This paper summarizes research activities in National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) for evaluation of the radiation effects on selected terrestrial and aquatic organisms as well as the ecosystems. Seven organisms, conifers, fungi, earthworms, springtails, algae, daphnia and Medaka are presently selected to study. For the estimation of possible radiation dose, transfers of radionuclides and related elements from medium to organisms are evaluated. Dose-effect relationships of acute gamma radiation on the survival, growth, and reproduction of selected organisms have been studied. Studies on the effect of chronic gamma radiation at low dose rate were also started. In order to understand the mechanism of radiation effects and to find possible indicators of the effects, information of genome- and metagenome-wide gene expression has been collected. Evaluation of ecological effects of radiation is more challenging task. Study methods by using three-species microcosm were established, and an index for the holistic evaluation of effects on various ecological parameters was proposed. The microcosm has been simulated as a computer simulation code. Developments of more complicated and practical model ecosystems have been started. The Denaturant Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) has been applied on soil bacterial community in order to evaluate the radiation effects on soil ecosystems.

COGEMA La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant is located in the North West of Cotentin peninsula near Cherbourg (France). This nuclear plant releases radioelements in atmosphere and in the English Channel. About 8.5 TBq.year-1 of radiocarbon are released as the liquid wastes through a pipe a few kilometres off sea shore, West of the reprocessing plant. Recent studies in the peninsula show anomalous higher radiocarbon contents in vegetation near the coast that have suggested a supplementary marine contribution through the degassing of the 14C excess supplied by liquid releases of the nuclear plant. Carbon dioxide partial pressure, 14C activities were measured in air and sea water in the Bay of Seine and around the COGEMA-La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant during three cruises in 2000 and 2002. Results show clearly that sea is a source of CO2 and 14C to the atmosphere. Higher 14C concentrations in air and water related to the La Hague liquid wastes are clearly recorded. The aim of this paper is to show results of these oceanographic campaigns. Flux between seawater and atmosphere are calculated in the North-West Cotentin and in Bay of Seine.

The research activities under the work package CAT2 – improvement of decision supportsystems, focused on the one hand to improve the operability of the RODOS system but on theother hand to enhance RODOS and ARGOS with simulation models still missing in theportfolio of these two decision support systems. For RODOS, the work focused on theimprovement of the atmospheric dispersion modelling in complex terrain and the improvementof the data assimilation functionalities. For both systems, the later phase models dealingwith countermeasures in inhabited areas and food production systems have been considerablyenhanced.

In the present work, external annual radiation doses in human body due to presence of 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and 40K in conventional building materials and by-products from coal power plants which are being used or have the potential for use in buildings and soil in India were calculated in the human body by using GENII radiation dose calculation computer programme (Napier et al., 1988). In the calculations, human beings receive the most radiation dose from building materials from 1.0 × 10-6 Sv from 40K and the least from 2.3 × 10-11 Sv from 232Th. It has been calculated that human beings receive total 6.3 × 10$^{-7} \pm$ 2 × 10-7 Sv radiation dose exposure from soil. Data obtained are acceptable in comparison with radiation doses attributable to building materials in OECD countries.

Soil contamination with Co and Cd at concentration 20–25 times exceeding the Maximum Permisible Level for sod-podzolic light loam soil produced not only negative effects on the spring barley productivity formation, but also decreasing of 137Cs root uptake. Effects of Co on the barley development and 137Cs accumulation in plants was more pronounced than Cd influence. The 137Cs activity decrease in barley biomass and harvest amounted to 2.5 and 1.6 times on Cd and Co contaminated soil, respectively. The mechanisms regulating root uptake of K by barley plants in dependence of the kind of soil contamination were discussed. Seed incrustation with Zircon and Epin did not produce significant influence on Co and Cd phytotoxicity, however the use of this plant growth regulators resulted in different in direction and value effects on Co, Cd and 137Cs accumulation in barley plants at various stages of its development. The experimental data do not make it possible to link directly the effect of biologically active substances on 137Cs uptake with their influence on heavy metals toxicity, which was estimated on the base of morphological and physiological parameters of plants.

Cette étude se rapporte à une démarche de réhabilitation des forêts contaminées par les retombées dues à l'accident de la centrale nucléaire de Tchernobyl. La démarche de réhabilitation et d'assainissement radiologique préconise etimplique à la fois l'incinération des parties de l'arbre contaminé et des branchages, et la transformation en pâte à papier de la partie faiblement contaminée du tronc. En utilisant des moyens industriels existants, l'action de réhabilitationpeut se justifier et s'amortir grâce à la vente de sous-produits tels que la production d'électricité et de cartons. Le retour sur investissement des moyens industriels nécessaires à la réhabilitation radiologique est estimé à 5 ans.

The present study is the second part of a program of characterization of the site surrounding the SoGIN Garigliano Nuclear Power Plant (Southern Italy), which is currently involved in decommissioning activities. In the first phase of the project the reference groups of the population were established on the basis of a socio-economical study of the site; the radiological doses due to the assumed radioactive releases during the decommissioning phase were calculated by using climatological, hydrological, geomorphological parameters of the studied area; transport and diffusion specific models of some radionuclides in the environment were implemented to calculate the dose using specific evaluation software. The second part of the study focuses on the project of an environmental network designed in order to ensure the continuous monitoring of the radioactive release concentrations. All the criteria for the choice of grid points, by considering specific paths of transfer in the environment, were established for all the environmental compartments. A field campaign was carried out aiming to assess the “zero level" due to the natural radioactivity and past anthropogenic activities.

The unusually strong earthquake in Japan on 11 March 2011 and the following extremetsunami caused enormous damage in the buildings of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant(NPP) situated on the Pacific coastline of Japan. The accident led to the release of alarge amount of radioactive material into the environment. According to the measurementsof the Radiological Monitoring and Data Acquisitions Network (RAMDAN) the radioactiveplume reached Hungary on 24 March 2011. The main volatile fission products –131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs radioisotopes – were measurable in aerosoland fallout samples in Hungary. Their activity concentration in air reached the maximumvalue in the last days of March and returned to the background level in the first half ofMay. As a consequence of respiration of contaminated air, a maximum of 1 Bq per capita of131I could be accumulated in the thyroid gland of the Hungarian population during thegiven period. The calculated upper limits of the committed effective dose from inhalationof 131I were 4 nSv and 10 nSv to the Hungarian adults and infants,respectively. These values are a hundred thousand times less than the annual radiationdose from natural sources to the Hungarian population. The radiation dose from radioactivecaesium isotopes originating from Fukushima was even less, around 1 nSv on average, toHungarian residents. No health deterioration can be expected from this radiationburden.

The EXTREME project was launched by the IRSN in 2005 to study the consequences of extreme meteo climatic events on reuptake of stocks and associated fluxes within the various compartments of the geosphere. Large masses of matter transferred during such events are liable to be displaced between locations, leading to higher pollution levels than those arising from average transfer processes, and producing pollutant fluxes that can be equivalent to the fluxes accumulated over several months or even years. This particularly concerns particle-reactive contaminants such as trace metals and long lived artificial radionuclides. The final aim of the project is to estimate the vulnerability of a coastal system (the Gulf of Lions, north western Mediterranean sea) to global change over the next 30 years. Indeed several programs dedicated to climate change predict a potential increase in the frequency of extreme events such as floods, floodings, saharian dust episodes, forest fire events and storms, particularly within the studied area.

Pour le projet EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) de Flamanville, EDF a décidé de prendre en compte la radioprotection dès la phase de conception, au même titre que la sûreté. L’approche pour traiter les activités à forts enjeux radioprotection a été d’intégrer tous les acteurs, concepteurs, exploitant, entreprises intervenantes lors de 3 étapes successives, d’abord une enquête auprès des intervenants et concepteurs, puis l’étude des propositions, enfin la phase décisionnelle au sein d’un comité ALARA. L’objectif radioprotection qu’EDF s’est fixé pour ce nouveau réacteur est de se situer dans une démarche de progrès continu et d’optimisation en comparaison aux meilleures tranches du parc avec un objectif fixé actuellement en dose collective à 0,35 H Sv/an et par tranche. Le travail porte entre autre sur une démarche d’optimisation des travaux les plus exposants avec un nouvel enjeu des interventions dans le bâtiment réacteur, tranche en fonctionnement, et ceci pour améliorer la disponibilité de la tranche. Il est envisagé d’intervenir 7 jours avant l’arrêt du réacteur et 3 jours après, ceci pour préparer la logistique des interventions à venir. L’estimation de la perte sans optimisation est actuellement de 4,5 % sur la dose annuelle. Pour cela, deux zones dans le bâtiment réacteur de l’EPR ont été créées, une zone inaccessible chargée de collecter les fuites du circuit primaire et une zone accessible tranche en fonctionnement, séparée de la zone accessible par des moyens de ventilation et installation adaptés. Pour se protéger des flux de rayonnements (neutrons et γ de haute énergie), les études de radioprotection ont conduit à la mise en place d’un plancher béton, de protections neutroniques à la sortie des tuyauteries primaires et au renforcement des casemates GV et des pompes. L’ensemble de ces dispositions conduira à ce que la zone accessible soit classée zone verte (débit de dose inférieur à 25 µSv/h) avec un débit de dose neutrons inférieur à 2,5 µSv/h. Pour améliorer la dosimétrie au sein de l’EPR, le travail a porté sur deux paramètres intervenant dans le calcul de dose : le débit de dose et le volume de travail exposé. Les principales évolutions de conception dans le domaine de la radioprotection ont été réalisées par rapport au dernier palier existant, le palier N4. Pour garantir la propreté radiologique, il est nécessaire de confiner la contamination au plus près de la source sur les tranches en exploitation. Les objectifs de ce type de zonage sont essentiellement de permettre à l’exploitant de produire des déchets conventionnels issus de zone contrôlée pour diminuer la quantité de déchets nucléaires produits, de permettre lors du démantèlement de diminuer les volumes de déchets nucléaires et de réduire les zones où il existe un risque de contamination et limiter ainsi tout transfert de contamination à l'extérieur des installations. Au total, cette démarche d’optimisation a permis d’estimer un gain de 21 % entre la dose de référence et la dose optimisée EPR. La radioprotection, enjeu stratégique de l’entreprise EDF, sort peu à peu du cercle restreint des experts et devient un domaine transverse où le travail en équipe pluridisciplinaire prime dès la phase de conception.

La présente note a pour objet d’exposer succinctement les techniques de scannerscorporels pouvant être utilisés dans le cadre de la sûreté aéroportuaire. Les résultatsd’études et d’expertises sur ces appareils ainsi que l’expérimentation en cours sur unscanner à ondes millimétriques sont également abordés. Elle présente la réglementationfrançaise en matière de protection des personnes contre les rayonnements ionisantsdéclinée à l’utilisation de scanners corporels à rayons X.

CBPP Kakanj is one of the most important Coal Burning Power Plants in Bosnia and Herzegovina (producing power of 450 MW, waste storage site of 5 000 000 tons). Mapping of the measured gamma-dose rate has been performed with the goal of identifying the hot spots in the area of 3×3 km surrounding CBPP Kakanj, with special emphasis on the waste storage site (1×1 km). Maximum measured of the gamma-dose rate surrounding CBPP Kakanj was 140 nGy h-1 and in the area of waste storage site 210 nGy h-1. Average levels of natural radionuclide in agricultural soil samples in vicinity of CBPP Kakanj are: for 238U is 41 ± 4 Bq kg-1, 232Th is 32 ± 1 Bq kg-1, 226Ra is 27 ± 2 Bq kg-1 and 40K is 486 ± 9 Bq kg-1. Obtained results in soil-plant-animal products chain does not show significantly increased levels of natural radionuclides due to the fact that mentioned radionuclides, in general, have a low transfer factors in soil-plant-animal products chain.

Objectifs : évaluer l’état des connaissancesdes usagers et des professionnels de la santé sur les risques d’irradiationde la femme enceinte au cours des explorations radiologiques etl’observation de l’application des règles de radioprotection relativeà la femme enceinte par les utilisateurs de rayons X. Matériel etméthodes : notre étude prospective, réalisée au CHU de Yopougon,a duré 6 mois. Nous avons interrogé 60 femmes en grossesse ou susceptiblesde l’être, 30 médecins prescripteurs non-radiologues, 29 techniciensd’imagerie médicale et 21 aides soignants sur les risques d’irradiationet les mesures de protection de la femme enceinte avant et pendantla réalisation d’un examen radiologique utilisant les rayons X. Résultats :73,68 % des médecins prescripteurs n’ont pas de culture en radioprotectionchez une femme enceinte ou en âge de procréer. 93,10 % des patientesenceintes ou en âge de procréer ignoraient l’existence des rayonsX en radiodiagnostic et leur nocivité pour leur état. 80 % des manipulateursde radiologie ne respectaient pas les règles élémentaires de radioprotection.Conclusion : la sensibilisation des usagers des rayons X sur lesrisques d’irradiations chez une femme enceinte ou susceptible de l’êtreest nécessaire au CHU de Yopougon.

Les dispositions du code de la santé publique concernant les rayonnements ionisants seront prochainement mises à jour pour achever la transposition de la directive 2003/122/Euratom du Conseil du 22 décembre 2003 relative au contrôle des sources radioactives scellées de haute activité et des sources orphelines et prendre en compte les nouvelles prérogatives accordées à l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN). À cette occasion, des mesures de simplification administrative seront introduites dans le régime d’autorisation et de déclaration des sources de rayonnements ionisants et les contrôles réalisés par les organismes agréés par l’ASN seront renforcées.

Forsmark in Mideastern Sweden is chosen as site for the planned Swedish deep-rock repository for spent nuclear fuel. The construction, operation and decommissioning of the repository require assessments of various types of risks for health and environment on a wide range of temporal scales. This study is focused on the assessment of environmental impacts during the relatively short construction and operation phases, during which the repository will be kept drained by means of groundwater diversion. This diversion may influence hydrogeological and hydrological conditions and thereby cause ecological and other types of consequences in the surroundings of the repository. We here describe methodology and some main findings from the ecohydrological assessment of consequences for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in Forsmark. The assessment combines the results of a number of steps, including ecological field inventories and predictive water-flow modelling. The results of the study show that subsurface disposal of radioactive waste is an important application of ecohydrological concepts in assessments of sites with nature values.

The general objective of the OSPAR radioactive substances strategy is to preventpollution of the maritime area from ionising radiation through progressive and substantialreductions of discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances, so thatconcentrations in the environment are close to background for naturally occurringradioactive substances and close to zero for artificial radioactive substances. The thirdperiodic evaluation of progress towards the objective of the OSPAR radioactive substancesstrategy concludes that, due to issues concerning the availability of reported data, it isnot possible to come to firm conclusions as to whether the aims of the OSPAR radioactivesubstances strategy are currently being delivered. However, in general there is anindication of a reduction in average marine concentrations of selected radionuclidesassociated with the nuclear industry, while doses arising from these selectedradionuclides in the OSPAR maritime area to humans are well within internationallyrecommended limits and are below the lowest levels at which any effects are likely tooccur for marine biota.

The results of investigation of radioactive contamination of the river Yenisei bed pebbles in an influence zone of the KMCC (especially in its near-field part) are presented in this work. It is demonstrated, that pebbles can contain up to 30 % of the total amount of γ-emitting technogenic radionuclides (TRN) in the places with overlying soils. In addition, river bed pebbles, situated in permanently washing riverside sections of islands and banks, can contain significant amount of TRN too. These facts considerably increase an estimation of TRN reserves in the Yenisei floodplain. Without the contribution of the river bed pebbles the fraction of TRN, accumulated in the underlying and tow path pebbles in the near and far-field influence zones of the KMCC, can reach 7,9% for 137Cs, 5,8% for 152Eu, 5,6% for 154Eu and <3% for 60Co of their total amount.

Quaternary sediments and soils at the Forsmark site (Sweden) would constitute the last barrier for radionuclide migration interposed between a deep repository of high level nuclear wastes (HLNW) and surface ecological systems. The retention capacity of these sediments is evaluated by means of reactive transport simulations. Two different scenarios have been modelled: (1) Inflow of deep fluids carrying radionuclides into shallow aquifers hosted in the carbonate glacial till, and (2) Inflow of deep fluids carrying radionuclides into organic matter-bearing clays. The model results predict that caesium is very efficiently retained in both scenarios for periods longer than 3000 years due to the strong affinity of this ion with the frayed edge sites of the illite layers. Strontium is also retained via cation exchange in illite and, in a lesser extent, via co-precipitation in calcite. The retention efficiency for strontium, however, quickly decreases to 0 after 1000 years. Uranium is retained in both scenarios with retention efficiencies higher than 40% at long term (>3000 years) due to precipitation of amorphous uraninite and adsorption on Fe(III) oxyhydroxides. Radium is only retained in the till aquifer since co-precipitation with barium sulphate does not occur in the clay porewater.