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Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017.

ABSTRACT: In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (¹⁰⁶Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of µBq·m^-3 to more than 150 mBq·m^-3 The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne ¹⁰⁶Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plume presence duration at each location. Based on airborne concentration spreading and chemical considerations, it is possible to assume that the release occurred in the Southern Urals region (Russian Federation). The ¹⁰⁶Ru age was estimated to be about 2 years. It exhibited highly soluble and less soluble fractions in aqueous media, high radiopurity (lack of concomitant radionuclides), and volatility between 700 and 1,000 °C, thus suggesting a release at an advanced stage in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. The amount and isotopic characteristics of the radioruthenium release may indicate a context with the production of a large ¹⁴⁴Ce source for a neutrino experiment.

SUBMITTER: Masson O

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6708381 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017.

Masson O O Steinhauser G G Zok D D Saunier O O Angelov H H Babić D D Bečková V V Bieringer J J Bruggeman M M Burbidge C I CI Conil S S Dalheimer A A De Geer L-E LE de Vismes Ott A A Eleftheriadis K K Estier S S Fischer H H Garavaglia M G MG Gasco Leonarte C C Gorzkiewicz K K Hainz D D Hoffman I I Hýža M M Isajenko K K Karhunen T T Kastlander J J Katzlberger C C Kierepko R R Knetsch G-J GJ Kövendiné Kónyi J J Lecomte M M Mietelski J W JW Min P P Møller B B Nielsen S P SP Nikolic J J Nikolovska L L Penev I I Petrinec B B Povinec P P PP Querfeld R R Raimondi O O Ransby D D Ringer W W Romanenko O O Rusconi R R Saey P R J PRJ Samsonov V V Šilobritienė B B Simion E E Söderström C C Šoštarić M M Steinkopff T T Steinmann P P Sýkora I I Tabachnyi L L Todorovic D D Tomankiewicz E E Tschiersch J J Tsibranski R R Tzortzis M M Ungar K K Vidic A A Weller A A Wershofen H H Zagyvai P P Zalewska T T Zapata García D D Zorko B B

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20190726 34

In October 2017, most European countries reported unique atmospheric detections of aerosol-bound radioruthenium (106Ru). The range of concentrations varied from some tenths of µBq·m-3 to more than 150 mBq·m-3 The widespread detection at such considerable (yet innocuous) levels suggested a considerable release. To compare activity reports of airborne 106Ru with different sampling periods, concentrations were reconstructed based on the most probable plum ...[more]

PMID: 31350352

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Project description:Premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have underdeveloped immune systems, making them susceptible to adverse health consequences from air pollutant exposure. Little is known about the sources of indoor airborne particles that contribute to the exposure of premature infants in the NICU environment. In this study, we monitored the spatial and temporal variations of airborne particulate matter concentrations along with other indoor environmental parameters and human occupancy. The experiments were conducted over one year in a private-style NICU. The NICU was served by a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system equipped with an economizer and a high-efficiency particle filtration system. The following parameters were measured continuously during weekdays with 1-min resolution: particles larger than 0.3 μm resolved into 6 size groups, CO2 level, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, and presence or absence of occupants. Altogether, over sixteen periods of a few weeks each, measurements were conducted in rooms occupied with premature infants. In parallel, a second monitoring station was operated in a nearby hallway or at the local nurses' station. The monitoring data suggest a strong link between indoor particle concentrations and human occupancy. Detected particle peaks from occupancy were clearly discernible among larger particles and imperceptible for submicron (0.3-1 μm) particles. The mean indoor particle mass concentrations averaged across the size range 0.3-10 μm during occupied periods was 1.9 μg/m(3), approximately 2.5 times the concentration during unoccupied periods (0.8 μg/m(3)). Contributions of within-room emissions to total PM10 mass in the baby rooms averaged 37-81%. Near-room indoor emissions and outdoor sources contributed 18-59% and 1-5%, respectively. Airborne particle levels in the size range 1-10 μm showed strong dependence on human activities, indicating the importance of indoor-generated particles for infant's exposure to airborne particulate matter in the NICU.

Dataset Information

Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017.

Publications

Airborne concentrations and chemical considerations of radioactive ruthenium from an undeclared major nuclear release in 2017.

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