Assessment of gamma emitting radionuclides in the aquatic ecosystem of Kakrapar Atomic Power Station and evaluation of radiological doses to aquatic plants

During operation and maintenance of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS), low level radioactive liquid waste is generated and released to the aquatic ecosystem (Moticher lake). The silt and aquatic weed (Hydrilla verticillata) samples collected from different locations in Moticher lake were analysed for ¹³⁷Cs, ¹³⁴Cs, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁶⁰Co, ⁵⁴Mn and ⁴⁰K during 2007–2008. A wide variation in activity levels of ¹³⁷Cs, ¹³⁴Cs, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁶⁰Co, ⁵⁴Mn and ⁴⁰K in silt and weed samples were observed in aquatic system of KAPS. The activity buildup in the silt is confined to a small area in the Moticher lake. The activity levels were found to be insignificant at 1 km away from discharge point (upstream and downstream). An attempt was made to evaluate the radiological dose to aquatic weed (Hydrilla verticillata), which was found to be well within the dose limit prescribed by US DOE. The total radiological dose due to the naturally occurring radionuclide (⁴⁰K) is comparatively higher than that of other reactor released gamma emitting radionuclides.     

Cesium,manganese and cobalt water–sediment transfer kinetics and diffusion into mangrove sediments inferred by radiotracer experiments

A study on the trace elements transfer from tidal water to mangrove sediments from Guanabara Bay (southeastern Brazil) was performed in laboratory microcosms. Sediment cores were covered with tidal water spiked with ¹³⁷Cs, ⁵⁴Mn and ⁵⁷Co during 5-h experiments, and water samples were taken at regular intervals to measure uptake kinetics at the sediment–water interface. At the end of the experiments, the uptake and diffusional penetration into the sediments was evaluated. Half-removal times from water to sediments were slightly higher for ¹³⁷Cs (3.4 ± 1.7 h) than observed for ⁵⁴Mn (2.3 ± 0.2 h) and ⁵⁷Co (2.6 ± 1.1 h). After these experiments, all radioisotopes presented decreasing activities with increasing sediment depth, being the distribution of ¹³⁷Cs indicative of higher diffusion within the upper 2 cm. This study on the removal of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁵⁴Mn and ⁵⁷Co from tidal water by mangrove sediments suggests that while ⁵⁷Co and ⁵⁴Mn presented closer behaviors, there was a slightly higher mobility of ¹³⁷Cs.     

Retention of some radionuclides in furnace lining during incineration of radioactive wastes

The incineration is one of the widely used method for treatment of solid radioactive wastes. The high volume and weight reduction coefficient (100–150 respectively 10–15) are advantages of this method. The greater part of radionuclides from solid radioactive wastes is retained in ash. From point of view of workers external irradiation, the radionuclides accumulation in furnace lining is one of risk factors. The Kalinit O 1200 is furnace lining material on NPPRIs Experimental Incineration facility. In the first step the sorption properties of this material from¹³⁷Cs,⁶⁰Co,⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁵Zn solutions were studied. The best results had⁶⁰Co, its distribution coefficient was 7036 kg · dm^–3. Cesium-137 was not absorbed on this material. The cylinders (height 5 cm, diameter 2 cm) from lining materials were made latest and were applicated inside the furnace and technological tract to study sorption properties from combustion gases. The penetration of radionuclide into lining material was studied too. The results obtained with this experiments are described in this paper.     

Bioaccumulation of gamma emitting radionuclides in Polysiphonia fucoides

The article presents the results of a study on the bioaccumulation abilities of Polysiphonia fucoides, a red algae specific to the southern Baltic Sea, towards (of) gamma emitting isotopes. A laboratory experiment was carried out to determine changes in the activities of some isotopes—⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁷Co, ⁶⁵Zn, ^110mAg,¹¹³Sn, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am—occurring in P. fucoides exposed to a seawater medium containing these isotopes over the course of 1 month. All analyzed isotopes showed the greatest increase of radioactive activity in plant tissue in the first 24 h of exposure. The temporary concentration factors of cesium isotopes were increasing linearly during the experiment from 114 to 274 in the case of ¹³⁷Cs, and from 144 to 351 in the case of ¹³⁴Cs. The level of the initial concentration factor of cesium isotopes in the plant proved to be independent of the initial concentration of the isotope in seawater and it took the lowest (125 dm³ kg^?1) level among the studied isotopes. In the case of a mixture of gamma emitting isotopes, a linear relation between the individual isotope activity in P. fucoides and its initial concentration in seawater was established after the first day of exposure; the isotopes initial concentration factors ranged from 767 to 874 dm³ kg^?1. Having reached the maximal concentration level, a statistically significant decline in radioactivity concentrations of the five isotopes in the plant tissue was observed. A half-life of biological removal of the isotopes from the plant tissue was established at: 3.8 days in the case of ⁵⁴Mn, 4 days—⁵⁷Co, 4 days—⁶⁰Co, 4.2 days—¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am—3.5 days.     

Transfer of some selected radionuclides (Cs, Sr, Mn, Co, Zn and Ce) from soil to root vegetables

Transfer of radionuclides from soil to root vegetables (radish, carrot and turnip) has been studied by radiotracer experiments using Andosol, a typical soil type in Japan. The averages of the transfer factors of¹³⁷Cs,⁸⁵Sr,⁶⁰Co,⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁵Zn for edible parts of the three vegetables were 0.02, 0.14, 0.004, 0.09 and 0.13, respectively. The transfer factor of¹⁴¹Ce for the edible part of carrot was 0.0002. The transfer factors obtained for the edible part of root vegetables were markedly lower than those for leaf vegetables.     

Mathematical modeling of physico-chemical characteristics of cement-waste composites in radioactive waste management

An optimization of mortar (as matrix), improved with bentonite clay, used for immobilization of radionuclides⁶⁰Co,¹³⁷Cs,⁸⁵Sr and⁵⁴Mn, is presented. A relatively simple mathematical model is given, which permits minimization of leach rate and permeability and maximization of compressive strength. An optimal solution, based on experimental data, is given. These results will be used for a future Yugoslav radioactive waste storing center.     

A method for assessing and correcting coincidence summing effects for germanium detector efficiency calibrations

The addition of⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁵Zn to a nine-radionuclide standard (containing²⁴¹Am.,¹⁰⁹Cd.⁵⁷Co,¹³⁹Ce,²⁰³Hg.¹¹³Sn,¹³⁷Cs,⁸⁸Y, and⁶⁰Co) provides the capability to determine the extent of coincidence summing for gamma rays from⁸⁸Y and⁶⁰Co. A method for correcting the efficiency points at 1332 keV (⁶⁰Co) and 1836 keV (⁸⁸Y) for coincidence summing is presented.     

Influence of plant roots upon the mobility of radionuclides in soil, with respect to location of contamination below the surface

The movement of⁸⁵Sr,¹³⁷Cs,⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co in the 50 cm soil profile was studied with and without the presence of plant roots (triticum aestivum) in order to investigate the influence of roots and depth contamination upon the migration of radionuclides. The water table was maintained manually at 3 cm from the bottom. The physiochemical characteristics (E_h Fe^–2, NH ₄ ⁺ , pH and moisture content) as well as the total and extractable radioactivity were investigated. In the discrete contamination, where the location of contamination varied within the soil profile (0–5, 25–30 or 45–50 cm from the top), the influence of location upon the movement of these radionuclides was also studied. It was found that the changes in the soil physicochemical characteristics influenced the mobility of the four radionuclides. The extractability of⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co was significantly increased in the reducing region of the soil, whereas that of⁸⁵Sr,¹³⁷Cs was not. Plant roots excerted significant effects upon the soil characteristics, via, reducing the E_h pH and moisture content of the soil; increasing the extractability of both⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co from the depth of 35 cm downwards. Radionuclide migration occurred via physicochemical and biological transport. The biological transport via plant roots was of particular importance for¹³⁷Cs. Location of contamination had a significant influence upon the mobility of radionuclides. The migration of radionuclides was in the sequence of contamination in middle>bottom>top. The degree of the influence varied with radionuclides concemed. In the top layer contamination, the rank of the migration from the contamination layers, on the other hand⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁰Co and¹³⁷Cs were more mobile and the movement was:⁸⁵Sr⁵⁴Mn⁶⁰Co>¹³⁷Cs. In the middle and bottom contamination layers, on the other hand,⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co and¹³⁷Cs were more mobile and the movement was⁸⁵Sr⁵⁴Mn⁶⁰Co>¹³⁷Cs. The results provide evidence conceming the soil-root interaction influencing the transfer efficiency of radionuclides from below the soil surface into the human food chain.     

Experience gained through intercomparison of long-lived radionuclide measurements on marine environmental matrices

Within the last five years the International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco has organized seven intercomparison exercises worldwide on natural materials of marine origin comprising sea water (SW-N-2), sediment (SD-N-1/1, SD-N-1/2, SD-N-2), seaweed (AG-B-1) and fish flesh (MA-B-3/1, MA-B-3/2). Results on man-made (⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁰Co,⁶⁵Zn,⁹⁰Sr,⁹⁹Tc,¹³⁴Cs,¹³⁷Cs,²³⁸Pu,^239,240Pu,²⁴¹Am) and natural radionuclides were collected and evaluated. Reference values were established for a number of them. In the paper are discussed various aspects of the intercomparison exercises.     

Matrix materials for proficiency testing: optimization of a procedure for spiking soil with gamma-emitting radionuclides

The IAEA Reference Materials Group of the Chemistry Unit, Agency’s Laboratories Seibersdorf, has developed and optimized a procedure for spiking some environmental matrices with gamma-emitting radionuclides. This paper describes the spiking procedure, homogeneity testing of the spiked material, and assignment of property values and their associated uncertainties for the radionuclides ⁵⁴Mn, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁶⁰Co, ¹⁰⁹Cd, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ²¹⁰Pb, and ²⁴¹Am. This procedure has already been successfully used in an IAEA proficiency test on the determination of ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb in spiked soil and has been found to be appropriate for production of soil materials for proficiency testing and internal quality control samples. The main advantage of this procedure is a low uncertainty arising from heterogeneity, which was found to be less than 1.2% for all the analytes studied.      

Separation of zirconium,niobium, cerium and ruthenium on chitin and chitosan columns for the determination of cesium in nuclear fuel solutions

Nuclear fuel solutions atpH=2.5 can be passed through 7×1 cm chitin or chitosan columns to fix the Zr, Nb, Ce and Ru radioisotopes. This rapid and quantitative separation clears the γ-ray spectrum of the solution from the main activity contribution and leaves the¹³⁷Cs spectrum alone for accurate Cs determination. The process can be extended to radioactive waste waters.     

Evaluation of radioactivity induced in the accelerator building and its application to decontamination work

For decommissioning of the cyclotron and electron synchrotron facilities, the residual radioactivity in surface and core samples of concrete, collected from various parts of buildings, was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. It was found that the concrete samples were activated mainly by neutrons and that the major radioisotopes were ¹⁵²Eu, ⁶⁰Co, ¹³⁴Cs, ²²Na and ⁵⁴Mn. The maximum activity induced by thermal neutron capture was observed at the depth of 10 cm in the concrete wall near the deflector of the cyclotron. Tritium was also produced by the neutron reaction, because its concentration was proportional to the activities of ¹⁵²Eu and ⁶⁰Co. The surface dose rates inside the accelerator room were also monitored to define the decontamination area. The surface dose rate was proportional to the residual radioactivity, such as ⁶⁰Co. A careful evaluation was very useful in order to minimize the radioactive waste during decontamination.     

Determination of soft X-ray emitting isotopes in radioactive liquid wastes of nuclear power plants

The ⁵⁹Ni and ⁵⁵Fe radioisotopes were measured in radioactive wastes of some European nuclear power plants. A sample preparation method was developed that starts with the digestion in an oxygen atmosphere at an overpressure in a closed Berthelot calorimeter bomb. The detection limits for ⁵⁹Ni and ⁵⁵Fe were measured and calculated in the presence of high background activities from ⁶⁰Co, ¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am isotopes.     

Non-isotopic indicators in radioanalytical chemistry

Three radioanalytical methods have been developed which allow to determine one element the using of radioisotopes of other elements with similar chemical properties. The methods have been applied to the determination of nickel with⁶⁰Co, of rubidium with¹³⁷Cs, and of potassium with⁸⁶Rb and¹³⁷Cs.     

Decontamination of Radioactive Liquid Waste with Hexacyanoferrate(II)

Concerning decontamination of a radioactive liquid waste which includes seawater and nuclides from irradiated fuels and activated materials, the in-situ generation of metal hexacyanoferrates(II) by adding potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) and codecontamination of ^134,137Cs and some activation products were investigated. Transition metals arising from seawater in the waste solution precipitates in the preference order of Zn>Ni≥Co>Mn according to their solubility. The precipitate adsorbs ^134,137Cs, and decontamination will be attained by the following sedimentation with a polymer and filtration, as an example. Decontamination factor of activated products, ⁶⁰Co and ⁵⁴Mn, is dependent on concentration of hexacyanoferrate(II) in the solution.     

Plant uptake of radioactive corrosion products in a field study

The root uptake by wheat of three activation products (⁵⁷Co, ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn) was studied in a 3-year field experiment. The aim of the investigation was to calculate the soil–plant transfer factors of these nuclides and to verify the role played by different soil treatments (Ca and K) on the uptake. The uptake of ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn, relevant for the plant, was higher than that of ⁵⁷Co (physiologically unimportant). The temporal distribution of the uptake showed a decreasing trend, while the treatments containing Ca led to lower transfer factors for ⁵⁴Mn and ⁶⁵Zn, which varied between 0.67 and 3.68. The variations exhibited by the different nuclides were discussed, as well as the differences between the treatments.     

Efficiency calibration of HPGe detector in far and close geometries

The absolute total and full-energy peak (FEP) efficiencies of a high purity germanium (HPGe) photon detector are measured in the energy range from 40 keV to 1500 keV. The functional parameters are fitted to the calibration points from 14 long-lived standard sources (¹²⁹I,²⁴¹Am,¹⁰⁹Cd,⁵⁷Co,¹³⁹Ce,¹³⁷Cs,⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁵Zn,⁶⁰Co,²²Na,¹³³Ba,¹⁵²Eu,¹⁵⁴Eu and^166mHo) within an accuracy better than the quoted uncertainty of the calibration sources. The efficiencies in far and close geometries are compared.     

Radiocatalytic H2 production with gamma-irradiation and TiO2 catalysts

The radioactive concentrations of radionuclides were measured in the soil and groundwater below the 12 GeV proton beam-line tunnel at KEK. Various long-lived radionuclides, (⁷Be, ²²Na, ⁴⁶Sc, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁶⁰Co, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹⁵²Eu and ¹⁵⁴Eu) were observed in the soil samples by -ray spectra measurements, and ³H was also detected by liquid scintillation counting. On the other hand, ³H, ²²Na and ⁵⁴Mn, which were leached from the soil were measured in the groundwater below the EP2 beam line. ³H and ²²Na were also found in slight amounts in groundwater collected in a well dug beside the East Counter Hall. From a comparison with the radioactive concentration in soil and groundwater, the order of the leaching percentages were ³H>²²Na>⁵⁴Mn. This tendency was in agreement with an experimental result of the RI laboratory.     

Multitracer screening for in vivo element-element interrelations

Radioactive multitracer technique was applied to study the screening of in vivo interrelations between radioactive tracers (⁴⁶Sc, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁸Co, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁷⁵Se, ⁸³Rb, ⁸⁵Sr and ⁸⁸Zr) and stable Zn species. Comparative uptake rates were examined in the blood, nine organs (thymus, lung, cardiac muscle, spleen, pancreas, kidney, liver, testes and bone) and eight brain regions (cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus, midbrain, cerebellum, pons and medulla, olfactory bulb) using 3-week-old mice fed by four kinds of Zn-deficient, -adequate and -excessive diets with Zn content from 0.7 to 3520 ppm. As a result, no significant difference between the dietary Zn-deficient state (Zn content: 3.6 ppm) and Zn-adequate state (Zn content: 36 ppm) was observed in the uptake rates of ⁶⁵Zn and other ⁴⁶Sc, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁸Co and ⁷⁵Se, except for ⁸³Rb. In addition, significant differences among the organ and brain regional uptakes of ⁴⁶Sc, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁸Co, ⁷⁵Se and ⁸³Rb were found in the dietary Zn-excessive state (Zn content: 3520 ppm). These results indicate that the organ and brain regional uptakes of tracers in Zn-deficient and excessive mice are strongly correlated with the blood uptakes and retentions of the tracers. Furthermore, the multitracer screening gives us new findings concerning the diet-related element-element interrelations in living bodies.     

Simultaneous determination of60Co,131I and137Cs in model radioactive waste water by reverse radiometric flow injection analysis with the aid of a multichannel analyzer

Reverse radiometric flow injection analysis was used for the simultaneous determination of⁶⁰Co,¹³¹I and¹³⁷Cs in model radioactive waste water. A NaI (Tl) scintillation detector coupled to a Canberra MCA was used for measuring the activity of¹³⁷Cs at 662 keV,⁶⁰Co at 1173 keV and 1332 keV, and¹³¹I at 364 keV.