Radioactive pollutants : Impact on the environment
(Based on invited papers at the ECORAD 2001 International Conference)
François Bréchignac/Brenda J. Howard
EDP Sciences
Foreword : Thoughts on Radioecology by the millennium shiftIX
Introduction
1. The ecological dimensions of ecotoxicological research3
Introduction : Environmental toxicology or ecotoxicology ?3
1. Implementation of ecological theories in ecotoxicology4
2. Interaction between environmental contaminants and the characteristics of ecosystem : The case study of eutrophication and persistent organic pollutants14
Conclusion - Perspectives18
Part 1 General environmental issues
2. Environmental radioactivity measuring methods27
1. History and goals of environmental radioactivity measurements27
2. Radionuclide coverage, sensitivity requirements and materials31
3. Methods : From counting decays to counting atoms39
4. Quality : Not just a matter of taste47
5. Environmental radioactivity and the public51
6. Future trends and new frontiers54
3. Toxicants in the environment : bringing radioecology and ecotoxicology together63
1. Introduction63
2. Bottom-up versus top-down64
3. From foxes and frogs to fish65
4. Disappearance of the fence67
5. Additivity of effects, and the RBE69
6. Model mobile element and not total element ?70
7. Chemical toxicity of radionuclides72
8. Conclusions72
4. Post accident management75
1. Introduction75
2. Policy for and guidance on intervention77
3. Rapid characterisation of contaminated areas93
4. Technical options for, and the efficacy and costs of, post-accident management94
5. Maintaining competence and issues of sustainability95
6. Summary and conclusions96
5. International advice and experience relevant to chronic radiation exposure situations in the environment105
1. Introduction105
2. Major sources of chronic environmental exposures106
3. International protection radiation protection guidance relevant to chronic exposures from areas affected by radioactive contamination107
4. Decision aiding and decision making115
5. International assessments of areas affected by radioactive residues117
6. Overall conclusions127
6. Delivering a framework for the protection of the environment from ionising radiation131
1. Introduction131
2. A strategy for the future133
3. The development of the framework - the FASSET and EPIC approaches136
4. Dose effect relations for reference organisms - brief summary142
5. Conclusions143
Part 2 Radionuclides in terrestrial environments
7. Soil as the main compartment for radioactive substances in terrestrial ecosystems149
1. Introduction149
2. Sorption and fixation of radionuclides in soil150
3. Quantitative characteristics of radionuclides' mobility and potential bioavailability157
4. Vertical migration of radionuclides164
5. Runoff of radionuclides167
8. Impact of micro-organisms on the fate of radionuclides in rhizospheric soils175
1. Introduction175
2. Pathways of radionuclides in soils176
3. Immobilization of radionuclides by micro-organisms178
4. Solubilization of radionuclides by micro-organisms180
5. Specific role of mycorrhizal fungi181
6. Concluding remarks182
9. Advances in animal radioecology187
1. Introduction187
2. Transfer coefficients188
3. Absorption and bioavailability194
4. Generic approaches to quantifying transfer196
5. Environmental transfer to animals198
6. Conclusions200
10. A nutrient-based mechanistic model for predicting the root uptake of radionuclides209
1. Introduction210
2. Current knowledge211
3. Model development214
4. Model testing and validation223
5. Conclusions232
Part 3 Radionuclides in aquatic environments
11. Advanced speciation techniques for radionuclides associated with colloids and particles243
1. Introduction243
2. Source related speciation of radionuclides244
3. Speciation of radionuclides245
4. Speciation techniques246
5. LMM speciation techniques247
6. Solid state speciation analysis of colloids249
7. Solid state speciation analysis of radioactive particles251
8. Mobility and interactions254
9. Conclusions256
12. Modelling radionuclides in aquatic systems : evolution, revolution and the future261
1. Introduction and background261
2. General criteria for predictive models263
3. Basic principles determining the predictive success of ecosystem models266
4. Evolution and revolution in predictive modelling268
5. The highest reference r2 and Kd276
6. Model structuring278
7. General approaches of simplifications282
8. The panel of driving variables286
9. Critical model tests290
10. Future developments294
11. Conclusions297
13. Estuarine contaminants : fate and environmental risks303
1. Introduction303
2. A macrotidal estuary304
3. Is an estuary a chemical reactor ?312
4. Chemical hazards for the estuarine ecosystem320
5. Conclusion324
Part 4 Ethical and environmental issues
14. The Nord-Cotentin Radioecological Group : An original experience of pluralistic expertise331
1. The context332
2. Creation and operation of the group333
3. The GRNC's work334
4. The role of non-institutional members336
5. Conclusion : The GRNC, an innovative pluralistic expertise process339