[en] The project “NWMO Radionuclides Solubility Calculation (Phase 1)” aims at calculating the solubility limits for some elements in a crystalline Canadian reference groundwater (CR-10). The work is performed to support the preparation of safety assessments for a deep geological repository in Canada. The elements of interest are (in alphabetical order): Am, Ag, Bi, C, Ca, Cd, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mo, Nb, Np, Pa, Pb, Pd, Pu, Ra, Rn, Ru, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Tc, Th, U and Zr. Most of the elements of interest are already included in the thermodynamic database ThermoChimie. However, ThermoChimie does not include thermodynamic data for Bi, Cu, Hg, Rn and Ru. For these specific elements, a review of the available thermodynamic information in the scientific literature is first carried out and a consistent set of thermodynamic data is selected. Secondly, the effect of the near field on the groundwater composition is assessed, considering three different scenarios: • Scenario 1. Groundwater directly enters the canister without interacting with the bentonite buffer or the canister materials. • Scenario 2. Groundwater interacts with the carbon-steel container prior to contacting the used nuclear fuel waste inside the container. • Scenario 3. Groundwater interacts with both bentonite buffer and the C-steel container prior to contacting the used nuclear fuel waste inside the container. Finally, the radionuclide solubility limits under the three different scenarios are evaluated. Four different temperatures (15°C, 25°C, 50°C and 80°C) are considered in each scenario. The radionuclide solubility limits and the corresponding speciation are calculated. A semiquantitative description of the main associated uncertainties in solubility and speciation calculations are provided. (author)

[en] The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) is in charge of reviewing the work developed by the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) in Switzerland. Within the context of the Opalinus Clay project, the performance and safety assessment exercise developed by NAGRA involved the derivation of Biosphere Dose Conversion Factors (BDCF). The objective is the derivation of BDCF by using an alternative modelling tool and the study of how several simplifications incorporated to the model can affect the results. It constitutes the basis of an expanded study aiming at developing ENSI's biosphere modelling capabilities, including the selection of a suitable computer program for biosphere transport and dose calculations alternative to the one used by NAGRA. The compartmental code AMBER has been used to obtain the values of the BDCF, in contrast to the code Tame used in the assessment of NAGRA. The results obtained agree with the ones reported by NAGRA. The project has been divided into four sections dealing with (1) the description of the conceptual model and its implementation in AMBER, (2) the comparison between BDCF results obtained by NAGRA and the ones derived in this study, (3) sensitivity analyses of the results versus different exposure pathways and contamination paths and (4) the comparison of the BDCF resulting from the reference model with the ones obtained by other biosphere approaches carried out by different national radioactive waste management agencies. Twelve radionuclides have been included in the analyses: four non-metallic elements (¹⁴C, ³⁶Cl, ⁷⁹Se, ¹²⁹I) and 8 metallic elements that are part of the decay chain of ²⁴⁶Cm (²⁴²Pu, ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁰Th, ²²⁶Ra, ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Po). Ingestion is the pathway contributing most to the total received dose for an individual. Two general trends can be distinguished between metallic and non-metallic elements: metallic elements present high sorption coefficients, resulting in higher concentration in the top-soil and bed sediments, while non-metallic elements are more concentrated in the local aquifer and surface water. Ingestion of milk provides a good example to study this distinctive behaviour. Soil consumption and pasture consumption contaminated by root uptake are the main mechanisms of milk contamination in the case of metallic elements, while drinking water and consumption of pasture contaminated by irrigation are the ones dominating for non-metallic elements. The elimination of the solid material fluxes in the model results in calculated BDCF higher than the ones of the reference case. A comparison has been done between the model implemented and the approaches followed by different radioactive waste management agencies. The following three aspects of the comparison and sensitivity analyses exercise can be highlighted: 1) The model implemented in TAME by NAGRA is transportable to the AMBER code, the results do not depend on the numerical code used; 2) The sensitivity analyses have shown that ingestion is the main contributor to the dose, and that the exposure pathways through fish and eggs can be neglected; 3) For most of the metallic radionuclides, BDCF up to 3 times larger are obtained if solid material fluxes are neglected. This highlights the relevance of accurately describing the association of radionuclides with solid material as well as the adequacy of selecting an appropriate set of data to describe solid/radionuclide interactions.

[en] The Proceedings of the Second Annual Workshop of the Collaborative Project CEBAMA addresses key scientific questions related to the use of cement-based materials in nuclear waste disposal applications. Progress beyond the state-of-the-art is achieved by providing basic knowledge, new experimental data, improved modeling and arguments for the Nuclear Waste Disposal Safety Case. CEBAMA is funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 frame of EURATOM.

[en] When dealing with concrete-filled tube columns and RC slabs, it is usual to interrupt steel tubes in slab-column connections if the column is mainly compressed. Contractors do prefer to solve these connections with independent tubes, although inner reinforcements may be continuous through the slab. In these cases, both tubes from the upper and lower levels do have base plate connections, with a set of anchor bolts. This procedure saves a lot of time of global works, by making everything easier at the same time, as tubular profiles do not intersect the formwork. However, this reasonable design for slab-column joints suggest at least some questions about the strength of the concrete at the area of connection, where the tube has been interrupted. On the one hand, the load is transferred through concrete in the slab thickness, since there is no continuity of the tube; on the other hand, concrete at that point becomes triaxially confined due to the restriction to lateral deformation. This study analyses the validity of this connection method and the differences observed depending on the relative location of the column (corner, façade –lateral- or central pillars). Needless to say that the relative location of the column leads to different confinement patterns in concrete. (Author)

[en] Over the last years, a significant number of papers have been published in the literature devoted to radiotherapy stating the inefficiency of traditional mathematical models in predicting the biological efficacy of treatment courses with high doses per fraction, and proposing a new model the so-called lineal-quadratic. In this paper the literature is reviewed and some practical examples are presented to illustrate the clinical application of the model. (Author). 15 refs

[en] Spanish professionals implicated in radiation oncology have clear knowledge of the human and material deficiencies in this field of the medical assitance in Spain and their relationship with the treatment quelity. In 1989 the ^Asociaciⁿ Espa$ola de Radioterapia y Oncologia (AERO)^, created the quality control committee to analyze the actual situation in our country. The results of the national inquiry an actual disposable radiotherapy facilities are presented here. (Author)

[en] The morphologic and functional properties of platelets after irradiation with 2500 rads and storage, in first-generation containers, for 48 h in a liquid phase at 20⁰C with continuous horizontal agitation have been analyzed and compared with a control group of the same platelets which were not irradiated. The preservation technique induced changes in the morphology and aggregation stimulated by ADP and collagen. However, no significant differences were found between the irradiated and non-irradiated groups. Irradiation is not a conditioning factor to add to the hazards of preserving platelets in a liquid phase. 30 refs.; 5 tabs

[en] For near-surface disposal, approaches to assessment of inadvertent human intrusion have been developed through international cooperation within the IAEA's ISAM programme. Other assessments have considered intrusion into deep geological disposal facilities, but comparable international cooperation to develop an approach for deep disposal has not taken place. Accordingly, the BIOPROTA collaboration project presented here (1) examined the technical aspects of why and how deep geological intrusion might occur; (2) considered how and to what degree radiation exposure would arise to the people involved in such intrusion; (3) identified the processes which constrain the uncertainties; and hence (4) developed and documented an approach for evaluation of human intruder doses which addresses the criteria adopted by the IAEA and takes account of other international guidance and human intrusion assessment experience. Models for radiation exposure of the drilling workers and geologists were developed and described together with compilation of relevant input data, taking into account relevant combinations of drilling technique, geological formation and repository material. Consideration has been given also to others who might be exposed to contaminated material left at the site after drilling work has ceased. The models have been designed to be simple and stylised, in accordance with international recommendations. The set of combinations comprises 58 different scenarios which cover a very wide range of human intrusion possibilities via deep drilling. (orig.)

[en] The publication of the Royal Decree 1566/1988 of July 17^th, about Quality Assurance and Control in Radiation Therapy, mandates the elaboration of protocols in Radiation Therapy. Those protocols must contemplate the material and human resources necessary to implement a quality practical radiation therapy according to law. In order to establish norms regarding human and material resources, it is necessary to establish beforehand some patient care standards that serve as a frame of reference to determine the resources needed for each procedure. Furthermore, the necessary coordination of resources, material and humans that have to be present in a correct patient care planning, mandates the publication of rules that are easy to interpret and follow up. In this direction, both editions of the 'White Book of Oncology in Spain', the 'GAT Document for Radiotherapy', and the rules edited by the Committee of Experts in Radiation Therapy of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Catalunya and Balears, have represented an important advance in the establishment of these criteria in Spain. The Spanish Society of Radiation Therapy and Oncology (AERO), in an attempt to facilitate to all its associates and the health authorities some criteria for planning and implementing resources, requested its Commission of Infrastructures to elaborate a set of rules to determine the necessary resources in each radiation therapy procedure. The objective of this document is to establish some recommendations about the minimal necessities of treatment units and staff, determining their respective work capabilities, to be able to develop a quality radiation therapy in departments already existing. In summary, it is intended that the patient care is limited in a way that quality is not affected by patient overload. Also it tries to offer the Public Administration some planning criteria useful to create the necessary services of Radiation Oncology, with the adequate resources, which will bring a suppression of the waiting list in our speciality in the rational distribution of resources, in the optimization of treatments and in the radiation protection of our patients. (author)

[en] The publication of the Royal Decree 1566/1988 of July 17^th, about Quality Assurance and Control in Radiation Therapy, mandates the elaboration of protocols in Radiation Therapy. Those protocols must contemplate the material and human resources necessary to implement a quality practical radiation therapy according to law. In order to establish norms regarding human and material resources, it is necessary to establish beforehand some patient care standards that serve as a frame of reference to determine the resources needed for each procedure. Furthermore, the necessary coordination of resources, material and humans that have to be present in a correct patient care planning, mandates the publication of rules that are easy to interpret and follow up. In this direction, both editions of the 'White Book of Oncology in Spain', the 'GAT Document for Radiotherapy', and the rules edited by the Committee of Experts in Radiation Therapy of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Catalunya and Balears, have represented an important advance in the establishment of these criteria in Spain. The Spanish Society of Radiation Therapy and Oncology (AERO), in an attempt to facilitate to all its associates and the health authorities some criteria for planning and implementing resources, requested its Commission of Infrastructures to elaborate a set of rules to determine the necessary resources in each radiation therapy procedure. The objective of this document is to establish some recommendations about the minimal necessities of treatment units and staff, determining their respective work capabilities, to be able to develop a quality radiation therapy in departments already existing. In summary, it is intended that the patient care is limited in a way that quality is not affected by patient overload. Also it tries to offer the Public Administration some planning criteria useful to create the necessary services of Radiation Oncology, with the adequate resources, which will bring a suppression of the waiting list in our speciality in the rational distribution of resources, in the optimization of treatments and in the radiation protection of our patients. (author)