Reducing uncertainties in live monitoring of radiation in wildlife
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Date
2022-04-05
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Springer Nature Limited
Abstract
Inputs of radionuclides to the environment can result in minor increases in radiation levels for short periods of time, as with the release of radionuclides used in medical imaging, to major increases of radiation levels for long periods (>10s of years) as is potentially the case for the immediate area surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi NPP. Assessments of the uptake of radionuclides by wildlife have traditionally been conducted using lethal sampling techniques. Non-lethal and non-invasive techniques of assessing radiation levels in wildlife are becoming increasingly necessary for protecting animal welfare in research. This chapter explores the techniques used to determine levels of gamma radiation within live aquatic organisms in the laboratory and seeks to understand how such techniques may be applied to field monitoring. Important methodological principles of laboratory radiotracing are explored. The main factors discussed are animal rinsing, radioanalysis and geometry corrections. Examples of techniques in live aquatic animal radiotracer studies within the laboratory are provided to improve data quality control and demonstrate why each technique is crucial in interpreting the data from such studies. By using live radiation monitoring techniques of aquatic organisms in the field, an assessment can be made post accidental release of the potential for bioaccumulation and retention of radionuclides by native biota under site-specific conditions. This process will provide a clearer understanding of the acute and chronic effects of radionuclides to aquatic biota and associated risk management strategies to be determined. © 2022 Springer Nature B.V.
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Keywords
Wild animals, Radioisotopes, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan, Sampling, Gamma radiation, Aquatic organisms, Biological accumulation, Risk assessment
Citation
Cresswell, T. (2022). Reducing uncertainties in live monitoring of radiation in wildlife. Paper presented to NATO Advanced Research Workshop on 'Biomarkers of Radiation in the Environment: Robust Tools for Risk Assessment (BRITE)’, 28-30 November 2017, Yerevan, Armenia. In Wood, M.D., Mothersill, C.E., Tsakanova, G., Cresswell, T., Woloschak, G.E. (Eds) Biomarkers of Radiation in the Environment. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology, (pp. 3-24). Springer, Dordrecht. doi:10.1007/978-94-024-2101-9_1