The activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens and other samples was determined to prove the feasibility that crustaceous lichens work as a sensitive biology monitor to record the caesium-137 （Bq/kg...The activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens and other samples was determined to prove the feasibility that crustaceous lichens work as a sensitive biology monitor to record the caesium-137 （Bq/kg） radiation levels of terrestrial environment. The measurements were performed with GEM series HPGe （ high-purity Germanium） coaxial detector system （ADCAM -100 ） made by EC ＆ GORTEC Company in USA. It was found that the activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens was one order of magnitude higher than that found in surface soil, and was over throe orders of magnitude higher than those found in the familiar biological samples. These results proved that crustaceous lichens may be one of the most sensitive biological monitors about the remote transmission and environmental radiation levels of caesium-137.展开更多
This study aims to assess conservation practices in Izta-Popo National Park(Central Mexico) by evaluating the mechanisms of sediment transfer. We applied a methodology based on fallout ^(137)Cs and optically stimulate...This study aims to assess conservation practices in Izta-Popo National Park(Central Mexico) by evaluating the mechanisms of sediment transfer. We applied a methodology based on fallout ^(137)Cs and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) analysis. This was tested in the upper catchment of Amalacaxco Gorge, selected for being one of the sectors of the park in which man-made actions have been implemented in last decades to favor forest growth in the alpine grassland and to reduce the effect of water runoff. We quantified the ^(137)Cs activity using gamma and beta spectrometry of fine sediment grains extracted from the surface of parcels of 0.4 m2 in areas of natural forest, natural alpine grassland, alpine grassland with conservation practices, ravines and trails. In general, ^(137)Cs values increases as local slope decreases as it was expected. The natural forest is the most stable area in terms of soil erosion and sediment accumulation and, mean ^(137)Cs activity was taken as reference to assess cumulative zones, with higher ^(137)Cs values and erosive, with lower. We found that trails are accumulative surfaces but in other areas, erosion predominates. Man-made ditches, trenches and afforestation in the alpine grassland have higher ^(137)Cs values than thenatural grassland, which indicates that conservation practices are limiting the sediment transfer from hillslopes to channels, however, soil retention is less than in the natural grassland. Additionally, we evaluated the luminescence(OSL) values obtained from samples extracted from the sediment transported in ravines that are cutting into different sectors of the study area to assess the grade of resetting of fluvial materials. These luminescence results indicated that the sediment transported in ravines that are cutting into the natural forest and alpine grassland is bleached more efficiently than the sediment transported in the alpine grassland with conservation practices. Results of fallout ^(137)Cs and luminescence strongly suggest that man-made actions in this part of the Izta-Popo National Park are dramatically modifying the natural mechanisms of sediment transfer and favoring soil erosion. We conclude that made ditches, trenches and afforestation are not an effective conservation practice in Amalacaxco Gorge because they are promoting soil erosion instead of reducing it.展开更多
Covering extensive parts of China, Karst landscapes are exceptional because rapid and intensive land use change has caused severe ecosystem degradation within only the last 50 years. The twentieth century intensificat...Covering extensive parts of China, Karst landscapes are exceptional because rapid and intensive land use change has caused severe ecosystem degradation within only the last 50 years. The twentieth century intensification in food production through agriculture has led to a rapid deterioration of soil quality, evidenced in reduced crop production and rapid loss of soil. In many areas, a tipping point appears to have been passed as basement rock is exposed and 'rocky desertification' dominates. Through the establishment of the "Soil processes and ecological services in the karst critical zone of SW China"(SPECTRA)Critical Zone Observatory(CZO) we will endevaour to understand the fundmental processes involved in soil production and erosion, and investigate the integrated geophysical-geochemical-ecological responses of the CZ to perturbations. The CZ spans a gradient from undisturbed natural vegetation through human perturbed landscapes.We seek to understand the importance of heterogeneity insurface and below-ground morphology and flow pathways in determining the spatial distribution of key stocks(soil,C, vegetation, etc.) and their control on ecosystem service delivery. We will assess the extent to which the highly heterogeneous critical zone resources can be restored to enable sustainable delivery of ecosystem services. This paper presents the CZO design and initial assessment of soil and soil organic carbon stocks and evidence for their stability based on caesium-137(^(137) Cs) data.展开更多
After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution ...After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution of these radionuclides. We use Princeton Ocean Model to simulate the circulation of the coast water of Fukushima NPP and obtain the concentration of caesium-137 by solving the diffusion equations. We employ the Monte Carlo N-particle(MCNP) code to assess the external doses caused by these contaminated sea water. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of volume source in MCNP code, we establish a transformation method between spot source and volume source, and determine an appropriate range of volume source. Finally, we calculate the absorbed doses of every organ/tissue and the effective dose of a human body.展开更多
The problem of Caesium-137 (137 Cs) contamination of the imported wood pellet used for burning has been reported in Italy since June 2009. Since then, sampling and analysis were performed at the crossing border points...The problem of Caesium-137 (137 Cs) contamination of the imported wood pellet used for burning has been reported in Italy since June 2009. Since then, sampling and analysis were performed at the crossing border points of the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, on request of the Health and Customs Border Bureau. This paper presents the results of the analysis performed on 65 samples from August 2010 to March 2012, which covered a total of products over 1500 tons of various origins, imported from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Most of the samples showed very low 137 Cs activity concentrations;only a few hot spots showed 137 Cs activity concentrations higher than 100 Bq·kg-1. The results of dose evaluations for wood pellet stoves users under the hypotheses assumed in this study were largely below the threshold of radiological relevance.展开更多
The concentrations of natural radionuclides, radium-226, radium-228, and potassium-40, and the artificial radionuclide caesium-137, in river bottom sediments and suspended matter were monitored in the Czech Republic b...The concentrations of natural radionuclides, radium-226, radium-228, and potassium-40, and the artificial radionuclide caesium-137, in river bottom sediments and suspended matter were monitored in the Czech Republic by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute during the period 2000-2010 and 2001-2010 respectively. The data were used to evaluate the natural background levels of these radionuclides and the impact of human activities on the water environment. For potassium-40 in sediments, the natural background level was estimated to be 570 Bq/kg. To evaluate the background level for radium-226, the river sites affected by human activities (mining and processing uranium ore, coal) were eliminated from the assessment. The average natural background values were 47.8 Bq/kg for radium-226 and 47.2 Bq/kg for radium-228 in sediments and 86.5 Bq/kg for radium-226 and 87.9 Bq/kg for radium-228 in suspended matter. The river sediments were identified as good indicators of radioactive contamination, especially radium-226, which recorded historic contamination due to former uranium mining and milling. The radium-226 contamination rate was assessed using the ratio of radium-226 to radium-228. This ratio was used to classify sediment according to the relative contamination from the uranium industry. The residual contamination of caesium-137 due to the Chernobyl accident in 1986 was also assessed. Average values of caesium-137 were 14.0 Bq/kg in sediments and 25.0 Bq/kg in suspended matter.展开更多
Agricultural land use in the area of the post-Chemobyl Plavsk radioactive hotspot (Tula region,Central Russia) has raised a problem of radioecological safety of obtained plant foodstuff.Verification of 137Cs activitie...Agricultural land use in the area of the post-Chemobyl Plavsk radioactive hotspot (Tula region,Central Russia) has raised a problem of radioecological safety of obtained plant foodstuff.Verification of 137Cs activities and inventories in components of 'soil-plant' systems of the territory has been conducted in 2014-2017 in 10 agrosystems and 2 semi-natural meadows.It was revealed that density of 137Cs contamination of arable chernozems and alluvial calcareous soils nowadays varies in a range 140-220 kBq/m2 and exceeds radiation safety standard by^3.5-6 times.Deep plowing of the arable soils up to 30-cm in 1986-1987 resulted in decreasing of 137Cs inventories in rooting zone by ≈ 70% for crops cultivated with shallow disk plowing (wheat,barley),and by ≈ 35% for crops cultivated with middle plowing (buckwheat,amaranth,white mustard).The investigated plants and their compartments can be grouped on the basis of transfer factor values as follows:maize (stems and leaves)> amaranth> bromegrass > vegetation of dry meadow,galega,sunflower (seeds),vegetation of wet meadow > maize (grain),soybean (pods),barley (grain),buckwheat (grain),potatoes (tubers)> white mustard (seeds),wheat (grain).It is noticeable that generative plant compartments are characterized by less 137Cs activities in comparison with stems and leaves;and that 137Cs root uptake is not coincide with total flux of mineral nutrients in 'soil-plant' systems.In sum,137Cs soil-to-plant transfer in the area of the Plavsk radioactive hotspot is characterized by considerable discrimination,so 137Cs activities in plants are completely in accordance with national standards.展开更多
The application of fallout radionuclides in soil erosion investigations and related sediment budget studies has provided a widely used tool for improving understanding of soil erosion and sediment transfer processes.H...The application of fallout radionuclides in soil erosion investigations and related sediment budget studies has provided a widely used tool for improving understanding of soil erosion and sediment transfer processes.However,most studies using fallout radionuclides undertaken to date have focussed on small areas.This focus on small areas reflects both the issues addressed and practical constraints associated with sample collection and analysis.Increasing acceptance of the important role of fine sediment in degrading aquatic habitats and in the transfer and fate of nutrients and contaminants within terrestrial and fluvial systems has emphasised the need to consider larger areas and the catchment or regional scale.The need to upscale existing approaches to the use of fallout radionuclides to larger areas represents an important challenge.This contribution provides a brief review of existing and potential approaches to upscaling the use of fallout radionuclides and presents two examples where such approaches have been successfully applied.These involve a national scale assessment of soil erosion rates in England and Wales based on 137Cs measurements and an investigation of the sediment budgets of three small/intermediate-size catchments in southern Italy.展开更多
文摘The activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens and other samples was determined to prove the feasibility that crustaceous lichens work as a sensitive biology monitor to record the caesium-137 （Bq/kg） radiation levels of terrestrial environment. The measurements were performed with GEM series HPGe （ high-purity Germanium） coaxial detector system （ADCAM -100 ） made by EC ＆ GORTEC Company in USA. It was found that the activity of caesium-137 （Bq/kg） in the crustaceous lichens was one order of magnitude higher than that found in surface soil, and was over throe orders of magnitude higher than those found in the familiar biological samples. These results proved that crustaceous lichens may be one of the most sensitive biological monitors about the remote transmission and environmental radiation levels of caesium-137.
文摘This study aims to assess conservation practices in Izta-Popo National Park(Central Mexico) by evaluating the mechanisms of sediment transfer. We applied a methodology based on fallout ^(137)Cs and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) analysis. This was tested in the upper catchment of Amalacaxco Gorge, selected for being one of the sectors of the park in which man-made actions have been implemented in last decades to favor forest growth in the alpine grassland and to reduce the effect of water runoff. We quantified the ^(137)Cs activity using gamma and beta spectrometry of fine sediment grains extracted from the surface of parcels of 0.4 m2 in areas of natural forest, natural alpine grassland, alpine grassland with conservation practices, ravines and trails. In general, ^(137)Cs values increases as local slope decreases as it was expected. The natural forest is the most stable area in terms of soil erosion and sediment accumulation and, mean ^(137)Cs activity was taken as reference to assess cumulative zones, with higher ^(137)Cs values and erosive, with lower. We found that trails are accumulative surfaces but in other areas, erosion predominates. Man-made ditches, trenches and afforestation in the alpine grassland have higher ^(137)Cs values than thenatural grassland, which indicates that conservation practices are limiting the sediment transfer from hillslopes to channels, however, soil retention is less than in the natural grassland. Additionally, we evaluated the luminescence(OSL) values obtained from samples extracted from the sediment transported in ravines that are cutting into different sectors of the study area to assess the grade of resetting of fluvial materials. These luminescence results indicated that the sediment transported in ravines that are cutting into the natural forest and alpine grassland is bleached more efficiently than the sediment transported in the alpine grassland with conservation practices. Results of fallout ^(137)Cs and luminescence strongly suggest that man-made actions in this part of the Izta-Popo National Park are dramatically modifying the natural mechanisms of sediment transfer and favoring soil erosion. We conclude that made ditches, trenches and afforestation are not an effective conservation practice in Amalacaxco Gorge because they are promoting soil erosion instead of reducing it.
基金supported by the National Environmental Research Council of the UK(Grant No.NE/N007603/1)the National Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41571130042 and 41571130041)
文摘Covering extensive parts of China, Karst landscapes are exceptional because rapid and intensive land use change has caused severe ecosystem degradation within only the last 50 years. The twentieth century intensification in food production through agriculture has led to a rapid deterioration of soil quality, evidenced in reduced crop production and rapid loss of soil. In many areas, a tipping point appears to have been passed as basement rock is exposed and 'rocky desertification' dominates. Through the establishment of the "Soil processes and ecological services in the karst critical zone of SW China"(SPECTRA)Critical Zone Observatory(CZO) we will endevaour to understand the fundmental processes involved in soil production and erosion, and investigate the integrated geophysical-geochemical-ecological responses of the CZ to perturbations. The CZ spans a gradient from undisturbed natural vegetation through human perturbed landscapes.We seek to understand the importance of heterogeneity insurface and below-ground morphology and flow pathways in determining the spatial distribution of key stocks(soil,C, vegetation, etc.) and their control on ecosystem service delivery. We will assess the extent to which the highly heterogeneous critical zone resources can be restored to enable sustainable delivery of ecosystem services. This paper presents the CZO design and initial assessment of soil and soil organic carbon stocks and evidence for their stability based on caesium-137(^(137) Cs) data.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.71373140)the State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian(Grant No.SKLNBC0308)Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program(Grant Nos.2012Z10137,2012THZ0124)
文摘After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution of these radionuclides. We use Princeton Ocean Model to simulate the circulation of the coast water of Fukushima NPP and obtain the concentration of caesium-137 by solving the diffusion equations. We employ the Monte Carlo N-particle(MCNP) code to assess the external doses caused by these contaminated sea water. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of volume source in MCNP code, we establish a transformation method between spot source and volume source, and determine an appropriate range of volume source. Finally, we calculate the absorbed doses of every organ/tissue and the effective dose of a human body.
文摘The problem of Caesium-137 (137 Cs) contamination of the imported wood pellet used for burning has been reported in Italy since June 2009. Since then, sampling and analysis were performed at the crossing border points of the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, on request of the Health and Customs Border Bureau. This paper presents the results of the analysis performed on 65 samples from August 2010 to March 2012, which covered a total of products over 1500 tons of various origins, imported from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Most of the samples showed very low 137 Cs activity concentrations;only a few hot spots showed 137 Cs activity concentrations higher than 100 Bq·kg-1. The results of dose evaluations for wood pellet stoves users under the hypotheses assumed in this study were largely below the threshold of radiological relevance.
文摘The concentrations of natural radionuclides, radium-226, radium-228, and potassium-40, and the artificial radionuclide caesium-137, in river bottom sediments and suspended matter were monitored in the Czech Republic by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute during the period 2000-2010 and 2001-2010 respectively. The data were used to evaluate the natural background levels of these radionuclides and the impact of human activities on the water environment. For potassium-40 in sediments, the natural background level was estimated to be 570 Bq/kg. To evaluate the background level for radium-226, the river sites affected by human activities (mining and processing uranium ore, coal) were eliminated from the assessment. The average natural background values were 47.8 Bq/kg for radium-226 and 47.2 Bq/kg for radium-228 in sediments and 86.5 Bq/kg for radium-226 and 87.9 Bq/kg for radium-228 in suspended matter. The river sediments were identified as good indicators of radioactive contamination, especially radium-226, which recorded historic contamination due to former uranium mining and milling. The radium-226 contamination rate was assessed using the ratio of radium-226 to radium-228. This ratio was used to classify sediment according to the relative contamination from the uranium industry. The residual contamination of caesium-137 due to the Chernobyl accident in 1986 was also assessed. Average values of caesium-137 were 14.0 Bq/kg in sediments and 25.0 Bq/kg in suspended matter.
文摘Agricultural land use in the area of the post-Chemobyl Plavsk radioactive hotspot (Tula region,Central Russia) has raised a problem of radioecological safety of obtained plant foodstuff.Verification of 137Cs activities and inventories in components of 'soil-plant' systems of the territory has been conducted in 2014-2017 in 10 agrosystems and 2 semi-natural meadows.It was revealed that density of 137Cs contamination of arable chernozems and alluvial calcareous soils nowadays varies in a range 140-220 kBq/m2 and exceeds radiation safety standard by^3.5-6 times.Deep plowing of the arable soils up to 30-cm in 1986-1987 resulted in decreasing of 137Cs inventories in rooting zone by ≈ 70% for crops cultivated with shallow disk plowing (wheat,barley),and by ≈ 35% for crops cultivated with middle plowing (buckwheat,amaranth,white mustard).The investigated plants and their compartments can be grouped on the basis of transfer factor values as follows:maize (stems and leaves)> amaranth> bromegrass > vegetation of dry meadow,galega,sunflower (seeds),vegetation of wet meadow > maize (grain),soybean (pods),barley (grain),buckwheat (grain),potatoes (tubers)> white mustard (seeds),wheat (grain).It is noticeable that generative plant compartments are characterized by less 137Cs activities in comparison with stems and leaves;and that 137Cs root uptake is not coincide with total flux of mineral nutrients in 'soil-plant' systems.In sum,137Cs soil-to-plant transfer in the area of the Plavsk radioactive hotspot is characterized by considerable discrimination,so 137Cs activities in plants are completely in accordance with national standards.
基金support of the International Atomic Energy Agency Coordinated Research Programme D1.20.11,and associated Technical Contract 15478 for the work reported in this contribution is gratefully acknowledgedThe work on the UK National Soil Erosion Inventory was funded by DEFRA contracts SP0411 and SP0413.
文摘The application of fallout radionuclides in soil erosion investigations and related sediment budget studies has provided a widely used tool for improving understanding of soil erosion and sediment transfer processes.However,most studies using fallout radionuclides undertaken to date have focussed on small areas.This focus on small areas reflects both the issues addressed and practical constraints associated with sample collection and analysis.Increasing acceptance of the important role of fine sediment in degrading aquatic habitats and in the transfer and fate of nutrients and contaminants within terrestrial and fluvial systems has emphasised the need to consider larger areas and the catchment or regional scale.The need to upscale existing approaches to the use of fallout radionuclides to larger areas represents an important challenge.This contribution provides a brief review of existing and potential approaches to upscaling the use of fallout radionuclides and presents two examples where such approaches have been successfully applied.These involve a national scale assessment of soil erosion rates in England and Wales based on 137Cs measurements and an investigation of the sediment budgets of three small/intermediate-size catchments in southern Italy.
