Radionuclides in the Environment: Radiological Quantities and Sampling Designs

Abstract

In the field of radioecology an increasing number of quantities and units from a variety of disciplines, including physics, biology, chemistry and ecology are used. Some are not well defined and are often non-standardised, which can lead to misinterpretation or misunderstanding of results. Further, as radioecology has developed it has been increasingly clear that experimental studies in radioecology, especially those involving both field and laboratory measurements, have not always paid adequate attention to the obtaining of representative, unbiased samples. This lack can greatly affect the quality of scientific interpretation, and the ability to manage the environment effectively. For these reasons, standardisation and harmonisation of units and terms used, and the provision of guidelines for planning experimental work are required. Therefore, the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) has commissioned two reports on 'Quantities and Units in Radioecology' and 'Statistical Aspects of Sampling Radionuclides in the Environment' (chaired by W. Whicker). The contents of these two reports are summarised and presented.