Whole-organism concentration ratios in wildlife inhabiting Australian uranium mining environments

Wildlife concentration ratios for 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po and isotopes of Th and U from soil, water, and sediments were evaluated for a range of Australian uranium mining environments. Whole-organism concentration ratios (CRwo-media) were developed for 271 radionuclide-organism pairs within the terrestrial and freshwater wildlife groups. Australian wildlife often has distinct physiological attributes, such as the lower metabolic rates of macropod marsupials as compared with placental mammals. In addition, the Australian CRswo-media originate from tropical and semi-arid climates, rather than from the temperate-dominated climates of Europe and North America from which most (>90%) of internationally available CRwo-media values originate. When compared, the Australian and non-Australian CRs are significantly different for some wildlife categories (e.g. grasses, mammals) but not others (e.g. shrubs). Where differences exist, the Australian values were higher, suggesting that site-, or region-specific CRswo-media should be used in detailed Australian assessments. However, in screening studies, use of the international mean values in the Wildlife Transfer Database (WTD) appears to be appropriate, as long as the values used encompass the Australian 95th percentile values. Gaps in the Australian datasets include a lack of marine parameters, and no CR data are available for freshwater phytoplankton, zooplankton, insects, insect larvae or amphibians; for terrestrial environments, there are no data for amphibians, annelids, ferns, fungi or lichens & bryophytes. The new Australian specific parameters will aide in evaluating remediation plans and ongoing operations at mining and waste sites within Australia. They have also substantially bolstered the body of U- and Th-series CRwo-media data for use internationally

Implementation of the Integrated Approach in Different Types of Exposure Scenarios

The ICRP recognises three types of exposure situations (planned, existing and emergency). In all three situations, the release of radionuclides into the natural environment leads to exposures of non-human biota, as well as the potential for exposures of the public. This paper describes how the key principles of the ICRP system of radiological protection apply to non-human biota and members of the public in each of these exposure situations. Current work in this area within ICRP Task Group (TG) 105 is highlighted. For example, how simplified numeric criteria may be used in planned exposure situations that are protective of both the public and non-human biota. In emergency exposure situations, the initial response will always be focused on human protection however, understanding the potential impacts of radionuclide releases on non-human biota will likely become important in terms of communication as governments and the public seek to understand the exposures that are occurring. For existing exposure situations, we need to better understand the potential impacts of radionuclides on animals and plants especially when deciding on protective actions. Understanding the comparative impacts from radiological, non-radiological and physical aspects is often important in managing remediating legacy sites. The TG is making use of case studies of how exposure situations have been managed in the past to provide additional guidance and advice for the protection of non-human biota

Summary of the 2021 ICRP Workshop on the Future of Radiological Protection

International audienceThe International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has embarked on a process to review and revise the current System of Radiological Protection ('the System'). To stimulate discussion, the ICRP published two open-access articles: one on aspects of the System that might require review, and another on research that might improve the scientific foundation of the System. Building on these articles, the ICRP organized a Workshop on the Future of Radiological Protection as an opportunity to engage in the review and revision of the System. This digital workshop took place from 14 October–3 November 2021 and included 20 live-streamed and 43 on-demand presentations. Approximately 1500 individuals from 100 countries participated. Based on the subjects covered by the presentations, this summary is organized into four broad areas: the scientific basis, concepts and application of the System; and the role of the ICRP. Some of the key topics that emerged included the following: classification of radiation-induced effects; adverse outcome pathway methodologies; better understanding of the dose–response relationship; holistic and reasonable approaches to optimization of protection; radiological protection of the environment; ethical basis of the System; clarity, consistency and communication of the System; application of the System in medicine and application of the principles of justification and optimization of protection

Radionuclide and stable elements in flora from Australian arid environments

Dataset made available per the CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Radiological impact assessments are an important tool for energy and resources industries and government safety regulators to assist in the protection of wildlife diversity, especially native species. Evaluations of radiological impacts to flora in the arid regions of Australia are currently based on international models that use predominately Northern Hemisphere data, with very limited Australian-specific data. This creates a degree of uncertainty in communicating the potential impact of relevant Australian assessments. The project aims to build an improved understanding of radionuclide concentration ratios and radionuclide pathways in arid Australian conditions and are expected to inform assessments in similar environmental conditions elsewhere. The dataset contains measurement of stable elements and radionuclides in soils and plants that were obtained from three regions in South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Pernatty and Roxby Downs region. Access to Australian specific data for use in radiological impact models provide a better understanding and more credible environmental impact assessment process based on more relevant local information