Strategic Missile Forces in Ukraine: Brief Survey of Past and Present Environmental Problems

Various environmental problems related to the former strategic missile forces located in Ukraine are outlined and analyzed. As the combat units and equipment have been disarmed and mostly utilized according to international agreements, various axiliary units, equipment, parts, stockpiles of the rocket fuel and oxidizer remained in Ukraine outside the agreements

The half-life of 129I

The radionuclide 129I is a long-lived fission product that decays to 129Xe by beta-particle emission. It is an important tracer in geological and biological processes and is considered one of the most important radionuclides to be assessed in studies of global circulation. It is also one of the major contributors to radiation dose from nuclear waste in a deep geological repository. Its half-life has been obtained by a combination of activity and mass concentration measurements in the frame of a cooperation of 6 European metrology institutes. The value obtained for the half-life of 129I is 16.14 (12) × 106 a, in good agreement with recommended data but with a significant improvement in the uncertainty.JRC.G.2-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

The half-life of 129I

International audienceThe radionuclide $^{129}$I is a long-lived fission product that decays to $^{129}$Xe by beta-particle emission. It is an important tracer in geological and biological processes and is considered one of the most important radionuclides to be assessed in studies of global circulation. It is also one of the major contributors to radiation dose from nuclear waste in a deep geological repository. Its half-life has been obtained by a combination of activity and mass concentration measurements in the frame of a cooperation of 6 European metrology institutes. The value obtained for the half-life of $^{129}$I is 16.14 (12) × 10$^6$ a, in good agreement with recommended data but with a significant improvement in the uncertainty

Results of the EURAMET.RI(II)-K2.Ho-166m activity comparison

In 2013, five laboratories took part in the EURAMET.RI(II)-K2.Ho-166m comparison of activity concentration measurements of 166mHo. The activity measurements of this comparison are part of the joint research project “Metrology for Radioactive Waste Management” of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). One aim of this project is a new determination of the 166mHo half-life.The results were found to be in good agreement and no outlier could be identified. A comparison reference value (CRV) has been calculated as the power-moderated mean (PMM) of all final laboratory results and was found to be 119.27(10) kBq g–1. Preliminary degrees of equivalence based on the Comparison Reference Value were also calculated for each reporting laboratory. The Key Comparison Reference Value and final degrees of equivalence will be calculated by the BIPM from the data contained herein and data from measurements made in the International Reference System (SIR).JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Determination of the 151Sm half-life

New measurements have been undertaken to determine the half-life of 151Sm. A pure 151Sm solution was obtained after chemical separation from a samarium solution resulting from the dissolution of an irradiated samarium sample. The concentration of 151Sm in the solution was measured by mass spectrometry, combined with the isotope dilution technique. The activity of the solution was measured by liquid scintillation counting by six European laboratories as part of an international comparison. These combined results lead to a half-life of T1/2 = 94.6(6) a.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard