators. Within the Perry Lake Basin, the consensus of the seven indicators was that both channel-bank and surface-soil sources were important in the Atchison County Lake and Banner Creek Reservoir subbasins, whereas channel-bank sources were dominant in the Mission Lake subbasin. On the sole basis of 137Cs activity, surface-soil sources contributed the most fine-grained sediment to Atchison County Lake, and channel-bank sources contributed the most fine-grained sediment to Banner Creek Reservoir and Mission Lake. Both the seven-indicator consensus and 137Cs indicated that channel-bank sources were dominant for Perry Lake and that channel-bank sources increased in importance with distance downstream in the basin. ?? 2009 International Research and Training Centre on Erosion and Sedimentation and the World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research.

TRIPLICATE SODIUM IODIDE GAMMA RAY MONITORS FOR THE SMALL COLUMN ION EXCHANGE PROGRAM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Couture, A.

2011-09-20

This technical report contains recommendations from the Analytical Development (AD) organization of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for a system of triplicate Sodium Iodide (NaI) detectors to be used to monitor Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) content of the Decontaminated Salt Solution (DSS) output of the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process. These detectors need to be gain stabilized with respect to temperature shifts since they will be installed on top of Tank 41 at the Savannah River Site (SRS). This will be accomplished using NaI crystals doped with the alpha-emitting isotope, Americium-241({sup 241}Am). Two energy regions of the detector outputmore » will be monitored using single-channel analyzers (SCAs), the {sup 137}Cs full-energy {gamma}-ray peak and the {sup 241}Am alpha peak. The count rate in the gamma peak region will be proportional to the {sup 137}Cs content in the DSS output. The constant rate of alpha decay in the NaI crystal will be monitored and used as feedback to adjust the high voltage supply to the detector in response to temperature variation. An analysis of theoretical {sup 137}Cs breakthrough curves was used to estimate the gamma activity expected in the DSS output during a single iteration of the process. Count rates arising from the DSS and background sources were predicted using Microshield modeling software. The current plan for shielding the detectors within an enclosure with four-inch thick steel walls should allow the detectors to operate with the sensitivity required to perform these measurements. Calibration, testing, and maintenance requirements for the detector system are outlined as well. The purpose of SCIX is to remove and concentrate high-level radioisotopes from SRS salt waste resulting in two waste streams. The concentrated high-level waste containing {sup 137}Cs will be sent to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) for vitrification and the low-level DSS will be sent to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) to be incorporated into grout.« less

Analysis of suspended-sediment concentrations and radioisotope levels in the Wild Rice River basin, northwestern Minnesota, 1973-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brigham, Mark E.; McCullough, Carolyn J.; Wilkinson, Philip M.

2001-01-01

We examined historical suspended-sediment data and activities of fallout radioisotopes (lead-210 [210Pb], cesium-137 [137Cs], and beryllium-7 [7Be]) associated with suspended sediments and source-area sediments (cultivated soils, bank material, and reference soils) in the Wild Rice River Basin, a tributary to the Red River of the North, to better understand sources of suspended sediment to streams in the region. Multiple linear regression analysis of suspended-sediment concentrations from the Wild Rice River at Twin Valley, Minnesota indicated significant relations between suspended-sediment concentrations and streamflow. Flow-adjusted sediment concentrations tended to be slightly higher in spring than summer-autumn. No temporal trends in concentration were observed during 1973-98. The fallout radioisotopes were nearly always detectable in suspended sediments during spring-summer 1998. Mean 210Pb and 7Be activities in suspended sediment and surficial, cultivated soils were similar, perhaps indicating little dilution of suspended sediment from low-isotopic-activity bank sediments. In contrast, mean 137Cs activities in suspended sediment indicated a mixture of sediment originating from eroded soils and from eroded bank material, with bank material being a somewhat more important source upstream of Twin Valley, Minnesota; and approximately equal fractions of bank material and surficial soils contributing to the suspended load downstream at Hendrum, Minnesota. This study indicates that, to be effective, efforts to reduce sediment loading to the Wild Rice River should include measures to control soil erosion from cultivated fields.

Rapid Erosion Modeling in a Western Kenya Watershed using Visible Near Infrared Reflectance, Classification Tree Analysis and 137Cesium.

PubMed

deGraffenried, Jeff B; Shepherd, Keith D

2009-12-15

Human induced soil erosion has severe economic and environmental impacts throughout the world. It is more severe in the tropics than elsewhere and results in diminished food production and security. Kenya has limited arable land and 30 percent of the country experiences severe to very severe human induced soil degradation. The purpose of this research was to test visible near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VNIR) as a tool for rapid assessment and benchmarking of soil condition and erosion severity class. The study was conducted in the Saiwa River watershed in the northern Rift Valley Province of western Kenya, a tropical highland area. Soil 137 Cs concentration was measured to validate spectrally derived erosion classes and establish the background levels for difference land use types. Results indicate VNIR could be used to accurately evaluate a large and diverse soil data set and predict soil erosion characteristics. Soil condition was spectrally assessed and modeled. Analysis of mean raw spectra indicated significant reflectance differences between soil erosion classes. The largest differences occurred between 1,350 and 1,950 nm with the largest separation occurring at 1,920 nm. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis indicated that the spectral model had practical predictive success (72%) with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) of 0.74. The change in 137 Cs concentrations supported the premise that VNIR is an effective tool for rapid screening of soil erosion condition.

Cesium desorption behavior of weathered biotite in Fukushima considering the actual radioactive contamination level of soils.

PubMed

Mukai, Hiroki; Tamura, Kenji; Kikuchi, Ryosuke; Takahashi, Yoshio; Yaita, Tsuyoshi; Kogure, Toshihiro

2018-10-01

For the better understanding of radioactive contamination in Fukushima Prefecture at present and in future, Cs desorption experiments have been conducted mainly using weathered biotite (WB) collected from Fukushima Prefecture and considering the actual contamination level (∼10 -10  wt%) of radiocesium in Fukushima Prefecture. In the experiments, 137 Cs sorbed to WB by immersing in 137 Cs solution for one day was mostly desorbed by solutions of 1 M NaNO 3 , 1 M LiNO 3 , 10 -1  M HCl, and 10 -1  M HNO 3 , although it was barely desorbed by 1 M KNO 3 , 1 M CsNO 3 , 1 M NH 4 NO 3 , and natural seawater. X-ray diffraction analysis of WB after immersing in these solutions suggested that the collapse of the hydrated interlayers in WB suppressed the desorption of Cs. On the other hand, 137 Cs was barely desorbed from WB even by the treatments with solutions of NaNO 3 and LiNO 3 if the duration for the sorption was longer than approximately two weeks, as well as radioactive WB collected from actual contaminated soils in Fukushima Prefecture. This result implies that Cs sorbed in WB became more strongly fixed with time. Probably removal of radiocesium sorbed in weathered granitic soil at Fukushima Prefecture is difficult by any electrolyte solutions, as more than seven years have passed since the accident. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling the activity of 129I in the primary coolant of a CANDU reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Brent J.; Husain, Aamir

2003-01-01

A mathematical treatment has been developed to describe the activity levels of 129I as a function of time in the primary heat transport system during constant power operation and for a reactor shutdown situation. The model accounts for a release of fission-product iodine from defective fuel rods and tramp uranium contamination on in-core surfaces. The physical transport constants of the model are derived from a coolant activity analysis of the short-lived radioiodine species. An estimate of 3×10 -9 has been determined for the coolant activity ratio of 129I/ 131I in a CANDU Nuclear Generating Station (NGS), which is in reasonable agreement with that observed in the primary coolant and for plant test resin columns from pressurized and boiling water reactor plants. The model has been further applied to a CANDU NGS, by fitting it to the observed short-lived iodine and long-lived cesium data, to yield a coolant activity ratio of ˜2×10 -8 for 129I/ 137Cs. This ratio can be used to estimate the levels of 129I in reactor waste based on a measurement of the activity of 137Cs.

[Effects of land use change on soil erosion intensity in small watershed of Loess Hilly Region: a quantitative evaluation with 137-Cesium tracer].

PubMed

Wang, Ya-Feng; Fu, Bo-Jie; Li, Chen-Ding; Lü, Yi-He; Luo, Chun-Yan

2009-07-01

Based on the land use change data and by using 137Cs tracer technique, this paper studied the change process of soil erosion intensity in Yangjuangou watershed in Loess Hilly Region. Since the 1980's, the land use intensity in the watershed decreased gradually. In 1980-2006, the slope arable land decreased from 94.9 hm2 to 0.2 hmb2, while the forest land, shrub land, orchard land, and grassland increased from 0 to 51.1 hm2, from 0 to 19.2 hm2, from 0 to 18.0 hm2, and from 76.9 hm2 to 80.1 hmb2, respectively. The soil erosion intensity was in the order of slope arable land > shrub land > orchard land > grass land > forest land. In 1980, 1984, 1996, and 2006, the soil erosion intensity was 6408.9, 5362.4, 4903.9, and 3641.4 t x km(-2) x a(-1), respectively, being changed from intense to moderate. Soil and water conservation and vegetation restoration were the main causes of the decrease of soil erosion intensity in the study area.

Ecotracer: analyzing concentration of contaminants and radioisotopes in an aquatic spatial-dynamic food web model.

PubMed

Walters, William J; Christensen, Villy

2018-01-01

Ecotracer is a tool in the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) software package used to simulate and analyze the transport of contaminants such as methylmercury or radiocesium through aquatic food webs. Ecotracer solves the contaminant dynamic equations simultaneously with the biomass dynamic equations in Ecosim/Ecospace. In this paper, we give a detailed description of the Ecotracer module and analyze the performance on two problems of differing complexity. Ecotracer was modified from previous versions to more accurately model contaminant excretion, and new numerical integration algorithms were implemented to increase accuracy and robustness. To test the mathematical robustness of the computational algorithm, Ecotracer was tested on a simple problem for which we know an analytical solution. These results demonstrated the effectiveness of the program numerics. A much more complex model, the release of the cesium radionuclide 137 Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident, was also modeled and analyzed. A comparison of the Ecotracer results to sampled 137 Cs measurements in the coastal ocean area around Fukushima show the promise of the tool but also highlight some important limitations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracing airborne particles after Japan's nuclear plant explosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takemura, Toshihiko; Nakamura, Hisashi; Nakajima, Teruyuki

2011-11-01

The powerful Tohoku earthquake and consequent tsunami that occurred off the east coast of Japan on 11 March 2011 devastated dozens of coastal cities and towns, causing the loss of more than 15,000 lives and leaving close to 4000 people still missing. Although nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, located on the Pacific coast, stopped their operation automatically upon the occurrence of the Mw 9.0 quake [Showstack, 2011], the cooling system for nuclear fuel broke down. From 12 to 16 March, vapor and hydrogen blasts destroyed the buildings that had contained the reactors, resulting in the release into the atmosphere of radioactive materials such as sulfur-35, iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium-137, which collectively can cause harmful health effects such as tissue damage and increased risk of cancer (particularly in children), depending on dose. Most of those materials emitted from the power plant rained out onto the grounds within its vicinity and forced tens of thousands within a 20-kilometer radius to evacuate (residents to the northwest of the site within about 40 kilometers also were moved from their homes). Some of the radioactive materials were transported and then detected at such distant locations as North America and Europe, although the level of radiation dose was sufficiently low not to affect human health in any significant manner.

Can Earthworm "mix up" Soil Carbon Budgets in Temperate Forests Under Elevated Carbon Dioxide?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-de León, Y.; González-Meler, M.; Sturchio, N. C.; Wise, D. H.; Norby, R. J.

2008-12-01

The effects of global change on earthworms and their associated feedbacks on soil and ecosystem processes have been largely overlooked. We studied how the responses of a temperate deciduous forest to elevated carbon dioxide atmospheric concentrations (e[CO2]) influence earthworms and the soil processes affected by them. Our objectives were to: i) identify soil layers of active soil mixing under e[CO2] and current carbon dioxide atmospheric concentrations (c[CO2]) using fallout cesium (137Cs), ii) study how e[CO2] affects earthworm populations, iii) understand the relationship between soil mixing and earthworms at our study site, and iv) identify the implications of earthworm-mediated soil mixing for the carbon budget of a temperate forest. To study soil mixing, we measured vertical 137Cs activity in soil cores (0-24 cm depth) collected in replicated e[CO2] and c[CO2] sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) plots (n = 2) in a Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) ecosystem experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We measured earthworm density and fresh weight in the plots in areas adjacent to where soil cores were taken. Preliminary results on the vertical distribution of 137Cs in the c[CO2] treatments showed that higher 137Cs activity was located from 8-16 cm depth and no 137Cs activity was measured below 20 cm. In contrast, in the e[CO2] treatment, peak 137Cs activity was slightly deeper (10-18 cm), and 137Cs activity was still measured below 22 cm. Mean earthworm density was higher in e[CO2] than c[CO2] treatments (168 m-2 and 87 m-2, respectively; p = 0.046); earthworm fresh weights, however, did not differ significantly between treatments (32 g m-2 and 18 g m-2, respectively; p = 0.182). The 137Cs vertical distribution suggest that soil mixing occurs deeper in e[CO2] than in c[CO2] treatments, which is consistent with higher earthworm densities in e[CO2] than in c[CO2] treatments. Mixing deeper low carbon content soil with shallower high carbon soil may result in a dilution of net carbon inputs in forest soils exposed to e[CO2]. Vertical dilution of new carbon may explain why carbon accrual is detected only near the surface at this FACE site. By identifying the depths of active soil mixing and possible soil mixing mechanisms (e.g. earthworms), accounting of new organic carbon accrual could be more reliably determined for forest soils in response to e[CO2] conditions.

Initial results from safety testing of US AGR-2 irradiation test fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morris, Robert Noel; Hunn, John D.; Baldwin, Charles A.

Two cylindrical compacts containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particles with kernels that contained a mixture of uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) and two compacts with UO 2-kernel TRISO particles have undergone 1600°C safety testing. These compacts were irradiated in the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second irradiation test (AGR-2). The time-dependent releases of several radioisotopes ( 110mAg, 134Cs, 137Cs, 154Eu, 155Eu, 90Sr, and 85Kr) were monitored while heating the fuel specimens to 1600°C in flowing helium for 300 h. The UCO compacts behaved similarly to previously reported 1600°C-safety-tested UCO compacts from the AGR-1 irradiation. No failedmore » TRISO or failed SiC were detected (based on krypton and cesium release), and cesium release through intact SiC was very low. Release behavior of silver, europium, and strontium appeared to be dominated by inventory originally released through intact coating layers during irradiation but retained in the compact matrix until it was released during safety testing. Both UO 2 compacts exhibited cesium release from multiple particles whose SiC failed during the safety test. Europium and strontium release from these two UO 2 compacts appeared to be dominated by release from the particles with failed SiC. Silver release was characteristically like the release from the UCO compacts in that an initial release of the majority of silver trapped in the matrix occurred during ramping to 1600°C. However, additional silver release was observed later in the safety testing due to the UO 2 TRISO with failed SiC. Failure of the SiC layer in the UO 2 fuel appears to have been dominated by CO corrosion, as opposed to the palladium degradation observed in AGR-1 UCO fuel.« less

Initial results from safety testing of US AGR-2 irradiation test fuel

DOE PAGES

Morris, Robert Noel; Hunn, John D.; Baldwin, Charles A.; ...

2017-08-18

Two cylindrical compacts containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particles with kernels that contained a mixture of uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) and two compacts with UO 2-kernel TRISO particles have undergone 1600°C safety testing. These compacts were irradiated in the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second irradiation test (AGR-2). The time-dependent releases of several radioisotopes ( 110mAg, 134Cs, 137Cs, 154Eu, 155Eu, 90Sr, and 85Kr) were monitored while heating the fuel specimens to 1600°C in flowing helium for 300 h. The UCO compacts behaved similarly to previously reported 1600°C-safety-tested UCO compacts from the AGR-1 irradiation. No failedmore » TRISO or failed SiC were detected (based on krypton and cesium release), and cesium release through intact SiC was very low. Release behavior of silver, europium, and strontium appeared to be dominated by inventory originally released through intact coating layers during irradiation but retained in the compact matrix until it was released during safety testing. Both UO 2 compacts exhibited cesium release from multiple particles whose SiC failed during the safety test. Europium and strontium release from these two UO 2 compacts appeared to be dominated by release from the particles with failed SiC. Silver release was characteristically like the release from the UCO compacts in that an initial release of the majority of silver trapped in the matrix occurred during ramping to 1600°C. However, additional silver release was observed later in the safety testing due to the UO 2 TRISO with failed SiC. Failure of the SiC layer in the UO 2 fuel appears to have been dominated by CO corrosion, as opposed to the palladium degradation observed in AGR-1 UCO fuel.« less

Radioactive and stable cesium isotope distributions and dynamics in Japanese cedar forests.

PubMed

Yoschenko, Vasyl; Takase, Tsugiko; Hinton, Thomas G; Nanba, Kenji; Onda, Yuichi; Konoplev, Alexei; Goto, Azusa; Yokoyama, Aya; Keitoku, Koji

2018-06-01

Dynamics of the Fukushima-derived radiocesium and distribution of the natural stable isotope 133 Cs in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) forest ecosystems were studied during 2014-2016. For the experimental site in Yamakiya, Fukushima Prefecture, we present the redistribution of radiocesium among ecosystem compartments during the entire observation period, while the results obtained at another two experimental site were used to demonstrate similarity of the main trends in the Japanese forest ecosystems. Our observations at the Yamakiya site revealed significant redistribution of radiocesium between the ecosystem compartments during 2014-2016. During this same period radionuclide inventories in the aboveground tree biomass were relatively stable, however, radiocesium in forest litter decreased from 20 ± 11% of the total deposition in 2014 to 4.6 ± 2.7% in 2016. Radiocesium in the soil profile accumulated in the 5-cm topsoil layers. In 2016, more than 80% of the total radionuclide deposition in the ecosystem resided in the 5-cm topsoil layer. The radiocesium distribution between the aboveground biomass compartments at Yamakiya during 2014-2016 was gradually approaching a quasi-equilibrium distribution with stable cesium. Strong correlations of radioactive and stable cesium isotope concentrations in all compartments of the ecosystem have not been reached yet. However, in some compartments the correlation is already strong. An increase of radiocesium concentrations in young foliage in 2016, compared to 2015, and an increase in 2015-2016 of the 137 Cs/ 133 Cs concentration ratio in the biomass compartments with strong correlations indicate an increase in root uptake of radiocesium from the soil profile. Mass balance of the radionuclide inventories, and accounting for radiocesium fluxes in litterfall, throughfall and stemflow, enabled a rough estimate of the annual radiocesium root uptake flux as 2 ± 1% of the total inventory in the ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systemic Arterial Hypertension in Patients Exposed to Cesium-137 in Goiânia-GO: Prevalence Study.

PubMed

Rodrigues, José Victor Rabelo; Pinto, Murillo Macêdo; Figueredo, Roberto Miller Pires; Lima, Helen de; Souto, Rafael; Sacchetim, Sylvana de Castro

2017-01-01

Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) in the Brazilian population, in populations not exposed to Césio-137, presents a prevalence of 28% nationwide. However, in the group of radioactivity victims, these values are unknown. To analyze the prevalence of hypertension in patients exposed to Cesium-137 in Goiânia, enrolled in the Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) (Radioactivtity Victims Monitoring System) of the Centro de Assistência aos Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A) (Assistence Center for Radioactivity Victims). This is a descriptive, observational cross-sectional epidemiological study carried out in Goiânia-Goiás, from August 2013 to October 2014, with a group of patients enrolled in the Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) of the Centro de Assistência a Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A.). A total of 102 radioactive patients were divided into two groups: group 1 with 40 and group 2 with 62 participants. A field survey was conducted with a closed and semi-structured questionnaire in which the following contexts were addressed: sociodemographic profile, life habits and personal background. A database was created using the Google Forms application from the Google Web technologies company. The duly collected and stored data were imported and analyzed in the statistical software SPSS, version 21. The prevalence of SAH reached a total of 25% (12 individuals) of the 48 interviewees, 50% of women (24) and 50% of men (24), of which 22.9% (11) of the radioactivity victims revealed to be smokers. The prevalence of SAH in the radioactivity victims population is similar to that of the population in general. A Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica (HAS) na população brasileira, em populações não expostas ao Césio-137, apresenta prevalência de 28% em âmbito nacional. Porém, no grupo de radioacidentados, esses valores são desconhecidos. Analisar a prevalência da HAS em pacientes expostos ao Césio-137 ocorrido em Goiânia, cadastrados no Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) do Centro de Assistência aos Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A). Estudo epidemiológico do tipo descritivo, observacional de caráter transversal realizado em Goiânia-Goiás, no período de agosto de 2013 a outubro de 2014, com grupo de pacientes cadastrados no Sistema de Monitoramento dos Radioacidentados (SISRAD) do Centro de Assistência aos Radioacidentados (C.A.R.A). Participaram da pesquisa 48 radioacidentados de um total de 102 que foram subdivididos em dois grupos: grupo 1 com 40 e o grupo 2 com 62 participantes. Realizou-se uma pesquisa de campo com questionário fechado e semi-estruturado em que foram abordados os seguintes contextos: perfil sociodemográfico, hábitos de vida e antecedentes pessoais. Criou-se um banco de dados utilizando-se o aplicativo Google Forms, da empresa de tecnologias na Web Google. Os dados devidamente coletados e armazenados foram importados e analisados no software estatístico SPSS, versão 21. Dos 48 entrevistados a prevalência de HAS atingiu um total 25% deles (12 indivíduos), sendo 50% de mulheres (24) e 50% de homens (24), dentre estes, 22,9% (11) dos radioacidentados revelaram ser tabagistas. A prevalência de HAS na população de radioacidentados se manifesta de forma semelhante ao da população em geral.

Mineral resource of the month: cesium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Angulo, Marc A.

2010-01-01

The article offers information on cesium, a golden alkali metal derived from the Latin word caesium which means bluish gray. It mentions that cesium is the first element discovered with the use of spectroscopy. It adds that the leading producer and supplier of cesium is Canada and there are 50,000 kilograms of cesium consumed of the world in a year. Moreover, it states that only 85% of the cesium formate can be retrieved and recycled.

Development of a Chemical Process for Production of Cesium Chloride from a Canadian Pollucite Ore

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parsons, H. W.; Vezina, J. A.; Simard, R.

1963-01-01

A chemical process was developed for the production of a high-purity cesium chioride from a pollucite (cesium aluminum silicate) ore from the Manitoba deposit of Chemalloy Minerais Ltd. The history of the deposit, and the present and possible future uses of cesium are briefly reviewed. Laboratory and piiot plant investigations on this ore have shown that a cyclic sulphuric acid leach followed by fractional crystallization will produce a rubidiumfree cesium alum, which can be converted to cesium chloride by thermal decomposition and ion exchange. On the basis of these findings it is concluded that the process is applicable to themore » tonnage production of cesium chloride. Reagent consumption was found to be 3.3 sulphuric acid and 0.3 lb hydrochloric acid per pound of cesium extracted. Overall extraction of cesium was 95 to 96%. (auth)« less

A novel role for methyl cysteinate, a cysteine derivative, in cesium accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Adams, Eri; Miyazaki, Takae; Hayaishi-Satoh, Aya; Han, Minwoo; Kusano, Miyako; Khandelia, Himanshu; Saito, Kazuki; Shin, Ryoung

2017-01-01

Phytoaccumulation is a technique to extract metals from soil utilising ability of plants. Cesium is a valuable metal while radioactive isotopes of cesium can be hazardous. In order to establish a more efficient phytoaccumulation system, small molecules which promote plants to accumulate cesium were investigated. Through chemical library screening, 14 chemicals were isolated as ‘cesium accumulators’ in Arabidopsis thaliana. Of those, methyl cysteinate, a derivative of cysteine, was found to function within the plant to accumulate externally supplemented cesium. Moreover, metabolite profiling demonstrated that cesium treatment increased cysteine levels in Arabidopsis. The cesium accumulation effect was not observed for other cysteine derivatives or amino acids on the cysteine metabolic pathway tested. Our results suggest that methyl cysteinate, potentially metabolised from cysteine, binds with cesium on the surface of the roots or inside plant cells and improve phytoaccumulation. PMID:28230101

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 261: Area 25 Test Cell A Leachfield System, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. M. Fitzmaurice

2001-04-01

The purpose of this Closure Report (CR) is to provide documentation of the completed corrective action at the Test Cell A Leachfield System and to provide data confirming the corrective action. The Test Cell A Leachfield System is identified in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996 as Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 261. Remediation of CAU 261 is required under the FFACO (1996). CAU 261 is located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) which is approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1). CAU 261 consists of two Corrective Actionmore » Sites (CASS): CAS 25-05-01, Leachfield; and CAS 25-05-07, Acid Waste Leach Pit (AWLP) (Figures 2 and 3). Test Cell A was operated during the 1960s and 1970s to support the Nuclear Rocket Development Station. Various operations within Building 3124 at Test Cell A resulted in liquid waste releases to the Leachfield and the AWLP. The following existing site conditions were reported in the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office [DOE/NV], 1999): Soil in the leachfield was found to exceed the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) preliminary remediation goals for semi volatile organic compounds, and background concentrations for strontium-90; Soil below the sewer pipe and approximately 4.5 meters (m) (15 feet [ft]) downstream of the initial outfall was found to exceed background concentrations for cesium-137 and strontium-90; Sludge in the leachfield septic tank was found to exceed the NDEP Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons and to contain americium-241, cesium-137, uranium-234, uranium-238, potassium-40, and strontium-90; No constituents of concern (COC) were identified at the AWLP. The NDEP-approved CADD (DOWNV, 1999) recommended Corrective Action Alternative 2, ''Closure of the Septic Tank and Distribution Box, Partial Excavation, and Administrative Controls.'' The corrective action was performed following the NDEP-approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) (DOE/NV, 2000).« less

A regional sediment transport modeling for assessing dispersal and recirculation of land-derived radionuclides in the Fukushima coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanishi, T.; Uchiyama, Y.; Tsumune, D.; Miyazawa, Y.

2014-12-01

Fluvial discharge from the rivers is viewed as a missing piece in the inventory of the radionuclides in the ocean during the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP). The land-derived input introduces a time lag behind the direct release through hydrological process because these radionuclides mostly attach to suspended fine particles (sediments) that are transported quite differently to the dissolved matter. Therefore, we implement a sediment transport model proposed by Blaas et al. (2007) consisting of a multi-class non-cohesive sediment transport model, a wave-enhanced bed boundary layer model, and a stratigraphy model into ROMS. A 128 x 256 km domain with the grid resolution of dx = 250 m centered at FNPP is configured as a test bed embedded in the existing ROMS model domain at dx = 1 km (Uchiyama et al., 2012, 2013). A spectral wave model SWAN at dx = 1 km nested in the JMA GPV-CWM wave reanalysis is used for the wave forcing field. A surface runoff model (Toyota et al., 2009) provides daily-mean discharges and associated sediment fluxes at the mouths of 20 rivers in the study area.The model results show that bed stresses are enhanced in the coastal area about 10 to 20 km from the shore, most part of the semi-sheltered Sendai Bay, and on the continental shelf slope at about 600 m deep. In contrast, band-like structures are formed between the nearshore and the shelf slope where bed stresses are found to be modest. This low stress bands correspond to the areas where fine particles such as silt and clay are predominant in the bed. Since the cesium 137 is quite readily attached to fine particles rather than coarse sediments (sand), this result suggests that the band acts as a hot spot of the sediment-attached radionuclides. Indeed, a qualitative correlation is found between the low stress band with high radioactivity of cesium 137 in the bed sediment off FNPP based on the field measurement (Ambe et al., 2013).

Storm Water Quality in Los Alamos Canyon following the Cerro Grande Fire

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. Johansen; B. Enz; B. Gallaher

In May 2000, the Cerro Grande Fire burned about 7400 acres of forest on the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and about 10,000 acres in watersheds above LANL on Santa Fe National Forest lands. The resulting burned landscapes raised concerns of increased storm water runoff and transport of contaminants by runoff in the canyons traversing LANL. On June 2 and 3, 2000, rain fell in the Los Alamos Canyon watershed generating storm water runoff in the canyon bottom. This event was important in that it was the first significant runoff on LANL following the fire and occurred in a canyonmore » containing known legacy waste sites. Samples from this runoff were analyzed for radionuclide, metal, inorganic, and organic constituents. Results show radionuclide concentrations at or below previous (pre-fire) maximum levels at locations on LANL and downstream. However, greater concentrations of some fallout-associated radionuclides (cesium-137 and strontium-90) were seen arriving on LANL from upstream areas compared to pre-fire conditions. Tests indicate most of the radionuclides in the samples were bound to sediments, not dissolved in water. Most radionuclide concentrations in sediments were below LANL Screening Action Levels, with cesium-137 and strontium-90 as exceptions. Most radionuclide concentrations in samples taken at LANL's downstream boundary were greater than those taken upstream, indicating the presence of contributing sources on LANL. For comparison purposes, doses were calculated on a mrem per liter of unfiltered water basis for 11 radionuclides commonly associated with atmospheric fallout and with LANL operations. The maximum dose was 0.094 mrem per liter unfiltered water and was largely associated with plutonium-239/240. In contrast, all filtered samples had total doses less than 0.001 mrem per liter. Compared to past data, potential doses were not increased by the fire during this initial runoff event. Of the 25 metals tested for, seven were above pre-fire levels, including copper, lead, manganese, selenium, strontium, uranium, and zinc. However, dissolved metal concentrations did not exceed State livestock and wildlife standards. Of the 18 general chemistry parameters tested, eight exceeded historic norms, including calcium, potassium, total phosphorus, cyanide, and magnesium.« less

Distribution of the Fukushima-derived radionuclides in seawater in the Pacific off the coast of Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki Prefectures, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oikawa, S.; Takata, H.; Watabe, T.; Misonoo, J.; Kusakabe, M.

2013-03-01

The activities of artificial radionuclides in seawater samples collected off the coast of Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki Prefectures were measured as part of a monitoring program initiated by the Japanese government Ministry of Education, Sports, Science and Technology immediately after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident. The spatial and temporal distributions of those activities are summarized herein. The activities of strontium-90, iodine-131, cesium-134 and -137 (i.e. 90Sr, 131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs) derived from the accident were detected in seawater samples taken from areas of the coastal ocean adjacent to the power plant. No 131I was detected in surface waters (≤ 5 m depth) or in intermediate and bottom waters after 30 April 2011. Strontium-90 was found in surface waters collected from a few sampling stations in mid-August 2011 to mid-December 2011. Temporal changes of 90Sr activity in surface waters were evident, although the 90Sr activity at a given time varied widely between sampling stations. The activity of 90Sr in surface waters decreased slowly over time, and by the end of December 2011 had reached background levels recorded before the accident. Radiocesium, 134Cs and 137Cs, was found in seawater samples immediately after the accident. There was a remarkable change in 137Cs activities in surface waters during the first 7 months (March through September 2011) after the accident; the activity reached a maximum in the middle of April and thereafter decreased exponentially with time. Qualitatively, the distribution patterns in surface waters suggested that in early May 137Cs-polluted water was advected northward; some of the water then detached and was transported to the south. Two cores of the water with high 137Cs activity persisted at least until July 2011. In subsurface waters 137Cs activity was first detected in the beginning of April 2011, and the water masses were characterized by σt (an indicator of density) values of 25.5-26.5. From 9-14 May to 5-16 December 2011, the depths of the water masses increased with time, an indication that deepening of the isopycnals with time can be an important mechanism for the transport of 137Cs downward in coastal waters. During 4-21 February 2012, the water column became vertically homogeneous, probably because of convective mixing during the winter, the result being nearly constant values of 137Cs activity throughout the water column from the surface to the bottom (~200 m depth) at each station.

Radionuclides and trace metals in Canadian moose near uranium mines: comparison of radiation doses and food chain transfer with cattle and caribou.

PubMed

Thomas, Patricia; Irvine, James; Lyster, Jane; Beaulieu, Rhys

2005-05-01

Tissues from 45 moose and 4 cattle were collected to assess the health of country foods near uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan. Bone, liver, kidney, muscle and rumen contents were analyzed for uranium, radium-226 (226Ra), lead-210 (210Pb), and polonium-210 (210Po). Cesium-137 (137Cs), potassium-40 (40K), and 27 trace metals were also measured in some tissues. Within the most active mining area, Po in liver and muscle declined significantly with distance from tailings, possibly influenced by nearby natural uranium outcrops. Moose from this area had significantly higher 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, and 137Cs in some edible soft tissues vs. one control area. However, soil type and diet may influence concentrations as much as uranium mining activities, given that a) liver levels of uranium, 226Ra, and 210Po were similar to a second positive control area with mineral-rich shale hills and b) 210Po was higher in cattle kidneys than in all moose. Enhanced food chain transfer from rumen contents to liver was found for selenium in the main mining area and for copper, molybdenum and cadmium in moose vs. cattle. Although radiological doses to moose in the main mining area were 2.6 times higher than doses to control moose or cattle, low moose intakes yielded low human doses (0.0068 mSv y(-1)), a mere 0.3% of the dose from intake of caribou (2.4 mSv y(-1)), the dietary staple in the area.

Micro-PIXE evaluation of radioactive cesium transfer in contaminated soil samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujishiro, F.; Ishii, K.; Matsuyama, S.; Arai, H.; Ishizaki, A.; Osada, N.; Sugai, H.; Kusano, K.; Nozawa, Y.; Yamauchi, S.; Karahashi, M.; Oshikawa, S.; Kikuchi, K.; Koshio, S.; Watanabe, K.; Suzuki, Y.

2014-01-01

Micro-PIXE analysis has been performed on two soil samples with high cesium activity concentrations. These soil samples were contaminated by fallout from the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. One exhibits a radioactive cesium transfer of ˜0.01, and the other shows a radioactive cesium transfer of less than 0.001, even though both samples have high cesium activity concentrations exceeding 10,000 Bq/kg. X-ray spectra and elemental images of the soil samples revealed the presence of chlorine, which can react with cesium to produce an inorganic soluble compound, and phosphorus-containing cesium-capturable organic compounds.

Methods of producing cesium-131

DOEpatents

Meikrantz, David H; Snyder, John R

2012-09-18

Methods of producing cesium-131. The method comprises dissolving at least one non-irradiated barium source in water or a nitric acid solution to produce a barium target solution. The barium target solution is irradiated with neutron radiation to produce cesium-131, which is removed from the barium target solution. The cesium-131 is complexed with a calixarene compound to separate the cesium-131 from the barium target solution. A liquid:liquid extraction device or extraction column is used to separate the cesium-131 from the barium target solution.

Fallout strontium-90 and cesium-137 in northern Alaskan ecosystems during 1959--1970

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, Wayne C.

1973-05-01

Cycling routes, rates of transport, and resultant concentrations of the fallout radionuclides 90Sr and 137Cs in northern Alaskan ecosystems were defined during the period 1959 to 1970. Radiochemical analysis of extensive samples of biota and whole-body counting of 137Cs in Eskimo and Indian ethnic groups were related to ecological principles, especially the concept of trophic niche, which elucidated the observed patterns of radionuclide concentrations. Experiments involving Sr and Cs radioisotopes applied to natural Cladonia-- Cetraria lichen carpets yielded effective half-times of 1.O to 1.6 years for Sr and more than 10 years for Cs. Direct and indirect estimates of 131Csmore » half-times in Eskimos on a caribou meat diet were made by dietary manipulation and by relating dietary 137Cs intake and resultant change between periodic whole body counts. Effective half- times of 70 days for adults (more than 21 years old) and minors (14 to 20 years old) and of 45 days for children (less than 14 years old) were found. Suitable mathematical models were used to compute lichen forage ingestion rates of free- ranging adult caribou (4.5 to 5.0 kg dry weight per day), caribou meat ingestion rates of Anaktuvuk Pass residents (up to 2 kg wet weight per day for men), and 90Sr body burdens of Anaktuvuk Pass residents during the period 1952 to 1968 (maximum value of 8 nCi in adult males during late 1966 to early 1967). Special emphasis was made of cultural influences upon the food-gathering patterns of the native peoples studied. Culture change, especially in the form of food stamps, welfare payments, acquisition of snowmobiles, and improved housing was documented throughout the study and noticeably reduced the radionuclide accumulations. Total radiation dose rates to the Anaktuvuk Pass adult population were estimated to be about 100 mrad/year from natural sources, 60 to 140 mrad/year from 137Cs body burdens, and 20 to 130 mrad/year from 90Sr body burdens.« less

Estimated association between dwelling soil contamination and internal radiation contamination levels after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan

PubMed Central

Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nomura, Shuhei; Sakaihara, Kikugoro; Kato, Shigeaki; Leppold, Claire; Furutani, Tomoyuki; Morita, Tomohiro; Oikawa, Tomoyoshi; Kanazawa, Yukio

2016-01-01

Objectives Measurement of soil contamination levels has been considered a feasible method for dose estimation of internal radiation exposure following the Chernobyl disaster by means of aggregate transfer factors; however, it is still unclear whether the estimation of internal contamination based on soil contamination levels is universally valid or incident specific. Methods To address this issue, we evaluated relationships between in vivo and soil cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination using data on internal contamination levels among Minamisoma (10–40 km north from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant), Fukushima residents 2–3 years following the disaster, and constructed three models for statistical analysis based on continuous and categorical (equal intervals and quantiles) soil contamination levels. Results A total of 7987 people with a mean age of 55.4 years underwent screening of in vivo Cs-137 whole-body counting. A statistically significant association was noted between internal and continuous Cs-137 soil contamination levels (model 1, p value <0.001), although the association was slight (relative risk (RR): 1.03 per 10 kBq/m2 increase in soil contamination). Analysis of categorical soil contamination levels showed statistical (but not clinical) significance only in relatively higher soil contamination levels (model 2: Cs-137 levels above 100 kBq/m2 compared to those <25 kBq/m2, RR=1.75, p value <0.01; model 3: levels above 63 kBq/m2 compared to those <11 kBq/m2, RR=1.45, p value <0.05). Conclusions Low levels of internal and soil contamination were not associated, and only loose/small associations were observed in areas with slightly higher levels of soil contamination in Fukushima, representing a clear difference from the strong associations found in post-disaster Chernobyl. These results indicate that soil contamination levels generally do not contribute to the internal contamination of residents in Fukushima; thus, individual measurements are essential for the precise evaluation of chronic internal radiation contamination. PMID:27357196

Determination of the Distribution and Inventory of Radionuclides within a Savannah River Site Waterway - 13202

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hiergesell, R.A.; Phifer, M.A.

2013-07-01

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the radionuclide inventory within the Lower Three Runs (LTR) Integrator Operable Unit (IOU) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Savannah River Site (SRS). The scope of this effort included the analysis of previously existing sampling and analysis data as well as additional stream bed and flood plain sampling and analysis data acquired to delineate horizontal and vertical distributions of the radionuclide as part of the ongoing SRS environmental restoration program, and specifically for the LTR IOU program. While cesium-137 (Cs-137) is the most significant and abundant radionuclide associated with the LTR IOU itmore » is not the only radionuclide, hence the scope included evaluating all radionuclides present and includes an evaluation of inventory uncertainty for use in sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. The scope involved evaluation of the radionuclide inventory in the P-Reactor and R-Reactor cooling water effluent canal systems, PAR Pond (including Pond C) and the flood plain and stream sediment sections of LTR between the PAR Pond Dam and the Savannah River. The approach taken was to examine all of the available Sediment and Sediment/Soil analysis data available along the P- and R-Reactor cooling water re-circulation canal system, the ponds situated along those canal reaches and along the length of LTR below Par Pond dam. By breaking the IOU into a series of sub-components and sub-sections, the mass of contaminated material was estimated and a representative central concentration of each radionuclide was computed for each compartment. The radionuclide inventory associated with each sub-compartment was then aggregated to determine the total radionuclide inventory that represented the full LTR IOU. Of special interest was the inventory of Cs-137 due to its role in contributing to the potential dose to an offsite member of the public. The overall LTR IOU inventory of Cs-137 was determined to be 2.87 E+02 GBq, which is similar to two earlier estimates. This investigation provides an independent, ground-up estimate of Cs-137 inventory in LTR IOU utilizing the most recent field data. (authors)« less

Cesium vapor thermionic converter anomalies arising from negative ion emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rasor, Ned S., E-mail: ned.rasor@gmail.com

2016-08-14

Compelling experimental evidence is given that a longstanding limit encountered on cesium vapor thermionic energy converter performance improvement and other anomalies arise from thermionic emission of cesium negative ions. It is shown that the energy that characterizes thermionic emission of cesium negative ions is 1.38 eV and, understandably, is not the electron affinity 0.47 eV determined for the photodetachment threshold of the cesium negative ion. The experimental evidence includes measurements of collector work functions and volt-ampere characteristics in quasi-vacuum cesium vapor thermionic diodes, along with reinterpretation of the classic Taylor-Langmuir S-curve data on electron emission in cesium vapor. The quantitative effects ofmore » negative ion emission on performance in the ignited, unignited, and quasi-vacuum modes of cesium vapor thermionic converter operation are estimated.« less

Development of the aerosol generation system for simulating the dry deposition behavior of radioaerosol emitted by the accident of FDNPP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z.

2015-12-01

A large amount of radioactivity was discharged by the accident of FDNPP. The long half-life radionuclide, 137Cs was transported through the atmosphere mainly as the aerosol form and deposited to the forests in Fukushima prefecture. After the dry deposition of the 137Cs, the foliar uptake process would occur. To evaluate environmental transfer of radionuclides, the dry deposition and following foliar uptake is very important. There are some pioneering studies for radionuclide foliar uptake with attaching the solution containing stable target element on the leaf, however, cesium oxide aerosols were used for these deposition study [1]. In the FDNPP case, 137Cs was transported in sulfate aerosol form [2], so the oxide aerosol behaviors could not represent the actual deposition behavior in this accident. For evaluation of whole behavior of 137Cs in vegetation system, fundamental data for deposition and uptake process of sulfate aerosol was desired. In this study, we developed aerosol generation system for simulating the dry deposition and the foliar uptake behaviors of aerosol in the different chemical constitutions. In this system, the method of aerosol generation based on the spray drying. Solution contained 137Cs was send to a nozzle by a syringe pump and spraying with a high speed air flow. The sprayed mist was generated in a chamber in the relatively high temperature. The solution in the mist was dried quickly, and micro size solid aerosols consisting 137Cs were generated. The aerosols were suctioned by an ejector and transported inside a tube by the dry air flow, then were directly blown onto the leaves. The experimental condition, such as the size of chamber, chamber temperature, solution flow rate, air flow rate and so on, were optimized. In the deposition experiment, the aerosols on leaves were observed by a SEM/EDX system and the deposition amount was evaluated by measuring the stable Cs remaining on leaf. In the presentation, we will discuss the detail results of aerosol deposition behavior using the developed system. [1]C.Madoz-Escande, et al., Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 73 pp49-71, (2004) [2] N. Kaneyasu, et al.,Environmental Science & Technology, 2012, 46 (11), pp 5720-5726

Observations on the geology and geohydrology of the Chernobyl' nuclear accident site, Ukraine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzko, J.R.; Percious, D.J.; Rachlin, J.; Marples, D.R.

1994-01-01

The most highly contaminated surface areas from cesium-137 fallout from the April 1986 accident at the Chernobyl' nuclear power station in Ukraine occur within the 30-km radius evacuation zone set up around the station, and an 80-km lobe extending to the west-southwest. Lower levels of contamination extend 300 km to the west of the power station. The geology, the presence of surface water, a shallow water table, and leaky aquifers at depth make this an unfavorable environment for the long-term containment and storage of the radioactive debris. An understanding of the general geology and hydrology of the area is important to assess the environmental impact of this unintended waste storage site, and to evaluate the potential for radionuclide migration through the soil and rock and into subsurface aquifers and nearby rivers. -from Authors

Off-Site Radiation Exposure Review Project: Phase 2 soils program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McArthur, R.D.; Miller, F.L. Jr.

1989-12-01

To help estimate population doses of radiation from fallout originating at the Nevada Test Site, soil samples were collected throughout the western United States. Each sample was prepared by drying and ball-milling, then analyzed by gamma-spectrometry to determine the amount of {sup 137}Cs it contained. Most samples were also analyzed by chemical separation and alpha-spectrometry to determine {sup 239 + 240}Pu and by isotope mass spectroscopy to determine the ratios of {sup 240}Pu to {sup 239}Pu and {sup 241}Pu to {sup 239}Pu. The total inventories of cesium and plutonium at 171 sites were computed from the results. This report describesmore » the sample collection, processing, and analysis, presents the analytical results, and assesses the quality of the data. 10 refs., 9 figs., 12 tabs.« less

Chemical data for bottom sediment in Mountain Creek Lake, Dallas, Texas, 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2002-01-01

Mountain Creek Lake is a reservoir adjacent to the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant and the former Naval Air Station in Dallas, Texas. The U.S. Geological Survey began studies of water, sediment, and biota in the reservoir in 1994 after a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Investigation detected concentrations of organic chemicals on both facilities. Additional reservoir bottom sediment samples were collected during December 1999–January 2000 at the request of the Southern Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command to further define the occurrence and distribution of selected constituents and to supplement available data. The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory analyzed bottom-sediment samples from 16 box cores and 5 gravity cores for major and trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, grain size, and cesium-137.

Radiochemical analyses of surface water from U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic bench-mark stations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janzer, V.J.; Saindon, L.G.

1972-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's program for collecting and analyzing surface-water samples for radiochemical constituents at hydrologic bench-mark stations is described. Analytical methods used during the study are described briefly and data obtained from 55 of the network stations in the United States during the period from 1967 to 1971 are given in tabular form.Concentration values are reported for dissolved uranium, radium, gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity. Values are also given for suspended gross alpha radioactivity in terms of natural uranium. Suspended gross beta radioactivity is expressed both as the equilibrium mixture of strontium-90/yttrium-90 and as cesium-137.Other physical parameters reported which describe the samples include the concentrations of dissolved and suspended solids, the water temperature and stream discharge at the time of the sample collection.

Radioisotopic data of sediment collected in Mobile and Bon Secour Bays, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marot, Marci E.; Smith, Christopher G.

2012-01-01

The focus of this study was to determine the extent of natural and (or) anthropogenic impacts on the sedimentary records of Mobile and Bon Secour Bays, Alabama during the last 150 years. These bays are unique in that anthropogenic activities are generally widespread and span both the eastern and western shorelines. However, there is a clear distinction in the types of human development and infrastructure between the western and eastern shorelines. These activities and the differences in land-use and -change influence the overall supply and remobilization of sediment to and within the bay. These factors could subsequently threaten the health and integrity of these environments and their ability to mitigate against long-term processes associated with climate change. In an attempt to characterize long-term accretion rates within the Mobile Bay Estuarine System (MBES), seven box cores were collected and analyzed for excess lead-210 (210Pbxs, the difference between total and supported 210Pb) and cesium-137 (137Cs) activities. The MBES receives sediment and water from the Alabama and Tombigbee River watersheds, which converge into the Mobile-Tensaw River (MTR) system just prior to discharging into Mobile Bay. Riverine discharge from the MTR system to the bay is second only to the Mississippi River discharge to the Gulf of Mexico for the conterminous United States.

Development and evaluation of a regression-based model to predict cesium-137 concentration ratios for saltwater fish.

PubMed

Pinder, John E; Rowan, David J; Smith, Jim T

2016-02-01

Data from published studies and World Wide Web sources were combined to develop a regression model to predict (137)Cs concentration ratios for saltwater fish. Predictions were developed from 1) numeric trophic levels computed primarily from random resampling of known food items and 2) K concentrations in the saltwater for 65 samplings from 41 different species from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A number of different models were initially developed and evaluated for accuracy which was assessed as the ratios of independently measured concentration ratios to those predicted by the model. In contrast to freshwater systems, were K concentrations are highly variable and are an important factor in affecting fish concentration ratios, the less variable K concentrations in saltwater were relatively unimportant in affecting concentration ratios. As a result, the simplest model, which used only trophic level as a predictor, had comparable accuracies to more complex models that also included K concentrations. A test of model accuracy involving comparisons of 56 published concentration ratios from 51 species of marine fish to those predicted by the model indicated that 52 of the predicted concentration ratios were within a factor of 2 of the observed concentration ratios. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between Asian Dust and Specific Radioactivities of Fission Products Included in Airborne Samples in Tokushima, Shikoku Island, Japan, Due to the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakama, M., E-mail: minorusakama@tokushima-u.ac.jp; Nagano, Y.; Kitade, T.

2014-06-15

Radioactive fission product {sup 131}I released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants (FD-NPP) was first detected on March 23, 2011 in an airborne aerosol sample collected at Tokushima, Shikoku Island, located in western Japan. Two other radioactive fission products, {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs were also observed in a sample collected from April 2 to 4, 2011. The maximum specific radioactivities observed in this work were about 2.5 to 3.5 mBq×m{sup -3} in a airborne aerosol sample collected on April 6. During the course of the continuous monitoring, we also made our first observation of seasonal Asian Dust andmore » those fission products associated with the FDNPP accident concurrently from May 2 to 5, 2011. We found that the specific radioactivities of {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs decreased drastically only during the period of Asian Dust. And also, it was found that this trend was very similar to the atmospheric elemental concentration (ng×m{sup -3}) variation of stable cesium ({sup 133}Cs) quantified by elemental analyses using our developed ICP-DRC-MS instrument.« less

Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF) Basis for Interim Operation (BIO)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

COVEY, L.I.

2000-11-28

The Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF) is located in the 200 East Area adjacent to B Plant on the Hanford Site north of Richland, Washington. The current WESF mission is to receive and store the cesium and strontium capsules that were manufactured at WESF in a safe manner and in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations. The scope of WESF operations is currently limited to receipt, inspection, decontamination, storage, and surveillance of capsules in addition to facility maintenance activities. The capsules are expected to be stored at WESF until the year 2017, at which time they will havemore » been transferred for ultimate disposition. The WESF facility was designed and constructed to process, encapsulate, and store the extracted long-lived radionuclides, {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs, from wastes generated during the chemical processing of defense fuel on the Hanford Site thus ensuring isolation of hazardous radioisotopes from the environment. The construction of WESF started in 1971 and was completed in 1973. Some of the {sup 137}Cs capsules were leased by private irradiators or transferred to other programs. All leased capsules have been returned to WESF. Capsules transferred to other programs will not be returned except for the seven powder and pellet Type W overpacks already stored at WESF.« less

Reconstructing the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) accident 30 years after. A unique database of air concentration and deposition measurements over Europe.

PubMed

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Hamburger, Thomas; Talerko, Nikolai; Zibtsev, Sergey; Bondar, Yuri; Stohl, Andreas; Balkanski, Yves; Mousseau, Timothy A; Møller, Anders P

2016-09-01

30 years after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) accident, its radioactive releases still remain of great interest mainly due to the long half-lives of many radionuclides emitted. Observations from the terrestrial environment, which hosts radionuclides for many years after initial deposition, are important for health and environmental assessments. Furthermore, such measurements are the basis for validation of atmospheric transport models and can be used for constraining the still not accurately known source terms. However, although the "Atlas of cesium deposition on Europe after the Chernobyl accident" (hereafter referred to as "Atlas") has been published since 1998, less than 1% of the direct observations of (137)Cs deposition has been made publicly available. The remaining ones are neither accessible nor traceable to specific data providers and a large fraction of these data might have been lost entirely. The present paper is an effort to rescue some of the data collected over the years following the CNPP accident and make them publicly available. The database includes surface air activity concentrations and deposition observations for (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs measured and provided by Former Soviet Union authorities the years that followed the accident. Using the same interpolation tool as the official authorities, we have reconstructed a deposition map of (137)Cs based on about 3% of the data used to create the Atlas map. The reconstructed deposition map is very similar to the official one, but it has the advantage that it is based exclusively on documented data sources, which are all made available within this publication. In contrast to the official map, our deposition map is therefore reproducible and all underlying data can be used also for other purposes. The efficacy of the database was proved using simulated activity concentrations and deposition of (137)Cs from a Langrangian and a Euleurian transport model. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sediment accretion rates and sediment composition in Prairie Pothole wetlands under varying land use practices, Montana, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, T.M.; Sojda, R.S.; Gleason, R.A.

2013-01-01

Increased sedimentation and nutrient cycle changes in Prairie Pothole Region wetlands associated with agriculture threaten the permanence and ecological functionality of these important resources. To determine the effects of land use on sedimentation and nutrient cycling, soil cores were analyzed for cesium-137 (137Cs), lead-210 (210Pb), and potassium-40 (40K) activities; textural composition; organic and inorganic carbon (C); and total nitrogen (N) from twelve wetlands surrounded by cropland, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands, or native prairie uplands. Separate soil cores from nine of these wetlands were also analyzed for phosphorus (P), nitrate (NO3), and ammonium (NH4) concentrations. Wetlands surrounded by cropland had significantly greater linear sediment accretion rates than wetlands surrounded by CRP or native prairie. Linear sediment accretion rates from wetlands surrounded by cropland were 2.7 and 6 times greater than wetlands surrounded by native prairie when calculated from the initial and peak occurrence of 137Cs, respectively, and 0.15 cm y−1 (0.06 in yr−1) greater when calculated from 210Pb. Relative to wetlands surrounded by CRP, linear sediment accretion rates for wetlands surrounded by cropland were 4.4 times greater when calculated from the peak occurrence of 137Cs. No significant differences existed between the linear sediment accretion rates between wetlands surrounded by native prairie or CRP uplands. Wetlands surrounded by cropland had increased clay, P, NO3, and NH4, and decreased total C and N concentrations compared to wetlands surrounded by native prairie. Wetlands surrounded by CRP had the lowest P and NO3 concentrations and had clay, NH4, C, and N concentrations between those of cropland and native prairie wetlands. We documented increased linear sediment accretion rates and changes in the textural and chemical properties of sediments in wetlands with cultivated uplands relative to wetlands with native prairie uplands. These findings demonstrate the value of the CRP at protecting wetland catchments to reduce sedimentation.

Linking sedimentary total organic carbon to 210Pbex chronology from Changshou Lake in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China.

PubMed

Anjum, Raheel; Gao, Jinzhang; Tang, Qiang; He, Xiubin; Zhang, Xinbao; Long, Yi; Shi, Zhonglin; Wang, Mingfeng

2017-05-01

The influences of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) on Lead-210 ( 210 Pb) dating have recently been of increasing concern in lacustrine research. Sediment core from Changshou Lake in the Longxi catchment was investigated for influence of TOC on 210 Pb dating. Lead-210 excess ( 210 Pb ex ), Cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) activities, TOC, TN, and particle size were measured. We proposed a dating index based on 137 Cs chronology and particle size distribution of the lake sediment profile and rainfall erosivities calculated from Longxi catchment metrological records. Increasing trends in TOC and TN were specifically caused by commercial cage fish farming after 1989. The statistically significant correlation between 210 Pb ex activity, TOC (0.61, p = 0.04) and TN (0.51, p = 0.04), respectively explained post-1989 210 Pb scavenging. The 210 Pb ex activity was closely related with coupled peaks of TOC and TN from mass depth 5-10 g cm -2 . Higher TOC/TN ratio (8.33) indicated submerged macrophytes and native aquatic algal growth as main source of carbon from enhanced primary productivity because of massive fertilizer use and coherent climate warming. The study supported key hypothesis on vital role of fertilizer usage and algal derived TOC in controlling sedimentary 210 Pb ex activity at Changshou Lake sediment. 137 Cs profile and erosive events as time markers provided reliable and consistent sedimentation rate of (1.6 cm y -1 ). 210 Pb ex activity decayed exponentially after peak at mass depth 5.68 g cm -2 . Therefore, violation of 210 Pb dating primary assumptions made it inappropriate for sediment dating at Changshou Lake. TOC content must be considered while using 210 Pb as dating tool for lake sediment profiles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dealing with the aftermath of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident: decontamination of radioactive cesium enriched ash.

PubMed

Parajuli, Durga; Tanaka, Hisashi; Hakuta, Yukiya; Minami, Kimitaka; Fukuda, Shigeharu; Umeoka, Kuniyoshi; Kamimura, Ryuichi; Hayashi, Yukie; Ouchi, Masatoshi; Kawamoto, Tohru

2013-04-16

Environmental radioactivity, mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto areas, due to the long living radioisotopes of cesium is an obstacle to speedy recovery from the impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Although incineration of the contaminated wastes is encouraged, safe disposal of the Cs enriched ash is the big challenge. To address this issue, safe incineration of contaminated wastes while restricting the release of volatile Cs to the atmosphere was studied. Detailed study on effective removal of Cs from ash samples generated from wood bark, household garbage, and municipal sewage sludge was performed. For wood ash and garbage ash, washing only with water at ambient conditions removed radioactivity due to (134)Cs and (137)Cs, retaining most of the components other than the alkali metals with the residue. However, removing Cs from sludge ash needed acid treatment at high temperature. This difference in Cs solubility is due to the presence of soil particle originated clay minerals in the sludge ash. Because only removing the contaminated vegetation is found to sharply decrease the environmental radioactivity, volume reduction of contaminated biomass by incineration makes great sense. In addition, need for a long-term leachate monitoring system in the landfill can be avoided by washing the ash with water. Once the Cs in solids is extracted to the solution, it can be loaded to Cs selective adsorbents such as Prussian blue and safely stored in a small volume.

10 CFR 33.100 - Schedule A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...-126 .1 .001 Iodine-129 .1 .01 Iodine-131 .1 .001 Iodine-132 10 .1 Iodine-133 1 .01 Iodine-134 10 .1...-125 1 .01 Arsenic-73 10 .1 Arsenic-74 1 .01 Arsenic-76 1 .01 Arsenic-77 10 .1 Barium-131 10 .1 Barium... Cerium-144 .1 .001 Cesium-131 100 1. Cesium-134m 100 1. Cesium-134 .1 .001 Cesium-135 1 .01 Cesium-136 10...

10 CFR 33.100 - Schedule A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...-126 .1 .001 Iodine-129 .1 .01 Iodine-131 .1 .001 Iodine-132 10 .1 Iodine-133 1 .01 Iodine-134 10 .1...-125 1 .01 Arsenic-73 10 .1 Arsenic-74 1 .01 Arsenic-76 1 .01 Arsenic-77 10 .1 Barium-131 10 .1 Barium... Cerium-144 .1 .001 Cesium-131 100 1. Cesium-134m 100 1. Cesium-134 .1 .001 Cesium-135 1 .01 Cesium-136 10...

10 CFR 33.100 - Schedule A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...-126 .1 .001 Iodine-129 .1 .01 Iodine-131 .1 .001 Iodine-132 10 .1 Iodine-133 1 .01 Iodine-134 10 .1...-125 1 .01 Arsenic-73 10 .1 Arsenic-74 1 .01 Arsenic-76 1 .01 Arsenic-77 10 .1 Barium-131 10 .1 Barium... Cerium-144 .1 .001 Cesium-131 100 1. Cesium-134m 100 1. Cesium-134 .1 .001 Cesium-135 1 .01 Cesium-136 10...

Method and article for primary containment of cesium wastes. [DOE patent application

DOEpatents

Angelini, P.; Lackey, W.J.; Stinton, D.P.; Blanco, R.E.; Bond, W.D.; Arnold, W.D. Jr.

1981-09-03

A method for producing a cesium-retentive waste form, characterized by a high degree of compositional stability and mechanical integrity, is provided by subjecting a cesium-loaded zeolite to heat under conditions suitable for stabilizing the zeolite and immobilizing the cesium, and coating said zeolite for sufficient duration within a suitable environment with at least one dense layer of pyrolytic carbon to seal therein said cesium to produce a final, cesium-bearing waste form. Typically, the zolite is stabilized and the cesium immobilized in less than four hours by confinement within an air environment maintained at about 600/sup 0/C. Coatings are thereafter applied by confining the calcined zeolite within a coating environment comprising inert fluidizing and carbon donor gases maintained at 1000/sup 0/C for a suitable duration.

Method for primary containment of cesium wastes

DOEpatents

Angelini, Peter; Lackey, Walter J.; Stinton, David P.; Blanco, Raymond E.; Bond, Walter D.; Arnold, Jr., Wesley D.

1983-01-01

A method for producing a cesium-retentive waste form, characterized by a high degree of compositional stability and mechanical integrity, is provided by subjecting a cesium-loaded zeolite to heat under conditions suitable for stabilizing the zeolite and immobilizing the cesium, and coating said zeolite for sufficient duration within a suitable environment with at least one dense layer of pyrolytic carbon to seal therein said cesium to produce a final, cesium-bearing waste form. Typically, the zeolite is stabilized and the cesium immobilized in less than four hours by confinement within an air environment maintained at about 600.degree. C. Coatings are thereafter applied by confining the calcined zeolite within a coating environment comprising inert fluidizing and carbon donor gases maintained at 1,000.degree. C. for a suitable duration.

REMOVAL OF CESIUM BY SORPTION FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

DOEpatents

Ames, L.L.

1962-01-16

ABS>A process is given for selectively removing cesium from acid aqueous solutions containing cesium in microquantities and other cations in macroquantities by absorption on clinoptilolite. The cesium can be eluted from the clinoptilolite with a solution of ammonia, potassium hydroxide, or rubidium hydroxide. (AEC)

An Experimental Study of the Fluorescence Spectrum of Cesium Atoms in the Presence of a Buffer Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydov, V. G.; Kulyasov, V. N.

2018-01-01

A direct experiment is performed to determine the quantum efficiency of a cesium fluorescence filter. The fluorescence spectra of cesium atoms are recorded under excitation of the upper states of the second resonance doublet with a Bell-Bloom cesium lamp. Introduction of different noble gases into the cell with cesium leads to the appearance of additional fluorescence photons. It is found that a fluorescence filter based on atomic cesium vapor with addition of helium in the working cell has the highest efficiency and response rate of all known fluorescence filters based on alkali-metal atomic vapors.

Distribution and Ratios of 137Cs and K in Control and K-treated Coconut Trees at Bikini Island where Nuclear Test Fallout Occurred: Effects and Implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robison, W L; Brown, P H; Stone, E L

Coconut trees growing on atolls of the Bikini Islands are on the margin of K deficiency because the concentration of exchangeable K in coral soil is very low ranging from only 20 to 80 mg kg{sup -1}. When provided with additional K, coconut trees absorb large quantities of K and this uptake of K significantly alters the patterns of distribution of {sup 137}Cs within the plant. Following a single K fertilization event, mean total K in trunks of K-treated trees is 5.6 times greater than in trunks of control trees. In contrast, {sup 137}Cs concentration in trunks of K-treated andmore » control trees is statistically the same while {sup 137}Cs is significantly lower in edible fruits of K treated trees. Within one year after fertilization (one rainy season), K concentration in soil is back to naturally, low concentrations, however, the tissue concentrations of K in treated trees stays very high internally in the trees for years while {sup 137}Cs concentration in treated trees remains very low in all tree compartments except for the trunk. Potassium fertilization did not change soil Cs availability. Mass balance calculations suggest that the fertilization event increased above ground plant K content by at least a factor of 5 or 2.2 kg. Potassium concentrations and content were higher in all organs of K fertilized trees with the greatest increases seen in organs that receive a portion of tissue K through xylem transport (trunk, fronds and fruit husks) and lowest in organs supplied predominantly with K via the phloem (palm heart, spathe, coco meat and fluid). {sup 137}Cesium concentrations and contents were dramatically lower in all organs of K treated trees with greatest proportional reductions observed in organs supplied predominantly with K via the phloem (palm heart, spathe, coco meat and fluid). All trees remobilize both K and {sup 137}Cs from fronds as they proceed toward senescence. In control trees the reduction in concentration of K and {sup 137}Cs in fronds as they age is logarithmic but K remobilization is linear in K-treated trees where K concentration is high. As a result of K treatment the {sup 137}Cs concentration in K-treated fronds is extremely low and constant with frond age. Fronds of K treated trees contain a greater amount of K than control tree fronds. As they fall to the ground and decay they provide a small continuing pool of K that is about 3% of the natural K in soil under the tree canopy. Results of K and {sup 137}Cs concentration and distribution in control and K-treated coconut trees suggest that the application of K reduces {sup 137}Cs uptake both in the short term immediately following K fertilization and in the long term, after soil K levels have returned to normal but while plant K stores remain high. These results suggests that high internal K concentration and not high soil K is primarily responsible for long-term reduction of {sup 137}Cs in edible fruits, and plays a significant role in limiting further uptake of {sup 137}Cs by roots, and affects allocation of {sup 137}Cs to edible fruits for years. Coconut trees are capable of luxury K accumulation when provided with excess K and in this example the additional K can effectively provide the K requirements of the plant for in excess of 10 years. The reduction of {sup 137}Cs uptake lasts for at least 10 y after K is last applied and greatly reduces the estimated radiation dose to people consuming local tree foods. Effectiveness and duration of K treatment provides important assurances that reduction in {sup 137}Cs is long term and the radiation dose from consuming local plant foods will remain low.« less

Distribution and ratios of 137Cs and K in control and K-treated coconut trees at Bikini Island where nuclear test fallout occurred: effects and implications.

PubMed

Robison, William L; Brown, Patrick H; Stone, Earl L; Hamilton, Terry F; Conrado, Cynthia L; Kehl, Steven

2009-01-01

Coconut trees growing on atolls of the Bikini Islands are on the margin of K deficiency because the concentration of exchangeable K in coral soil is very low, ranging from only 20 to 80mgkg(-1). When provided with additional K, coconut trees absorb large quantities of K and this uptake of K significantly alters the patterns of distribution of 137Cs within the plant. Following a single K fertilization event, mean total K in trunks of K-treated trees is 5.6 times greater than in trunks of control trees. In contrast, 137Cs concentration in trunks of K-treated and control trees is statistically the same while 137Cs is significantly lower in edible fruits of K-treated trees. Within one year after fertilization (one rainy season), K concentration in soil is back to naturally low concentrations. However, the tissue concentrations of K in treated trees stays very high internally in the trees for years while 137Cs concentration in treated trees remains very low in all tree compartments except for the trunk. Potassium fertilization did not change soil Cs availability. Mass balance calculations suggest that the fertilization event increased above ground plant K content by at least a factor of 5 (2.2kg). Potassium concentrations and content were higher in all organs of K-fertilized trees with the greatest increases seen in organs that receive a portion of tissue K through xylem transport (trunk, fronds and fruit husks) and lowest in organs supplied predominantly with K via the phloem (palm heart, spathe, coco meat and fluid). The 137Cesium concentrations and contents were dramatically lower in all organs of K-treated trees with greatest proportional reductions observed in organs supplied predominantly with K via the phloem (palm heart, spathe, coco meat and fluid). All trees remobilize both K and 137Cs from fronds as they proceed toward senescence. In control trees the reduction in concentration of K and 137Cs in fronds as they age is logarithmic, but K remobilization is linear in K-treated trees where K concentration is high. As a result of K treatment the 137Cs concentration in K-treated fronds is extremely low and constant with frond age. Fronds of K-treated trees contain a greater amount of K than control tree fronds. As they fall to the ground and decay they provide a small continuing pool of K that is about 3% of the natural K in soil under the tree canopy. Results of K and 137Cs concentration and distribution in control and K-treated coconut trees suggest that the application of K reduces 137Cs uptake both in the short term immediately following K fertilization and in the long term, after soil K levels have returned to normal but while plant K stores remain high. These results suggest that high internal K concentration and not high soil K is primarily responsible for long-term reduction of 137Cs in edible fruits, play a significant role in limiting further uptake of 137Cs by roots, and affects allocation of 137Cs to edible fruits for years. Coconut trees are capable of luxury K accumulation when provided with excess K and in this example the additional K can effectively provide the K requirements of the plant for in excess of 10y. The reduction of 137Cs uptake lasts for at least 10y after K is last applied and greatly reduces the estimated radiation dose to people consuming local tree foods. Effectiveness and duration of K treatment provide important assurances that reduction in 137Cs is long term and the radiation dose from consuming local plant foods will remain low.

Process for cesium decontamination and immobilization

DOEpatents

Komarneni, Sridhar; Roy, Rustum

1989-01-01

Cesium can be selectively recovered from a nuclear waste solution containing cesium together with other metal ions by contact with a modified phlogopite which is a hydrated, sodium phlogopite mica. Once the cesium has entered the modified phlogopite it is fixed and can be safely stored for long periods of time.

Method of removing cesium from steam

DOEpatents

Carson, Jr., Neill J.; Noland, Robert A.; Ruther, Westly E.

1991-01-01

Method for removal of radioactive cesium from a hot vapor, such as high temperature steam, including the steps of passing input hot vapor containing radioactive cesium into a bed of silicate glass particles and chemically incorporating radioactive cesium in the silicate glass particles at a temperature of at least about 700.degree. F.

Variation in airborne 137Cs peak levels with altitude from high-altitude locations across Europe after the arrival of Fukushima-labeled air masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Olivier; Bieringer, Jacqueline; Dalheimer, Axel; Estier, Sybille; Evrard, Olivier; Penev, Ilia; Ringer, Wolfgang; Schlosser, Clemens; Steinkopff, Thomas; Tositti, Laura; de Vismes-Ott, Anne

2015-04-01

During the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident, a dozen of high-altitude aerosol sampling stations, located between 850 and 3,454 m above sea level (a.s.l.), provided airborne activity levels across Europe (Fig. 1). This represents at most 5% of the total number of aerosol sampling locations that delivered airborne activity levels (at least one result) in Europe, in connection with this nuclear accident. High altitude stations are typically equipped with a high volume sampler that collects aerosols on filters. The Fukushima-labeled air mass arrival and the peak of airborne cesium-137 (137Cs) activity levels were registered in Europe at different dates depending on the location, with differences up to a factor of six on a regional scale. Besides this statement related to lowland areas, we have compared the maximum airborne levels registered at high-altitude European locations (850 m < altitudes < 3450 m) with what was observed at the closest lowland location. The vertical distribution of 137Cs peak level was not uniform even after a long travel time/distance from Japan. This being true at least in the atmospheric boundary layer and in the lower free troposphere. Moreover the relation '137Csmax vs. altitude' shows a decreasing trend (Fig. 2). Results and discussion : Comparison of 137Cs and 7Be levels shows simultaneous increases at least when the 137Cs airborne level rose for the first time (Fig. 3). Zugspitze and Jungfraujoch stations attest of a time shift between 7Be and 137Cs peak that can be due to the particular dynamic of air movements at such high altitudes. After the 137Cs peak value, the plume concentration decreased whatever the 7Be level. Due to the cosmogenic origin of 7Be, its increase in the ground-level air is usually associated with downwind air movements, i.e. stratospheric air intrusions or at least air from high-tropospheric levels, into lower atmospheric layers. This means that Fukushima-labeled air masses registered at ground level were transported until Europe at rather high altitudes. This is consistent with 137Cs activity levels and 133Xe observations performed at the tropopause level thanks to aircraft samples over Germany and Switzerland (Estier and Steinmann). This also validates dispersion model computation according to which the Fukushima-labeled air masses were transported to Europe above 5500 m a.s.l. Conclusions : High altitude locations are on 'sentry duty' for radioactive monitoring and cross-border spreading of a contaminated plume. In this sense they can provide useful information on the vertical spreading of radionuclides, reveal arrival times over a given region and make it possible to explain ground deposition levels as a result of interactions of cloud droplets or rain drops with aerosols at high altitude. Beside non-homogeneities encountered on the European scale at lowland locations, this study shows that 137Cs peak activity levels regularly decreased between about 3500 m and less than 1000 m a.s.l. In addition field measurements confirm that air masses travelled at high altitude and that the 137Cs peaks were due to air masses coming from high tropospheric levels. This study also highlights the need to reinforce high-altitude aerosol sampling during emergency situations. This will make it possible to specify the dispersion conditions for modeling purposes and help explaining simulation and observation discrepancies.

Remedial investigation/feasibility study for the Clinch River/Poplar Creek operable unit. Volume 1. Main text

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-09-01

This is the combined Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report for the Clinch River/Poplar Crack (CR/PC) Operable Unit (OU). The CR/PC OU is located in Anderson and Roane Counties, Tennessee and consists of the Clinch River and several of its embayments in Melton Hill and Watts Bar Reservoirs. These waters have received hazardous substances released over a period of 50 years from the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a National Priority List site established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. A remedial investigation has been conducted to determine the current nature and extent of any contaminationmore » and to assess the resulting risk to human health and the environment. The feasibility study evaluates remedial action alternatives to identify any that are feasible for implementation and that would effectively reduce risk. Historical studies had indicated that current problems would likely include {sup 137}Cs in sediment of the Clinch River, mercury in sediment and fish of Poplar Creek and PCBs and pesticides in fish from throughout the OU. Peak releases of mercury and {sup 137}Cs occurred over 35 years ago, and current releases are low. Past releases of PCBs from the ORR are poorly quantified, and current releases are difficult to quantify because levels are so low. The site characterization focused on contaminants in surface water, sediment, and biota. Contaminants in surface water were all found to be below Ambient Water Quality Criteria. Other findings included the following: elevated metals including cesium 137 and mercury in McCoy Branch sediments; PCBs and chlordane elevated in several fish species, presenting the only major human health risk, significant ecological risks in Poplar Creek but not in the Clinch River.« less

Dosimetry Formalism and Implementation of a Homogenous Irradiation Protocol to Improve the Accuracy of Small Animal Whole-Body Irradiation Using a Cesium-137 Irradiator

PubMed Central

Brodin, N. Patrik; Chen, Yong; Yaparpalvi, Ravindra; Guha, Chandan; Tomé, Wolfgang A.

2015-01-01

Shielded 137Cs irradiators are routinely used in pre-clinical radiation research to perform in vitro or in vivo investigations. Without appropriate dosimetry and irradiation protocols in place, there can be large uncertainty in the delivered dose of radiation between irradiated subjects that could lead to inaccurate and possibly misleading results. Here, a dosimetric evaluation of the JL Shepard Mark I-68A 137Cs irradiator and an irradiation technique for whole-body irradiation of small animals that allows one to limit the between subject variation in delivered dose to ±3% are provided. Mathematical simulation techniques and Gafchromic EBT film were used to describe the region within the irradiation cavity with homogeneous dose distribution (100% ±5%), the dosimetric impact of varying source-to-subject distance, and the variation in attenuation thickness due to turntable rotation. Furthermore, an irradiation protocol and dosimetry formalism that allows calculation of irradiation time for whole-body irradiation of small animals is proposed, that is designed to ensure a more consistent dose delivery between irradiated subjects. To compare this protocol with the conventional irradiation protocol suggested by the vendor, high-resolution film dosimetry measurements evaluating the dose difference between irradiation subjects and the dose distribution throughout subjects was performed, using phantoms resembling small animals. Based on these results, there can be considerable variation in the delivered dose of > ±5% using the conventional irradiation protocol for whole-body irradiation doses below 5 Gy. Using the proposed irradiation protocol this variability can be reduced to within ±3% and the dosimetry formalism allows for more accurate calculation of the irradiation time in relation to the intended prescription dose. PMID:26710162

Geomorphology-based interpretation of sedimentation rates from radiodating, lower Passaic River, New Jersey, USA.

PubMed

Erickson, Michael J; Barnes, Charles R; Henderson, Matthew R; Romagnoli, Robert; Firstenberg, Clifford E

2007-04-01

Analysis of site geomorphology and sedimentation rates as an indicator of long-term bed stability is central to the evaluation of remedial alternatives for depositional aquatic environments. In conjunction with various investigations of contaminant distribution, sediment dynamics, and bed stability in the Passaic River Estuary, 121 sediment cores were collected in the early 1990s from the lower 9.7 km of the Passaic River and analyzed for lead-210 (210Pb), cesium-137 (137Cs), and other analytes. This paper opportunistically uses the extensive radiochemical dataset to examine the spatial patterns of long-term sedimentation rates in, and associated geomorphic aspects of, this area of the river. For the purposes of computing sedimentation rates, the utility of the 210Pb and 137Cs depositional profiles was assessed to inform appropriate interpretation. Sedimentation rates were computed for 90 datable cores by 3 different methods, depending on profile utility. A sedimentation rate of 0 was assigned to 17 additional cores that were not datable and for which evidence of no deposition exists. Sedimentation patterns were assessed by grouping results within similar geomorphic areas, delineated through inspection of bathymetric data. On the basis of channel morphology, results reflect expected patterns, with the highest sedimentation rates observed along point bars and channel margins. The lowest rates of sedimentation (and the largest percentage of undatable cores) were observed in the areas along the outer banks of channel bends. Increasing sedimentation rates from upstream to downstream were noted. Average and median sedimentation rates were estimated to be 3.8 and 3.7 cm/y, respectively, reflecting the highly depositional nature of the Passaic River estuary. This finding is consistent with published descriptions of long-term geomorphology for Atlantic Coastal Plain estuaries.

Comparison of Two Freshwater Turtle Species as Monitors of Environmental Contamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meyers-Schone, L.

1990-01-01

Two species of turtles that occupy different ecological niches were compared for their usefulness as monitors of contamination in freshwater ecosystems. Trachemvs scrinta (Agassiz) (yellow-bellied slider) and Chelvdra sernentina (Linnaeus) (common snapping turtle) were selected for comparison based on species abundance and differences in food habits and sediment contact. A review of the literature on contaminants in turtles and results of preliminary surveys conducted at the field sites, which are included in this study, were used to direct and focus this research project. White Oak Lake, a settling basin for low-level radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants, and Bearden Creek Embayment, anmore » uncontaminated reference site upriver, were used as study sites in the investigation of turtles as indicators of chemical contamination. Turtles were analyzed for concentrations of strontium-go, cesium-137, cobalt 60, and mercury in specific target tissues, and for single-stranded DNA breaks, a non-specific indicator of possible exposure to genotoxic agents in the environment. Significantly higher concentrations of {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 60}Co, and mercury were detected in turtles from White Oak Lake than in turtles from the reference site. In addition, turtles from White Oak Lake contained a significantly greater amount of DNA damage than those from the reference site. Although this suggests greater exposure of White Oak Lake turtles to genotoxic agents, further studies are needed to establish the cause of the enhanced amount of single-stranded breaks. Interspecific comparisons of the turtles from White Oak Lake indicated that diet may play a significant role in the exposure of turtles to certain contaminants. No difference was detected between the concentrations of {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 60}Co between the two species.« less

Cesium Sorption/Desorption Experiments with IONSIV(R) IE-911 in Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, D.D.

2001-02-13

This report describes cesium desorption from IONSIV IE-911 during ambient temperature storage and following temperature increases to 35 and 55 degrees C. This report also describes cesium sorption following return to ambient temperature. The IONSIV IE-911 used in these tests was loaded with cesium from Tank 44F radioactive waste in an ion exchange column test in 1999. Cesium desorbed and resorbed in the presence of Tank 44F waste and simulated waste solutions.

Long Duration Responses in Squid Giant Axons Injected with 134Cesium Sulfate Solutions

PubMed Central

Sjodin, R. A.

1966-01-01

Giant axons from the squid were injected with 1.5 M cesium sulfate solutions containing the radioactive isotopes 42K and 134Cs. These axons, when stimulated, gave characteristic long duration action potentials lasting between 5 and 45 msec. The effluxes of 42K and 134Cs were measured both under resting conditions and during periods of repetitive stimulation. During the lengthened responses there were considerable increases in potassium efflux but only small increases in cesium efflux. The selectivity of the delayed rectification process was about 9 times greater for potassium ions than for cesium ions. The data suggest that internal cesium ions inhibit the outward potassium movement occurring during an action potential. The extra potassium effluxes taking place during excitation appear to be reduced in the presence of cesium ions to values between 7 and 22% of those expected in the absence of cesium inhibition. PMID:11526828

Measurement of internal radiation exposure among decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nihei, Masahiko; Sato, Katsumi; Masaki, Shin; Sakuma, Yu; Kato, Shigeaki; Sugimoto, Amina; Nomura, Shuhei; Matsumura, Tomoko; Miyazaki, Makoto; Hayano, Ryugo; Shibuya, Kenji; Kami, Masahiro; Sasaki, Taro

2013-10-01

Decontamination workers may face a high risk of exposure to internal irradiation through inhalation during decontamination activities; there is, however, little previous research on the levels of internal contamination during decontamination procedures. The authors reviewed the medical records, including whole body counter measurements, of decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to assess their levels of internal radiation exposure. In total, 83 decontamination workers were enrolled in this study. They were regularly engaged in decontamination activities in highly contaminated areas where surface 137Cs deposition density was over 100 kBq m-2. The present study showed low levels of internal exposure among the decontamination workers near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The cesium burdens of all the decontamination workers were below detection limits. They had reported no acute health problems. The resuspension of radioactive materials may cause minimal internal contamination during decontamination activities.

Selected quality assurance data for water samples collected by the US Geological Survey, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho, 1980 to 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wegner, S.J.

1989-01-01

Multiple water samples from 115 wells and 3 surface water sites were collected between 1980 and 1988 for the ongoing quality assurance program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The reported results from the six laboratories involved were analyzed for agreement using descriptive statistics. The constituents and properties included: tritium, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), strontium-90, americium-241, cesium-137, total dissolved chromium, selected dissolved trace metals, sodium, chloride, nitrate, selected purgeable organic compounds, and specific conductance. Agreement could not be calculated for purgeable organic compounds, trace metals, some nitrates and blank sample analyses because analytical uncertainties were not consistently reported. However, differences between results for most of these data were calculated. The blank samples were not analyzed for differences. The laboratory results analyzed using descriptive statistics showed a median agreement between all useable data pairs of 95%. (USGS)

Statistical characteristics of the spatial distribution of territorial contamination by radionuclides from the Chernobyl accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arutyunyan, R.V.; Bol`shov, L.A.; Vasil`ev, S.K.

1994-06-01

The objective of this study was to clarify a number of issues related to the spatial distribution of contaminants from the Chernobyl accident. The effects of local statistics were addressed by collecting and analyzing (for Cesium 137) soil samples from a number of regions, and it was found that sample activity differed by a factor of 3-5. The effect of local non-uniformity was estimated by modeling the distribution of the average activity of a set of five samples for each of the regions, with the spread in the activities for a {+-}2 range being equal to 25%. The statistical characteristicsmore » of the distribution of contamination were then analyzed and found to be a log-normal distribution with the standard deviation being a function of test area. All data for the Bryanskaya Oblast area were analyzed statistically and were adequately described by a log-normal function.« less

Determination of spatial dose distribution in UCC treatments with LDR brachytherapy using Monte Carlo methods.

PubMed

Benites-Rengifo, Jorge Luis; Vega-Carrillo, Hector Rene

2018-05-19

Using Monte Carlos methods, with the MCNP5 code, a gynecological phantom and a vaginal cylinder were modeled. The spatial distribution of absorbed dose rates in Uterine Cervical Cancer treatment through low dose rate brachytherapy was determined. A liquid water gynecology computational phantom, including a vaginal cylinder applicator made of Lucite, was designed. The applicator has a linear array of four radioactive sources of Cesium 137. Around the vaginal cylinder, 13 water spherical cells of 0.5 cm-diameter were modeled to calculate absorbed dose emulating the procedure made by the treatment planning system. The gamma-ray fluence distribution was estimated, as well as the absorbed doses resulting approximately symmetrical for cells located at upper and lower of vaginal cylinder. Obtained results allow the use of the radioactive decay law to determine dose rate for Uterine Cervical Cancer using low dose rate brachytherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Area G perimeter surface-soil and single-stage water sampling: Environmental surveillance for fiscal year 95. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Childs, M.; Conrad, R.

1997-09-01

ESH-19 personnel collected soil and single-stage water samples around the perimeter of Area G at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) during FY 95 to characterize possible radionuclide movement out of Area G through surface water and entrained sediment runoff. Soil samples were analyzed for tritium, total uranium, isotopic plutonium, americium-241, and cesium-137. The single-stage water samples were analyzed for tritium and plutonium isotopes. All radiochemical data was compared with analogous samples collected during FY 93 and 94 and reported in LA-12986 and LA-13165-PR. Six surface soils were also submitted for metal analyses. These data were included with similar data generatedmore » for soil samples collected during FY 94 and compared with metals in background samples collected at the Area G expansion area.« less

Probabilistic performance-assessment modeling of the mixed waste landfill at Sandia National Laboratories.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peace, Gerald; Goering, Timothy James; Miller, Mark Laverne

2007-01-01

A probabilistic performance assessment has been conducted to evaluate the fate and transport of radionuclides (americium-241, cesium-137, cobalt-60, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, radium-226, radon-222, strontium-90, thorium-232, tritium, uranium-238), heavy metals (lead and cadmium), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the Mixed Waste Landfill (MWL). Probabilistic analyses were performed to quantify uncertainties inherent in the system and models for a 1,000-year period, and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify parameters and processes that were most important to the simulated performance metrics. Comparisons between simulated results and measured values at the MWL were made to gain confidence in the models and perform calibrations whenmore » data were available. In addition, long-term monitoring requirements and triggers were recommended based on the results of the quantified uncertainty and sensitivity analyses.« less

Critical radionuclide/critical pathway analysis for the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site.

PubMed

Jannik, G T

1999-06-01

Many different radionuclides have been released to the environment from the Savannah River Site (SRS) during the facility's operational history. However, as shown by this analysis, only a small number of the released radionuclides have been significant contributors to potential doses and risks to off-site people. This article documents the radiological critical contaminant/critical pathway analysis performed for SRS. If site missions and operations remain constant over the next 30 years, only tritium oxide releases are projected to exceed a maximally exposed individual (MEI) risk of 1.0E-06 for either the airborne or liquid pathways. The critical exposure pathways associated with site airborne releases are inhalation and vegetation consumption, whereas the critical exposure pathways associated with liquid releases are drinking water and fish consumption. For the SRS-specific, nontypical exposure pathways (i.e., recreational fishing and deer and hog hunting), cesium-137 is the critical radionuclide.

[Radioactivity and food].

PubMed

Olszyna-Marzys, A E

1990-03-01

Two topics relating to radioactivity and food are discussed: food irradiation for preservation purposes, and food contamination from radioactive substances. Food irradiation involves the use of electromagnetic energy (x and gamma rays) emitted by radioactive substances or produced by machine in order to destroy the insects and microorganisms present and prevent germination. The sanitary and economic advantages of treating food in this way are discussed. Numerous studies have confirmed that under strictly controlled conditions no undesirable changes take place in food that has been irradiated nor is radioactivity induced. Reference is made to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station, which aroused public concern about irradiated food. The events surrounding the accident are reviewed, and its consequences with regard to contamination of different foods with radioactive substances, particularly iodine-131 and cesium-137, are described. Also discussed are the steps that have been taken by different international organizations to set limits on acceptable radioactivity in food.

Methods for determination of radioactive substances in water and fluvial sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thatcher, Leland Lincoln; Janzer, Victor J.; Edwards, Kenneth W.

1977-01-01

Analytical methods for the determination of some of the more important components of fission or neutron activation product radioactivity and of natural radioactivity found in water are reported. The report for each analytical method includes conditions for application of the method, a summary of the method, interferences, required apparatus and reagents, analytical procedures, calculations, reporting of results, and estimation of precision. The fission product isotopes considered are cesium-137, strontium-90, and ruthenium-106. The natural radioelements and isotopes considered are uranium, lead-210, radium-226, radium-228, tritium, and carbon-14. A gross radioactivity survey method and a uranium isotope ratio method are given. When two analytical methods are in routine use for an individual isotope, both methods are reported with identification of the specific areas of application of each. Techniques for the collection and preservation of water samples to be analyzed for radioactivity are discussed.

Waste Handling and Emplacement Options for Disposal of Radioactive Waste in Deep Boreholes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, John R.; Hardin, Ernest

2015-11-01

Traditional methods cannot be used to handle and emplace radioactive wastes in boreholes up to 16,400 feet (5 km) deep for disposal. This paper describes three systems that can be used for handling and emplacing waste packages in deep borehole: (1) a 2011 reference design that is based on a previous study by Woodward–Clyde in 1983 in which waste packages are assembled into “strings” and lowered using drill pipe; (2) an updated version of the 2011 reference design; and (3) a new concept in which individual waste packages would be lowered to depth using a wireline. Emplacement on coiled tubingmore » was also considered, but not developed in detail. The systems described here are currently designed for U.S. Department of Energy-owned high-level waste (HLW) including the Cesium- 137/Strontium-90 capsules from the Hanford Facility and bulk granular HLW from fuel processing in Idaho.« less

Process for cesium decontamination and immobilization

DOEpatents

Komarneni, S.; Roy, R.

1988-04-25

Cesium can be selectively recovered from a nuclear waste solution containing cesium together with other metal ions by contact with a modified phlogopite which is a hydrated, sodium phlogopite mica. Once the cesium has entered the modified phlogopite it is fixed and can be safely stored for long periods of time. 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Measurements of the cesium flow from a surface-plasma H/sup -/ ion source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, H.V.; Allison, P.W.

1979-01-01

A surface ionization gauge (SIG) was constructed and used to measure the Cs/sup 0/ flow rate through the emission slit of a surface-plasma source (SPS) of H/sup -/ ions with Penning geometry. The equivalent cesium density in the SPS discharge is deduced from these flow measurements. For dc operation the optimum H/sup -/ current occurs at an equivalent cesium density of approx. 7 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/ (corresponding to an average cesium consumption rate of 0.5 mg/h). For pulsed operation the optimum H/sup -/ current occurs at an equivalent cesium density of approx. 2 x 10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/more » (1-mg/h average cesium consumption rate). Cesium trapping by the SPS discharge was observed for both dc and pulsed operation. A cesium energy of approx. 0.1 eV is deduced from the observed time of flight to the SIG. In addition to providing information on the physics of the source, the SIG is a useful diagnostic tool for source startup and operation.« less

Method for synthesizing pollucite from chabazite and cesium chloride

DOEpatents

Pereira, C.

1999-02-23

A method is described for immobilizing waste chlorides salts containing radionuclides and hazardous nuclear material for permanent disposal, and in particular, a method is described for immobilizing waste chloride salts containing cesium, in a synthetic form of pollucite. The method for synthesizing pollucite from chabazite and cesium chloride includes mixing dry, non-aqueous cesium chloride with chabazite and heating the mixture to a temperature greater than the melting temperature of the cesium chloride, or above about 700 C. The method further comprises significantly improving the rate of retention of cesium in ceramic products comprised of a salt-loaded zeolite by adding about 10% chabazite by weight to the salt-loaded zeolite prior to conversion at elevated temperatures and pressures to the ceramic composite. 3 figs.

Method for synthesizing pollucite from chabazite and cesium chloride

DOEpatents

Pereira, Candido

1999-01-01

A method for immobilizing waste chlorides salts containing radionuclides and hazardous nuclear material for permanent disposal, and in particular, a method for immobilizing waste chloride salts containing cesium, in a synthetic form of pollucite. The method for synthesizing pollucite from chabazite and cesium chloride includes mixing dry, non-aqueous cesium chloride with chabazite and heating the mixture to a temperature greater than the melting temperature of the cesium chloride, or above about 700.degree. C. The method further comprises significantly improving the rate of retention of cesium in ceramic products comprised of a salt-loaded zeolite by adding about 10% chabazite by weight to the salt-loaded zeolite prior to conversion at elevated temperatures and pressures to the ceramic composite.

Cesium-induced inhibition of bacterial growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and their possible potential applications for bioremediation of wastewater.

PubMed

Kang, Sung-Min; Jang, Sung-Chan; Heo, Nam Su; Oh, Seo Yeong; Cho, Hye-Jin; Rethinasabapathy, Muruganantham; Vilian, A T Ezhil; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

2017-09-15

Radioactive isotopes and fission products have attracted considerable attention because of their long lasting serious damage to the health of humans and other organisms. This study examined the toxicity and accumulation behavior of cesium towards P. aeruginosa PAO1 and its capacity to remove cesium from waste water. Interestingly, the programmed bacterial growth inhibition occurred according to the cesium environment. The influence of cesium was analyzed using several optical methods for quantitative evaluation. Cesium plays vital role in the growth of microorganisms and functions as an anti-microbial agent. The toxicity of Cs to P. aeruginosa PAO1 increases as the concentration of cesium is increased in concentration-dependent manner. P. aeruginosa PAO1 shows excellent Cs removal efficiency of 76.1% from the contaminated water. The toxicity of cesium on the cell wall and in the cytoplasm were studied by transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive X-ray analysis. Finally, the removal of cesium from wastewater using P. aeruginosa PAO1 as a potential biosorbent and the blocking of competitive interactions of other monovalent cation, such as potassium, were assessed. Overall, P. aeruginosa PAO1 can be used as a high efficient biomaterial in the field of radioactive waste disposal and management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling evolution of air dose rates in river basins in Fukushima Prefecture affected by sediment-sorbed radiocesium redistribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malins, A.; Sakuma, K.; Nakanishi, T.; Kurikami, H.; Machida, M.; Kitamura, A.; Yamada, S.

2015-12-01

The radioactive 134Cs and 137Cs isotopes deposited over Fukushima Prefecture by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster are the predominant radiological concern for the years following the accident. This is because the energetic gamma radiation they emit on decay constitutes the majority of the elevated air dose rates that now afflict the region. Therefore, we developed a tool for calculating air dose rates from arbitrary radiocesium spatial distributions across the land surface and depth profiles within the ground. As cesium is strongly absorbed by clay soils, its primary redistribution mechanism within Fukushima Prefecture is by soil erosion and water-borne sediment transport. Each year between 0.1~1% of the total radiocesium inventory in the river basins neighboring Fukushima Daiichi is eroded from the land surface and enters into water courses, predominantly during typhoon storms. Although this is a small amount in relative terms, in absolute terms it corresponds to terabecquerels of 134Cs and 137Cs redistribution each year and this can affect the air dose rate at locations of high erosion and sediment deposition. This study inputs the results of sediment redistribution simulations into the dose rate evaluation tool to calculate the locations and magnitude of air dose rate changes due to radiocesium redistribution. The dose rate calculations are supported by handheld survey instrument results taken within the Prefecture.

Uptake of 137Cs by Leafy Vegetables and Grains from Calcareous Soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robison, W; Hamilton, T; Conrado, C

2004-04-19

Cesium-137 was deposited on Bikini Island at Bikini Atoll in 1954 as a result of nuclear testing and has been transported and cycled in the ecosystem ever since. Atoll soils are of marine origin and are almost pure CaCO{sub 3} with high concentrations of organic matter in the top 40 cm. Data from previous experiments with mature fruit trees show very high transfer factors (TF's), [Bq g{sup -1} plant/ Bq g{sup -1} soil, both in dry weight] into fruits from atoll calcareous soil. These TF's are much higher than reported for continental, silica-based soils. In this report TF's for 5more » types of leafy vegetable crops and 2 types of grain crops are provided for use in predictive dose assessments and for comparison with other data from other investigators working with other types of soil in the IAEA CRP ''The Classification of Soil Systems on the Basis of Transfer Factors of Radionuclides from Soil to Reference Plants''. Transfer factors for plants grown on calcareous soil are again very high relative to clay-containing soils and range from 23 to 39 for grain crops and 21 to 113 for leafy vegetables. Results from these experiments, in this unique, high pH, high organic content, low potassium (K) soil, provide a boundary condition for models relating soil properties to TF.« less

Estimating Surface/Subsurface Sediment Mixing in Karst Settings Using 7Be Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicks, C. M.; Paylor, R. L.; Bentley, S. J.

2018-03-01

This study shows that the cosmogenic radionuclide beryllium-7 can be used to track sediment movement through caves. The activities of beryllium-7 and cesium-137 were measured in two different karst settings at both surface and subsurface sites before and after storm runoff events. At one site, 7Be-enriched sediment was detected up to 1.5 km along a stream conduit after a moderate storm event; however, the activity of 137Cs was too variable to show a meaningful pattern. The percentages of surface sediment that was found ranged from 0 to 52% along the entire 3 km cave stream and from 33 to 52% along the upper 1.5 km. At the other site, as much as 96% of the sediment initially discharged at the spring during a storm event was fresh surface material that had traveled into and through the cave stream. Moreover, during the 4 day runoff event, approximately 23% of the total suspended sediment flux was estimated to originate from surface erosion with 78% being reworked sediment from within the cave. The data in this study show that cosmogenic radionuclides with multiyear half-lives are too long-lived to track sediment origins in the caves; whereas, 7Be with a 53.2 day half-life, can be used to track movement of sediment along cave streams.

Results Of Routine Strip Effluent Hold Tank, Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank, Caustic Wash Tank And Caustic Storage Tank Samples From Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit During Macrobatch 6 Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, T. B.

Strip Effluent Hold Tank (SEHT), Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank (DSSHT), Caustic Wash Tank (CWT) and Caustic Storage Tank (CST) samples from several of the ''microbatches'' of Integrated Salt Disposition Project (ISDP) Salt Batch (''Macrobatch'') 6 have been analyzed for {sup 238}Pu, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, and by Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy (ICPES). The results from the current microbatch samples are similar to those from comparable samples in Macrobatch 5. From a bulk chemical point of view, the ICPES results do not vary considerably between this and the previous macrobatch. The titanium results in the DSSHT samples continue tomore » indicate the presence of Ti, when the feed material does not have detectable levels. This most likely indicates that leaching of Ti from MST in ARP continues to occur. Both the CST and CWT samples indicate that the target Free OH value of 0.03 has been surpassed. While at this time there is no indication that this has caused an operational problem, the CST should be adjusted into specification. The {sup 137}Cs results from the SRNL as well as F/H lab data indicate a potential decline in cesium decontamination factor. Further samples will be carefully monitored to investigate this.« less

Application Status of Rubidium, Cesium and Research Situation of its Separation from Brine with Solvent Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Zhen; Du, Xuemin; Wang, Shiqiang; Guo, Yafei; Deng, Tianlong

2017-12-01

Rubidium, cesium and its compounds play an important role in traditional and high-tech fields. This paper focuses on the research status of separation rubidium and cesium in brine using solvent extraction, and briefly introduced the characteristics of this method, which can be used to realize industrial production of rubidium and cesium from brine.

Forcing Cesium into Higher Oxidation States Using Useful hard x-ray Induced Chemistry under High Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sneed, D.; Pravica, M.; Kim, E.; Chen, N.; Park, C.; White, M.

2017-10-01

This paper discusses our attempt to synthesize higher oxidation forms of cesium fluoride by pressurizing cesium fluoride in a fluorine-rich environment created via the x-ray decomposition of potassium tetrafluoroborate. This was done in order to confirm recent theoretical predictions of higher oxidation forms of CsFn. We discuss the development of a technique to produce molecular fluorine in situ via useful hard x-ray photochemistry, and the attempt to utilize this technique to form higher oxidation states of cesium fluoride. In order to verify the formation of the novel stoichiometric species of CsFn. X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) centered on the cesium K-edge was performed to probe the oxidation state of cesium as well as the local molecular coordination around Cs.

Evaluation of a method for removing cesium and reducing the volume of leaf litter from broad-leaved trees contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident during the Great East Japan Earthquake.

PubMed

Harada, Shigeki; Yanagisawa, Mitsunori

2017-04-01

The town of Marumori in southern Miyagi Prefecture borders on Fukushima Prefecture, and following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, there were concerns about cesium deposition in forested areas. One of the authors of this paper has continually surveyed leaf litter from the forested areas. As leaf litter may be a source of cesium contamination from the forest to downstream areas, we considered a simplified version of wet oxidation, a method previously presented by one of the authors of this study, as a technology to reduce leaf litter weight and cesium concentration, separating radioactive nuclides from non-radioactive ones, in leaf litter. We tested our method in three experiments. Experiment 1 used new leaf litter (232 Bq/kg) from the surface of a small stream at the forest edge nearby an area with air dose level higher than the national standard threshold of 0.23 μSv/h for the implementation of governmental decontamination works. Experiment 2 applied wet oxidation to older leaf litter (705 Bq/kg) harvested from a pasture nearby the stream mentioned above. We also used the same leaf litter in experiment 3 for a cesium release tests using pure water. In experiment 1 and 2 we treated leaf litter with a sodium hypochlorite solution, optimizing sodium hypochlorite concentration and reaction temperature. We measured a 50-60% decrease in the leaf litter weight and a 60% decrease in the cesium concentration. Moreover, we also measured the amount of cesium washout. The cesium budget of experiment 1 showed no cesium gasification (wet oxidation avoids airborne cesium as this element is prone to be volatile at 600 °C), and that high sodium hypochlorite concentration and high temperature had a strong positive effect on leaf litter volume reduction and cesium decontamination. Experiment 2 confirmed the reproducibility of these results in leaves with different cesium concentration and harvested in different conditions. We could also explain the mechanism behind leaf litter weight and cesium concentration reduction. Experiment 3 helped us to investigate the effects of the matter present on the surface of the water and the contribution of water soluble cesium. Concurrent experiments on changes in leaf litter chemical composition confirmed that our modified wet oxidation method had an effect on the removal of acid-insoluble lignin. Removal of lignin, a refractory component, might allow for a better utilization of the residue left after implementation of the proposed simplified wet oxidation. Thus, real wastes could be smaller than the residues. Together with the observed smaller cesium concentration in the residue, the proposed method in this study is expected to contribute to mitigate the risk due to the fallen leaves containing cesium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foliar uptake of cesium from the water column by aquatic macrophytes.

PubMed

Pinder, J E; Hinton, T G; Whicker, F W

2006-01-01

The probable occurrence and rate of foliar absorption of stable cesium (133Cs) from the water column by aquatic macrophyte species was analyzed following the addition of 133Cs into a small reservoir near Aiken, South Carolina, USA. An uptake parameter u (10(3)Lkg(-1)d(-1)) and a loss rate parameter k (d(-1)) were estimated for each species using time series of 133Cs concentrations in the water and plant tissues. Foliar uptake, as indicated by rapid increases in plant concentrations following the 133Cs addition, occurred in two floating-leaf species, Brasenia schreberi and Nymphaea odorata, and two submerged species, Myriophyllum spicatum and Utricularia inflata. These species had values of u> or =0.75 x 10(3)Lkg(-1)d(-1). Less evidence for foliar uptake was observed in three emergent species, including Typha latifolia. Ratios of u to k for B. schreberi, M. spicatum, N. odorata and U. inflata can be used to estimate concentration ratios (CR) at equilibrium, and these estimates were generally within a factor of 2 of the CR for 137Cs for these species in the same reservoir. This correspondence suggests that foliar uptake of Cs was the principal absorption mechanism for these species. Assessments of: (1) the prevalence of foliar uptake of potassium, rubidium and Cs isotopes by aquatic macrophytes and (2) the possible importance of foliar uptake of Cs in other lentic systems are made from a review of foliar uptake studies and estimation of comparable u and k values from lake studies involving Cs releases.

Distribution of Radioactive Cesium during Milling and Cooking of Contaminated Buckwheat.

PubMed

Hachinohe, Mayumi; Nihei, Naoto; Kawamoto, Shinichi; Hamamatsu, Shioka

2018-06-01

To clarify the behavior of radioactive cesium (Cs) in buckwheat grains during milling and cooking processes, parameters such as processing factor (Pf) and food processing retention factor (Fr) were evaluated in two lots of buckwheat grains, R1 and R2, with different concentrations of radioactive Cs. Three milling fractions, the husk, bran, and flour fractions, were obtained using a mill and electric sieve. The radioactive Cs ( 134 Cs + 137 Cs) concentrations in husk and bran were higher than that in grain, whereas the concentration in flour was lower than that in grain. Pf values for the flours of R1 and R2 were 0.60 and 0.80, respectively. Fr values for the flours of R1 and R2 were 0.28 and 0.53, respectively. Raw buckwheat noodles (soba) were prepared using a mixture of buckwheat flour and wheat flour according to the typical recipe and were cooked with boiling water for 0.5, 1, and 2 min, followed by rinsing with water. Pf values for the soba boiled for 2 min (optimal for eating) made with R1 and R2 were 0.34 and 0.40, respectively. Fr values for these R1 and R2 samples were 0.55 and 0.66, respectively. Pf and Fr values for soba boiled for different times for both R1 and R2 were less than 0.6 and 0.8, respectively. Thus, buckwheat flour and its product, soba, cooked by boiling, are considered acceptable for human consumption according to the standard limit for radioactive Cs in buckwheat grains.

Removal Efficiency of Radioactive Cesium and Iodine Ions by a Flow-Type Apparatus Designed for Electrochemically Reduced Water Production

PubMed Central

Hamasaki, Takeki; Nakamichi, Noboru; Teruya, Kiichiro; Shirahata, Sanetaka

2014-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on March 11, 2011 attracted people’s attention, with anxiety over possible radiation hazards. Immediate and long-term concerns are around protection from external and internal exposure by the liberated radionuclides. In particular, residents living in the affected regions are most concerned about ingesting contaminated foodstuffs, including drinking water. Efficient removal of radionuclides from rainwater and drinking water has been reported using several pot-type filtration devices. A currently used flow-type test apparatus is expected to simultaneously provide radionuclide elimination prior to ingestion and protection from internal exposure by accidental ingestion of radionuclides through the use of a micro-carbon carboxymethyl cartridge unit and an electrochemically reduced water production unit, respectively. However, the removability of radionuclides from contaminated tap water has not been tested to date. Thus, the current research was undertaken to assess the capability of the apparatus to remove radionuclides from artificially contaminated tap water. The results presented here demonstrate that the apparatus can reduce radioactivity levels to below the detection limit in applied tap water containing either 300 Bq/kg of 137Cs or 150 Bq/kg of 125I. The apparatus had a removal efficiency of over 90% for all concentration ranges of radio–cesium and –iodine tested. The results showing efficient radionuclide removability, together with previous studies on molecular hydrogen and platinum nanoparticles as reactive oxygen species scavengers, strongly suggest that the test apparatus has the potential to offer maximum safety against radionuclide-contaminated foodstuffs, including drinking water. PMID:25029447

Survey of glass plutonium contents and poison selection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plodinec, M.J.; Ramsey, W.G.; Ellison, A.J.G.

1996-05-01

If plutonium and other actinides are to be immobilized in glass, then achieving high concentrations in the glass is desirable. This will lead to reduced costs and more rapid immobilization. However, glasses with high actinide concentrations also bring with them undersirable characteristics, especially a greater concern about nuclear criticality, particularly in a geologic repository. The key to achieving a high concentration of actinide elements in a glass is to formulate the glass so that the solubility of actinides is high. At the same time, the glass must be formulated so that the glass also contains neutron poisons, which will preventmore » criticality during processing and in a geologic repository. In this paper, the solubility of actinides, particularly plutonium, in three types of glasses are discussed. Plutonium solubilities are in the 2-4 wt% range for borosilicate high-level waste (HLW) glasses of the type which will be produced in the US. This type of glass is generally melted at relatively low temperatures, ca. 1150{degrees}C. For this melting temperature, the glass can be reformulated to achieve plutonium solubilities of at least 7 wt%. This low melting temperature is desirable if one must retain volatile cesium-137 in the glass. If one is not concerned about cesium volatility, then glasses can be formulated which can contain much larger amounts of plutonium and other actinides. Plutonium concentrations of at least 15 wt% have been achieved. Thus, there is confidence that high ({ge}5 wt%) concentrations of actinides can be achieved under a variety of conditions.« less

RADIOLOGICAL PHYSICS DIVISION SEMIANNUAL REPORT FOR JULY THROUGH DECEMBER 1958

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1959-05-01

ABS>Progress is reported in the following studies: the decay time of irradiated scintillation solutions; the performance of twin scintillation detectors for measuring neutrons in the presence of gamma radiation; the measurement of cosmic ray neutron background with a twin scintillation fast neutron spectrometer; the diffusion and absorption of gases in plastic-walled ionization chambers; calculations of the drift velocity and the energy distribution of electrons of helium, neon, argon, and nitrogen under the action of a uniform electric field; the development of equipment for tracer studies of atmospheric diffusion; the deposition and retention of isotopes of actinium, radon, radium, and thoriummore » in bone; the effects of age on calcium metabolism in bone,; the development of a mathematical theory of the retention of radioactive elements by bone; the development of a reproducible method for directly determining individual alpha activities in mixtures; the design of a flow-gas Geiger counter; a survey of the natural radioactivity of a number of municipal water supplies; measurements of activity in individuals by means of the human spectrometer; measurements of the cesium-l37 content of human subjects; measurements of the atmospheric content of cesium-137 as a function of time; a comparison of background radioactivity at the Laboratory and a site approximately 250 feet below grade level; development of a spectrometric method for measurements of radioactivity in soil; the effects of meteorological variables on the distribution of radon in the atmosphere; and studies of atmospheric diffusion. A list of publications during the period is included. (For preceding period see ANL-5919.) (C.H.)« less

Determining Sediment Sources in the Anacostia River Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devereux, O. H.; Needelman, B. A.; Prestegaard, K. L.; Gellis, A. C.; Ritchie, J. C.

2005-12-01

Suspended sediment is a water-quality problem in the Chesapeake Bay. This project is designed to identify sediment sources in an urban watershed, the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River (in Washington, D.C. and Maryland - drainage area = 188.5 km2), which delivers sediment directly to the Bay. This watershed spans two physiographic regions - the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Bank sediment and suspended-sediment deposits were characterized using the following techniques: radionuclide (Cs-137) analysis by gamma ray spectrometry, trace-element analysis by ICP-MS, clay mineralogy by XRD, and particle-size analysis by use of a laser particle-size analyzer. Sampling of bank and suspended sediment was designed to: a) characterize tributary inputs from both Piedmont and Coastal Plain sources, and b) differentiate tributary inputs from bank erosion along the main stem of the Northeast Branch. Thirteen sample sites were chosen that represent tributary source areas of each physiographic region and the main stem where mixing occurs. Surface samples of the banks were compared to overbank deposits from a ten year storm (a proxy for the suspended sediments). Fingerprint components are selected from these data. Cesium-137 concentrations were analyzed for bank and overbank deposits for each physiographic region. No clear differences were seen between the two physiographic regions. Significant differences were observed between upland tributaries and the main stem of the Anacostia River. The average activity of Cs-137 for the tributaries was 5.4 bq/kg and the average for the main stem was 1.1 bq/kg. This suggests that there is significant erosion and storage of sediment in the tributaries. The low activity from Cs-137 in the main stem suggests a lack of storage of sediment along the main stem of the river. For the trace-element data, we focused on elements that showed significant variation among the sites. For the bank sediment, these elements include: Sr, V, Y, Ce, and Nd. For the overbank deposits, Zr, V, Ba, Ce, and Cu showed significant variability. In both physiographic regions, Pb is primarily found in bank deposits, while Cu is found in higher concentrations in overbank deposits. The Cs-137 data clearly showed the erosion and storage of sediment patterns in the watershed. The trace-element data indicate that stream banks may be differentiated from overbank deposits.

Estimated association between dwelling soil contamination and internal radiation contamination levels after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan.

PubMed

Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nomura, Shuhei; Sakaihara, Kikugoro; Kato, Shigeaki; Leppold, Claire; Furutani, Tomoyuki; Morita, Tomohiro; Oikawa, Tomoyoshi; Kanazawa, Yukio

2016-06-29

Measurement of soil contamination levels has been considered a feasible method for dose estimation of internal radiation exposure following the Chernobyl disaster by means of aggregate transfer factors; however, it is still unclear whether the estimation of internal contamination based on soil contamination levels is universally valid or incident specific. To address this issue, we evaluated relationships between in vivo and soil cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination using data on internal contamination levels among Minamisoma (10-40 km north from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant), Fukushima residents 2-3 years following the disaster, and constructed three models for statistical analysis based on continuous and categorical (equal intervals and quantiles) soil contamination levels. A total of 7987 people with a mean age of 55.4 years underwent screening of in vivo Cs-137 whole-body counting. A statistically significant association was noted between internal and continuous Cs-137 soil contamination levels (model 1, p value <0.001), although the association was slight (relative risk (RR): 1.03 per 10 kBq/m(2) increase in soil contamination). Analysis of categorical soil contamination levels showed statistical (but not clinical) significance only in relatively higher soil contamination levels (model 2: Cs-137 levels above 100 kBq/m(2) compared to those <25 kBq/m(2), RR=1.75, p value <0.01; model 3: levels above 63 kBq/m(2) compared to those <11 kBq/m(2), RR=1.45, p value <0.05). Low levels of internal and soil contamination were not associated, and only loose/small associations were observed in areas with slightly higher levels of soil contamination in Fukushima, representing a clear difference from the strong associations found in post-disaster Chernobyl. These results indicate that soil contamination levels generally do not contribute to the internal contamination of residents in Fukushima; thus, individual measurements are essential for the precise evaluation of chronic internal radiation contamination. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Cesium-specific phenolic ion exchange resin

DOEpatents

Bibler, J.P.; Wallace, R.M.

1995-08-15

A phenolic, cesium-specific, cation exchange resin is prepared by neutralizing resorcinol with potassium hydroxide, condensing/polymerizing the resulting intermediate with formaldehyde, heat-curing the resulting polymer to effect cross-linking and grinding it to desired particle size for use. This resin will selectively and efficiently adsorb cesium ions in the presence of a high concentration of sodium ions with a low carbon to cesium ratio. 2 figs.

Cesium-specific phenolic ion exchange resin

DOEpatents

Bibler, Jane P.; Wallace, Richard M.

1995-01-01

A phenolic, cesium-specific, cation exchange resin is prepared by neutralizing resorcinol with potassium hydroxide, condensing/polymerizing the resulting intermediate with formaldehyde, heat-curing the resulting polymer to effect cross-linking and grinding it to desired particle size for use. This resin will selectively and efficiently adsorb cesium ions in the presence of a high concentration of sodium ions with a low carbon to cesium ratio.

Stable and radioactive cesium: A review about distribution in the environment, uptake and translocation in plants, plant reactions and plants' potential for bioremediation.

PubMed

Burger, Anna; Lichtscheidl, Irene

2018-03-15

Radiocesium in water, soil, and air represents a severe threat to human health and the environment. It either acts directly on living organisms from external sources, or it becomes incorporated through the food chain, or both. Plants are at the base of the food chain; it is therefore essential to understand the mechanisms of plants for cesium retention and uptake. In this review we summarize investigations about sources of stable and radioactive cesium in the environment and harmful effects caused by internal and external exposure of plants to radiocesium. Uptake of cesium into cells occurs through molecular mechanisms such as potassium and calcium transporters in the plasma membrane. In soil, bioavailability of cesium depends on the chemical composition of the soil and physical factors such as pH, temperature and tilling as well as on environmental factors such as soil microorganisms. Uptake of cesium occurs also from air through interception and absorption on leaves and from water through the whole submerged surface. We reviewed information about reducing cesium in the vegetation by loss processes, and we extracted transfer factors from the available literature and give an overview over the uptake capacities of 72 plants for cesium from the substratum to the biomass. Plants with high uptake potential could be used to remediate soil and water from radiocesium by accumulation and rhizofiltration. Inside plants, cesium distributes fast between the different plant organs and cells, but cesium in soil is extremely stable and remains for decades in the rhizosphere. Monitoring of contaminated soil therefore has to continue for many decades, and edible plants grown on such soil must continuously be monitored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forcing Cesium into Higher Oxidation States Using Useful hard x-ray Induced Chemistry under High Pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sneed, D.; Pravica, M.; Kim, E.

This paper discusses our attempt to synthesize higher oxidation forms of cesium fluoride by pressurizing cesium fluoride in a fluorine-rich environment created via the x-ray decomposition of potassium tetrafluoroborate. This was done in order to confirm recent theoretical predictions of higher oxidation forms of CsFn. We discuss the development of a technique to produce molecular fluorine in situ via useful hard x-ray photochemistry, and the attempt to utilize this technique to form higher oxidation states of cesium fluoride. In order to verify the formation of the novel stoichiometric species of CsFn. X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) centered on themore » cesium K-edge was performed to probe the oxidation state of cesium as well as the local molecular coordination around Cs.« less

Simulation of cesium injection and distribution in rf-driven ion sources for negative hydrogen ion generation.

PubMed

Gutser, R; Fantz, U; Wünderlich, D

2010-02-01

Cesium seeded sources for surface generated negative hydrogen ions are major components of neutral beam injection systems in future large-scale fusion experiments such as ITER. Stability and delivered current density depend highly on the cesium conditions during plasma-on and plasma-off phases of the ion source. The Monte Carlo code CSFLOW3D was used to study the transport of neutral and ionic cesium in both phases. Homogeneous and intense flows were obtained from two cesium sources in the expansion region of the ion source and from a dispenser array, which is located 10 cm in front of the converter surface.

Global transport and deposition of 137Cs following the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan: emphasis on Europe and Asia using high-resolution model versions and radiological impact assessment of the human population and the environment using interactive tools.

PubMed

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Balkanski, Yves; Cozic, Anne; Møller, Anders Pape

2013-06-04

The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that occurred offshore of Japan resulted in an important loss of life and a serious accident at the nuclear facility of Fukushima. The "hot spots" of the release are evaluated here applying the model LMDZORINCA for (137)Cs. Moreover, an assessment is attempted for the population and the environment using the dosimetric scheme of the WHO and the interactive tool ERICA, respectively. Cesium-137 was deposited mostly in Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and North Pole (80%), whereas the rest in the continental areas of North America and Eurasia contributed slightly to the natural background (0.5-5.0 kBq m(-2)). The effective dose from (137)Cs and (134)Cs (radiocesium) irradiation during the first 3 months was estimated between 1-5 mSv in Fukushima and the neighboring prefectures. In the rest of Japan, the respective doses were found to be less than 0.5 mSv, whereas in the rest of the world it was less than 0.1 mSv. Such doses are equivalent with the obtained dose from a simple X-ray; for the highly contaminated regions, they are close to the dose limit for exposure due to radon inhalation (10 mSv). The calculated dose rates from radiocesium exposure on reference organisms ranged from 0.03 to 0.18 μGy h(-1), which are 2 orders of magnitude below the screening dose limit (10 μGy h(-1)) that could result in obvious effects on the population. However, these results may underestimate the real situation, since stable soil density was used in the calculations, a zero radiocesium background was assumed, and dose only from two radionuclides was estimated, while more that 40 radionuclides have been deposited in the vicinity of the facility. When monitoring data applied, much higher dose rates were estimated certifying ecological risk for small mammals and reptiles in terms of cytogenetic damage and reproduction.

γ-H2AX Kinetic Profile in Mouse Lymphocytes Exposed to the Internal Emitters Cesium-137 and Strontium-90

PubMed Central

Turner, Helen C.; Shuryak, Igor; Weber, Waylon; Doyle-Eisele, Melanie; Melo, Dunstana; Guilmette, Raymond; Amundson, Sally A.; Brenner, David J.

2015-01-01

In the event of a dirty bomb scenario or an industrial nuclear accident, a significant dose of volatile radionuclides such as 137Cs and 90Sr may be dispersed into the atmosphere as a component of fallout and inhaled or ingested by hundreds and thousands of people. To study the effects of prolonged exposure to ingested radionuclides, we have performed long-term (30 day) internal-emitter mouse irradiations using soluble-injected 137CsCl and 90SrCl2 radioisotopes. The effect of ionizing radiation on the induction and repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) in peripheral mouse lymphocytes in vivo was determined using the γ-H2AX biodosimetry marker. Using a serial sacrifice experimental design, whole-body radiation absorbed doses for 137Cs (0 to 10 Gy) and 90Sr (0 to 49 Gy) were delivered over 30 days following exposure to each radionuclide. The committed absorbed doses of the two internal emitters as a function of time post exposure were calculated based on their retention parameters and their derived dose coefficients for each specific sacrifice time. In order to measure the kinetic profile for γ-H2AX, peripheral blood samples were drawn at 5 specific timed dose points over the 30-day study period and the total γ-H2AX nuclear fluorescence per lymphocyte was determined using image analysis software. A key finding was that a significant γ-H2AX signal was observed in vivo several weeks after a single radionuclide exposure. A mechanistically-motivated model was used to analyze the temporal kinetics of γ-H2AX fluorescence. Exposure to either radionuclide showed two peaks of γ-H2AX: one within the first week, which may represent the death of mature, differentiated lymphocytes, and the second at approximately three weeks, which may represent the production of new lymphocytes from damaged progenitor cells. The complexity of the observed responses to internal irradiation is likely caused by the interplay between continual production and repair of DNA damage, cell cycle effects and apoptosis. PMID:26618801

Environmental exposure to low-doses of ionizing radiation. Effects on early nephrotoxicity in mice.

PubMed

Bellés, Montserrat; Gonzalo, Sergio; Serra, Noemí; Esplugas, Roser; Arenas, Meritxell; Domingo, José Luis; Linares, Victoria

2017-07-01

Nuclear accidents of tremendous magnitude, such as those of Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011), mean that individuals living in the contaminated areas are potentially exposed to ionizing radiation (IR). However, the dose-response relationship for effects of low doses of radiation is not still established. The present study was aimed at investigating in mice the early effects of low-dose internal radiation exposure on the kidney. Adult male (C57BL/6J) mice were divided into three groups. Two groups received a single subcutaneous (s.c.) doses of cesium ( 137 Cs) with activities of 4000 and 8000Bq/kg bw. A third group (control group) received a single s.c. injection of 0.9% saline. To evaluate acute and subacute effects, mice (one-half of each group) were euthanized at 72h and 10 days post-exposure to 137 Cs, respectively. Urine samples were collected for biochemical analysis, including the measurement of F2-isoprostane (F2-IsoP) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) levels. Moreover, the concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a sensitive marker of oxidative DNA damage, were measured in renal tissue. Urinary excretion of total protein significantly increased at 72h in mice exposed to Cs4000. Uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) decreased significantly at both times post-exposure in animals exposed to Cs8000. After 72h and 10d of exposure to Cs4000, a significant increase in the γ-glutamil transferase (GGT) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities was observed. In turn, F2-IsoP levels increased -mainly in the Cs4000 group- at 72h post-exposure. Following irradiation ( 137 Cs), the highest level of KIM-1 was corresponded to the Cs4000 group at 72h. Likewise, the main DNA damage was detected in mice exposed to Cs4000, mainly at 10d after irradiation. The alterations observed in several biomarkers suggest an immediate renal damage following exposure to low doses of IR (given as 137 Cs). Further investigations are required to clarify the mechanisms involved in the internal IR-induced nephrotoxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

γ-H2AX Kinetic Profile in Mouse Lymphocytes Exposed to the Internal Emitters Cesium-137 and Strontium-90.

PubMed

Turner, Helen C; Shuryak, Igor; Weber, Waylon; Doyle-Eisele, Melanie; Melo, Dunstana; Guilmette, Raymond; Amundson, Sally A; Brenner, David J

2015-01-01

In the event of a dirty bomb scenario or an industrial nuclear accident, a significant dose of volatile radionuclides such as 137Cs and 90Sr may be dispersed into the atmosphere as a component of fallout and inhaled or ingested by hundreds and thousands of people. To study the effects of prolonged exposure to ingested radionuclides, we have performed long-term (30 day) internal-emitter mouse irradiations using soluble-injected 137CsCl and 90SrCl2 radioisotopes. The effect of ionizing radiation on the induction and repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) in peripheral mouse lymphocytes in vivo was determined using the γ-H2AX biodosimetry marker. Using a serial sacrifice experimental design, whole-body radiation absorbed doses for 137Cs (0 to 10 Gy) and 90Sr (0 to 49 Gy) were delivered over 30 days following exposure to each radionuclide. The committed absorbed doses of the two internal emitters as a function of time post exposure were calculated based on their retention parameters and their derived dose coefficients for each specific sacrifice time. In order to measure the kinetic profile for γ-H2AX, peripheral blood samples were drawn at 5 specific timed dose points over the 30-day study period and the total γ-H2AX nuclear fluorescence per lymphocyte was determined using image analysis software. A key finding was that a significant γ-H2AX signal was observed in vivo several weeks after a single radionuclide exposure. A mechanistically-motivated model was used to analyze the temporal kinetics of γ-H2AX fluorescence. Exposure to either radionuclide showed two peaks of γ-H2AX: one within the first week, which may represent the death of mature, differentiated lymphocytes, and the second at approximately three weeks, which may represent the production of new lymphocytes from damaged progenitor cells. The complexity of the observed responses to internal irradiation is likely caused by the interplay between continual production and repair of DNA damage, cell cycle effects and apoptosis.

Estimated Dietary Intake of Radionuclides and Health Risks for the Citizens of Fukushima City, Tokyo, and Osaka after the 2011 Nuclear Accident

PubMed Central

Murakami, Michio; Oki, Taikan

2014-01-01

The radionuclides released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011 pose a health risk. In this study, we estimated the 1st-year average doses resulting from the intake of iodine 131 (131I) and cesium 134 and 137 (134Cs and 137Cs) in drinking water and food ingested by citizens of Fukushima City (∼50 km from the nuclear power plant; outside the evacuation zone), Tokyo (∼230 km), and Osaka (∼580 km) after the accident. For citizens in Fukushima City, we considered two scenarios: Case 1, citizens consumed vegetables bought from markets; Case 2, citizens consumed vegetables grown locally (conservative scenario). The estimated effective doses of 134Cs and 137Cs agreed well with those estimated through market basket and food-duplicate surveys. The average thyroid equivalent doses due to ingestion of 131I for adults were 840 µSv (Case 1) and 2700 µSv (Case 2) in Fukushima City, 370 µSv in Tokyo, and 16 µSv in Osaka. The average effective doses due to 134Cs and 137Cs were 19, 120, 6.1, and 1.9 µSv, respectively. The doses estimated in this study were much lower than values reported by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, whose assessments lacked validation and full consideration of regional trade in foods, highlighting the importance of including regional trade. The 95th percentile effective doses were 2–3 times the average values. Lifetime attributable risks (LARs) of thyroid cancers due to ingestion were 2.3–39×10−6 (Case 1) and 10–98×10−6 (Case 2) in Fukushima City, 0.95–14×10−6 in Tokyo, and 0.11–1.3×10−6 in Osaka. The contributions of LARs of thyroid cancers due to ingestion were 7.5%–12% of all exposure (Case 1) and 12%–30% (Case 2) in Fukushima City. PMID:25390339

Investigations of negative and positive cesium ion species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chanin, L. M.

1978-01-01

A direct test is provided of the hypothesis of negative ion creation at the anode or collector of a diode operating under conditions simulating a cesium thermionic converter. The experimental technique involves using direct ion sampling through the collector electrode with mass analysis using a quadrupole mass analyzer. Similar measurements are undertaken on positive ions extracted through the emitter electrode. Measurements were made on a variety of gases including pure cesium, helium-cesium mixtures and cesium-hydrogen as well as cesium-xenon mixtures. The gas additive was used primarily to aid in understanding the negative ion formation processes. Measurements were conducted using emitter (cathode) temperatures up to about 1000 F. The major negative ion identified through the collector was Cs(-) with minor negative ion peaks tentatively identified as H(-), H2(-), H3(-), He(-) and a mass 66. Positive ions detected were believed to be Cs(+), Cs2(+) and Cs3(+).

Evaluation of physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash by particle size classification and leaching tests.

PubMed

Fujii, Kengo; Ochi, Kotaro; Ohbuchi, Atsushi; Koike, Yuya

2018-07-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi-Nuclear Power Plant accident, environmental recovery was a major issue because a considerable amount of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash was highly contaminated with radioactive cesium. To the best of our knowledge, only a few studies have evaluated the detailed physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in MSWI fly ash to propose an effective method for the solidification and reuse of MSWI fly ash. In this study, MSWI fly ash was sampled in Fukushima Prefecture. The physicochemical properties of radioactive cesium in MSWI fly ash were evaluated by particle size classification (less than 25, 25-45, 45-100, 100-300, 300-500, and greater than 500 μm) and the Japanese leaching test No. 13 called "JLT-13". These results obtained from the classification of fly ash indicated that the activity concentration of radioactive cesium and the content of the coexisting matter (i.e., chloride and potassium) temporarily change in response to the particle size of fly ash. X-ray diffraction results indicated that water-soluble radioactive cesium exists as CsCl because of the cooling process and that insoluble cesium is bound to the inner sphere of amorphous matter. These results indicated that the distribution of radioactive cesium depends on the characteristics of MSWI fly ash. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calix[4]pyrrole: A New Ion-Pair Receptor As Demonstrated by Liquid-Liquid Extraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wintergerst, Mr. Matthieu; Levitskaia, Tatiana G.; Moyer, Bruce A

Solvent-extraction studies provide confirming evidence that meso-octamethylcalix[4]pyrrole acts as an ion-pair receptor for cesium chloride and cesium bromide in nitrobenzene solution. The stoichiometry of the interaction under extraction conditions from water to nitrobenzene was determined from plots of the cesium distribution ratios vs cesium salt and receptor concentration, indicating the formation of an ionpaired 1:1:1 cesium:calix[4]pyrrole:halide complex. The extraction results were modeled to evaluate the equilibria inherent to the solvent-extraction system, with either chloride or bromide. The binding energy between the halide anion and the calix[4]pyrrole was found to be about 7 kJ/mol larger for cesium chloride than for themore » cesium bromide. The ion-pairing free energies between the calix[4]pyrrole-halide complex and the cesium cation are nearly the same within experimental uncertainty for either halide, consistent with a structural model in which the Cs+ cation resides in the calix bowl. These results are unexpected since nitrobenzene is a polar solvent that generally leads to dissociated complexes in the organic phase when used as a diluent in extraction studies of univalent ions. Control studies involving nitrate revealed no evidence of ion pairing for CsNO3 under conditions identical to those where it is observed for CsCl and CsBr.« less

Calix[4]pyrrole: A New Ion-Pair Receptor As Demonstrated by Liquid-Liquid Extraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wintergerst, Mr. Matthieu; Levitskaia, Tatiana G.; Moyer, Bruce A

Solvent extraction studies provide confirming evidence that meso-octamethylcalix[4]pyrrole acts as an ion-pair receptor for cesium chloride and cesium bromide in nitrobenzene solution. The stoichiometry of the interaction under extraction conditions from water to nitrobenzene was determined from plots of the cesium distribution ratios vs. cesium salt and receptor concentration, indicating the formation of an ion-paired 1:1:1 cesium:calix[4]pyrrole:halide complex. The extraction results were modeled to evaluate the equilibria inherent to the solvent extraction system, either with chloride or bromide. The binding energy between the halide anion and the calix[4]pyrrole was found to be about 7 kJ/mol larger for cesium chloride thanmore » for the cesium bromide. The ion-pairing free energies between the calix[4]pyrrole-halide complex and the cesium cation are nearly the same within experimental uncertainty for either halide, consistent with a structural model in which the Cs+ cation resides in the calix bowl. These results are unexpected since nitrobenzene is a very polar solvent that generally leads to dissociated complexes in the organic phase when used as a diluent in extraction studies of univalent ions. Control studies involving nitrate revealed no evidence of ion-pairing for CsNO3 under conditions identical to those where it is observed for CsCl and CsBr.« less

Fukushima- Ocean Impacts and Public Concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buesseler, K.

2015-12-01

The triple disaster of the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent radiation releases at Fukushima Dai-ichi were unprecedented events for the ocean and society. This presentation will provide an overview of studies of Fukushima radionuclides in the ocean. The radioactive releases from Fukushima will be compared to natural and prior human sources. The fate of cesium is largely determined by its soluble nature in seawater, though uptake in sediments does occur via cesium's association with both detrital particles and biological uptake and sedimentation. Cesium's continued supply from the rivers and ongoing leakages at the nuclear power plants suggests that coastal sediments may remain contaminated for decades to come. Although levels of cesium in the ocean and being released from Fukushima more than four years later are orders of magnitude lower than in 2011, other isotopes such as strontium-90 remain of interest as they are elevated relative to cesium in the groundwater and storage tanks at the reactor site. Across the Pacific, Fukushima cesium is starting to be detectable along the west coast of North America. Although models suggest cesium will be at levels well below those considered of human health concern, the public is worried about the lack of ocean monitoring of Fukushima radionuclides. We addressed these public concerns by creating "Our Radioactive Ocean" a citizen-scientist crowd-funded campaign that provides a sampling kit that can use to sample their favorite beach. Once collected, samples are returned to WHOI for analyses of the isotopes of cesium that allow us to distinguish Fukushima cesium from other sources (http://OurRadioactiveOcean.org ). However to measure the low levels of cesium already in the ocean 20 liter samples are needed. To increase public participation, we will also present results from a new wearable sample collector, the "RadBand" which contains a small amount of cesium selective resin that surfers and swimmers can wear on their ankle. A prototype RadBand is being tested as part of The Longest Swim, an attempt by Ben Lecomte to swim from Tokyo to San Francisco (http://thelongestswim.com/ ). This swim is being used as another way to engage the public on ocean and environmental issues.

Preliminary Evaluation of Cesium Distribution for Wet Sieving Process Planned for Soil Decontamination in Japan - 13104

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Enokida, Y.; Tanada, Y.; Hirabayashi, D.

2013-07-01

For the purpose of decontaminating radioactive cesium from a huge amount of soil, which has been estimated to be 1.2x10{sup 8} m{sup 3} by excavating to a 5-cm depth from the surface of Fukushima Prefecture where a severe nuclear accident occurred at TEPCO's power generating site and has emitted a significant amount of radioactive materials, mainly radioactive cesium, a wet sieving process was selected as one of effective methods available in Japan. Some private companies have demonstrated this process for soil treatment in the Fukushima area by testing at their plants. The results were very promising, and a full-fledged applicationmore » is expected to follow. In the present study, we spiked several aqueous samples containing soil collected from an industrial wet sieving plant located near our university for the recycling of construction wastes with non-radioactive cesium hydroxide. The present study provides scientific data concerning the effectiveness in volume reduction of the contaminated soil by a wet sieving process as well as the cesium distribution between the liquid phase and clay minerals for each sub-process of the full-scale one, but a simulating plant equipped with a process of coagulating sedimentation and operational safety fundamentals for the plant. Especially for the latter aspect, the study showed that clay minerals of submicron size strongly bind a high content of cesium, which was only slightly removed by coagulation with natural sedimentation (1 G) nor centrifugal sedimentation (3,700 G) and some of the cesium may be transferred to the effluent or recycled water. By applying ultracentrifugation (257,000 G), most of submicron clay minerals containing cesium was removed, and the cesium amount which might be transferred to the effluent or recycled water, could be reduced to less than 2.3 % of the original design by the addition of a cesium barrier consisting of ultracentrifugation or a hollow fiber membrane. (authors)« less

Negative ion production in large volume source with small deposition of cesium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacquot, C.; Pamela, J.; Riz, D.

1996-03-01

Experimental data on the enhancement of D{sup {minus}} (H{sup {minus}}) negative ion production due to cesium injection into a large volume multiampere negative ion source (MANTIS) are described. The directed deposition of small cesium amounts (5{endash}100 mg) from a compact, movable oven, placed into the central part of a MANTIS gas-discharge box was used. A calorimetrically measured D{sup {minus}} beam with an intensity up to 1.6 A and an extracted current density up to 4.2 mA/cm{sup 2} (beam energy 25 kV) was obtained. Exactly 30 mg of cesium provides at least one month of source operation (1000 pulses with amore » discharge pulse duration of 4 s). The effect of cesium on NI enhancement was immediately displayed after the distributed Cs deposition, but it needed some {open_quote}{open_quote}conditioning{close_quote}{close_quote} of cesium by tens of discharge pulses (or by several hours {open_quote}{open_quote}pause{close_quote}{close_quote}) in the case of a localized Cs deposition. No degradation of extraction-acceleration voltage holding on within the tested range of cesium injection was observed. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

High voltage holding in the negative ion sources with cesium deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belchenko, Yu.; Abdrashitov, G.; Ivanov, A.

High voltage holding of the large surface-plasma negative ion source with cesium deposition was studied. It was found that heating of ion-optical system electrodes to temperature >100 °C facilitates the source conditioning by high voltage pulses in vacuum and by beam shots. The procedure of electrode conditioning and the data on high-voltage holding in the negative ion source with small cesium seed are described. The mechanism of high voltage holding improvement by depletion of cesium coverage is discussed.

Metal cluster's effect on the optical properties of cesium bromide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Kuldeep; Arun, P.; Ravi Kant, Chhaya; Juluri, Bala Krishna

2012-06-01

Cesium bromide (CsBr) films grown on glass substrates by thermal evaporation showed prominent absorption peaks in the UV-visible region. Interestingly, these absorption spectra showed peaks which red shifted over time in ambient exposure. Structural and morphological studies suggested decrease in particle size overtime which was unusual. Electron micrographs show the formation of "daughter" cesium nanorods from parent CsBr particles. Theoretical calculations show the optical behavior observed to be due to localized surface plasmon resonance resulting from cesium nanorods.

[Reduction of radioactive cesium content in pond smelt by cooking].

PubMed

Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko

2013-01-01

In Japan, seafood may be eaten raw or after having been cooked in diverse ways. Therefore, it is important to understand the effect of cooking on the extent of contamination with radioactive materials in order to avoid internal exposure to radioactive materials via seafood. In this study, we investigated the changes in radioactive cesium content in pond smelt cooked in four different ways: grilled, stewed (kanroni), fried and soaked (nanbanzuke). The radioactive cesium content in grilled, kanroni and fried pond smelt was almost unchanged compared with the uncooked state. In contrast, radioactive cesium content in nanbanzuke pond smelt was decreased by about 30%. Our result suggests that soaking cooked pond smelt in seasoning is an effective method of reducing the burden radioactive cesium.

Low-energy vibrational dynamics of cesium borate glasses.

PubMed

Crupi, C; D'Angelo, G; Vasi, C

2012-06-07

Low-temperature specific heat and inelastic light scattering experiments have been performed on a series of cesium borate glasses and on a cesium borate crystal. Raman measurements on the crystalline sample have revealed the existence of cesium rattling modes in the same frequency region where glasses exhibit the boson peak (BP). These localized modes are supposed to overlap with the BP in cesium borate glasses affecting its magnitude. Their influence on the low frequency vibrational dynamics in glassy samples has been considered, and their contribution to the specific heat has been estimated. Evidence for a relation between the changes of the BP induced by the increased amount of metallic oxide and the variations of the elastic medium has been provided.

Hybrid micro-particles as a magnetically-guidable decontaminant for cesium-eluted ash slurry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namiki, Yoshihisa; Ueyama, Toshihiko; Yoshida, Takayuki; Watanabe, Ryoei; Koido, Shigeo; Namiki, Tamami

2014-09-01

Decontamination of the radioactive cesium that is widely dispersed owing to a nuclear power station accident and concentrated in fly ash requires an effective elimination system. Radioactive fly ash contains large amounts of water-soluble cesium that can cause severe secondary contamination and represents a serious health risk, yet its complete removal is complicated and difficult. Here it is shown that a new fine-powder formulation can be magnetically guided to eliminate cesium after being mixed with the ash slurry. This formulation, termed MagCE, consists of a ferromagnetic porous structure and alkaline- and salt-resistant nickel ferrocyanide. It has potent cesium-adsorption- and magnetic-separation-properties. Because of its resistance against physical and chemical attack such as with ash particles, as well as with the high pH and salt concentration of the ash slurry, MagCE simplifies the decontamination process without the need of the continued presence of the hazardous water-soluble cesium in the treated ash.

The effect of cesium carbonate on 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl[6,6]C{sub 61} aggregation in films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lindemann, William R.; Wang, Wenjie; Shinar, Joseph

2014-11-10

Surface-pressure versus molecular area isotherms, X-ray reflectivity, and X-ray near-total reflection fluorescence were used to study the properties of 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl[6,6]C{sub 61} (PCBM) that was pre-mixed with cesium carbonate and spread as a film at the air-water interface. The pre-mixed PCBM with cesium carbonate demonstrated a strikingly strong effect on the organization of the film. Whereas films formed from pure PCBM solution were rough due to strong inter-molecular interactions, the films formed from the mixture were much smoother. This indicates that the cesium carbonate moderates the inter-molecular interactions among PCBM molecules, hinting that the cesium diffusion observed in inverted organic photovoltaicmore » structures and the likely ensuing ionic Cs-PCBM interaction decrease aggregation tendency of PCBM. This implies that the use of cesium salts affects the morphology of the organic layer and consequently improves the efficiency of these devices.« less

The effect of cesium carbonate on 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl[6,6]C 61 aggregation in films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lindemann, William R.; Wang, Wenjie; Fungura, Fadzai

2014-11-11

Surface-pressure isotherms, X-ray reflectivity, and X-ray near-total reflection fluorescence were used to study the properties of 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl[6,6]C 61 (PCBM) that was pre-mixed with cesium carbonate and spread as a film at the air-water interface. The pre-mixed PCBM with cesium carbonate demonstrated a strikingly strong effect on the organization of the film. Whereas films formed from pure PCBM solution were rough due to strong inter-molecular interactions, the films formed from the mixture were much smoother. This indicates that the cesium carbonate moderates the inter-molecular interactions among PCBM molecules, hinting that the cesium diffusion observed in inverted organic photovoltaics and the likelymore » ensuing ionic Cs-PCBM interaction decrease aggregation tendency of PCBM. As a result, this implies that the use of cesium salts affects the morphology of the organic layer and consequently improves the efficiency of these devices.« less

Hybrid micro-particles as a magnetically-guidable decontaminant for cesium-eluted ash slurry

PubMed Central

Namiki, Yoshihisa; Ueyama, Toshihiko; Yoshida, Takayuki; Watanabe, Ryoei; Koido, Shigeo; Namiki, Tamami

2014-01-01

Decontamination of the radioactive cesium that is widely dispersed owing to a nuclear power station accident and concentrated in fly ash requires an effective elimination system. Radioactive fly ash contains large amounts of water-soluble cesium that can cause severe secondary contamination and represents a serious health risk, yet its complete removal is complicated and difficult. Here it is shown that a new fine-powder formulation can be magnetically guided to eliminate cesium after being mixed with the ash slurry. This formulation, termed MagCE, consists of a ferromagnetic porous structure and alkaline- and salt-resistant nickel ferrocyanide. It has potent cesium-adsorption- and magnetic-separation-properties. Because of its resistance against physical and chemical attack such as with ash particles, as well as with the high pH and salt concentration of the ash slurry, MagCE simplifies the decontamination process without the need of the continued presence of the hazardous water-soluble cesium in the treated ash. PMID:25192495

Hybrid micro-particles as a magnetically-guidable decontaminant for cesium-eluted ash slurry.

PubMed

Namiki, Yoshihisa; Ueyama, Toshihiko; Yoshida, Takayuki; Watanabe, Ryoei; Koido, Shigeo; Namiki, Tamami

2014-09-05

Decontamination of the radioactive cesium that is widely dispersed owing to a nuclear power station accident and concentrated in fly ash requires an effective elimination system. Radioactive fly ash contains large amounts of water-soluble cesium that can cause severe secondary contamination and represents a serious health risk, yet its complete removal is complicated and difficult. Here it is shown that a new fine-powder formulation can be magnetically guided to eliminate cesium after being mixed with the ash slurry. This formulation, termed MagCE, consists of a ferromagnetic porous structure and alkaline- and salt-resistant nickel ferrocyanide. It has potent cesium-adsorption- and magnetic-separation-properties. Because of its resistance against physical and chemical attack such as with ash particles, as well as with the high pH and salt concentration of the ash slurry, MagCE simplifies the decontamination process without the need of the continued presence of the hazardous water-soluble cesium in the treated ash.

Effect of the cesium and potassium doping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes grown in an electrical arc on their emission characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izrael'yants, K. R.; Orlov, A. P.; Ormont, A. B.; Chirkova, E. G.

2017-04-01

The effect of cesium and potassium atoms deposited onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes grown in an electrical arc on their emission characteristics was studied. The current-voltage characteristics of the field electron emission of specimens with cesium or potassium doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes of this type were revealed to retain their linear character in the Fowler-Nordheim coordinates within several orders of magnitude of change in the emission current. The deposition of cesium and potassium atoms was shown to lead to a considerable increase in the emission current and a decrease in the work function φ of studied emitters with multiwalled nanotubes. The work function was established to decrease to φ 3.1 eV at an optimal thickness of coating with cesium atoms and to φ 2.9 eV in the case of doping with potassium atoms. Cesium and potassium deposition conditions optimal for the attainment of a maximum emission current were found.

Design of YCF-1 mobile γ irradiator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hehu, Zhang; Chuanzhen, Wang

1993-07-01

YCF-1 Mobile irradiator is designed by BINE of China. It has been put into running in YanJi city of Jilin province. It is able to be moved to border and distance places and area lumped and spreading out of agricultural products to service. It can play a important role in demonstration and extending irradiation technology in food irradiation, disinfestation, sterilization and quarantine, etc. This paper describes the features and design considerations of mobile irradiator. This irradiator adopted Cesium-137 source. The design capacity of loading source is 9.25PBq (250kCi), A half-time of Cs- 137 is 30.2 years long, exchanging source is not needed utilization rate of energy is higher, and the shielding is thinner, The Weight is lighter, The dose rate on the surface of it is 0.0025mSv/h in accordance with national standard. The internal size of irradiation room is 1800×1800×900mm (L×W×H), The sheilding of irradiation room is a steel shell filled with lead. The thickness of lead is 18cm. The irradiator is installed on a special flat truck. The size of the truck is 7000×3400×4200mm (L×W×H). The weight of irradiator is more than 80 150kw. The main components and parts of irradiator are: source, source racks and hoist, irradiation chamber, storage source chamber, the product's transport system, dose monitoring system, ventilation system and safety interlock system, etc.

Possible distinct molecular carcinogenic pathways for bladder cancer in Ukraine, before and after the Chernobyl disaster.

PubMed

Morimura, Keiichirou; Romanenko, Alina; Min, Wei; Salim, Elsayed I; Kinoshita, Anna; Wanibuchi, Hideki; Vozianov, Alexander; Fukushima, Shoji

2004-04-01

After the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the incidence of urinary bladder cancers in the Ukraine increased gradually from 26.2 to 43.3 per 100,000 people between 1986 and 2001. In the areas of low level but persistent cesium-137 (137Cs) radio-contamination, a unique atypical radiation-related urinary bladder cystitis named 'Chernobyl cystitis', a possible pre-neoplastic condition in humans, has been detected. We have previously documented high incidences of bladder lesions, including severe dysplasias and/or carcinoma in situ, in association with this cystitis and correlating with oxidative DNA damage. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying bladder carcinogenesis with this specific etiology, mutation analysis of p53 gene (exon 5-8) was performed for 11 and 18 paraffin-embedded bladder cancers in Ukrainians, respectively collected before and after the Chernobyl disaster. DNAs were extracted and subjected to nested PCR-single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis followed by direct DNA sequencing, as well as p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC). The incidences of p53 gene mutation were 54.5 and 16.7% for before and after the Chernobyl disaster, respectively, the difference being statistically significant. Also a tendency for higher p53 IHC score was apparent in the earlier group of lesions. No significant difference was noted for the proportions of historical types. These results point to possible distinct molecular carcinogenic pathways of bladder cancer formation, before and after the Chernobyl disaster, on the basis of variation in p53 gene alteration.

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory EnergyX Macroencapsulated Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, Gregory J.

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream (B LAMACRONCAP, Revision 1) is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream is macroencapsulated mixed waste generated during research laboratory operations and maintenance (LLNL 2015). The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream required a special analysis due to tritium (3H), cobalt-60 (60Co), cesium-137 (137Cs), and radium-226 (226Ra) exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Levels (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclearmore » Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2015).The results indicate that all performance objectives can be met with disposal of the waste stream in a SLB trench. Addition of the LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated inventory slightly increases multiple performance assessment results, with the largest relative increase occurring for the all-pathways annual total effective dose (TED). The maximum mean and 95th percentile 222Rn flux density remain less than the performance objective throughout the compliance period. The LLNL EnergyX Macroencapsulated waste stream is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS. The waste stream is recommended for approval without conditions.« less

Electrochemical assessment of water|ionic liquid biphasic systems towards cesium extraction from nuclear waste.

PubMed

Stockmann, T Jane; Zhang, Jing; Montgomery, Anne-Marie; Ding, Zhifeng

2014-04-22

A room temperature ionic liquid (IL) composed of a quaternary alkylphosphonium (trihexyltetradecylphosphonium, P66614(+)) and tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate anion (TB(-)) was employed within a water|P66614TB (w|P66614TB or w|IL) biphasic system to evaluate cesium ion extraction in comparison to that with a traditional water|organic solvent (w|o) combination. (137)Cs is a major contributor to the radioactivity of spent nuclear fuel as it leaves the reactor, and its extraction efficiency is therefore of considerable importance. The extraction was facilitated by the ligand octyl(phenyl)-N,N'-diisobutylcarbamoylphosphine oxide (CMPO) used in TRans-Uranium EXtraction processes and investigated through well established liquid|liquid electrochemistry. This study gave access to the metal ion to ligand (1:n) stoichiometry and overall complexation constant, β, of the interfacial complexation reaction which were determined to be 1:3 and 1.6×10(11) at the w|P66614TB interface while the study at w|o elicited an n equal to 1 with β equal to 86.5. Through a straightforward relationship, these complexation constant values were converted to distribution coefficients, δ(α), with the ligand concentrations studied for comparison to other studies present in the literature; the w|o and w|IL systems gave δ(α) of 2 and 8.2×10(7), respectively, indicating a higher overall extraction efficiency for the latter. For the w|o system, the metal ion-ligand stoichiometries were confirmed through isotopic distribution analysis of mass spectra obtained by the direct injection of an emulsified water-organic solvent mixture into an electron spray ionization mass spectrometer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanics of cesium sorption in cement paste: A multiscale assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arayro, Jack; Dufresne, Alice; Zhou, Tingtao; Ioannidou, Katerina; Ulm, Josef-Franz; Pellenq, Roland; Béland, Laurent Karim

2018-05-01

Cesium-137 is a common radioactive byproduct found in nuclear spent fuel. Given its 30 year half life, its interactions with potential storage materials—such as cement paste—is of crucial importance. In this paper, simulations are used to establish the interaction of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H)—the main binding phase of cement paste—with Cs at the nano- and mesoscale. Different C-S-H compositions are explored, including a range of Ca/Si ratios from 1.0 to 2.0. These calculations are based on a set of 150 atomistic models, which qualitatively and quantitatively reproduce a number of experimentally measured features of C-S-H—within limits intrinsic to the approximations imposed by classical molecular dynamics and the steps followed when building the models. A procedure where hydrated Ca2 + ions are swapped for Cs1 + ions shows that Cs adsorption in the C-S-H interlayer is preferred to Cs adsorption at the nanopore surface when Cs concentrations are lower than 0.19 Mol/kg. Interlayer sorption decreases as the Ca/Si ratio increases. The activation relaxation technique nouveau is used to access timescales out of the reach of traditional molecular dynamics (MD). It indicates that characteristic diffusion time for Cs1 + in the C-S-H interlayer is on the order of a few hours. Cs uptake in the interlayer has little impact on the elastic response of C-S-H. It leads to swelling of the C-S-H grains, but mesoscale calculations that access length scales out of the range of MD indicate that this leads to practically negligible expansive pressures for Cs concentrations relevant to nuclear waste repositories.

Radiation hazards in children - lessons from Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima.

PubMed

Fushiki, Shinji

2013-03-01

On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake followed by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster. Firstly, this review focuses on what happened after the accidents at the Three Mile Island nuclear power station in 1979 and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, in terms of the effects of these incidents on health. The most critical issue when considering the effects of radiation on the health of children was the increase of thyroid cancer, as clearly demonstrated among people who were children or adolescence at the time of the Chernobyl accident. Therefore, in the early days after a nuclear accident, the primary concern should be efforts to prevent the exposure of children to radioactive iodine through inhalation and ingestion, because radioactive iodine preferentially accumulates in the thyroid. In the longer term, another concern is exposure to radionuclides with long half-lives, including cesium137 and cesium134, with physical half-lives of 30 and 2 years, respectively. Secondly, fetal radiation risks and radiobiological studies on low-level radiation are briefly reviewed, with reference to the effects upon the developing brain. A fetal dose of 100 mSv may increase the risk of an effect on brain development, especially neuronal migration, based upon the results of experiments with rodents. Finally, this review proposes that research on the health effects of low level radiation should be prioritized so that accurate information on the effects of radiation can be disseminated and prevent the prevalence of unnecessary fear lacking scientific justification. Copyright © 2012 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Artificial radionuclides in surface air in Finland following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Leppänen, Ari-Pekka; Mattila, Aleksi; Kettunen, Markku; Kontro, Riitta

2013-12-01

We present observations of radionuclides released during the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident in ambient air and in deposition made in Finland during March-May 2011. The first observed fission product was (131)I, which arrived in Finland 8-9 days after the accident. Detections of (137)Cs and (134)Cs were made 2-3 days after the first (131)I observations. The highest concentrations of fission products in Finland were observed during March 31st and April 1st. The highest observed concentrations of the following isotopes were: (131)I (10.6 ± 0.4 mBq/m(3)), (134)Cs (0.397 ± 0.020 mBq/m(3)), (137)Cs (0.405 ± 0.017 mBq/m(3)), (136)Cs (28 ± 2 μBq/m(3)), (129)Te (129 ± 9 μBq/m(3)), (129m)Te (234 ± 20 μBq/m(3)), (132)Te (51 ± 3 μBq/m(3)) and (132)I (54 ± 3 μBq/m(3)). Generally, higher concentrations of fission product were observed in Southern Finland than in Northern Finland. The variations in the (137)Cs and (134)Cs activity concentration data suggest that three separate plumes passed over Finland with decreasing concentrations. The first plume, with highest cesium concentrations, passed over Finland during March 31st - April 2nd, the second plume during April 4th - 6th and the third and smallest one during April 10th - April 11th. Both aerosol and gaseous iodine fractions were sampled simultaneously and thus an accurate view of the behaviour of aerosol and gaseous fractions was obtained. Large variations between different fractions were observed with the gaseous fraction representing 65-98% of the total (131)I. The (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio was determined to be 0.99 ± 0.10, which indicates a fuel burnup of approximately 30 MWd/t. The (136)Cs/(137)Cs and (129m)Te/(132)Te ratios were used to estimate the time lapse after the accident. The differences between true time lapse and the ones deduced from the isotope ratios were from the correct time lapse to 0-3 days for (136)Cs/(137)Cs and 5 days for (129m)Te/(132)Te, respectively. Radionuclides from the Fukuhisma Dai-ichi nuclear power plant were also observed in deposition samples. In Norther Finland, the total deposition of 0.28-0.62 Bq/m(2) for (137)Cs and 0.21-0.57 Bq/m(2) for (134)Cs was determined during March-May 2011. For (131)I the deposition of 8.5 ± 2.9 Bq/m(2) was determined at Rovaniemi from the samples from the sample collected during April 1st - 12th. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distillation device supplies cesium vapor at constant pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basiulis, A.; Shefsiek, P. K.

1968-01-01

Distillation apparatus in the form of a U tube supplies small amounts of pure cesium vapor at constant pressure to a thermionic converter. The upstream leg of the U tube is connected to a vacuum pump to withdraw noncondensable impurities, the bottom portion serves as a reservoir for the liquid cesium.

Precipitation-adsorption process for the decontamination of nuclear waste supernates

DOEpatents

Lee, Lien-Mow; Kilpatrick, Lester L.

1984-01-01

High-level nuclear waste supernate is decontaminated of cesium by precipitation of the cesium and potassium with sodium tetraphenyl boron. Simultaneously, strontium-90 is removed from the waste supernate sorption of insoluble sodium titanate. The waste solution is then filtered to separate the solution decontaminated of cesium and strontium.

Precipitation-adsorption process for the decontamination of nuclear waste supernates

DOEpatents

Lee, L.M.; Kilpatrick, L.L.

1982-05-19

High-level nuclear waste supernate is decontaminated of cesium by precipitation of the cesium and potassium with sodium tetraphenyl boron. Simultaneously, strontium-90 is removed from the waste supernate sorption of insoluble sodium titanate. The waste solution is then filtered to separate the solution decontaminated of cesium and strontium.

Recovery of cesium and palladium from nuclear reactor fuel processing waste

DOEpatents

Campbell, David O.

1976-01-01

A method of recovering cesium and palladium values from nuclear reactor fission product waste solution involves contacting the solution with a source of chloride ions and oxidizing palladium ions present in the solution to precipitate cesium and palladium as Cs.sub.2 PdCl.sub.6.

Historical Cost Curves for Hydrogen Masers and Cesium Beam Frequency and Timing Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remer, D. S.; Moore, R. C.

1985-01-01

Historical cost curves were developed for hydrogen masers and cesium beam standards used for frequency and timing calibration in the Deep Space Network. These curves may be used to calculate the cost of future hydrogen masers or cesium beam standards in either future or current dollars. The cesium beam standards are decreasing in cost by about 2.3% per year since 1966, and hydrogen masers are decreasing by about 0.8% per year since 1978 relative to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration inflation index.

Method for removing cesium from a nuclear reactor coolant

DOEpatents

Colburn, Richard P.

1986-01-01

A method of and system for removing cesium from a liquid metal reactor coolant including a carbon packing trap in the primary coolant system for absorbing a major portion of the radioactive cesium from the coolant flowing therethrough at a reduced temperature. A regeneration subloop system having a secondary carbon packing trap is selectively connected to the primary system for isolating the main trap therefrom and connecting it to the regeneration system. Increasing the temperature of the sodium flowing through the primary trap diffuses a portion of the cesium

Removal of Cesium From Acidic Radioactive Tank Waste Using IONSIV IE-911 (CST)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, Nicholas Robert; Todd, Terry Allen

2004-10-01

IONSIV IE-911, or the engineered form of crystalline silicotitanate (CST), manufactured by UOP Molecular Sieves, has been evaluated for the removal of cesium from Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) acidic radioactive tank waste. A series of batch contacts and column tests were performed by using three separate batches of CST. Batch contacts were performed to evaluate the concentration effects of nitric acid, sodium, and potassium ions on cesium sorption. Additional batch tests were performed to determine if americium, mercury, and plutonium would sorb onto IONSIV IE-911. An equilibrium isotherm was generated by using a concentrated tank waste simulant.more » Column tests using a 1.5 cm 3 column and flow rates of 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 bed volumes (BV)/hr were performed to elucidate dynamic cesium sorption capacities and sorption kinetics. Additional experiments investigated the effect of CST batch and pretreatment on cesium sorption. The thermal stability of IONSIV IE-911 was evaluated by performing thermal gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. Overall, IONSIV IE-911 was shown to be effective for cesium sorption from complex, highly acidic solutions; however, sorbent stability in these solutions may have a deleterious effect on cesium sorption.« less

Synergistically strengthened 3D micro-scavenger cage adsorbent for selective removal of radioactive cesium

PubMed Central

Jang, Sung-Chan; Kang, Sung-Min; Haldorai, Yuvaraj; Giribabu, Krishnan; Lee, Go-Woon; Lee, Young-Chul; Hyun, Moon Seop; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

2016-01-01

A novel microporous three-dimensional pomegranate-like micro-scavenger cage (P-MSC) composite has been synthesized by immobilization of iron phyllosilicates clay onto a Prussian blue (PB)/alginate matrix and tested for the removal of radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. Experimental results show that the adsorption capacity increases with increasing the inactive cesium concentration from 1 ppm to 30 ppm, which may be attributed to greater number of adsorption sites and further increase in the inactive cesium concentration has no effect. The P-MSC composite exhibit maximum adsorption capacity of 108.06 mg of inactive cesium per gram of adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm is better fitted to the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model. In addition, kinetics studies show that the adsorption process is consistent with a pseudo second-order model. Furthermore, at equilibrium, the composite has an outstanding adsorption capacity of 99.24% for the radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. This may be ascribed to the fact that the AIP clay played a substantial role in protecting PB release from the P-MSC composite by cross-linking with alginate to improve the mechanical stability. Excellent adsorption capacity, easy separation, and good selectivity make the adsorbent suitable for the removal of radioactive cesium from seawater around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents. PMID:27917913

Synergistically strengthened 3D micro-scavenger cage adsorbent for selective removal of radioactive cesium.

PubMed

Jang, Sung-Chan; Kang, Sung-Min; Haldorai, Yuvaraj; Giribabu, Krishnan; Lee, Go-Woon; Lee, Young-Chul; Hyun, Moon Seop; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

2016-12-05

A novel microporous three-dimensional pomegranate-like micro-scavenger cage (P-MSC) composite has been synthesized by immobilization of iron phyllosilicates clay onto a Prussian blue (PB)/alginate matrix and tested for the removal of radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. Experimental results show that the adsorption capacity increases with increasing the inactive cesium concentration from 1 ppm to 30 ppm, which may be attributed to greater number of adsorption sites and further increase in the inactive cesium concentration has no effect. The P-MSC composite exhibit maximum adsorption capacity of 108.06 mg of inactive cesium per gram of adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm is better fitted to the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model. In addition, kinetics studies show that the adsorption process is consistent with a pseudo second-order model. Furthermore, at equilibrium, the composite has an outstanding adsorption capacity of 99.24% for the radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. This may be ascribed to the fact that the AIP clay played a substantial role in protecting PB release from the P-MSC composite by cross-linking with alginate to improve the mechanical stability. Excellent adsorption capacity, easy separation, and good selectivity make the adsorbent suitable for the removal of radioactive cesium from seawater around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents.

Synergistically strengthened 3D micro-scavenger cage adsorbent for selective removal of radioactive cesium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Sung-Chan; Kang, Sung-Min; Haldorai, Yuvaraj; Giribabu, Krishnan; Lee, Go-Woon; Lee, Young-Chul; Hyun, Moon Seop; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

2016-12-01

A novel microporous three-dimensional pomegranate-like micro-scavenger cage (P-MSC) composite has been synthesized by immobilization of iron phyllosilicates clay onto a Prussian blue (PB)/alginate matrix and tested for the removal of radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. Experimental results show that the adsorption capacity increases with increasing the inactive cesium concentration from 1 ppm to 30 ppm, which may be attributed to greater number of adsorption sites and further increase in the inactive cesium concentration has no effect. The P-MSC composite exhibit maximum adsorption capacity of 108.06 mg of inactive cesium per gram of adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm is better fitted to the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model. In addition, kinetics studies show that the adsorption process is consistent with a pseudo second-order model. Furthermore, at equilibrium, the composite has an outstanding adsorption capacity of 99.24% for the radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. This may be ascribed to the fact that the AIP clay played a substantial role in protecting PB release from the P-MSC composite by cross-linking with alginate to improve the mechanical stability. Excellent adsorption capacity, easy separation, and good selectivity make the adsorbent suitable for the removal of radioactive cesium from seawater around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents.

A semi-Lagrangian advection scheme for radioactive tracers in a regional spectral model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, E.-C.; Yoshimura, K.

2015-06-01

In this study, the non-iteration dimensional-split semi-Lagrangian (NDSL) advection scheme is applied to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) regional spectral model (RSM) to alleviate the Gibbs phenomenon. The Gibbs phenomenon is a problem wherein negative values of positive-definite quantities (e.g., moisture and tracers) are generated by the spectral space transformation in a spectral model system. To solve this problem, the spectral prognostic specific humidity and radioactive tracer advection scheme is replaced by the NDSL advection scheme, which considers advection of tracers in a grid system without spectral space transformations. A regional version of the NDSL is developed in this study and is applied to the RSM. Idealized experiments show that the regional version of the NDSL is successful. The model runs for an actual case study suggest that the NDSL can successfully advect radioactive tracers (iodine-131 and cesium-137) without noise from the Gibbs phenomenon. The NDSL can also remove negative specific humidity values produced in spectral calculations without losing detailed features.

Waste treatment process for removal of contaminants from aqueous, mixed-waste solutions using sequential chemical treatment and crossflow microfiltration, followed by dewatering

DOEpatents

Vijayan, S.; Wong, C.F.; Buckley, L.P.

1994-11-22

In processes of this invention aqueous waste solutions containing a variety of mixed waste contaminants are treated to remove the contaminants by a sequential addition of chemicals and adsorption/ion exchange powdered materials to remove the contaminants including lead, cadmium, uranium, cesium-137, strontium-85/90, trichloroethylene and benzene, and impurities including iron and calcium. Staged conditioning of the waste solution produces a polydisperse system of size enlarged complexes of the contaminants in three distinct configurations: water-soluble metal complexes, insoluble metal precipitation complexes, and contaminant-bearing particles of ion exchange and adsorbent materials. The volume of the waste is reduced by separation of the polydisperse system by cross-flow microfiltration, followed by low-temperature evaporation and/or filter pressing. The water produced as filtrate is discharged if it meets a specified target water quality, or else the filtrate is recycled until the target is achieved. 1 fig.

Nuclear and radiological terrorism: continuing education article.

PubMed

Anderson, Peter D; Bokor, Gyula

2013-06-01

Terrorism involving radioactive materials includes improvised nuclear devices, radiation exposure devices, contamination of food sources, radiation dispersal devices, or an attack on a nuclear power plant or a facility/vehicle that houses radioactive materials. Ionizing radiation removes electrons from atoms and changes the valence of the electrons enabling chemical reactions with elements that normally do not occur. Ionizing radiation includes alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, and neutron radiation. The effects of radiation consist of stochastic and deterministic effects. Cancer is the typical example of a stochastic effect of radiation. Deterministic effects include acute radiation syndrome (ARS). The hallmarks of ARS are damage to the skin, gastrointestinal tract, hematopoietic tissue, and in severe cases the neurovascular structures. Radiation produces psychological effects in addition to physiological effects. Radioisotopes relevant to terrorism include titrium, americium 241, cesium 137, cobalt 60, iodine 131, plutonium 238, califormium 252, iridium 192, uranium 235, and strontium 90. Medications used for treating a radiation exposure include antiemetics, colony-stimulating factors, antibiotics, electrolytes, potassium iodine, and chelating agents.

Waste treatment process for removal of contaminants from aqueous, mixed-waste solutions using sequential chemical treatment and crossflow microfiltration, followed by dewatering

DOEpatents

Vijayan, Sivaraman; Wong, Chi F.; Buckley, Leo P.

1994-01-01

In processes of this invention aqueous waste solutions containing a variety of mixed waste contaminants are treated to remove the contaminants by a sequential addition of chemicals and adsorption/ion exchange powdered materials to remove the contaminants including lead, cadmium, uranium, cesium-137, strontium-85/90, trichloroethylene and benzene, and impurities including iron and calcium. Staged conditioning of the waste solution produces a polydisperse system of size enlarged complexes of the contaminants in three distinct configurations: water-soluble metal complexes, insoluble metal precipitation complexes, and contaminant-bearing particles of ion exchange and adsorbent materials. The volume of the waste is reduced by separation of the polydisperse system by cross-flow microfiltration, followed by low-temperature evaporation and/or filter pressing. The water produced as filtrate is discharged if it meets a specified target water quality, or else the filtrate is recycled until the target is achieved.

Radioactivity and food (in Spanish)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszyna-Marzys, A.E.

1990-03-01

Two topics relating to radioactivity and food are discussed: food irradiation for preservation purposes, and food contamination from radioactive substances. Food irradiation involves the use of electromagnetic energy (x and gamma rays) emitted by radioactive substances or produced by machine in order to destroy the insects and microorganisms present and prevent germination. The sanitary and economic advantages of treating food in this way are discussed. Numerous studies have confirmed that under strictly controlled conditions no undesirable changes take place in food that has been irradiated nor is radioactivity induced. Reference is made to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear powermore » station, which aroused public concern about irradiated food. The events surrounding the accident are reviewed, and its consequences with regard to contamination of different foods with radioactive substances, particularly iodine-131 and cesium-137, are described. Also discussed are the steps that have been taken by different international organizations to set limits on acceptable radioactivity in food.15 references.« less

Comparison of two freshwater turtle species as monitors of environmental contamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meyers-Schoene, L.; Walton, B.T.

1990-04-01

Two species of turtles that occupy different ecological niches were compared for their usefulness as monitors of contamination in freshwater ecosystems. Trachemys scripta (Agassiz) and Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus) were selected for comparison based on species abundance and differences in food habits and sediment contact. A review of the literature on contaminants in turtles and results of preliminary surveys conducted at the field sites, which are included in this study, were used to direct and focus this research project. White Oak Lake, a settling basin for low-level radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants, and Bearden Creek Embayment, an uncontaminated reference site upriver, weremore » used as study sites in the investigation of turtles as indicators of chemical contamination. Turtles were analyzed for concentrations of strontium-90, cesium-137, cobalt 60, and mercury in specific target tissues, and for single-stranded DNA breaks, a non-specific indicator of possible exposure to genotoxic agents in the environment. 133 refs., 2 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Simulation of photon attenuation coefficients for high effective shielding material Lead-Boron Polyethyene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Jia, M. C.; Gong, J. J.; Xia, W. M.

2017-12-01

The mass attenuation coefficient of various Lead-Boron Polyethylene samples which can be used as the photon shielding materials in marine reactor, have been simulated using the MCNP-5 code, and compared with the theoretical values at the photon energy range 0.001MeV—20MeV. A good agreement has been observed. The variations of mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient and mean free path with photon energy between 0.001MeV to 100MeV have been plotted. The result shows that all the coefficients strongly depends on the photon energy, material atomic composition and density. The dose transmission factors for source Cesium-137 and Cobalt-60 have been worked out and their variations with the thickness of various sample materials have also been plotted. The variations show that with the increase of materials thickness the dose transmission factors decrease continuously. The results of this paper can provide some reference for the use of the high effective shielding material Lead-Boron Polyethyene.

Effect of irradiation on the viability of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in tissues of mice and pigs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dubey, J.P.; Brake, R.J.; Murrell, K.D.

1986-03-01

Muscles from tongue, heart, and limbs of 14 pigs inoculated orally with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were irradiated with 10, 20, 25, and 30 krad of gamma (cesium-137 and cobalt-60) irradiation. Viability of T gondii cysts was assayed by feeding porcine muscles to T gondii-free cats and/or by inoculation of sediment from acid-pepsin digested porcine muscle into mice. Cats fed 500-g samples of muscles irradiated with up to 20 krad shed T gondii oocysts. Cats fed muscles irradiated with 25 or 30 krad did not shed oocysts. Mice were inoculated with 8 isolates of T gondii, and tissue cysts in theirmore » brains irradiated with up to 40 krad were infective to mice; however, there was a 10,000-fold reduction in the viability of organisms in tissue cysts irradiated with 40 krad, compared with that in nonirradiated cysts. At 50 krad of gamma irradiation, there were no detectable infective organisms in infected mouse brains.« less

Numerical modeling of subsurface radioactive solute transport from waste seepage ponds at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, John B.

1976-01-01

Aqueous chemical and low-level radioactive effluents have been disposed to seepage ponds since 1952 at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The solutions percolate toward the Snake River Plain aquifer (135 m below) through interlayered basalts and unconsolidated sediments and an extensive zone of ground water perched on a sedimentary layer about 40 m beneath the ponds. A three-segment numerical model was developed to simulate the system, including effects of convection, hydrodynamic dispersion, radioactive decay, and adsorption. Simulated hydraulics and solute migration patterns for all segments agree adequately with the available field data. The model can be used to project subsurface distributions of waste solutes under a variety of assumed conditions for the future. Although chloride and tritium reached the aquifer several years ago, the model analysis suggests that the more easily sorbed solutes, such as cesium-137 and strontium-90, would not reach the aquifer in detectable concentrations within 150 years for the conditions assumed. (Woodard-USGS)

1988 environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Millard, G.; Yeager, G.; Phelan, J.

1989-05-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque is located south of Albuquerque on Kirtland Air Force Base. Because radionuclides are potentially released in small quantities from its research activities, SNL, Albuquerque has a continuing environmental monitoring program which analyzes for cesium-137, tritium, uranium, alpha emitters, and beta emitters in water, soil, air, and vegetation. A total of 5.23 curies of argon-41 were released as a result of SNL, Albuquerque operations in 1988. The albuquerque population received an estimated 0.04 person-rem from airborne radioactive releases, whereas it received greater than 44,500 person-rem from naturally occurring radionuclides. A nonradioactive effluent monitoring program at SNL,more » Albuquerque includes groundwater, stormwater and sewage monitoring. Results indicate that the groundwater has not been impacted by the chemical waste landfill. Preliminary testing of stormwater showed that no pollutants were above minimum detectable levels. A program to investigate potential remedial action sites has been started. 47 refs., 12 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Multi-scale levels of Cs-137 contamination of landscapes of the Bryansk Region (with reference to results of air gamma survey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linnik, Vitaly; Sokolov, Alexander; Sokolov, Peter

2017-04-01

As a result of the Chernobyl accident on April 26, 1986, large amounts of radionuclides were released into the atmosphere, resulting in high contamination in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. High variability of environmental parameters and multi-scale nature of initial fallout significantly contributed to very complicated Cs-137 patterns. The first maps of radioactive contamination due to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, built in May 1986, already identified a heterogeneous nature of the contamination zones [1]. A complex combination of factors, such as the nature of the deposition (dry, wet), various volumetric activity of radionuclides in the atmosphere during the deposition of aerosols on the earth's surface, led to the formation of multiscale fields of radionuclide contamination, where each scale correlates with "pollution spots" having their own specific nature]. Air gamma survey was conducted with a grid 100x100 m and it allowed to reveal different levels of scale "spots" of Cs-137 contamination associated with the movement of polluted air and the influence of the underlying surface - forests, river valleys. Cs-137 contamination field has an extraordinary feature - uniqueness of its spatial structure in different districts of the Bryansk region. A maximal area of "cesium" spots up to 30-50 km in size and with a contamination density of more than 1000 kBq/m2 is observed in the western part of the Bryansk Region. Their spatial structure is extremely heterogeneous, the differences in the local density of Cs-137 contamination being due to those in intensity of precipitation (wet deposition). The central part of the Bryansk Region with the density of contamination below 37 kBq/m2 (up to 3-5 kBq/m2 ) is an example of a condensing zone of "dry" deposition. With a larger scale, allowing individual elements of Cs-137 contamination to be shown in a more distinct way, it is possible to observe the relationship of contamination with a number of landscape factors. Specifically, one can find apparent relationship of Cs-137 contamination density with forests, where there is an increased deposition activity. An air gamma survey with a range of pollution 7,4-90 0 kBq/m2, conducted in the central and southern part of the Bryansk Region, revealed a complex pattern of contamination density, which is presented as a sequence of "spots" of irregular shape with a high level of radioactive contamination, as well as elongated "bands", whose orientation shows a direction of the movement of air masses, i.e., west-eastward or to the northwest- south-east. The distribution of Cs-137 contamination can be clearly related to the valley of the Sudost River, thus showing relevance of landscape factors for the formation of technogenic pollution with radionuclides. The analysis of transformation of the original Cs-137 contamination formed as a result of the deposition of radioactive aerosols in April-May 1986, due to the effect of landscape factors, has been performed. 1. Izrael Yu. A., Kvasnikova E.V., Linnik V.G. 2012 Radioactive contamination in Russia //Changing the natural environment of Russia in the 20th century (in Russian). Eds. V. M. Kotlyakov, D.I. Lyuri. Moscow: Publishing House Molnet. Pp.202-220.

Gaseous iodine monitoring in Europe after the Fukushima accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Olivier; de Vismes-Ott, Anne; Manificat, Guillaume; Gurriaran, Rodolfo; Debayle, Christophe

2014-05-01

After the Fukushima accident and following the worldwide dispersion of contaminated air masses, many monitoring networks have reported airborne levels of emitted radionuclides, namely and mainly cesium isotopes and iodine 131. Most of the values focused on the particulate fraction (i.e. radionuclide-labeled aerosols) and were dedicated to cesium 137, cesium 134 and iodine 131. Iodine-131 was also found under gaseous form that accounted for most part of the total (gaseous + particulate)I-131 throughout the world. This gaseous predominance was also noticed after the Chernobyl accident despite differences in the type of accident. This predominance is due to the high iodine volatility and also by a rather low transfer from the gaseous form to the particulate one by adsorption on ambient airborne particles. Paradoxically, the number of gaseous determinations was rather low compared to the magnitude of data related to the particulate form (around 10 percent). Routine monitoring of airborne radionuclides species have been extensively based on aerosol sampling for decades as this allows the long term characterization of trace levels of remnant anthropogenic radionuclides. Moreover the capability of gaseous sampler equipped with activated charcoal to allow the quantification of 131I gaseous at trace level is limited by the contact time required for the sorption of iodine on the sorbent and thus by the low acceptable flow rate (usually between 3 and 5 m3/h, exceptionally 12 m3/h). In this context and despite the fact that airborne level outside Japan were of no concern for public health, this contribute to the lack of information on the actual levels of gaseous iodine. Other incidents involving iodine determination in the air have been reported in Europe in 2011 and 2012 without any relation with the Fukushima accident. For the same reason as previously mentioned, mainly, if not only, the particulate form was reported whereas it can be supposed that the predominant form was gaseous. In order to cope with these limitations, some improvements can be done 1) to increase the number of iodine samplers, as engaged by IRSN, 2) to have a number of gaseous surveillance station operating on a routine basis, 3) to diminish the detection limit of the gaseous iodine.

Engineered Materials for Cesium and Strontium Storage Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sean M. McDeavitt

2010-04-14

Closing the nuclear fuel cycle requires reprocessing spent fuel to recover the long-lived components that still have useful energy content while immobilizing the remnant waste fission products in stable forms. At the genesis of this project, next generation spent fuel reprocessing methods were being developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative. One of these processes was focused on solvent extraction schemes to isolate cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) from spent nuclear fuel. Isolating these isotopes for short-term decay storage eases the design requirements for long-term repository disposal; a significant amount of the radiation andmore » decay heat in fission product waste comes from Cs-137 and Sr-90. For the purposes of this project, the Fission Product Extraction (FPEX) process is being considered to be the baseline extraction method. The objective of this project was to evaluate the nature and behavior of candidate materials for cesium and strontium immobilization; this will include assessments with minor additions of yttrium, barium, and rubidium in these materials. More specifically, the proposed research achieved the following objectives (as stated in the original proposal): (1) Synthesize simulated storage ceramics for Cs and Sr using an existing labscale steam reformer at Purdue University. The simulated storage materials will include aluminosilicates, zirconates and other stable ceramics with the potential for high Cs and Sr loading. (2) Characterize the immobilization performance, phase structure, thermal properties and stability of the simulated storage ceramics. The ceramic products will be stable oxide powders and will be characterized to quantify their leach resistance, phase structure, and thermophysical properties. The research progressed in two stages. First, a steam reforming process was used to generate candidate Cs/Sr storage materials for characterization. This portion of the research was carried out at Purdue University and is detailed in Appendix A. Steam reforming proved to be too rigorous for efficient The second stage of this project was carried out at Texas A&M University and is Detailed in Appendix B. In this stage, a gentler ceramic synthesis process using Cs and Sr loaded kaolinite and bentonite clays was developed in collaboration with Dr. M. Kaminski at Argonne National Laboratory.« less

The role of silica colloids on facilitated cesium transport through glass bead columns and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noell, Alan L.; Thompson, Joseph L.; Corapcioglu, M. Yavuz; Triay, Inés R.

1998-05-01

Groundwater colloids can act as a vector which enhances the migration of contaminants. While sorbed to mobile colloids, contaminants can be held in the aqueous phase which prevents them from interacting with immobile aquifer surfaces. In this study, an idealized laboratory set-up was used to examine the influence of amorphous silica colloids on the transport of cesium. Synthetic groundwater and saturated glass bead columns were used to minimize the presence of natural colloidal material. The columns were assembled in replicate, some packed with 150-210 μm glass bead and others packed with 355-420 μm glass beads. The colloids used in these experiments were 100 nm amorphous silica colloids from Nissan Chemical Company. In the absence of these colloids, the retardation factor for cesium was 8.0 in the 150-210 μm glass bead columns and 3.6 in the 355-420 μm glass bead columns. The influence of anthropogenic colloids was tested by injecting 0.09 pore volume slugs of an equilibrated suspension of cesium and colloids into the colloid-free columns. Although there was little noticeable facilitation in the smaller glass bead columns, there was a slight reduction in the retardation of cesium in the larger glass bead columns. This was attributed to cesium having less of a retention time in the larger glass bead columns. When cesium was injected into columns with a constant flux of colloids, the retardation of cesium was reduced by 14-32% in the 150-210 μm glass bead columns and by 38-51% in the 355-420 μm glass bead columns. A model based on Corapcioglu and Jiang (1993) [Corapcioglu, M.Y., Jiang, S., 1993. Colloid-facilitated groundwater contaminant transport, Water Resour. Res., 29 (7) 2215-2226] was compared with the experimental elution data. When equilibrium sorption expressions were used and the flux of colloids through the glass bead columns was constant, the colloid facilitated transport of cesium was able to be described using an effective retardation coefficient. Fully kinetic simulations, however, more accurately described the colloid facilitated transport of cesium.

A long-term stability study of Prussian blue: A quality assessment of water content and cesium binding.

PubMed

Mohammad, Adil; Yang, Yongsheng; Khan, Mansoor A; Faustino, Patrick J

2015-01-25

Prussian blue (PB) is the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of Radiogardase, the first approved medical countermeasure for the treatment of radiocesium poisoning in the event of a major radiological incident such as a "dirty bomb" or nuclear attack. The purpose of this study is to assess the long-term stability of Prussian blue drug products (DPs) and APIs under laboratory storage condition by monitoring the loss in water content and the in vitro cesium binding. The water content was measured by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The in-vitro cesium binding study was conducted using a surrogate model to mimic gastric residence and intestinal transport. Free cesium was analyzed using a validated flame atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) method. The binding equilibrium was reached at 24h. The Langmuir isotherm was plotted to calculate the maximum binding capacity (MBC). Comparison of the same PB samples with 2003 data samples, the water content of both APIs and DPs decreased on an average by approximately 12-24%. Consequently, the MBC of cesium was decreased from 358mg/g in 2003 to 265mg/g @ pH 7.5, a decrease of approximately 26%. The binding of cesium is also pH dependent with lowest binding at pH 1.0 and maximum binding at pH 7.5. At pH 7.5, the amount of cesium bound decreased by an average value of 7.9% for APIs and 8.9% for DPs (for 600ppm initial cesium concentration). These findings of water loss, pH dependence and decrease in cesium binding are consistent with our previously published data in 2003. Over last 10 years the stored DPs and APIs of PB have lost about 20% of water which has a negative impact on the PB cesium binding, however PB still meets the FDA specification of >150mg/g at equilibrium. The study is the first quantitative assessment of the long-term stability of PB and directs that proper long-term and short-term storage of PB is required to ensure that it is safe and efficacious at the time of an emergency situation. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Remedial investigation/feasibility study for the Clinch River/Poplar Creek operable unit. Volume 3. Appendix E

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-09-01

This document contains Appendix E: Toxicity Information and Uncertainty Analysis, description of methods, from the combined Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report for the Clinch River/Poplar Crack (CR/PC) Operable Unit (OU). The CR/PC OU is located in Anderson and Roane Counties, Tennessee and consists of the Clinch River and several of its embayments in Melton Hill and Watts Bar Reservoirs. These waters have received hazardous substances released over a period of 50 years from the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a National Priority List site established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. A remedial investigation hasmore » been conducted to determine the current nature and extent of any contamination and to assess the resulting risk to human health and the environment. The feasibility study evaluates remedial action alternatives to identify any that are feasible for implementation and that would effectively reduce risk. Historical studies had indicated that current problems would likely include {sup 137}Cs in sediment of the Clinch River, mercury in sediment and fish of Poplar Creek and PCBs and pesticides in fish from throughout the OU. Peak releases of mercury and {sup 137}Cs occurred over 35 years ago, and current releases are low. Past releases of PCBs from the ORR are poorly quantified, and current releases are difficult to quantify because levels are so low. The site characterization focused on contaminants in surface water, sediment, and biota. Contaminants in surface water were all found to be below Ambient Water Quality Criteria. Other findings included the following: elevated metals including cesium 137 and mercury in McCoy Branch sediments; PCBs and chlordane elevated in several fish species, presenting the only major human health risk, significant ecological risks in Poplar Creek but not in the Clinch River.« less

Remedial investigation/feasibility study for the Clinch River/Poplar Creek operable unit. Volume 4. Appendix F

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-09-01

This section contains ecotoxicological profiles for the COPECs for the combined Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report for the Clinch River/Poplar Crack (CR/PC) Operable Unit (OU). The ecotoxicological information is presented for only those endpoints for which the chemicals are COPECs. The CR/PC OU is located in Anderson and Roane Counties, Tennessee and consists of the Clinch River and several of its embayments in Melton Hill and Watts Bar Reservoirs. These waters have received hazardous substances released over a period of 50 years from the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a National Priority List site established under the Comprehensivemore » Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. A remedial investigation has been conducted to determine the current nature and extent of any contamination and to assess the resulting risk to human health and the environment. The feasibility study evaluates remedial action alternatives to identify any that are feasible for implementation and that would effectively reduce risk. Historical studies had indicated that current problems would likely include {sup 137}Cs in sediment of the Clinch River, mercury in sediment and fish of Poplar Creek and PCBs and pesticides in fish from throughout the OU. Peak releases of mercury and {sup 137}Cs occurred over 35 years ago, and current releases are low. Past releases of PCBs from the ORR are poorly quantified, and current releases are difficult to quantify because levels are so low. The site characterization focused on contaminants in surface water, sediment, and biota. Contaminants in surface water were all found to be below Ambient Water Quality Criteria. Other findings included the following: elevated metals including cesium 137 and mercury in McCoy Branch sediments; PCBs and chlordane elevated in several fish species, presenting the only major human health risk, significant ecological risks in Poplar Creek but not in the Clinch River.« less

Measurements of long-term external and internal radiation exposure of inhabitants of some villages of the Bryansk region of Russia after the Chernobyl accident.

PubMed

Bernhardsson, C; Zvonova, I; Rääf, C; Mattsson, S

2011-10-15

A Nordic-Soviet programme was initiated in 1990 to evaluate the external and internal radiation exposure of the inhabitants of several villages in the Bryansk region of Russia. This area was one of the number of areas particularly affected by the nuclear accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986. Measurements were carried out yearly until 1998 and after that more irregularly; in 2000, 2006 and 2008 respectively. The effective dose estimates were based on individual thermoluminescent dosemeters and on in vivo measurements of the whole body content of (137)Cs (and (134)Cs during the first years of the programme). The decrease in total effective dose during the almost 2 decade follow-up was due to a continuous decrease in the dominating external exposure and a less decreasing but highly variable exposure from internal irradiation. In 2008, the observed average effective dose (i.e. the sum of external and internal exposure) from Chernobyl (137)Cs to the residents was estimated to be 0.3mSv y(-1). This corresponds to 8% of the estimated annual dose in 1990 and to 1% of the estimated annual dose in 1986. As a mean for the population group and for the period of the present study (2006-2008), the average yearly effective dose from Chernobyl cesium was comparable to the absorbed dose obtained annually from external exposure to cosmic radiation plus internal exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides in the human body. Our data indicate that the effective dose from internal exposure is becoming increasingly important as the body burdens of Chernobyl (137)Cs are decreasing more slowly than the external exposure. However, over the years there have been large individual variations in both the external and internal effective doses, as well as differences between the villages investigated. These variations and differences are presented and discussed in this paper. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of radiocesium transfer on ambient dose rate in forest environments affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, H.

2015-12-01

We investigated the transfer of canopy-intercepted radiocesium to the forest floor during 3 years following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. The cesium-137 (Cs-137) contents in throughfall, stemflow, and litterfall were monitored in two coniferous stands (plantation of Japanese cedar) and a deciduous broad-leaved forest stand (Japanese oak with red pine). We also measured the ambient dose rate (ADR) at different heights in the forest using a survey meter and a portable Ge gamma-ray detector. Total Cs-137 deposition flux from the canopy to forest floor for the mature cedar, young cedar, and the mixed broad-leaved stands were 166 kBq/m2, 174 kBq/m2, and 60 kBq/m2, respectively. These values correspond to 38%, 40% and 13% of total atmospheric input after the accident. The ambient dose rate in forest exhibited height dependency and its vertical distribution varied with forest type and stand age. The ambient dose rate showed an exponential decrease with time for all the forest sites, however the decreasing trend differed depending on the height of dose measurement and forest type. The ambient dose rate at the canopy (approx. 10 m-height) decreased faster than that expected from physical decay of the two radiocesium isotopes, whereas those at the forest floor varied between the three forest stands. The radiocesium deposition via throughfall seemed to increase ambient dose rate during the first 200 days after the accident, however there was no clear relationship between litterfall and ambient dose rate since 400 days after the accident. These data suggested that the ambient dose rate in forest environment varied both spatially and temporally reflecting the transfer of radiocesium from canopy to forest floor. However, further monitoring investigation and analysis are required to determine the effect of litterfall on long-term trend of ambient dose rate in forest environments.

JMA's regional atmospheric transport model calculations for the WMO technical task team on meteorological analyses for Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Saito, Kazuo; Shimbori, Toshiki; Draxler, Roland

2015-01-01

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) convened a small technical task team of experts to produce a set of meteorological analyses to drive atmospheric transport, dispersion and deposition models (ATDMs) for the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation's assessment of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (DNPP) accident. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) collaborated with the WMO task team as the regional specialized meteorological center of the country where the accident occurred, and provided its operational 5-km resolution mesoscale (MESO) analysis and its 1-km resolution radar/rain gauge-analyzed precipitation (RAP) data. The JMA's mesoscale tracer transport model was modified to a regional ATDM for radionuclides (RATM), which included newly implemented algorithms for dry deposition, wet scavenging, and gravitational settling of radionuclide aerosol particles. Preliminary and revised calculations of the JMA-RATM were conducted according to the task team's protocol. Verification against Cesium 137 ((137)Cs) deposition measurements and observed air concentration time series showed that the performance of RATM with MESO data was significantly improved by the revisions to the model. The use of RAP data improved the (137)Cs deposition pattern but not the time series of air concentrations at Tokai-mura compared with calculations just using the MESO data. Sensitivity tests of some of the more uncertain parameters were conducted to determine their impacts on ATDM calculations, and the dispersion and deposition of radionuclides on 15 March 2011, the period of some of the largest emissions and deposition to the land areas of Japan. The area with high deposition in the northwest of Fukushima DNPP and the hotspot in the central part of Fukushima prefecture were primarily formed by wet scavenging influenced by the orographic effect of the mountainous area in the west of the Fukushima prefecture. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Special treatment reduces helium permeation of glass in vacuum systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, P. J.; Gosselin, C. M.

1966-01-01

Internal surfaces of the glass component of a vacuum system are exposed to cesium in gaseous form to reduce helium permeation. The cesium gas is derived from decomposition of cesium nitrate through heating. Several minutes of exposure of the internal surfaces of the glass vessel are sufficient to complete the treatment.

Cesium, iodine and tritium in NW Pacific waters - a comparison of the Fukushima impact with global fallout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Povinec, P. P.; Aoyama, M.; Biddulph, D.; Breier, R.; Buesseler, K.; Chang, C. C.; Golser, R.; Hou, X. L.; Ješkovský, M.; Jull, A. J. T.; Kaizer, J.; Nakano, M.; Nies, H.; Palcsu, L.; Papp, L.; Pham, M. K.; Steier, P.; Zhang, L. Y.

2013-08-01

Radionuclide impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident on the distribution of radionuclides in seawater of the NW Pacific Ocean is compared with global fallout from atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons. Surface and water column samples collected during the Ka'imikai-o-Kanaloa (KOK) international expedition carried out in June 2011 were analyzed for 134Cs, 137Cs, 129I and 3H. The 137Cs, 129I and 3H levels in surface seawater offshore Fukushima varied between 0.002-3.5 Bq L-1, 0.01-0.8 μBq L-1, and 0.05-0.15 Bq L-1, respectively. At the sampling site about 40 km from the coast, where all three radionuclides were analyzed, the Fukushima impact on the levels of these three radionuclides represents an increase above the global fallout background by factors of about 1000, 50 and 3, respectively. The water column data indicate that the transport of Fukushima-derived radionuclides downward to the depth of 300 m has already occurred. The observed 137Cs levels in surface waters and in the water column are compared with predictions obtained from the ocean general circulation model, which indicates that the Kuroshio Current acts as a southern boundary for the transport of the radionuclides, which have been transported from the Fukushima coast eastward in the NW Pacific Ocean. The 137Cs inventory in the water column is estimated to be about 2.2 PBq, what can be regarded as a lower limit of the direct liquid discharges into the sea as the seawater sampling was carried out only in the area from 34 to 37° N, and from 142 to 147° E. About 4.6 GBq of 129I was deposited in the NW Pacific Ocean, and 2.4-7 GBq of 129I was directly discharged as liquid wastes into the sea offshore Fukushima. The total amount of 3H released and deposited over the NW Pacific Ocean was estimated to be 0.1-0.5 PBq. These estimations depend, however, on the evaluation of the total 137Cs activities released as liquid wastes directly into the sea, which should improve when more data are available. Due to a suitable residence time in the ocean, Fukushima-derived radionuclides will provide useful tracers for isotope oceanography studies on the transport of water masses during the next decades in the NW Pacific Ocean.

Carbonation-induced weathering effect on cesium retention of cement paste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, S. M.; Jang, J. G.

2018-07-01

Carbonation is inevitable for cement and concrete in repositories over an extended period of time. This study investigated the carbonation-induced weathering effect on cesium retention of cement. Cement paste samples were exposed to accelerated carbonation for different durations to simulate the extent of weathering among samples. The extent of carbonation in cement was characterized by XRD, TG and NMR spectroscopy, while the retention capacity for cesium was investigated by zeta potential measurement and batch adsorption tests. Though carbonation led to decalcification from the binder gel, it negatively charged the surface of cement hydrates and enhanced their cesium adsorption capacity.

Test procedures and instructions for single shell tank saltcake cesium removal with crystalline silicotitanate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, J.B.

1997-01-07

This document provides specific test procedures and instructions to implement the test plan for the preparation and conduct of a cesium removal test, using Hanford Single Shell Tank Saltcake from tanks 24 t -BY- I 10, 24 1 -U- 108, 24 1 -U- 109, 24 1 -A- I 0 1, and 24 t - S-102, in a bench-scale column. The cesium sorbent to be tested is crystalline siticotitanate. The test plan for which this provides instructions is WHC-SD-RE-TP-024, Hanford Single Shell Tank Saltcake Cesium Removal Test Plan.

ION ROCKET ENGINE

DOEpatents

Ehlers, K.W.; Voelker, F. III

1961-12-19

A thrust generating engine utilizing cesium vapor as the propellant fuel is designed. The cesium is vaporized by heat and is passed through a heated porous tungsten electrode whereby each cesium atom is fonized. Upon emergfng from the tungsten electrode, the ions are accelerated rearwardly from the rocket through an electric field between the tungsten electrode and an adjacent accelerating electrode grid structure. To avoid creating a large negative charge on the space craft as a result of the expulsion of the positive ions, a source of electrons is disposed adjacent the ion stream to neutralize the cesium atoms following acceleration thereof. (AEC)

The effect of temperature and radiation on the cesium adsorption ability of IONSIV/256 IE-910 and IONSIV/256 IE-911

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, K.B.

1999-12-08

This study examined the ion exchange capacity of crystalline silicotitanate in a simulated waste solution. The focus areas included the effect of temperature and radiation on cesium sorption capacity. The cesium is expected to be removed from high-level radioactive wastes using these ion exchange materials.

Simulation of Sediment and Cesium Transport in the Ukedo River and the Ogi Dam Reservoir during a Rainfall Event using the TODAM Code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Onishi, Yasuo; Yokuda, Satoru T.; Kurikami, Hiroshi

2014-03-28

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 caused widespread environmental contamination. Although decontamination activities have been performed in residential areas of the Fukushima area, decontamination of forests, rivers, and reservoirs is still controversial because of the economical, ecological, and technical difficulties. Thus, an evaluation of contaminant transport in such an environment is important for safety assessment and for implementation of possible countermeasures to reduce radiation exposure to the public. The investigation revealed that heavy rainfall events play a significant role in transporting radioactive cesium deposited on the land surface, via soil erosion and sediment transportmore » in rivers. Therefore, we simulated the sediment and cesium transport in the Ukedo River and its tributaries in Fukushima Prefecture, including the Ogaki Dam Reservoir, and the Ogi Dam Reservoir of the Oginosawa River in Fukushima Prefecture during and after a heavy rainfall event by using the TODAM (Time-dependent, One-dimensional Degradation And Migration) code. The main outcomes are the following: • Suspended sand is mostly deposited on the river bottom. Suspended silt and clay, on the other hand, are hardly deposited in the Ukedo River and its tributaries except in the Ogaki Dam Reservoir in the Ukedo River even in low river discharge conditions. • Cesium migrates mainly during high river discharge periods during heavy rainfall events. Silt and clay play more important roles in cesium transport to the sea than sand does. • The simulation results explain variations in the field data on cesium distributions in the river. Additional field data currently being collected and further modeling with these data may shed more light on the cesium distribution variations. • Effects of 40-hour heavy rainfall events on clay and cesium transport continue for more than a month. This is because these reservoirs slow down the storm-induced high flow moving through these reservoirs. • The reservoirs play a major role as a sink of sediment and cesium in the river systems. Some amounts of sediment pass through them along with cesium in dissolved and clay-sorbed cesium forms. • Effects of countermeasures such as overland decontamination, dam control and sorbent injection were tentatively estimated. The simulation suggested that overland decontamination and sorbent injection would be effective for decreasing the contamination of water in the reservoir and in the river below the dam.« less

Two halide-containing cesium manganese vanadates: synthesis, characterization, and magnetic properties

DOE PAGES

Smith Pellizzeri, Tiffany M.; McGuire, Michael A.; McMillen, Colin D.; ...

2018-01-24

In this study, two new halide-containing cesium manganese vanadates have been synthesized by a high-temperature (580 °C) hydrothermal synthetic method from aqueous brine solutions. One compound, Cs 3Mn(VO 3) 4Cl, (1) was prepared using a mixed cesium hydroxide/chloride mineralizer, and crystallizes in the polar noncentrosymmetric space group Cmm2, with a = 16.7820(8) Å, b = 8.4765(4) Å, c = 5.7867(3) Å. This structure is built from sinusoidal zig-zag (VO 3) n chains that run along the b-axis and are coordinated to Mn 2+ containing (MnO 4Cl) square-pyramidal units that are linked together to form layers. The cesium cations reside betweenmore » the layers, but also coordinate to the chloride ion, forming a cesium chloride chain that also propagates along the b-axis. The other compound, Cs 2Mn(VO 3) 3F, (2) crystallizes in space group Pbca with a = 7.4286(2) Å, b = 15.0175(5) Å, c = 19.6957(7) Å, and was prepared using a cesium fluoride mineralizer. The structure is comprised of corner sharing octahedral Mn 2+ chains, with trans fluoride ligands acting as bridging units, whose ends are capped by (VO 3) n vanadate chains to form slabs. The cesium atoms reside between the manganese vanadate layers, and also play an integral part in the structure, forming a cesium fluoride chain that runs along the b-axis. Both compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, and single-crystal Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the magnetic properties of 2 were investigated. Lastly, above 50 K, it displays behavior typical of a low dimensional system with antiferromagnetic interactions, as to be expected for linear chains of manganese(II) within the crystal structure.« less

Efficient non-linear two-photon effects from the Cesium 6D manifold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haluska, Nathan D.; Perram, Glen P.; Rice, Christopher A.

2018-02-01

We report several non-linear process that occur when two-photon pumping the cesium 6D states. Cesium vapor possess some of the largest two-photon pump cross sections in nature. Pumping these cross sections leads to strong amplified spontaneous emission that we observe on over 17 lasing lines. These new fields are strong enough to couple with the pump to create additional tunable lines. We use a heat pipe with cesium densities of 1014 to 1016 cm-3 and 0 to 5 Torr of helium buffer gas. The cesium 6D States are interrogated by both high energy pulses and low power CW sources. We observe four-wave mixing, six-wave mixing, potential two-photon lasing, other unknown nonlinear processes, and the persistence of some processes at low thresholds. This system is also uniquely qualified to support two-photon lasing under the proper conditions.

Prussian blue caged in spongiform adsorbents using diatomite and carbon nanotubes for elimination of cesium.

PubMed

Hu, Baiyang; Fugetsu, Bunshi; Yu, Hongwen; Abe, Yoshiteru

2012-05-30

We developed a spongiform adsorbent that contains Prussian blue, which showed a high capacity for eliminating cesium. An in situ synthesizing approach was used to synthesize Prussian blue inside diatomite cavities. Highly dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used to form CNT networks that coated the diatomite to seal in the Prussian blue particles. These ternary (CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue) composites were mixed with polyurethane (PU) prepolymers to produce a quaternary (PU/CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue), spongiform adsorbent with an in situ foaming procedure. Prussian blue was permanently immobilized in the cell walls of the spongiform matrix and preferentially adsorbed cesium with a theoretical capacity of 167 mg/g cesium. Cesium was absorbed primarily by an ion-exchange mechanism, and the absorption was accomplished by self-uptake of radioactive water by the quaternary spongiform adsorbent. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchrotron-Radiation Photoemission Study of Electronic Structures of a Cs-Doped Rubrene Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chiu-Ping; Lu, Meng-Han; Chu, Yu-Ya; Pi, Tun-Wen

Using synchrotron-radiation photoemission spectroscopy, we have studied the electronic structure of a cesium-doped rubrene thin film. The addition of cesium atoms causes the movement of the valence-band spectra and the change in line shapes at different concentration that can be separated into four different stages. In the first stage, the cesium atoms continuously diffuse into the substrate, and the Fermi level moves in the energy gap as a result of an electron transferred from the cesium to the rubrene. The second stage, in which the shifts of the spectra are interrupted, is characterized by the introduction of two in-gap states. When increasing doping of cesium into the third stage, the spectra move again; whereas, the line shapes maintain at the stoichiometric ratio of one. In the fourth stage, new in-gap states appear, which are the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and HOMO+1 states of (rubrene)2- anion.

Experimental and theoretical investigation for the suppression of the plasma arc drop in the thermionic converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, D. T.; Manikopoulos, C. N.; Chang, T.; Lee, C. H.; Chiu, N.

1977-01-01

Ion generation and recombination mechanisms in the cesium plasma as they pertain to the advanced mode thermionic energy converter were studied. The decay of highly ionized cesium plasma was studied in the near afterglow to examine the recombination processes. Very low recombination in such a plasma may prove to be of considerable importance in practical converters. The approaches of external cesium generation were vibrationally excited nitrogen as an energy source of ionization of cesium ion, and microwave power as a means of resonant sustenance of the cesium plasma. Experimental data obtained so far show that all three techniques - i.e., the non-LTE high-voltage pulsing, the energy transfer from vibrationally excited diatomic gases, and the external pumping with a microwave resonant cavity - can produce plasmas with their densities significantly higher than the Richardson density. The implication of these findings as related to Lam's theory is discussed.