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There is considerable uncertainty regarding radiation's effects on biodiversity in natural complex ecosystems typically subjected to multiple environmental disturbances and stresses. In this study we characterised the relationships between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria, grassy vegetation and trees in the Red Forest region of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Samples were taken from sites of contrasting ecological histories and along burn and no burn areas following a wildfire. Estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria reached levels one order of magnitude higher than those known to affect bacteria in laboratory studies. Sites with harsher ecological conditions, notably acidic pH and low soil moisture, tended to have higher radiation contamination levels. No relationship between the effects of fire and radiation were observed. Microbial groups that correlated with high radiation sites were mostly classified to taxa associated with high environmental stress habitats or stress resistance traits. Distance-based linear models and co-occurrence analysis revealed that the effects of radiation on the soil microbiome were minimal. Hence, the association between high radiation sites and specific microbial groups is more likely a result of the harsher ecological conditions in these sites, rather than due to radiation itself. In this study, we provide a starting point for understanding the relationship between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed radiation dose rates to different components of an ecosystem highly contaminated with radiation. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes adapted to natural soil conditions are more likely to be resistant to ionising radiation than expected from laboratory studies, which demonstrates the importance of assessing the impact of ionising radiation on soil microbial communities under field conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To establish a radiological national reference for agricultural soil across Tunisian oases and assess the risk to human health associated with date consumption, with a focus on comparing the impact of traditional and modern fertilization, radiological parameters and activity levels of 22 ⁶Ra, 232 Th, and 4 ⁰K were determined for 27 oases. These oases were located in three southern Tunisian governorates. The activity concentration of 22 ⁶Ra, 232 Th, and 4 ⁰K was measured using a 3 × 3 inch NaI(Tl) scintillation detector, which was found to be 21.82 ± 1.0 Bq kg - 1 , 26.51 ± 1.1 Bq kg - 1 , and 559.21 ± 23.0 Bq kg - 1 , respectively, for traditional oases and 26.56 ± 1.2 Bq kg - 1 , 24.45 ± 1.1 Bq kg - 1 , and 661.28 ± 26.3 Bq kg - 1 , respectively, for modern oases. In addition, ambient dose equivalent rate was measured during sampling using a multipurpose hand-held radiation CsI(Tl) detector, which was found to be 0.075 µSv/h in traditional oases and 0.078 µSv/h in modern oases. The resulting radiological parameters and activity concentrations were then compared to results from neighboring countries and the average soil activity worldwide., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Brazil nuts are well known for their extraordinarily high selenium content. For this reason, they are frequently recommended as a kind of natural selenium 'supplement', particularly for certain population groups such as vegetarians and vegans in regions with low soil selenium levels. Typically, an intake of one or two Brazil nuts per day is recommended. Brazil nuts, however, also stand out from other nuts in terms of their high (albeit highly variable) radium content. The radium isotopes Ra-226 and Ra-228 emit alpha- and beta-radiation, with this type of radiation being particularly harmful when ingested. Consequently, it is important to consider radium levels in Brazil nuts before formulating recommendations for a long-term, daily intake of these nuts. To date, however, no comprehensive overview of radium levels in Brazil nuts has been published. Therefore, a literature review without time or language restrictions was conducted, including unpublished original data from Germany. The literature review (including the German data) indicated mean Ra-226 and Ra-228 levels of 49 (range: 17-205) mBq/g and 67 (range: 12-235) mBq/g, respectively. Assuming a consistent daily intake of one or two Brazil nuts, this would result in an effective dose of ~88-220 μSv/year. This level of exposure appears to be neither clearly harmful nor clearly harmless. As increased radioactivity exposure (at least at higher doses) is associated with increased cancer risk, randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of Brazil nuts on cancer risk biomarkers are needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Nutrition Bulletin published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Nutrition Foundation.)

This study investigated the activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K and their soil-to-plant transfer factors in some medicinal plants located in Nepal. The geometric mean values of soil-to-plant transfer factors (TFs) for 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K were 0.37, 0.96, and 3.50, respectively. This indicated that medicinal plants absorbed the highest amount of 40 K from the soil, followed by 232 Th, while 226 Ra was absorbed the least. The average radium equivalent activities for medicinal plants (189 Bq/kg) and associated soils (182 Bq/kg) were within the international acceptable limit of 370 Bq/kg. According to the activity concentrations found in the medicinal plants, they do not present any radiological health hazards unless consumed in excessive quantities; however, continuous investigations are essential., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The current study provides a comprehensive examination of both natural and anthropogenic activity concentrations found in soil and surface water samples near the Rooppur nuclear power plant (RNPP), the first of its kind under construction in Bangladesh. The investigation covers a range of activity concentrations including 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in fifty soil and fifty water samples, revealing values ranging from 18 to 38, 18-51, and 310-560 Bqkg -1 for soil, and 2.1-6.1, 2.1-5.5, and 67-115 Bqkg -1 for water, respectively. Although outdoor absorbed dose rate, outdoor effective dose, and gamma representative level index values in some soil samples exceed global averages, other radiological hazard parameters such as radium equivalent activity, annual effective dose, external and internal hazard indices, and lifetime carcinogenic risk for both soil and water samples consistently remain below safety thresholds established by international organizations. These findings indicate that the soil and water samples collected from the vicinity of the RNPP do not pose significant radiological hazards to the nearby populations. This study's comprehensive dataset is anticipated to play a crucial role in facilitating the identification and evaluation of any changes in environmental radioactivity, thereby assisting in the effective management and regulation of nuclear power plant activities in the years to come., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Biodosimetry can define risks in inhabitants of areas with potential contaminants, ensuring environmental protection and living conditions due to toxic and radioactive effects. This study aimed to evaluate metals and radionuclides in dental structures and alveolar bones in residents of a uranium area in Paraíba and Pernambuco, Brazil. Eighty-nine specimens were pulverized, fractionated, and chemically prepared for analysis by EDXRF, FAAS, and ICP-MS. Levels of Ca, Cu, Fe, Si, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, K, Mn, Th, and U were investigated. Higher concentrations were measured for Ca, with an average of 272,986.4 mg kg -1 . Ni presented in lower concentrations, with an average of 30.4 mg kg -1 . For U, concentrations ranged from 1.5 to 145.0 mg kg -1 , with more than 27% of the samples above the reference value of 8.1 μg kg -1 . For Th, almost 38% of the results were above the limit of 3.5 μg kg -1 . In the bone spicules, the contents of U and Th ranged from 45.1 to 1451.2 μg kg -1 and from 7.5 to 78.4 μg kg -1 , in this order. The levels of radionuclides were more expressive for the teeth collected in São José do Sabugi, suggesting contamination through food and water consumption. In the bone spicules, the levels of U were up to 179 times higher than the safety limit. The results indicate a possible risk of contamination with probable induced radiobiological effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The development of the nuclear industry in the countries of the Arabian Gulf demands an investigation of its potential impact on the environment and human activities. It should involve routine monitoring of radionuclide from existing nuclear facilities as well as modelling of accidental release of radioactivity. Agriculture is usually considered the human activity which is the most endangered with radioactive pollution. Although the traditional concept of low-developed agriculture in the United Arab Emirates has been already described from a radioecological point of view, herein, the recent trends of agriculture are recorded. Due to climatic changes and population increase, the use of saline lands will be more pressing. Apart from it, the risk assessment for nuclear events, which was formed mainly for temperate zones, neglected another aspect of arid zones which is underground water reservoirs refilled with episodic heavy rains. The sandy or saline soils are not an effective barrier for the migration of radionuclide deposited in topsoil. A hypersaline environment could prevent the adsorption of radionuclide on soil particles and allow their high bioavailability for halophyte plants. The new principal challenges in radioecological research in arid zones are impacts on (i) saline agriculture, (ii) underground water reservoirs, and (iii) proposal for countermeasures in order to minimise the impact of radioactive contamination., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Weeds cause economic losses in cropping systems, leading to the use of 1.7 million tons of herbicides worldwide for weed control annually. Once in the environment, herbicides can reach non-target organisms, causing negative impacts on the ecosystem. Herbicide retention, transport, and degradation processes determine their environmental fate and are essential to assure the safety of these molecules. Radiometric strategies using carbon-14 herbicides ( 14 C) are suitable approaches for determining herbicide absorption, translocation, degradation, retention, and transport in soil, plants, and water. In this work, we demonstrate how 14 C-herbicides can be used from different perspectives. Our work focused on herbicide-plant-environment interactions when the herbicide is applied (a) through the leaf, (b) in the soil, and (c) in the water. We also quantified the mass balance in each experiment. 14 C-mesotrione foliar absorption increased with oil and adjuvant addition (5-6 % to 25-46 %), and translocation increased only with adjuvant. More than 80 % of 14 C-quinclorac and 14 C-indaziflam remained in the soil and cover crops species absorbed less than 20 % of the total herbicides applied. In water systems, Salvinia spp. plants removed 10-18 % of atrazine from the water. Atrazine metabolism was not influenced by the presence of the plants. The radiometric strategies used were able to quantify the fate of the herbicide in different plant systems and the mass balance varied from 70 % to 130 %. Importantly, we highlight a critical and practical view of tracking herbicides in different matrices. This technique can aid scientists to explore other pesticides as environmental contaminants., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Historically, [ 131 I]I has been a common isotope in radionuclide therapy, with [ 177 Lu]Lu-labelled radiopharmaceuticals now seeing a surge in use. These can include no-carrier-added or carrier-added [ 177 Lu]Lu with slight impurities of [ 177m Lu]Lu with a significantly longer half-life than [ 131 I]I. Wastewater from therapy wards can contain a mixture of these radioisotopes. In some countries, national regulations require wastewater to be stored in dedicated systems before it is discharged into the public sewage system. To fulfill legal requirements, the nuclide specific activity concentration must be verified., Purpose: We evaluate a method for determining the activity concentration of [ 177m Lu]Lu /[ 177 Lu]Lu at equilibrium and [ 131 I]I in pure and mixed samples in order to prove that the determined values are reliably below the limits for release., Methods: We analysed the emitted energy spectrum of 1 L samples with a wastewater counter using an energy window-based approach by evaluating measurements from two different time points. Based on the law of decay and the time and energy-dependent measured values, equation systems were set up to calculate the count rates for [ 131 I]I and [ 177m Lu]Lu, which were converted into activity concentration using calibration factors., Results: There is strong linear correlation between the nominal and determined activity concentrations (correlation coefficients R = 0.99; coefficient of determinations R 2  = 0.99). We underestimate the actual activity concentration by a median of -1.4% for [ 177m Lu]Lu and overestimate the activity concentration for [ 131 I]I by a median of 7.1%., Conclusion: We show that an undercut of the clearance levels for material release is measurable. We analyse and determine activity concentrations of mixed samples consisting of [ 131 I]I and [ 177m Lu]Lu/[ 177 Lu]Lu in equilibrium. The method is simple to implement using a conventional wastewater counter, however with a slightly increased effort, as two samples and measurements are required. The methodology can be adapted for the analysis of other nuclide mixtures., (© 2024 The Author(s). Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Patients undergoing high-dose radioiodine ablation (RAI) therapy in Nuclear Medicine Department need to be isolated in a special designed ward for a few days. Large amount of clinical radioactive wastewater from patient body is produced during high-activity RAI therapy. The radioactive wastewater needs to store in a delay tank until the radioactivity decayed below acceptable limit before being discharged and indirectly limit the patient admission and treatment. This study is to propose an alternative antibacterial adsorbent for I-131 extraction from clinical radioactive wastewater at the nuclear medicine department using graphene oxide silver (GOAg) and bamboo activated carbon (BAC). The synthesised adsorbents and their sediments (filtered sample) were analysed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) for morphological analysis and analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XPS spectra for C 1s adsorbents show intensity peaks at 284.45 eV (C=C) and 285.3 eV (C-C) for GOAg and its sediments, and 284.35 eV (C-C), 287.00 eV (C=O), and 290.07 eV (π-π∗ transitions) for BAC and its sediments. FTIR spectra reveal various functional groups of adsorbents: C=C (1637.50772 cm -1 ), C=O (1340.48041 cm -1 ), and C-O-C (1031.88060 cm -1 ) for GOAg and its sediments, and C=C (1635.57897 cm -1 ), C-C (1257.54421 cm -1 ), and C-O (1188.10925 cm -1 ) for BAC and its sediments. XRD patterns exhibit peaks at 2θ = 27.82°, 29.39°, 32.24°, and 46.22°, which can be attributed to the (002) diffraction plane, (220) crystallographic plane, (111) plane of Ag 2 O, and (200) crystallographic plane, respectively, for GOAg and its sediments. Meanwhile, the peaks at 2θ = 26.56° and 42.41°, which correspond to (002) and (100) planes, respectively, for BAC and its sediments. The d-spacing and the crystallinity index of each adsorbent were also determined. The estimation of the remaining β - particles during the adsorption of I-131 was carried out using PHITS. The finding of this study is beneficial for alternative radionuclide extractions technique from clinical radioactive wastewater in nuclear medicine., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study compared a multimodal image-guided robot and three-dimensionally (3D) printed templates for implanting iodine-125 (I 125 ) radioactive seeds in patients with malignant tumours in the skull base and deep facial region. Seventeen patients who underwent I 125 radioactive seed implantation between December 2018 and December 2019 were included. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and accuracy of seed implantation were compared between the multimodal image-guided robot-assisted implantation (experimental) group (n = 7) and 3D-printed template-assisted implantation (control) group (n = 10). In total, 291 seeds were implanted in the experimental group and 436 in the control group; the mean error of seed implantation accuracy was 1.95 ± 0.13 mm and 1.90 ± 0.08 mm, respectively (P = 0.309). The preparation time was 26.13 ± 5.28 min in the experimental group and 0 min in the control group, while the average operation time was 34.44 ± 6.39 min versus 43.70 ± 6.06 min, respectively. The intraoperative blood loss was 4.96 ± 1.76 ml (experimental) versus 8.97 ± 2.99 ml (control) (P = 0.123). Multimodal image-guided robot-assisted I 125 radioactive seed implantation met the clinical requirements for treating malignant tumours in the skull base and deep facial regions., Competing Interests: Competing interests None., (Copyright © 2024 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Little is known about the aetiology of thymoma. This study aims to identify medical risk factors for thymoma as a systematic approach to new hypotheses on the aetiology of this disease. A European multi-centre case-control study was conducted from 1995 to 1997, including incident cases aged 35-69 years with thymoma. Altogether, we accepted 85 cases and 3350 controls, of which we interviewed 77 cases and 2071 population controls about constitutional factors, medical examinations, and former diseases. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Medical examinations with X-ray or radiotherapy performed >20 times at least one year before the thymoma diagnosis indicated a possible risk factor for thymoma (OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.93-2.69). Having the first radiotherapy treatment at least one year before the thymoma diagnosis yielded an OR for thymoma of 2.39; 95% CI (0.96-5.99), and if it was at least five years before, the OR for thymoma was 2.81; 95% CI (1.03-7.72). Having a red/auburn hair colour was associated with thymoma, (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4-9.5) whereas having pigmented skin was slightly associated with thymoma (OR 1.8, 95% CI 0.8-3.8). Over twenty instances of X-ray examinations or radiotherapy were identified as potential risk factors for thymoma, along with certain constitutional factors. The observed correlations between benign tumours and thymoma could stem from an inherent predisposition to tumour development or result from detection bias. Given that this is the initial analytical study examining medical risk factors for thymoma, all of the results should be approached with caution, acknowledging the possibility that some findings might be incidental.

The use of a Monte Carlo code in the assessment of residual radioactivity for decommissioning of a medical cyclotron facility requires a reasonable approximation to the facility's history of operations. A periodic irradiation scenario simulating the cyclotron's daily operation for radioisotope production is generally considered reasonable, but its implementation in the code's input file can be cumbersome because more than thousands of irradiation cycles must be modeled. In practice, two simplified scenarios with continuous irradiation are commonly used instead: (i) omitting the downtime between two irradiation periods and (ii) extending the irradiation duration across the entire operational lifespan of the facility, albeit with a reduced beam current to maintain workload consistency. A systematic comparison of residual radionuclide productions across various half-lives under these three scenarios was performed. This technical note presents the resulting correction factors for the two simplified continuous irradiation models, enhancing their applicability in estimating radioactive inventories under a range of circumstances., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Significance: Intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI) enables the detection and visualization of cancer tissue using targeted radioactive or fluorescent tracers. While IMI research has rapidly expanded, including the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of a targeted fluorophore, the limits of detection have not been well-defined., Aim: The ability of widely available handheld intraoperative tools (Neoprobe and SPY-PHI) to measure gamma decay and fluorescence intensity from IMI tracers was assessed while varying characteristics of both the signal source and the intervening tissue or gelatin phantoms., Approach: Gamma decay signal and fluorescence from tracer-bearing tumors (TBTs) and modifiable tumor-like inclusions (TLIs) were measured through increasing thicknesses of porcine tissue and gelatin in custom 3D-printed molds. TBTs buried beneath porcine tissue were used to simulate IMI-guided tumor resection., Results: Gamma decay from TBTs and TLIs was detected through significantly thicker tissue and gelatin than fluorescence, with at least 5% of the maximum signal observed through up to 5 and 0.5 cm, respectively, depending on the overlying tissue type or gelatin., Conclusions: We developed novel systems that can be fine-tuned to simulate variable tumor characteristics and tissue environments. These were used to evaluate the detection of fluorescent and gamma signals from IMI tracers and simulate IMI surgery., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Gallium-72 is an important Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty relevant radionuclide that arouses significant interest. However, the reported half-lives of 72 Ga are discrepant. In the current work, three solution samples of different concentrations were prepared and sequentially measured by a high-purity Germanium (HPGe) spectrometer. The count rates as a function of time of the 834.1 keV and 630.0 keV γ-lines were followed for the half-life determination. Through mass normalization, the datasets of three samples are combined and the statistical uncertainties are reduced. Half-life values were derived from datasets of each sample and mass normalization and corresponding complete uncertainty budgets are presented. The final half-life determined for 72 Ga is 13.94 (2) h, showing a deviation of 1.12% from the last nuclear data sheets (NDS) recommended value. Comparing with the values of previous publications, the result from this work is smaller than most results and consistent with the latest value which has one large uncertainty. A recommended value of 14.07 (3) h is estimated using the power-moderated mean (PMM) method., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Marie Curie, a distinguished physicist and chemist, profoundly transformed the fields of radiology and medicine through her pioneering research on radioactivity. As the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win in two different scientific fields, Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911), Curie's achievements have left an indelible mark on medical science. This historical vignette explores her groundbreaking discoveries, including the isolation of radium and polonium, and her innovative applications of radioactivity in medicine, particularly in the treatment of cancer. It also delves into her relentless pursuit of knowledge and her role as a mentor, which inspired future generations of scientists and medical professionals. By examining Curie's contributions and enduring legacy, this article underscores her pivotal role in shaping modern medical practices and highlights her lasting influence on human health. Through this exploration, we aim to celebrate the life and achievements of a true pioneer whose work continues to inspire and drive advancements in medical science today., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Shanbhag et al.)

Fosmanogepix [FMGX; active form manogepix (MGX)], a novel antifungal, is currently being studied for the treatment of invasive fungal diseases caused by Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and other rare molds. This Phase 1, single-dose study used 14 C-radiolabeled FMGX to determine the disposition and metabolism of FMGX. Ten healthy male participants were enrolled equally into: oral cohort {FMGX 500 mg oral + 3.1 megabecquerel [MBq, 84.0 microcurie (μCi)] 14 C} and intravenous (IV) cohort [FMGX 600 mg IV + 3.4 MBq (93.0 µCi) 14 C]. At the end of the sampling period (456 h post-dose), 90.2% of radioactivity administered was recovered (46.4% from urine; 43.8% from feces) in oral cohort (82.3% within 240 h), and 82.4% was recovered (42.5% from urine; 39.9% from feces) in IV cohort (76.2% within 264 h), indicating that FMGX elimination occurs via renal and hepatic routes. Radioactivity transformation pathways (oral and IV) indicated multiple major routes of metabolism of FMGX, mainly via MGX, and included oxidation, oxidative deamination, and conjugation. All except one key human plasma metabolite was observed in toxicity species, but its proportion (<10%) in the human area under the curve plasma samples was not of toxicological concern. No deaths, serious, or severe adverse events (AE) were reported, and there were no AE-related withdrawals. The results of this study indicated extensive metabolism of FMGX, with similar key human plasma metabolites observed in the animal studies. The elimination of FMGX was equally through renal and hepatic routes., Clinical Trials: This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04804059., Competing Interests: M.R.H. and E.O. were employees of Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (a Pfizer Inc subsidiary). M.R.H. was previously an employee of Pfizer and holds Pfizer stock. A.J., M.T., and S.T. are Pfizer employees and hold Pfizer stock. J.R., D.W., A.J.P., and P.E. have no conflicts to declare.

In this paper, an assessment of the natural radioactivity level, radon exhalation, metal contamination, and mineralogy of a granodiorite rock sample from Stilo, in the Calabria region, Southern Italy is presented as a case study. This rock was employed as a building material in the area under study. The specific activity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K natural radioisotopes was assessed through high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometry. Then, several indices such as the absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), the activity concentration index (ACI) and the alpha index (I α ), were quantified to determine any potential radiological health risk related to radiation exposure from the analyzed rock. Furthermore, E-PERM electret ion chambers and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements were carried out to properly quantify the radon exhalation rate and any possible metal pollution, respectively. In particular, to further address metal pollution factors, the geo-accumulation index (I geo ) was calculated to properly address the toxicity levels of the ecosystem originating from the detected metals. Finally, with the aim of successfully discriminating the provenance of such naturally occurring radionuclides, a combined approach involving X-ray diffraction (XRD) and µ-Raman spectroscopy was employed for the identification of the main radioisotope-bearing minerals characterizing the investigated granodiorite. The results achieved in this case study can be taken as the basis for further inquiries into background levels of radioactivity and chemical contamination in natural stone employed as building materials.

137 Cs is a long-lived man-made radionuclide introduced in the environment worldwide at the early beginning of the nuclear Era during atmospheric nuclear testing's followed by the civil use of nuclear energy. Atmospheric fallout deposition of this major artificial radionuclide was reconstructed at the scale of French large river basins since 1945, and trajectories in French nuclearized rivers were established using sediment coring. Our results show that 137 Cs contents in sediments of the studied rivers display a large spatial and temporal variability in response to the various anthropogenic pressures exerted on their catchment. The Loire, Rhone, and Rhine rivers were the most affected by atmospheric fallout from the global deposition from nuclear tests. Rhine and Rhone also received significant fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and recorded significant 137 Cs concentrations in their sediments over the 1970-1985 period due to the regulatory releases from the nuclear industries. The Meuse River was notably impacted in the early 1970s by industrial releases. In contrast, the Seine River display the lowest 137 Cs concentrations regardless of the period. All the rivers responded similarly over time to atmospheric fallout on their catchment, underlying a rather homogeneous resilience capacity of these river systems to this source of contamination., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Proton therapy has emerged as an advantageous modality for tumor radiotherapy due to its favorable physical and biological properties. However, this therapy generates induced radioactivity through nuclear reactions between the primary beam, secondary particles, and surrounding materials. This study focuses on systematically investigating the induced radioactivity in the gantry room during pencil beam scanning, utilizing both experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. Results indicate that patients are the primary source of induced radioactivity, predominantly producing radionuclides such as 11 C, 13 N, and 15 O. Long-term irradiation primarily generates radionuclides like 22 Na, 24 Na, and 54 Mn etc. Additionally, this study estimates the individual doses received by medical workers in the gantry room, the irradiation dose for patient escorts, and the additional dose to patients from residual radiation. Finally, the study offers recommendations to minimize unnecessary irradiation doses to medical workers, patient escorts, and patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the feasibility of estimating the radioactivity of radiopharmaceuticals using shielded syringes. The radioactivities of 99m Tc-MDP, 99m Tc-HMDP, 99m Tc-ECD, 99m Tc-MAG 3 , and 123 I-IMP were measured using a dose calibrator. Correlation coefficients and regression equations were obtained from the radioactivity in the shielded and unshielded syringes. 99m Tc-MDP was also measured for residual radioactivity after the administration. The correlation coefficients of 99m Tc-MDP, 99m Tc-HMDP, 99m Tc-ECD, 99m Tc-MAG 3 , and 123 I-IMP were r s  = 0.9998, r s  = 0.9997, r s  = 0.9999, r s  = 0.9998, and r s  = 0.9888, respectively. The regression equations were y = 0.0364x + 0.0913, y = 0.0349x + 0.0273, y = 0.0343x - 0.0018, y = 0.0522x + 0.1215, and y = 0.0383x + 0.0058, respectively. The correlation coefficient for the residual radioactivity of 99m Tc-MDP was r s  = 0.9887 and the regression equation was y = 0.1505x + 0.0853. The radioactivity of 99m Tc- and 123 I-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in shielded syringes was accurately measured. It was suggested that the measuring shielded syringes could provide an estimate of the actual radioactivity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Radiological Technology and Japan Society of Medical Physics.)

Labuan, Miri, Kundasang and Raub regions of Malaysia have very different geological formations and settings that could result in different levels of natural radioactivity. Hence, this study determines the influence of different geological formations on radioactivity in these locations using field measurements, petrology and geochemistry. A total of 141 gamma dose rates and 227 beta flux measurements were collected using Polimaster survey meters (PM1405) in these four regions. The gamma dose rate values range from 0.37 to 0.05 µSv/h with a mean value of 0.11 µSv/h. Beta flux values range from 3.46 to 0.12 CPS with a mean value of 0.57 CPS. Mineralogy and elemental composition of the different rock types were analysed using thin-section petrography, XRD, ICP and pXRF methods. Felsic igneous rocks such as syenite and granite have higher natural radioactivity and contain more radionuclide-bearing minerals such as apatite, zircon, allanite, K-feldspar, titanite, muscovite and biotite. Metamorphic rocks have the second highest natural radioactivity and contain fewer radioactive minerals. The natural radioactivity of sedimentary rocks mostly depends on their clay content. The gamma dose rate maps show that igneous and metamorphic regions around Raub have higher radioactivity compared to the sedimentary-dominated regions around Miri and Labuan. Annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were calculated to evaluate the potential health risk for inhabitants of these regions. Labuan and Miri are considered to be safe zones with respect to natural radioactivity as the results show little to no risk for the public, compared with the Raub region, which is medium to high risk., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soil is an important source and medium of radionuclides, and the content of radioactivity in soil is crucial for radiological impact evaluation. In this study, twenty soil samples in the high background natural radiation area of Yangjiang, China were collected and analyzed for 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K and 137 Cs concentrations in order to evaluate the radiological health risk in the area. Results showed that the average activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K are 66 Bq/kg, 109 Bq/kg and 211 Bq/kg, respectively. The calculated radiological parameters of radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), internal and external hazard indices (H in and H ex ) show a large variation at different sampling sites. Additionally, the elemental oxidation composition and 40 K/K mass ratio in the soil were analyzed to further augment the background information of the high background radiation area in Yangjiang., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Total alpha and beta activities and Rn-222 concentrations were determined in water from different sections of seven aqueducts belonging to the water supply system of Campania region (Italy), known worldwide for its volcanism. Statistical analysis was performed on data to account for their variability across the aqueduct sections, and results were discussed considering the geology of reservoirs, the potential mixing processes occurring along the pipe network, the building/constituting materials of the aqueduct sections, and the integrity of the infrastructure. Guidelines proposed by Italian and international regulation entities were considered to determine if total alpha and beta activities and Rn-222 concentrations found at the taps of the different aqueducts should be considered detrimental to public health. Based on a deterministic and a stochastic approach, a health risk assessment was also tested for Rn-222, assuming direct ingestion and showering as potential exposure pathways. Results showed that applying guidelines returned an absence of hazard, whereas risk assessment returned a high probability of exposure to unacceptable Rn-222 doses for some aqueducts. Beyond the usefulness of obtained results to plan actions to improve the safety of drinking water in Campania, our outcomes represent a warning for bodies dealing with public health at any level: the use of guidelines can bring an underestimation of the risks exerted by the exposure to Rn-222 on human health. Further, using a probabilistic approach in risk assessment accounting for uncertainty can favor risk forecasts based on more "realistic" scenarios., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Model prediction of radioactivity levels around nuclear facilities is a useful tool for assessing human health risks and environmental impacts. We aim to develop a model for forecasting radioactivity levels in the environment and food around the world's first AP 1000 nuclear power unit., Methods: In this work, we report a pilot study using time-series radioactivity monitoring data to establish Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models for predicting radioactivity levels. The models were screened by Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and the model accuracy was evaluated by mean absolute percentage error (MAPE)., Results: The optimal models, ARIMA (0, 0, 0) × (0, 1, 1) 4 , and ARIMA (4, 0, 1) were used to predict activity concentrations of 90 Sr in food and cumulative ambient dose (CAD), respectively. From the first quarter (Q1) to the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023, the predicted values of 90 Sr in food and CAD were 0.067-0.77 Bq/kg, and 0.055-0.133 mSv, respectively. The model prediction results were in good agreement with the observation values, with MAPEs of 21.4 and 22.4%, respectively. From Q1 to Q4 of 2024, the predicted values of 90 Sr in food and CAD were 0.067-0.77 Bq/kg and 0.067-0.129 mSv, respectively, which were comparable to values reported elsewhere., Conclusion: The ARIMA models developed in this study showed good short-term predictability, and can be used for dynamic analysis and prediction of radioactivity levels in environment and food around Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Huang, Zou, Lou, Ren, Yu, Guo, Zhou, Lai, Zhang, Xuan and Cao.)

Microalgae and macrophytes are commonly used as human and animal food supplements. We examined the cultivation of the microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana and the duckweed Lemna minor in thermal waters under batch and sequencing batch conditions and we characterized the produced biomass for the presence of essential nutrients as well as for heavy metals and radioisotope content. The highest specific growth rate for the microalgae was observed when 5 or 15 mg/L N were supplemented while the optimal conditions for Lemna minor were observed in the co-presence of 5 mg/L N and 1.7 mg/L P. Lemna minor presented higher concentrations of proteins and lipids comparing to the studied microalgae. Both organisms contained high amounts of lutein (up to 1378 mg/kg for Lemna minor) and chlorophyll (up to 1518 mg/kg for Lemna minor) while β-carotene and tocopherols were found at lower concentrations, not exceeding a few tens of mg/kg. The heavy metal content varied between the two species. Lemna minor accumulated more Cd, Cu, K, Mn, Na, Ni, and Zn whereas Al, Ca and Mg were higher in Chlorella sorokiniana. Both organisms could be a significant source of essential metals but the occasional exceedance of the statutory levels of toxic metals in food products raises concern for potential risk to either humans or animals. Application of gamma-spectroscopy to quantify the effective dose to humans from 228 Ra, 226 Ra and 40 K showed that Chlorella sorokiniana was well under the radiological limits while the collected mass of Lemna minor was too small for radiological measurements with confidence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In nature, plants are simultaneously exposed to different abiotic (e.g., heat, drought, and salinity) and biotic (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and insects) stresses. Climate change and anthropogenic pressure are expected to intensify the frequency of stress factors. Although plants are well equipped with unique and common defense systems protecting against stressors, they may compromise their growth and development for survival in such challenging environments. Ionizing radiation is a peculiar stress factor capable of causing clustered damage. Radionuclides are both naturally present on the planet and produced by human activities. Natural and artificial radioactivity affects plants on molecular, biochemical, cellular, physiological, populational, and transgenerational levels. Moreover, the fitness of pests, pathogens, and symbionts is concomitantly challenged in radiologically contaminated areas. Plant responses to artificial acute ionizing radiation exposure and laboratory-simulated or field chronic exposure are often discordant. Acute or chronic ionizing radiation exposure may occasionally prime the defense system of plants to better tolerate the biotic stress or could often exhaust their metabolic reserves, making plants more susceptible to pests and pathogens. Currently, these alternatives are only marginally explored. Our review summarizes the available literature on the responses of host plants, biotic factors, and their interaction to ionizing radiation exposure. Such systematic analysis contributes to improved risk assessment in radiologically contaminated areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Terrestrial gamma radiation is one of the major outdoor radiation exposures to the general public that varies substantially based on the type and geological properties of the soil. The objective of this study is to evaluate the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) distribution and assess the hazard parameters in the riverbank soil within various industrial zones in the densely populated Dhaka and Chattogram cities of Bangladesh. The mean activities of 226 Ra (37 ± 3), 232 Th (58 ± 4), and 40 K (1129 ± 18) Bqkg -1 in the assessed soil samples were found to be slightly higher than the world average values 32, 35, and 420 Bqkg -1 , respectively. The mean radium equivalent activity (207.49 Bqkg -1 ) and the external and internal hazard indices were within the recommended limits of 370 Bqkg -1 and <1, respectively. The mean absorbed dose rate (99.47 nGyhr -1 ), annual effective dose (0.12 mSva -1 ), ELCR (4.27 × 10 -4 ), and gamma level index (1.58) exceeded the world average values 59 nGyhr -1 , 0.07 mSva -1 , 2.9 × 10 -4 , and 1 respectively. However, the studied areas are safe from a radiological viewpoint with no radiation health hazard to the people. The results of this study can be utilized to produce factual baseline data for future studies.

Brazil is the fourth largest cement consumer in the world and the largest producer in Latin America, around 1.3% of global production. The main inputs in the manufacture of cement are limestone and clay. Few studies have been carried out in the country on the risk of these materials used in civil construction. Therefore, the objective of this present work is to evaluate the radiological danger that they can present to society. Gamma spectrometry analysis on 16 samples of different brands of cement used as construction material in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) was performed in this study, using an HPGe detector and the Genie 2000 data acquisition software. Samples were set to count for an accumulation time of 14,400 s (4 h) and all measurements were corrected to eliminate background and backscattering. Activity concentrations are determined for 226 Ra was from (41.2 ± 1.6 to 174.9 ± 3.9) Bq kg -1 , 232 Th was from (15.7 ± 0.5 to 43.1 ± 0.7) Bq kg -1 and 40 K was from (82.6 ± 7.2 to 254 ± 17) Bq kg -1 . To assess radiological health risks: mean values of Radium Activity Equivalent 150.0 ± 3.4 Bq kg -1 , Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent 468 ± 11 μSv year -1 and Lifetime Excess Cancer Risk (ELCR) 2.42 ± 0.06 were calculated. Total Absorbed Dose Rates ranged from 72.2 ± 1.7 to 225.1 ± 5.2 nGy h -1 . The damage to collective health was also estimated from the annual effective dose rates with an estimated total cost of damage to health of US$ 130 million. Values are generally within global limits reported by UNSCEAR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Monitoring radioactivity levels in the environment around nuclear power plants is of great significance to assessing environmental safety and impact. Shidaowan nuclear power plant is currently undergoing commissioning; however, the baseline soil radioactivity is unknown. The naturally occurring radionuclides 238U, 232Th, 226Ra and 40K, and artificial radionuclide (AR) 137Cs in soil samples around the Shidaowan nuclear power plant were measured to establish the baseline levels. Human health hazard indices such as external hazard indices (Hex), Radium equivalent (Raeq), outdoor absorbed dose rate (Dout), annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were estimated. The average concentration of 232Th, 40K, 137Cs, 238U and 226Ra were 42.6 ± 15, 581 ± 131, 0.68 ± 0.38, 40.13 ± 9.07 and 40.8 ± 12.8 Bq per kg, respectively. The average Hex, Raeq, Dout, AED and ELCR were 0.40, 146 Bq per kg, 68.8 nGy per h, 0.09 mSv per y and 3.29E-04, respectively. These data showed an acceptable level of risk to residents near the nuclear power plant and that the current radioactivity in the soil may not pose immediate harm to residents living close to the nuclear power plant. The observed lower AED and 40 K and 137Cs concentrations were comparable to other studies, whilst ELCR was higher than the world average of 2.9E-04. The commissioning of the Shidaowan nuclear power plant is potentially safe for the surrounding residents; further continuous monitoring is recommended., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The impacts of contaminants on wildlife are dose dependent, and thus being able to track or predict exposure following contamination events is important for monitoring ecosystem health. However, the ability to track exposure in free-ranging wildlife is often severely limited. Consequently, researchers have predominantly relied on simple methods for estimating contaminant exposures in wildlife with little regard for spatial contaminant heterogeneity or an animal's use of diverse habitats. We evaluated the influence sampling scale (i.e., how finely contaminant distribution and organism's spatial use of the landscape is mapped) has on (1) realism and (2) conservativeness of exposure estimates. To do this, we monitored the actual exposure of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Fukushima, Japan to radioactive contamination using GPS-coupled contaminant monitors placed on individual animals. We compared empirical exposures to estimates generated by combining varying amounts of information about an individual boar's location and/or movement, with the distribution of contamination on the landscape. We found that the most realistic exposure estimates were produced when finer-scale contaminant distribution surveys (e.g., airborne surveys) were combined with more accurate estimates of an individual's space use (e.g., home ranges or core areas). Importantly, estimates of exposure based on single point surveys at a trap site (a simple method commonly used in the literature), did not correlate with actual exposure rates, suggesting dose-effects studies using this method may result in spurious conclusions. These results suggest that researchers seeking realistic estimates of exposure, such as in dose-effect studies, should ensure they have adequately accounted for fine-scale contaminant distribution patterns and areas of higher use by study organisms. However, conservative estimates of exposure (i.e., intentionally over-predicting exposure as is done in initial tiers of ecological risk analyses) were not as scale sensitive and could be achieved with a single known location and coarse contaminant distribution maps., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No author has a competing interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study was conducted to investigate the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the sand samples and the health hazards associated with them utilizing a NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 24.8 ± 10.1, 39.8 ± 16.4 and 531.3 ± 52.8 Bq kg-1, respectively. The calculated radiological hazard parameters, including radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose and effective dose rate, were found to be 122.7 ± 34.0 Bq kg-1, 57.7 ± 14.9 nGy h-1 and 0.3 ± 0.1 mSv y-1, respectively. Notably, these results were observed to be below the recommended thresholds. Other measured hazard indices were also lower than the prescribed values. From a radiological perspective, the present study concludes that the sand samples do not pose any threat to human health when utilized as a building material., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective . Ionization chambers, mostly used for beam calibration and for reference dosimetry, can show high recombination effects in pulsed high dose rate proton beams. The aims of this paper are: first, to characterize the linearity response of newly designed asymmetrical beam monitor chambers (ABMC) in a 100-226 MeV pulsed high dose rate per pulse scanned proton beam; and secondly, to calibrate the ABMC with a PPC05 (IBA Dosimetry) plane parallel ionization chamber and compare to calibration with a home-made Faraday cup (FC). Approach . The ABMC response linearity was evaluated with both the FC and a PTW 60019 microDiamond detector. Regarding ionometry-based ABMC calibration, recombination factors were evaluated theoretically, then numerically, and finally experimentally measured in water for a plane parallel ionization chamber PPC05 (IBA Dosimetry) through k s saturation curves. Finally, ABMC calibration was also achieved with FC and compared to the ionometry method for 7 energies. Main results . Linearity measurements showed that recombination losses in the new ABMC design were well taken into account for the whole range of the machine dose rates. The two-voltage-method was not suitable for recombination correction, but Jaffé's plots analysis was needed, emphasizing the current IAEA TRS-398 reference protocol limitations. Concerning ABMC calibration, FC based absorbed dose estimation and PPC05-based absorbed dose estimation differ by less than 6.3% for the investigated energies. Significance. So far, no update on reference dosimetry protocols is available to estimate the absorbed dose in ionization chambers for clinical high dose rate per pulse pulsed scanned proton beams. This work proposes a validation of the new ABMC design, a method to take into account the recombination effect for ionometry-based ABMC calibration and a comparison with FC dose estimation in this type of proton beams., (© 2024 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.)

This work reports comprehensive time-series datasets over the past 50 years for natural ( 210 Po) and anthropogenic ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs) radionuclides in three fish species (cod, herring and plaice) from Danish marine areas covering the North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. Impact from the global fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, radioactive discharges from the European nuclear reprocessing plants and release from Chernobyl accident are clearly detected in the fish samples. While 210 Po concentrations in each fish species demonstrated comparable levels across the three regions without notable temporal trends, significantly higher median 210 Po concentration was observed in the lower trophic level fish, namely herring and plaice, compared to cod. In contrast, 137 Cs concentrations in all three species steadily decrease over time after the Chernobyl-attributed peaks in late 1980s in the entire study area, whereas 137 Cs always demonstrated higher concentrations in cod than herring and plaice. Our calculated concentration factors (CFs) for 137 Cs in this work indicate that the mean CFs for 137 Cs over the past 50 years are significantly different across the three species, following the order of cod < herring < plaice. Based on the time-series data, ecological half-lives (T eco ) of 137 Cs in fish from Danish marine areas were estimated to evaluate the long-term impact of anthropogenic radioactive contamination in different regions. Our results indicate no significant difference in T eco across different fish species, whereas the weighted mean T eco for fish in the Baltic Sea (29.3 ± 3.9 y) is significantly longer than those of the North Sea (9.8 ± 0.9 y) and Kattegat (11.7 ± 1.2 y), reflecting the strong 'memory effect' of the Baltic Sea due to its slow water renewal. However, the dose assessment demonstrates that the contribution of the natural radionuclide 210 Po to ingestion dose from fish consumption is 1-2 order of magnitude higher compared to that of 137 Cs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

To study the geogenic processes of naturally occurring radioactive materials' (NORMs') distribution, a transboundary Himalayan river (Punarbhaba) is chosen due to its trivial anthropogenic impacts. In explaining the genesis of radionuclides, transition elements (Sc, Ti, V, and Fe), rare-earth-elements (REEs: La, Eu, Ce, Yb, Sm, and Lu), Ta, Hf, Th, and U were analysed in 30 riverbed sediments collected from the Bangladeshi portion of the river. Elemental abundances and NORMs' activity were measured by neutron activation analysis and HPGe-gamma-spectrometry, respectively. Average n =30 radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra (68.4 Bq kg -1 ), 232 Th (85.7 Bq kg -1 ), and 40 K (918 Bq kg -1 ) were 2.0-2.3-fold higher, which show elevated results compared to the corresponding world mean values. Additionally, mean-REE abundances were 1.02-1.38-times higher than those of crustal origin. Elevated (relative to earth-crust) ratios of Th/U (=3.95 ± 1.84) and 232 Th/ 40 K and statistical demonstrations invoke Th-dominant heavy minerals, indicating the role of kaolinite clay mineral abundance/granitic presence. However, Th/Yb, La/V, Hf/Sc, and Th/Sc ratios reveal the presence of felsic abundances, hydrodynamic sorting, and recycling of sedimentary minerals. Geo-environmental indices demonstrated the enrichment of chemical elements in heavy minerals, whereas radiological indices presented ionizing radiation concerns, e.g. , the average absorbed-gamma-dose rate (123.1 nGy h -1 ) was 2.24-fold higher compared to the threshold value which might cause chronic health impacts depending on the degree of exposure. The mean excess lifetime cancer risk value for carcinogen exposure was 5.29 × 10 -4 S v -1 , which is ∼2-times greater than the suggested threshold. Therefore, plausible extraction of heavy minerals and using residues as building materials can alleviate the two-reconciling problems: (1) radiological risk management and (2) fluvial navigability.

This work aimed to support Albania's food safety monitoring regime. In this context, the natural and artificial radioactivity was measured in 20 samples of dried fruits collected randomly in different markets of Tirana. The activity concentration of 40K, 226Ra, 232Th and 137Cs was determined by using the high-purity germanium detector. The maximum values of activity concentration in dried fruits were calculated as 517 ± 22 Bq kg-1 for 40K, 11.10 ± 0.93 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 4.38 ± 0.26 Bq kg-1 for 232Th and 0.83 ± 0.14 Bq kg-1 for 137Cs. The average values of activity concentration of 40K and 226Ra were 269and 6.05 Bq kg-1 and the average effective dose to individuals from the intake of the dried fruits was 44 μSv y-1. All average values in this study were lower than recommended values by reports United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation, World Health Organization and International Commission on Radiological Protection for all age groups. Therefore, all dried fruit samples in this study are safe for consumption with acceptable radiological risk and none of them pose any significant radiological impact. The obtained data in this paper and information for levels of radioactivity and ingestion absorbed dose from dried fruits can be used to be the basic data for future comparative analysis of the other studies., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Human beings are constantly exposed to the radiations coming from the environment. This work assesses the radiological hazards of natural radioactivity in soil samples taken at four locations around the phosphate area in south Tunisia. Concentrations of primordial radionuclides were measured by gamma spectrometer using an HPGe detector. The overall mean values of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th concentrations were 264, 27 and 13 Bq kg-1, respectively. From the radioactivity measurements, radiation hazard indices specified by the United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation such as radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rates ($ {\dot{\text D}} $) and annual effective dose (AED) to the population for outdoor environment were determined. The mean values for the abovementioned parameters were 64 Bq kg-1, 33 nGy h-1 and 40 μSv y-1, respectively., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Persistent concerns regarding environmental hazards arise from the difficulty in disposing of radioactive plant-based wastes originating from the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) in Japan in 2011. In this study, three anaerobic digestion (AD) strategies were proposed: Sole anaerobic wet fermentation, and wet fermentations with either alkaline-heat or ultrasonic pre-treatment, which were employed for long-term anaerobic treatment of a genuine radioactive grass stemming from the FNPP accident. The objectives of this work are to investigate the effects of pre-treatments on biomass conversion efficiency and to gain insight into the leaching behavior of radiocaesium (Rad-Cs) within AD processes. Experimental results indicate that by introducing alkaline-heat and ultrasonic pre-treatments to AD systems, the removal efficiencies of total solids (TS) from the raw grass increased by 60.8 % and 42.5 %, respectively, compared to sole wet fermentation. Pre-treatments have been shown to enhance the stability of AD systems, both in terms of enhancing methane production and mitigating pH fluctuations triggered by the accumulation of organic acids. Remarkably, even though the Rad-Cs leaching rate was highest when the AD system was fed with the alkaline-heat pre-treated grass, it remained unsatisfactory at only 5.77 %. We inadvertently isolated a soil-like component from the raw grass, and analyzed both its proportion in the raw grass and the radioactivity intensity. The results indicate that although the soil constituted only 9.51 % TS of the raw grass, it accounted for a significant 81.35 % of the total radioactivity. The soil, which has a pronounced affinity for ionic Cs, being mixed into the raw grass, was identified as the primary factor limiting the leaching efficiency of Rad-Cs throughout both the pre-treatment and wet fermentation phases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective. This study aims to investigate the biological effectiveness of Spread-Out Bragg-Peak (SOBP) proton beams with initial kinetic energies 50-250 MeV at different depths in water using TOPAS Monte Carlo code. Approach. The study modelled SOBP proton beams using TOPAS time feature. Various LET-based models and Repair-Misrepair-Fixation model were employed to calculate Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) for V79 cell lines at different on-axis depths based on TOPAS. Microdosimetric Kinetic Model and biological weighting function-based models, which utilize microdosimetric distributions, were also used to estimate the RBE. A phase-space-based method was adopted for calculating microdosimetric distributions. Main results. The trend of variation of RBE with depth is similar in all the RBE models, but the absolute RBE values vary based on the calculation models. RBE sharply increases at the distal edge of SOBP proton beams. In the entrance region of all the proton beams, RBE values at 4 Gy i.e. RBE(4 Gy) resulting from different models are in the range of 1.04-1.07, comparable to clinically used generic RBE of 1.1. Moving from the proximal to distal end of the SOBP, RBE(4 Gy) is in the range of 1.15-1.33, 1.13-1.21, 1.11-1.17, 1.13-1.18 and 1.17-1.21, respectively for 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 MeV SOBP beams, whereas at the distal dose fall-off region, these values are 1.68, 1.53, 1.44, 1.42 and 1.40, respectively. Significance. The study emphasises application of depth-, dose- and energy- dependent RBE values in clinical application of proton beams., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

This article reports the results of an investigation into the activity concentration of natural radionuclides in raw building materials for underground parking lots, together with the assessment of the radiation hazard for the public related to exposure to ionizing radiations. To this purpose, high-purity germanium (HPGe) γ-ray spectrometry was employed in order to quantify the average specific activity of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K natural radioisotopes. With the aim to assess any possible radiological health risk for the population, the absorbed γ-dose rate ( D ), the annual effective dose equivalent outdoor ( AEDE out ) and indoor ( AEDE in ), the activity concentration index ( I ), and the alpha index ( I α ) were also estimated, resulting in values that were lower than the maximum recommended ones for humans. Finally, the extent of the correlations existing between the observed radioactivity and radiological parameters and of these parameters with the analyzed samples was quantified through statistical analyses, including Pearson's correlation, a principal component analysis (PCA), and a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). As a result, three clusters of the investigated samples were recognized based on their chemical composition and mineralogical nature. Noteworthily, this paper covers a certain gap in science since its topic does not appear in literature in this form. Thus, the authors underline the importance of this work to global knowledge in the environmental research and public health fields.

The levels of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil, grass, and milk were measured in this study in order to calculate the transfer factor of radionuclides from soil to grass and grass to milk obtained from Erbil governorate in Iraq. High efficiency gamma spectrometry used for the measurement. It has been determined that the mean activity concentrations of 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K are 3.08, 8.37, and 253 BqKg -1 in soil, 0.5, 0.39, and 203.05 BqKg -1 , in grass, and 0.29, 0.084, and 29.69 BqL -1 , in milk, respectively. For soil to grass, the transfer factor values for 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K were found to be 0.18, 0.052, and 0.84, respectively, for soil to grass. For grass to milk, the transfer factor values for 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K were found to be 0.45, 0.166, and 0.11 dayL -1 , respectively. The average transfer factor for 232 Th, 226 Ra, and 40 K in all samples were lower than the world average value., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to assess the concentrations of 210 Po and 210 Pb in various tobacco samples from Palestine and Jordan. Cigarette smoking is recognized as a significant contributor to the radiation dose received by individuals, primarily due to the elevated levels of 210 Pb and 210 Po found in tobacco. The analysis revealed that the average concentrations of 210 Po in locally sourced tobacco and cigarette samples in Palestine are 16.8 ± 2.3 mBq/g and 18.5 ± 2.0 mBq/g, with a total average of 17.8 ± 7.4 mBq/g (15.5 mBq/cigarette). Similarly, the average concentrations of 210 Pb in these samples are 18.5 ± 2.6 mBq/g and 20.3 ± 2.2 mBq/g, with a total average of 19.6 ± 8.1 mBq/g (17.0 mBq/cigarette). In Jordan, the average concentrations of 210 Po in cigarette samples and narghile tobacco are 20.1 ± 2.4 mBq/g and 18.3 ± 4.1 mBq/g, with a total average value of 19.6 ± 9.9 mBq/g (18.0 mBq/cigarette), while the average concentrations of 210 Pb are 22.2 ± 2.6 mBq/g and 20.2 ± 4.5 mBq/g, with a total average value of 21.6 ± 10.8 mBq/g (19.9 mBq/cigarette). The annual effective doses resulting from inhalation were calculated for smokers of these samples. The findings revealed that the levels of 210 Po and 210 Pb radioactivity in certain investigated samples exceeded the results of studies in many countries of the world. The associated effective doses per year from smoking for all brands products in Palestine range from 34.7 μSv/y to 186.5 μSv/y with an average of 109.5 μSv/y, while in Jordan 54.5 μSv/y to 289.1 μSv/y with an average of 130.9 μSv/y., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this review, the online searchable research articles were scrutinized for the data presented in line with radioactivity and dose estimates from both terrestrial environments and foodstuffs from Bahi district and other parts of Tanzania. The data on natural gamma ray dose rates from Bahi localities were observed with variations among researchers. The observed ranges of radioactivity concentrations (Bq kg -1 ) in soil were 226 Ra (28.5-57.4), 232 Th (38.1-521.3), and 40 K (562.9-665.0). Deep closed water wells with installed pumps from Ilindi and Bahi Mission reported radioactivity concentration of 238 U 3.08 Bq L -1 and Ilindi swamps reported radioactivity concentrations of 226 Ra 15.35 Bq L -1 , whereas radioactivity concentrations of 238 U in cereals were within the annual tolerable limits of 0.001-0.02 Bq kg -1 . The quantity and accessibility of published studies, as well as the diversity of the data, point to the necessity for additional studies to be carried out in order to obtain comprehensive baseline data.

Natural radioactive materials in certain conditions can get to hazardous radiological level. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the natural activity concentration from sampled building materials collected from different locations in Babadogo Estate within Nairobi City County. The analysis done using gamma ray spectrometer, which was put into action for spectral data acquisition and then analysis. The activity concentration levels of 238U, 232Th and 40K for the selected samples of building materials was measured by the use of gamma ray spectrometry method. The analyzed data compared with the standard acceptable values. The activity concentration in 40K varied from 55 ± 3 to 2647 ± 132 Bq kg-1, giving an average (sum of all values divided by 33) value of 831 ± 42 Bq kg-1; 238U varied from 39 ± 2 to 3602 ± 180 Bq kg-1, giving average figures of 378 ± 19 Bq kg-1 and 232Th ranged from 5.000 ± 0.300 to 4213 ± 211 Bq kg-1, giving average figure of 290 ± 15 Bq kg-1. The calculated average figures for activity concentration surpassed the world average values of 420, 33 and 45 Bq kg-1 in 40K, 238U and 232Th, respectively., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Bis (acetylacetonato)oxidovanadium(IV) [(VO(acac) 2 ], generally known as vanadyl acetylacetonate, has been shown to be preferentially sequestered in malignant tissue. Vanadium-48 ( 48 V) generated with a compact medical cyclotron has been used to label VO(acac) 2 as a potential radiotracer in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for the detection of cancer, but requires lengthy synthesis. Current literature protocols for the characterization of VO(acac) 2 require macroscale quantities of reactants and solvents to identify products by color and to enable crystallization that are not readily adaptable to the needs of radiotracer synthesis. We present an improved method to produce vanadium-48-labeled VO(acac) 2 , [ 48 V]VO(acac) 2 , and characterize it using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with radiation detection in combination with UV detection. The approach is suitable for radiotracer-level quantities of material. These methods are readily applicable for production of [ 48 V]VO(acac) 2 . Preliminary results of preclinical, small-animal PET studies are presented.

The radiation arising from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) is the foremost contributor to the collective dose received by the global population. The present study aims to measure the natural background radiation level and the associated gamma radiation dose in air in the Beldih apatite mine region of Purulia district, India. This study is primarily focused on the determination of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K activities in the sub-surface soil of the study area. The measurements were carried out using a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector-based gamma-ray spectrometer with a relative efficiency of 80%. To achieve uniformity in exposure estimations, radium equivalent activity has been calculated. Additionally, the internal hazard index, external hazard index, radioactivity level index and gamma dose rates have been evaluated to estimate the radiation hazard levels in the study area. The comparison of obtained concentrations and hazard indices with global data (UNSCEAR. (2008). Sources, effects and risks of ionizing radiation. United nations scientific committee on the effects of atomic radiation (report to the general assembly, with Annexes).) suggests that this region lies in a relatively high background radiation zone., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Abstract: The former Lamprecht uranium mine facility in Texas ceased operations well before the new millennium. However, decommissioning activities were never completed by the licensee. Consequently, a legal proceeding was authorized between state and licensee representatives. Meanwhile, state funds were used to hire an independent contractor to perform radiological surveys and assess the magnitude of residual radioactivity across the terrain at the site. The purpose of this study was to apply advanced spatial statistical methods to the survey data measured by contractors at the Lamprecht site to precisely predict remaining radioactive hotspot locations post soil remediation activities. To accomplish this, descriptive statistics such as Google maps and boxplots along with inferential spatial statistical techniques, e.g., kriging and semivariograms, were employed. R coding was also used throughout. Specifically, the descriptive statistical methods included geographical mapping of targeted areas at the site coupled with summary statistics. Inferentially, spatial analytical techniques were employed to pinpoint the locations of elevated radiation levels above regulatory limits. Our results suggest that fewer hotspots were identified after remediation activities were completed at the site. This study provides an additional analytical resource for the State of Texas regarding the release of this former in situ leach uranium mine site to landowners for unrestricted use., (Copyright © 2024 Health Physics Society.)

The Chernobyl accident exposed large areas of northern Europe to radiocaesium ( 137 Cs). We investigated temporal and spatial variation in concentrations of radiocaesium among five functional groups of alpine plants at two mountain areas in central Norway over a 31-year period from 1991 to 2022. Average concentrations of radiocaesium were initially high in lichens and bryophytes at around 4600-6400 Bq/kg dry weight during 1991-1994 but then decreased dramatically over three decades to current concentrations of <200 Bq/kg for all plant groups in 2019-2022. The effective half-life of radiocaesium was estimated to be 4-6 years in lichens and mosses, 7-13 years in herbaceous plants, and 22-30 years in woody plants, which were less than the physical half-life of 30.2 years. Concentrations of radiocaesium were greater at the nutrient-poor site than at the nutrient-rich site, probably due to greater deposition levels at higher elevations and the geographical pattern of the deposition. Functional groups of plants differed with higher concentrations among non-vascular than vascular plants. Common heather Calluna vulgaris was unusual among woody plants with high concentration of radiocaesium, especially in the new shoots. Our new estimates of concentrations and dynamics of radiocaesium for alpine plants in natural environments will be useful for modelling herbivore exposure and evaluating potential impacts on wildlife and human health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: This paper presents DEPDOSE, an open-source computer application that combines the KDEP respiratory tract deposition fractions for inhaled aerosols with DC&#95;PAK committed equivalent dose coefficients for a unit deposition in each region of the respiratory tract. DEPDOSE allows the user to rapidly produce tables of dose coefficients for workers and members of the public inhaling precisely defined, user-specified aerosols using the ICRP Publication 60 methodology. Combined with a plume dispersion modeling system, such as the Quick Urban & Industrial Complex (QUIC) Dispersion Modeling System, this makes it possible to predict radiation doses downstream from an accidental or intentional release of radioactive materials. For this work, a radioactive plume was calculated to members of the public downstream from a dirty bomb in Chicago. DEPDOSE is published under an open source license, and can be downloaded at https://github.com/lanl/DEPDOSE ., (Copyright © 2023 Health Physics Society.)