[en] Soils play an important role in the study and prevention of the climatic change, because they can be source and sink of carbon. Forest fires that are becoming more frequent, affect physical, chemical and microbiological properties of soils. In recent years the necessity to protect burnt soils from degradation has allowed to find alternative practices to reclaim soil organic matter (SOM) content and functions. (Author)

[en] Full text: Radioactivity may be introduced in the environment through a variety of systems and processes. Human activities involving nuclear weapons and nuclear fuel cycle (including mining, milling, fuel enrichment, fabrication, reactor operation, spent fuel stores, reprocessing facilities, medical applications and waste storage) are important, leading to a significant creation and release of radioactivity. Human technology also releases pre-existing natural radionuclides, which would otherwise remain trapped in the earth's crust. For instance, burning of fossil fuel (oil and coal) dominates direct atmospheric release at pre-existing natural radioactivity. The distribution pattern of radioactive fallout depends on weather conditions (i.e. wet or dry) and on the nature of the surface and the physical-chemical form of the radionuclides, which may vary according to release and transport conditions as well as element properties. A general distinction can be made between gases, aerosols and particulate material. Particles with higher activity concentration, known as 'hot particles', may result from atmospheric nuclear weapon tests or nuclear reactor accidents. Their activity is diluted as material is transferred to soil and water directly or via vegetation and movement through other biota. Therefore, for monitoring radioactivity in the environment it is necessary to analyse bulk samples from all biosphere compartments as well as single microparticles. Analytical chemistry plays a determinant role for routine verifications as well as in case of radiological alarm to take decision for restoration of the environment and protection of the citizens. The reference laboratory for the measurement of radioactivity in the environment (MaRE lab) at the Institute for Transuranium Element (European Commission, Joint Research Centre) provides scientific and technical support to the policy of the Directorate General for Transport and Energy (DG TREN) of the European Commission, both for the implementation of the requirements of environmental radioactivity surveillance (Art. 35-36 of the Euratom Treaty) and in the framework of the OSPAR (Oslo-Paris Convention) strategy with regards to radioactive substances for the protection of marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. MaRE lab provides also support to IAEA and Euratom for the detection of clandestine nuclear activities in the framework of nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation of nuclear materials. In this lecture the role of the analytical techniques based, above all, on mass spectrometry and radiometry, is highlighted as applied to samples of different origin, for the determination of radionuclides (U, Np, Pu, Am, fission products) in bulk as well as in radioactive microparticles. The necessity to have complementary techniques in order to have independent results (in terms of Quality assurance/quality control) as well as to attain a complete inventory of the radioisotopes is shown. (author)

[en] Full text: The total amount of uranium in human body is about 90 mg but only 0.2 % of ingested uranium is really absorbed and transferred to the blood. About 20 % of uranyl ions in serum are associated with the protein pool, and distributed among several species, some as albumin and transferrin being major carriers. However, mostly of potential uranium proteins targets have still to be identified in order to understand biochemical toxicology and kinetics of uranium. Anion exchange chromatography coupled to double focusing ICPMS via a post-column isotope dilution analysis mode for the quantitative speciation of U in human serum is described. Protein separation is achieved with an anion exchange column (ProPac SAX 10) while the mobile phase consisted of a gradient of initial buffer solution (BisTris 15 mM, pH 7.4) and the final buffer solution (1 M ammonium acetate in 15 mM BisTris, pH 7.4). After protein separation, a mixed solution containing the enriched isotopes ²³³U and ³⁴S was continuously pumped and mixed with the analytes eluting from the column. The analytical signals for U and S isotopes were monitored on a double-focusing ICPMS instrument operated at medium resolution (m/Dm 4000). Total U concentration of the serum samples were also determined by direct isotope dilution analysis using the same ICPMS. Figures of merit of the optimized procedure are presented and discussed. (author)

[en] Radioactive substances are often released to the environment in the form of particles. The determination of their chemical composition is a key factor in the overall understanding of their environmental behaviour. The aim of this investigation was to identify the source of one single radioactive particle collected from the Irish Sea and to understand its fate in the environment and in human body fluids. As the particle was supposed to be analysed for its dissolution behaviour in humans after ingestion, it was necessary to gain as much information as possible beforehand on the chemical and isotopic composition by means of non-destructive analysis such as SEM, SIMS, μ-XRF and μ-XANES. In this paper, an overview of the different non-destructive methods applied for the analysis of this particle and the results obtained is given. Additionally, the dissolution behaviour in human digestive solutions is discussed. (author)

[en] Full text: Radioactivity may be introduced in the environment through a variety of systems and processes. Human activities involving nuclear weapons and nuclear fuel cycle (including mining, milling, fuel enrichment, fabrication, reactor operation, spent fuel stores, reprocessing facilities, medical applications and waste storage) are important, leading to a significant creation and release of radioactivity. Human technology also releases pre-existing natural radionuclides, which would otherwise remain trapped in the earth's crust. For instance, burning of fossil fuel (oil and coal) dominates direct atmospheric release at pre-existing natural radioactivity. The distribution pattern of radioactive fallout depends on weather conditions (i.e. wet or dry) and on the nature of the surface and the physical-chemical form of the radionuclides, which may vary according to release and transport conditions as well as element properties. A general distinction can be made between gases, aerosols and particulate material. Particles with higher activity concentration, known as 'hot particles', may result from atmospheric nuclear weapon tests or nuclear reactor accidents. Their activity is diluted as material is transferred to soil and water directly or via vegetation and movement through other biota. Therefore, for monitoring radioactivity in the environment it is necessary to analyse bulk samples from all biosphere compartments as well as single microparticles. Analytical chemistry plays a determinant role for routine verifications as well as in case of radiological alarm to take decision for restoration of the environment and protection of the citizens. The reference laboratory for the measurement of radioactivity in the environment (MaRE lab) at the Institute for Transuranium Element (European Commission, Joint Research Centre) provides scientific and technical support to the policy of the Directorate General for Transport and Energy (DG TREN) of the European Commission, both for the implementation of the requirements of environmental radioactivity surveillance (Art. 35-36 of the Euratom Treaty) and in the framework of the OSPAR (Oslo-Paris Convention) strategy with regards to radioactive substances for the protection of marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. MaRE lab provides also support to IAEA and Euratom for the detection of clandestine nuclear activities in the framework of nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation of nuclear materials. In this lecture the role of the analytical techniques based, above all, on mass spectrometry and radiometry, is highlighted as applied to samples of different origin, for the determination of radionuclides (U, Np, Pu, Am, fission products) in bulk as well as in radioactive microparticles. The necessity to have complementary techniques in order to have independent results (in terms of Quality assurance/quality control) as well as to attain a complete inventory of the radioisotopes is shown. (author)

[en] From the collated data relevant to discharges by the nuclear industry, it results that the input of β activity (excluding Chernobyl fallout and tritium) into the OSPAR region decreased by a factor of 4 from 1986 to 1991, reaching by this date the same level as in the early 1950s. Over the same period the discharges of the α activity into the OSPAR region also decreased by a factor 3, the same trend has been seen also for tritium. Since 1986 the effective dose to members of the critical group in the vicinity of Sellafield and Cap de La Hague was consistently below the ICRP and EU limit of 1 mSv per year to members of the general public. The overall radiological impact from nuclear industry on the population of the European Union from the OSPAR area has decreased from 280 manSv y^-1 in 1978 to 14 manSv y^-1 in 2000

[en] Enhanced levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are produced through various industrial operations and may lead to discharges to the marine environment. A recent study, called MARINA II, carried out for the European Commission considered discharges of radionuclides from the NORM industries to north European marine waters and their consequences. There are two main sources that were considered in the study. The use of phosphogypsum during the production of phosphoric acid by the fertiliser industry and the pumping of oil and gas from the continental shelf in the North Sea which produces large quantities of water contaminated with enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides. Discharges of alpha emitting radionuclides from these two industries have contributed significantly to the total input of alpha emitters to north European waters over the period 1981-2000 (data were not available prior to 1981). Discharges due to the use of phosphogypsum have declined since the early 1990s and are now very low. Discharges from the oil and gas industries stabilised in the second half of the 1990s and are now the major contributor to alpha discharges to the region. As most European countries do not report discharges of radioactivity with the water produced during extraction, there is considerable uncertainty in the discharges used in the study. The impact of the discharges has been estimated both in terms of the effect on non-human biota and the radiological impact for people. In the 1980s the radiation dose rates to marine biota in the region around a phosphate plant on the north-west coast of England were as high due to the discharges from the phosphate plant as those near to the Sellafield reprocessing plant due to its discharges. In recent years the additional dose to marine biota in this region due to the past NORM discharges is of the same order of magnitude as the natural background. The collective dose rate was estimated to determine the radiological impact on people. The peak collective dose rate from the NORM industries occurred in 1984 and was just over 600 manSv y^-1. The collective dose rate fell with time as discharges from the phosphate industry reduced and was estimated as under 200 manSv y^-1 in 2000

[en] Full text: Because of the great complexity and time consuming of traditional methods for actinides determination, a procedure for their simultaneous and sequential separation and quantification was developed. A complete circuit constituted by three analytical chromatographic columns packed with TEVA, UTEVA and TRU resins (Eichrom Inc) for retention of tetra-, hexa- and tri-valent actinides and three cation concentrator columns TCC-II (from Dionex Corporation) connected by six (4-way and 6-way) valves is coupled on-line to an ICPMS detector. The use of TCC-II columns just prior of the ICPMS determination allows to improve sensitivity and detection limits down to the ng/l level. The use of a coupled HPLC to an ICPMS system enables the complete analysis of all the six actinides in almost 2 hours. (author)

[en] The H2020 EURATOM European project INSIDER (improved nuclear site characterization for waste minimization in decommissioning under constrained environment) was launched in June 2017 for a duration of 4 years; it currently includes 17 partners from 10 European countries. The project is focused onto radiological characterization applied to waste-driven integrated approaches, including the sampling overall strategy and design. Its objectives are to improve the management of waste with medium and high radioactivity levels coming from nuclear sites or facilities under decommissioning and dismantling. During the first period of the project different sampling strategies coupled with characterization methods have been developed and applied in real situations on 3 concrete case studies representing typical configurations of decommissioning work-sites. The very first results are available. (A.C.)

[en] A radioactively contaminated marine sediment core stemming from Irish Sea has been characterized by radiometric and mass spectrometric techniques as for ²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am, ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, ²⁴¹Pu, ¹³⁷Cs and ¹⁵⁴Eu. The data obtained with independent methods in the framework of a QA/QC program as compared with the source term discharges, as well as with those reported in literature, are in good agreement. (author)