Radon measurements with charcoal canisters temperature and humidity considerations

Radon testing by using open-faced charcoal canisters is a cheap and fast screening method. Many laboratories perform the sampling and measurements according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency method - EPA 520. According to this method, no corrections for temperature are applied and corrections for humidity are based on canister mass gain. The EPA method is practiced in the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences with recycled canisters. In the course of measurements, it was established that the mass gain of the recycled canisters differs from mass gain measured by Environmental Protection Agency in an active atmosphere. In order to quantify and correct these discrepancies, in the laboratory, canisters were exposed for periods of 3 and 4 days between February 2015 and December 2015. Temperature and humidity were monitored continuously and mass gain measured. No significant correlation between mass gain and temperature was found. Based on Environmental Protection Agency calibration data, functional-dependence of mass gain on humidity was determined, yielding Environmental Protection Agency mass gain curves. The results of mass gain measurements of recycled canisters were plotted against these curves and a discrepancy confirmed. After correcting the independent variable in the curve equation and calculating the corrected mass gain for recycled canisters, the agreement between measured mass gain and Environmental Protection Agency mass gain curves was attained

Measuring current state of radioactivity of air, water and soil in the city of Novi Grad, Republic of Srpska

Subject of this survey is measuring of background artificial and natural radioactivity of air, water and soil in the city of Novi Grad, Republic of Srpska. This is a first step of environmental monitoring of this area before opening of the nuclear waste material disposal nearby in Trgovinska gora in Croatia. Trgovinska gora is located not more than half kilometer beeline from the city of Novi Grad. Previous underground military ammunition repository is turned into nuclear waste disposal nearby natural border (river Una) between Croatia and Republic of Srpska. In order to be able to measure potential leakage of nuclear waste outside of disposal, we made background radioactivity measurements of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 238U, 235U, 137Cs, 210Pb, 90Sr, 3H, in the soil, water and mud. Also, we measured 222Rn in the soil and air and gamma dose rates. Measuring places were chosen upstream and two downstream in the city. Measuring results showed typical background concentration for this part of continental Europe

Natural and artificial radioactivity in some protected areas of south east Europe

The primary aim of this research is the investigation of natural and artificial radioactivity in protected areas of Kopaonik, Vlasina, and Rila Mountains. Soil samples (including lake sediment), drinkable spring water and conifers at mentioned locations of Southeast Europe, are chosen as study objects due to their importance for people and the environment in global. Specific activities of Ra-226, Th-232, K-40, U-238, U-235, Cs-137, Pb-210, and Be-7 are determined using gamma spectrometry and the obtained values compared with literature and mean world values. Risk assessment parameters and the soil-plant transfer factor were determined for Ra-226, K-40, (CS)-C-137, and Pb-210. This is the first radioactivity study of high mountain areas of Vlasina and Kopaonik in Serbia and Rila in Bulgaria and as such a baseline measurement and foundation for future research