6533b7d3fe1ef96bd1260172

RESEARCH PRODUCT

RADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN AIR PARTICULATE AT PALERMO (ITALY) FOLLOWING FUKUSHIMA ACCIDENT

Salvatore RizzoElio Angelo Tomarchio

subject

Atmospheric airTime FactorsSettore ING-IND/20 - Misure E Strumentazione NucleariPopulationAir samplerAir Particulate Fukushima accident airborne concentrationIodine RadioisotopesJapanRadiation MonitoringRadioactive contaminationFukushima Nuclear AccidentRadiology Nuclear Medicine and imagingeducationSicilyRadioisotopeseducation.field_of_studyRadionuclideRadiationRadiological and Ultrasound Technologybusiness.industrySpectrum AnalysisPublic Health Environmental and Occupational HealthGeneral MedicineParticulatesChernobyl Nuclear AccidentAir Pollutants RadioactiveCesium RadioisotopesSpainEnvironmental chemistryNuclear Power PlantsEnvironmental scienceNuclear medicinebusinessUkraine

description

Following the Fukushima accident, a series of samplings were carried out with a daily frequency to detect the arrival of radioactive contamination in air at Palermo (Italy) and to follow its evolution during the time. Air particulate collection was performed by suction of atmospheric air through cellulose filter paper by means of a high-volume air sampler (∼15 000 m(3) d(-1)). Spectrometric analysis of the filters highlights the presence of (131)I, (134)Cs, (137)Cs and, only for a few samples, traces of (132)Te-(132)I and (136)Cs. Maximum airborne concentrations were 883 μBq m(-3) for (131)I (only particulate), 81 μBq m(-3) for (137)Cs and 70 μBq m(-3) for (134)Cs. From a dose to population point of view, no significant values were obtained. The concentration values are from 1000 to 100 000 times lower than the ones measured after the Chernobyl accident, while, for only (137)Cs, are comparable with the ones highlighted after the Algeciras accident (Spain, 1998).

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2012-07-29
10.1093/rpd/ncs120http://hdl.handle.net/10447/71964