Radiation Risk Management Research Articles

Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and hazard indicators in Tarakeshwor Municipality, Nepal through in-situ technique and multivariate analysis

The evaluation of primordial radionuclide concentrations in rapidly urbanized and concrete-laden areas through the importation of construction materials from various regions of Nepal is both important and essential. This study utilized a portable gamma-ray spectrometer (PGIS 2) to analyze the distribution of three natural radionuclides: uranium (238U), thorium (232Th), and potassium (40K) in Tarakeshwor Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal. The measured dose rates ranged from 70.22 nSv hr−1 to 163.66 nSv hr−1, with an average of 124.65±20.29 nSv hr−1, surpassing the global average of 59 nSv hr−1. The activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, and 232Th exceeded global averages, indicating relatively higher natural radioactivity concentrations in the region. Specifically, the average values for 40K, 238U, and 232Th were 935.26±172.30 Bq kg−1, 80.47±15.53 Bq kg−1, and 80.44±18.58 Bq kg−1, respectively. The calculated radium equivalent (Raeq) ranged from 132.26 to 351.22 Bq kg−1, and the annual gonadal equivalent dose (AGED) varied from 372.61 to 1028.81 μSv yr−1. The annual effective dose rates for indoor and outdoor environments were 0.54±0.09 mSv yr−1 and 0.15±0.03 mSv yr−1, respectively, both exceeding the global average. The representative level index (RLI) within the study area averaged 1.96±0.32, indicating an elevated radiation risk. The excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) values for outdoor and indoor environments were 0.52×10−3 ±0.09 ×10−3 and 1.87 ×10−3 ±0.31×10−3, respectively, surpassing the world average. Additionally, external hazard indices (Hex) ranged from 0.36 to 0.59, while internal hazard indices (Hin) ranged from 0.38 to 1.20, both indicating values higher than UNSCEAR recommendations. These findings underscore the necessity for further experimental analysis employing ex-situ equipment. The data generated in this study can provide a valuable baseline for future assessments and interventions in radiation risk management guidelines within the country.

Noncancer Effects of Ionizing Radiation Exposure on the Eye, the Circulatory System and beyond: Developments made since the 2011 ICRP Statement on Tissue Reactions.

For radiation protection purposes, noncancer effects with a threshold-type dose-response relationship have been classified as tissue reactions (formerly called nonstochastic or deterministic effects), and equivalent dose limits aim to prevent occurrence of such tissue reactions. Accumulating evidence demonstrates increased risks for several late occurring noncancer effects at doses and dose rates much lower than previously considered. In 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) issued a statement on tissue reactions to recommend a threshold of 0.5 Gy to the lens of the eye for cataracts and to the heart and brain for diseases of the circulatory system (DCS), independent of dose rate. Literature published thereafter continues to provide updated knowledge. Increased risks for cataracts below 0.5 Gy have been reported in several cohorts (e.g., including in those receiving protracted or chronic exposures). A dose threshold for cataracts is less evident with longer follow-up, with limited evidence available for risk of cataract removal surgery. There is emerging evidence for risk of normal-tension glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, but the long-held tenet that the lens represents among the most radiosensitive tissues in the eye and in the body seems to remain unchanged. For DCS, increased risks have been reported in various cohorts, but the existence or otherwise of a dose threshold is unclear. The level of risk is less uncertain at lower dose and lower dose rate, with the possibility that risk per unit dose is greater at lower doses and dose rates. Target organs and tissues for DCS are also unknown, but may include heart, large blood vessels and kidneys. Identification of potential factors (e.g., sex, age, lifestyle factors, coexposures, comorbidities, genetics and epigenetics) that may modify radiation risk of cataracts and DCS would be important. Other noncancer effects on the radar include neurological effects (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia) of which elevated risk has increasingly been reported. These late occurring noncancer effects tend to deviate from the definition of tissue reactions, necessitating more scientific developments to reconsider the radiation effect classification system and risk management. This paper gives an overview of historical developments made in ICRP prior to the 2011 statement and an update on relevant developments made since the 2011 ICRP statement.

Maternal responsibility and blame in technological disaster: radiation risk management as gendered labor after Fukushima

State governance after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident created a culture of silence and tolerance surrounding radiation risk, and deliberately fueled the popular understanding that acting upon radiation-related concern was antithetical to national and regional economic recovery. Outright denial of danger by Japanese leaders, paired with loosened safety standards and limited state support for affected residents by way of guidance and compensation, led to a privatization of radiation risk management that placed responsibility for exposure reduction onto families while also constraining their action. Drawing on in-depth interviews and participant observation, this article explores how such dynamics fell most heavily on concerned mothers, who were far more likely to take on this additional realm of domestic labor and care work due to deeply ingrained norms of gendered labor and citizenship. Yet such maternal labor was not lauded as a valuable social contribution. Rather, concerned mothers found themselves in a double bind in which to care for their families through vigilant avoidance of potential risk was to betray the state. Risk mitigation came to require a significant amount of emotion work associated with not appearing overly anxious or paranoid, constantly assessing the risk perception of others, and at times suppressing concern and compromising on risk tolerance. The results of this study suggest that neoliberal models of environmental risk management, particularly in moments of high uncertainty surrounding the risk in question, can not only create internal, interpersonal, and community conflict but also exacerbate existing gender inequalities.

The Improvement of the Regional Regulatory Governance System for Radiation Risk Management: Spatial Analysis on Radiation Hazards in South Korea

Since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, nuclear regulators have strengthened safety standards or decided to decommission the nuclear power plant. The vast majority of radiation is from nuclear power plants, so safety measures are also concentrated in nuclear power plants. Radioactive materials located much closer to the people are scattered around the nation. However, it is difficult for citizens to predict the radiation risk around them because regulatory agencies do not provide adequate information on radiation. The main goal of this study is to analyze the spatial distribution patterns of radioactive materials that serve as indicators for potential risk from a radiological hazard. The empirical findings in this study demonstrate the presence of spatial autocorrelation for the number of radiation licenses among 244 regions in the Republic of Korea. The policy implications are three-fold: (1) it is necessary to improve regulatory governance in consideration of permitted use; (2) the regional offices of regulatory agency can be established based on the identified spatial distribution of permitted use; (3) it is required to improve the information-disclosure system for materials. This study provides an opportunity to create a safer society by understanding the radiation around the public in general.

The Ways of Implementation of the Optimization Principle in the Personnel Radiological Protection

An overview of the joint works undertaken by the specialists of Ural Federal University, the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Reactor Materials (IRM) in certain areas of implementing the optimization principle in radiological protection of nuclear industry personnel is provided. The effectiveness and the capacity of using routing optimization when carrying out works in unsteady radiation fields (when relocating and dismantling equipment of radioactive systems) are evaluated. The results of works on designing the composition of homogeneous radiation-protective materials (RPM) and their capacity to implement the optimization principle in the planning of radiation-hazardous works, including by the example of AO IRM and in ion-selective treatment of liquid radioactive waste, are analyzed. The application of the optimization principle for individual personnel radiation risk management at AO IRM is discussed.

High-Dose Fluoroscopically Guided Procedures in Patients: Radiation Management Recommendations for Interventionalists.

The article is part of the series of articles on radiation protection. You can find further articles in the special section of the CVIR issue. In addition to the risks from fluoroscopic-guided interventional procedures of tissue injuries, recent studies have drawn attention to the risk of stochastic effects. Guidelines exist for preprocedural planning and radiation management during the procedure. The concept of a substantial radiation dose level (SRDL) is helpful for patient follow-up for tissue injury. The uncommon nature of tissue injuries requires the interventionalist to be responsible for follow-up of patients who receive substantial radiation doses. Dose management systems for recognizing and avoiding higher patient exposures have been introduced. The European Directive provides a legal framework and requirements for equipment, training, dose monitoring, recording and optimization that are helpful in radiation risk management.

Functional attributes of the landscape surrounding the Temelin nuclear power plant (Czech Republic)

The aim of this study is to show the importance of permanent vegetation in landscape in terms of surface temperature. Indicators of key landscape functions (surface temperature, wetness, and biomass content) were monitored from May to September in five catchments with different vegetation covers. The analysis of Landsat satellite data illustrates that areas with a higher proportion of forest and wetlands provide a more balanced temperature–moisture regime throughout the growing season, reduce average and peak temperature, and enhance humidity. In these areas, solar radiation is transformed into latent heat, which leads to landscape cooling. This process indirectly leads to the reduction of soil erosion, loss of water, oxidation of organic matter, and nutrient export. A landscape characterized by a balanced temperature–moisture regime also has a higher ability to bind and retain pollutants. Artificial drainage and loss of natural wetlands are common across most of our agricultural landscapes. Drained fields have a low capacity to retain water, nutrients, and pollutants. Where cereal crops dominate, the temperature–moisture regime evolves through different stages. With the exception of the early growth, maturity and senescence are characterized by high average and peak temperatures, high temperature variations, and low humidity. As illustrated by the relationship existing between water electrical conductivity and cation concentration in relation to land cover, such landscapes have a lowered ability to retain chemical elements and pollutants. The sites that were object of our survey are situated within the emergency planning zone of the Temelín nuclear power plant, in order to demonstrate how our analytical approach may be applied to radiation risk management.

A comprehensive radiation risk management program in cardiac imaging

A comprehensive radiation risk management program in cardiac imaging

Social and Ethical Aspects of Radiation Risk Management

Social and Ethical Aspects of Radiation Risk Management

The Social and Ethical Challenges of Radiation Risk Management

Thousands of people died in the tsunami, nearly half a million were made homeless, but since the first few days of the Japanese earthquake, most of the world media's attention was, and remains, foc...

Social and ethical issues in environmental risk management

The recognition of the social and ethical aspects of radiation risk management has been an important part of international projects following the Chernobyl accident of 1986. This study comments on the science and policy issues in environmental risk assessment, including the social and ethical dimensions of emergency preparedness and remediation experiences gained from the Chernobyl accident. While the unique situation of Fukushima, combined with an earthquake and tsunami, raises its own social and political challenges, it is hoped that some of the lessons learnt from Chernobyl will be relevant to long-term management of the Fukushima site.

APPLICATIONS OF CAPSTONE DEPLETED URANIUM AEROSOL RISK DATA TO MILITARY COMBAT RISK MANAGEMENT

Risks to personnel engaged in military operations include not only the threat of enemy firepower but also risks from exposure to other hazards such as radiation. Combatant commanders of the U.S. Army carefully weigh risks of casualties before implementing battlefield actions using an established paradigm that takes these risks into consideration. As a result of the inclusion of depleted uranium (DU) anti-armor ammunition in the conventional (non-nuclear) weapons arsenal, the potential for exposure to DU aerosols and its associated chemical and radiological effects becomes an element of the commanders' risk assessment. The Capstone DU Aerosol Study measured the range of likely DU oxide aerosol concentrations created inside a combat vehicle perforated with a DU munition, and the Capstone Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) estimated the associated doses and calculated risks. This paper focuses on the development of a scientific approach to adapt the risks from DU's non-uniform dose distribution within the body using the current U.S. Department of Defense radiation risk management approach. The approach developed equates the Radiation Exposure Status categories to the estimated radiological risks of DU and makes use of the Capstone-developed Renal Effects Group as a measure of chemical risk from DU intake. Recommendations are provided for modifying Army guidance and policy in order to better encompass the potential risks from DU aerosol inhalation during military operations.

AN ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC-INTEREST GROUP POSITIONS ON RADIATION PROTECTION

The history of radiation risk management is replete with contentious public debate between public interest groups and the technical community of radiation protection professionals. To promote a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, this paper describes the rationales and values underlying public-interest group positions in one radiation risk domain (low-level waste) and contrasts them with those of the technical community. Public interest group objections to recycling of radioactivity-contaminated materials and to discarding of other low-level wastes are made on fairness, risk assessment, and energy-policy grounds. Concerns about procedural fairness stem from the continuing use of top-down expert-driven, rather than deliberative, systems for low-level waste policy-making. Concerns about distributional fairness arise because the benefits and risks of alterative low-level waste policies accrue to different stakeholders. Risk assessment is faulted for failure to acknowledge hidden subjective assumptions (e.g., on screening vigilance in materials recycling, on integrity of disposal facilities in the far future). Skepticism of technological risk management arises from a history peppered with unexpected untoward events that lay outside the design bases of protection systems. Finally, public interest groups view low-level waste issues as part of a larger debate on wise and legitimate energy policy, and are reluctant to support measures that provide relief to a nuclear industry that, in their view, established itself outside the democratic process.

Polyethylene as a radiation shielding standard in simulated cosmic-ray environments

Radiation risk management for human space missions depends on accurate modeling of high-energy heavy ion transport in matter. The process of nuclear fragmentation can play a key role in reducing both the physical dose and the biological effectiveness of the radiation encountered in deep space. Hydrogenous materials and light elements are expected to be more effective shields against the deleterious effects of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) than aluminum, which is used in current spacecraft hulls. NASA has chosen polyethylene, CH2, as the reference material for accelerator-based radiation testing of multi-function composites that are currently being developed. A detailed discussion of the shielding properties of polyethylene under a variety of relevant experimental conditions is presented, along with Monte Carlo simulations of the experiments and other Monte Carlo calculations in which the entire GCR flux is simulated. The Monte Carlo results are compared to the accelerator data and we assess the usefulness of 1GeV/amu 56Fe as a proxy for GCR heavy ions. We conclude that additional accelerator-based measurements with higher beam energies would be useful.

Radiation risk management during fluoroscopy for interventional pain medicine physicians.

Because of serious radiographic-induced skin injuries that may have been caused by the inappropriate use of fluoroscopy during the performance of radiograph-guided invasive procedures, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory in 1994 suggesting that the key to preventing such unfortunate mishaps may be physician education, training, and credentialing in the safe operation of fluoroscopic equipment. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the interventional pain medicine physician with the physics of ionizing radiation and how to limit patient exposure through the optimum setting of tube current and voltage, the use of limited beam-on time, tight collimation, and the elimination of the nonessential use of the magnification mode on a fluoroscopy unit. In addition, the use of personal protection equipment and the knowledge needed to interpret the personal exposure record of each practitioner is discussed. All of this information will assist the interventional pain medicine physician in meeting the recommended FDA training and credentialing requirements.

CAN RADIATION AND CHEMICAL RISK MANAGEMENT BE HARMONIZED?

One of the most important challenges facing risk mangers in the coming decades is the joint management of chemical and radiological wastes. Born out of different traditions, radiation and chemical risk approaches can differ sharply. Radiation protection generally focuses on establishing effective dose levels across media and utilizes an approach that incorporates the philosophy of ALARA. In contrast, chemical risk management strategies are medium specific and risk based. In practice these differences can complicate decision making and potentially lead to duplicative efforts. We have undertaken a series of case studies to determine the extent and nature of the barriers that exist with regard to the potential harmonization of risk management approaches. Built upon the results of an interactive workshop held in June 1998, these case studies examine how cleanup decisions were made at a series of contaminated sites around the United States. It is anticipated that these case studies will demonstrate (1) the areas of greatest discord among chemical and radiological risk management approaches, and (2) how gaps in approaches could be bridged. This presentation will review the important conclusions of these case studies and (if possible) offer suggestions about how chemical and radiation risk management can be harmonized.

Alternative goals and policy mechanisms for radiation protection.

For decades, radiation protection philosophy and practice have been the domain of professionals trained in the physical and medical sciences. Radiation protection policy was formulated and implemented largely without consultation with or participation by other professional disciplines or the general public. Although, from a public health standpoint, past radiation protection efforts have worked well, there are growing signs that the public has lost confidence in the radiation risk management system as currently configured. This paper draws on perspectives of political science, social psychology, economics, and decision analysis to analyze the limitations of the current radiation protection regime and to suggest alternatives for enhancing public trust and improving efficacy.

Chemical and radiation environmental risk management: differences, commonalities, and challenges.

Driven by differing statutory mandates and programmatic separation of regulatory responsibilities between federal, state, and tribal agencies, distinct chemical and radiation risk management strategies have evolved. In the field this separation poses real challenges since many of the major environmental risk management decisions we face today require the evaluation of both types of risks. Over the last decade, federal, state, and tribal agencies have continued to discuss their different approaches and explore areas where their activities could be harmonized. The current framework for managing public exposures to chemical carcinogens has been referred to as a "bottom up approach." Risk between 10(-4) and 10(-6) is established as an upper bound goal. In contrast, a "top down" approach that sets an upper bound dose limit and couples with site specific As Low As Reasonably Achievable Principle (ALARA), is in place to manage individual exposure to radiation. While radiation risk are typically managed on a cumulative basis, exposure to chemicals is generally managed on a chemical-by-chemical, medium-by-medium basis. There are also differences in the nature and size of sites where chemical and radiation contamination is found. Such differences result in divergent management concerns. In spite of these differences, there are several common and practical concerns among radiation and chemical risk managers. They include 1) the issue of cost for site redevelopment and long-term stewardship, 2) public acceptance and involvement, and 3) the need for flexible risk management framework to address the first two issues. This article attempts to synthesize key differences, opportunities for harmonization, and challenges ahead.

Radon Programme in the Netherlands: Risk Assessment and Risk Management

Abstract The Dutch policy on the control of the risk of radon is predominantly based on the results of the Radon Research Programme. Important topics of the Radon Research Programme are described. Furthermore, the Dutch policy on indoor radiation is reviewed in view of the national environmental policy and radiation risk management. The policy on the control of radon in domestic and other buildings is related to other policies, both national and international, e.g. economic, environmental and housing policy. A short review of these relations in the Netherlands is given. In brief a description will be given of the attention paid by the government to the communication strategies used in order to enforce, for instance, remedial actions and the implementation of risk reduction technology.

Radon Programme in the Netherlands: Risk Assessment and Risk Management

The Dutch policy on the control of the risk of radon is predominantly based on the results of the Radon Research Programme. Important topics of the Radon Research Programme are described. Furthermore, the Dutch policy on indoor radiation is reviewed in view of the national environmental policy and radiation risk management. The policy on the control of radon in domestic and other buildings is related to other policies, both national and international, e.g. economic, environmental and housing policy. A short review of these relations in the Netherlands is given. In brief a description will be given of the attention paid by the government to the communication strategies used in order to enforce, for instance, remedial actions and the implementation of risk reduction technology.