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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Carcinogenic risks of internal exposures to alpha-emitters (except radon) are poorly understood. Since exposure to alpha particles—particularly through inhalation—occurs in a range of settings, understanding consequent risks is a public health priority. We aimed to quantify dose–response relationships between lung dose from alpha-emitters and lung cancer in nuclear workers. Methods: We conducted a case–control study, nested within Belgian, French, and UK cohorts of uranium and plutonium workers. Cases were workers who died from lung cancer; one to three controls were matched to each. Lung doses from alpha-emitters were assessed using bioassay data. We estimated excess odds ratio (OR) of lung cancer per gray (Gy) of lung dose. Results: The study comprised 553 cases and 1,333 controls. Median positive total alpha lung dose was 2.42 mGy (mean: 8.13 mGy; maximum: 316 mGy); for plutonium the median was 1.27 mGy and for uranium 2.17 mGy. Excess OR/Gy (90% confidence interval)—adjusted for external radiation, socioeconomic status, and smoking—was 11 (2.6, 24) for total alpha dose, 50 (17, 106) for plutonium, and 5.3 (−1.9, 18) for uranium. Conclusions: We found strong evidence for associations between low doses from alpha-emitters and lung cancer risk. The excess OR/Gy was greater for plutonium than uranium, though confidence intervals overlap. Risk estimates were similar to those estimated previously in plutonium workers, and in uranium miners exposed to radon and its progeny. Expressed as risk/equivalent dose in sieverts (Sv), our estimates are somewhat larger than but consistent with those for atomic bomb survivors. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B232.

International audience; Dose assessment after intakes of radionuclides requires application of biokinetic and dosimetric models and assumptions about factors influencing the final result. In 2006, a document giving guidance for such assessment was published, commonly referred to as the IDEAS Guidelines. Following its publication, a working group within the European networks CONRAD and EURADOS was established to improve and update the IDEAS Guidelines. This work resulted in Version 2 of the IDEAS Guidelines, which was published in 2013 in the form of a EURADOS report. The general structure of the original document was maintained; however, new procedures were included, e.g. the direct dose assessment method for 3H or special procedure for wound cases applying the NCRP wound model. In addition, information was updated and expanded, e.g. data on dietary excretion of U, Th, Ra and Po for urine and faeces or typical and achievable values for detection limits for different bioassay measurement techniques. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

The Alpha-Risk study required the reconstruction of doses to lung and red bone marrow for lung cancer and leukaemia cases and their matched controls from cohorts of nuclear workers in the UK, France and Belgium. The dosimetrists and epidemiologists agreed requirements regarding the bioassay data, biokinetic and dosimetric models and dose assessment software to be used and doses to be reported. The best values to use for uncertainties on the monitoring data, setting of exposure regimes and characteristics of the exposure material, including lung solubility, were the responsibility of the dosimetrist responsible for each cohort. Among 1721 subjects, the median absorbed dose to the lung from alpha radiations was 2.1 mGy, with a maximum dose of 316 mGy. The lung doses calculated reflect the higher levels of exposure seen among workers in the early years of the nuclear industry compared to today.

EURADOS working group on 'Internal Dosimetry (WG7)' represents a frame to develop activities in the field of internal exposures as coordinated actions on quality assurance (QA), research and training. The main tasks to carry out are the update of the IDEAS Guidelines as a reference document for the internal dosimetry community, the implementation and QA of new ICRP biokinetic models, the assessment of uncertainties related to internal dosimetry models and their application, the development of physiology-based models for biokinetics of radionuclides, stable isotope studies, biokinetic modelling of diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid decorporation therapy and Monte-Carlo applications to in vivo assessment of intakes. The working group is entirely supported by EURADOS; links are established with institutions such as IAEA, US Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USA) and CEA (France) for joint collaboration actions. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

The CONRAD Project is a Coordinated Network for Radiation Dosimetry funded by the European Commission 6th Framework Programme. The activities developed within CONRAD Work Package 5 ('Coordination of Research on Internal Dosimetry') have contributed to improve the harmonisation and reliability in the assessment of internal doses. The tasks carried out included a study of uncertainties and the refinement of the IDEAS Guidelines associated with the evaluation of doses after intakes of radionuclides. The implementation and quality assurance of new biokinetic models for dose assessment and the first attempt to develop a generic dosimetric model for DTPA therapy are important WP5 achievements. Applications of voxel phantoms and Monte Carlo simulations for the assessment of intakes from in vivo measurements were also considered. A Nuclear Emergency Monitoring Network (EUREMON) has been established for the interpretation of monitoring data after accidental or deliberate releases of radionuclides. Finally, WP5 group has worked on the update of the existing IDEAS bibliographic, internal contamination and case evaluation databases. A summary of CONRAD WP5 objectives and results is presented here.

The work of Task Group 5.1 (uncertainty studies and revision of IDEAS guidelines) and Task Group 5.5 (update of IDEAS databases) of the CONRAD project is described. Scattering factor (SF) values (i.e. measurement uncertainties) have been calculated for different radionuclides and types of monitoring data using real data contained in the IDEAS Internal Contamination Database. Based upon this work and other published values, default SF values are suggested. Uncertainty studies have been carried out using both a Bayesian approach as well as a frequentist (classical) approach. The IDEAS guidelines have been revised in areas relating to the evaluation of an effective AMAD, guidance is given on evaluating wound cases with the NCRP wound model and suggestions made on the number and type of measurements required for dose assessment.

The IDEAS Guidelines for the assessment of internal doses from monitoring data suggest default measurement uncertainties (i.e. scattering factors, SFs) to be used for different types of monitoring data. However, these default values were mainly based upon expert judgement. In this paper, SF values have been calculated for different radionuclides and types of monitoring data using real data contained in the IDEAS Internal Contamination Database. Results are presented. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

The EUropean RAdiation DOSimetry Group (EURADOS) initiated in 2005 the CONRAD Project, a Coordinated Network for Radiation Dosimetry funded by the European Commission (EC), within the 6th Framework Programme (FP). The main purpose of CONRAD is to generate a European Network in the field of Radiation Dosimetry and to promote both research activities and dissemination of knowledge. The objective of CONRAD Work Package 5 (WP5) is the coordination of research on assessment and evaluation of internal exposures. Nineteen institutes from 14 countries participate in this action. Some of the activities to be developed are continuations of former European projects supported by the EC in the 5th FP (OMINEX and IDEAS). Other tasks are linked with ICRP activities, and there are new actions never considered before. A collaboration is established with CONRAD Work Package 4, dealing with Computational Dosimetry, to organise an intercomparison on Monte Carlo modelling for in vivo measurements of 241Am deposited in a knee phantom. Preliminary results associated with CONRAD WP5 tasks are presented here. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

In recent major international intercomparison exercises on intake and internal dose assessments from monitoring data, the results calculated by different participants varied significantly. Based on this experience the need for harmonisation of the procedures has been formulated within an EU 5th Framework Programme research project. The aim of the project, IDEAS, is to develop general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. The IDEAS project started in October 2001 and ended in June 2005. The project is closely related to some goals of the work of Committee 2 of the ICRP and since 2003 there has been close cooperation between the two groups. To ensure that the guidelines are applicable to a wide range of practical situations, the first step was to compile a database of well-documented cases of internal contamination. In parallel, an improved version of an existing software package was developed and distributed to the partners for further use. A large number of cases from the database was evaluated independently by the partners and the results reviewed. Based on these evaluations, guidelines were drafted and discussed with dosimetry professionals from around the world by means of a virtual workshop on the Internet early in 2004. The guidelines have been revised and refined on the basis of the experiences and discussions in this virtual workshop. The general philosophy of the Guidelines is presented here, focusing on the principles of harmonisation, optimisation and proportionality. Finally, the proposed Levels of Task to structure the approach of internal dose evaluation are reported.

One of the topics covered by the OMINEX (Optimisation of Monitoring for Internal Exposure) project was to look at the bioassay measurements performed in the European laboratories. Questionnaires on bioassay measurements by alpha spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were sent to European laboratories. The main objective was to collect information on analytical procedures and on the uncertainties associated with bioassay results. Alpha spectrometry is the technique most often used for the determination of alpha emitters, such as actinides in biological samples. ICP-MS is not used much as yet for routine measurements of actinides in biological samples, but is very sensitive for measurements of long-lived radionuclides. The different parameters influencing the uncertainties on the results and the minimum detectable amount have been investigated. Optimum conditions for achieving low result uncertainties and high sensitivity are given for alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS.

Personnel of nuclear facilities are checked regularly for internal contamination by bioassay measurements. Although these persons are generally not involved in any incident, natural radioactivity from U, Th and Ra can be found in their urine or faeces. Uranium total activity in urine has been found with a range of 0.051 to 3.0 mBq/24 h and in faeces from 14.5 to 380 mBq/d. 234U/238U ratio for urine is 1.48 but this ratio varies from 0.47 to 19. By comparison, the 234U/238U ratio found in urine from workers in volved with natural uranium or 4.5% enriched uranium is 1.0 and around 4.0 respectively. 230Th, 228Th and sometimes 232Th have also been detected. The total thorium activity varies from 0.137 to 5.6 mBq/24 h in urine and from 9 to 183 mBq/d in faeces. 228Th has generally been found in excess of 232Th. All these measurements were performed by alpha-spectrometry. The few 226Ra results have been measured using the Lucas or emanation method.

The internal radiation exposure of occupationally exposed persons in nuclear facilities is checked regularly for internal contamination by bioassay measurements. Although these persons are generally not involved in any incident, natural radioactivity from U, Th and Ra can be found in their urine or faeces. Uranium has been found with no particular ratio between 234 U and 238 U. 230 Th, 228 Th and sometimes 232 Th have also been detected. 228 Th has generally been found in excess of 232 Th. All these measurements were performed by alpha spectrometry. The few 226 Ra results have been measured using the Lucas or emanation method.

The follow-up of a more than 25-year-old contamination case has been investigated since 1990 with improved accuracy for the measurement of the activity in the urine. Estimates of the body burden are based upon the late urinary excretion and the excretion factors given by Leggett. The case has also been proposed for the second European intercomparison organised by EURADOS. Most of the reported results are based upon the ICRP30/54 model but one laboratory gives an estimate of the body burden based upon the ICRP 66/67 biokinetic models.

This study has been realized on samples of an agricultural soil taken in the 30 km exclusion area of Chernobyl. The study is focused on the determination of the actinides Pu, Am and Cm, their vertical distributions in the soil as well as relative movements with regard to each other. Therefore, a sample campaign was realized in spring 1994 in the Kopachi village, located just a few kilometers away from the damaged reactor. Four samples in the form of 30 cm long cores with a diameter of 4·7 cm were taken on a 1 m 2 surface. The soil was then cut in successive sections of 1 cm thickness. These samples were dried in an oven, homogenized, weighted and analysed in order to determine their respective content of actinides. The results show the presence of actinides in quantities that can be measured until a maximum depth of 5 cm, beyond which the limits of detection were reached. 241 Pu remains the preponderant isotope: its total activity is approximately 177 kBq m −2 in a soil section of 6 cm depth. 243,244 Cm is also present, but in a lower ratio compared to the 241 Pu. The total activity of all these actinides is present in the first 3 cm depth.

In the scope of the IDEAS project to develop General Guidelines for the Assessment of Internal Dose from Monitoring data, two databases were compiled. The IDEAS Bibliography database contains references dealing with problems related to cases of internal contamination. The IDEAS Internal Contamination Database now contains more than 200 cases of internal contamination. In the near future, the IDEAS Internal Contamination database will be made available to the internal dosimetry community. The database has several potential applications, including: training, testing biokinetic models, testing software for calculating intakes and doses from bioassay data, comparison of data from a new accidental intake with that from previous exposures to similar materials. The database is by no means complete, and this presentation is also an appeal for internal contamination cases to extend and update it.

The aim of the work is to describe briefly the methodology for establishing and operating an internal dosimetry program in a complex waste processing facility, with special emphasis to the complexity of activities and problems and to the uncertainties in attributing doses from bioassay data. The purpose is not to make a fundamental study of the dosimetric models as such, but to give the viewpoint of the practical health physicist who is confronted with interpretation problems as the consequence of an intake of radionuclides. Some model parameters are discussed in relation to acute or chronic intakes. A practical contamination case is elaborated.

The activity of plutonium and americium has been measured in teeth from two persons involved in an incident 25 years ago at Eurochemic. Assuming that the alpha activity of the teeth is representative of the activity of the skeleton an estimate of the systemic body burden is given and compared to the value obtained from the late urinary excretion using the Leggett-Eckerman excretion model. The results are compared with some data from US Transuranium and Uranium Registries.

A survey is given of the main activities of the Belgoprocess Company, with special emphasis on safety precautions. The routine sampling program for internal contamination consists of urinary and faecal sampling, among others. Faecal samples sometimes reveal low contamination levels. This contamination can be considered as low-level, frequent, and intermittent. No distinct correlation is found with another control technique. A survey is given about uncertainties that might hamper a representative sampling and/or a correct interpretation of the obtained data. Reference is made to the dosimetric models regarding complexity and uncertainties.

Several international inter-comparison exercises on intake and internal dose assessments from monitoring data led to the conclusion that the results calculated by different participants varied significantly, mainly due to the broad variety of methods and assumptions applied in the assessment procedure. Based on these experiences, the need of harmonisation of the procedures has been formulated as an EU research project under the 5th Framework Programme, with the aim of developing general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. In the IDEAS project, eight institutions from seven European countries are participating, also using inputs from interval dosimetry professionals from across Europe to ensure broad consensus in the outcome of the project. To ensure that the guidelines are applicable to a wide range of practical situations, the first step will be to compile a database on well documented cases of internal contamination. In parallel, an improved version of existing software will he developed and distributed to the partners for further use. Many cases from the database will be evaluated independently by more partners using the same software and the results will be discussed and the draft guidelines prepared. The guidelines will then be revised and refined on the basis of the experiences and discussions of two workshops, and an inter-comparison exercise organised in the frame of the project which will be open to all internal dosimetry professionals.

models have been developed to describe dissolution of Pu/Am/Cm after internal contamination by inhalation or wound, chelation of actinides by diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) in different retention compartments and excretion of actinide-DTPA complexes. After coupling these models with those currently used for dose calculation, the modelling approach was assessed by fitting human data available in IDEAS database. Good fits were obtained for most studied cases, but further experimental studies are needed to validate some modelling hypotheses as well as the range of parameter values. From these first results, radioprotection tools are being developed: MAnagement of DOse Reduction after DTPA therapy.

The program for measuring the dispersal presence of contaminating nuclides in waste streams produced by pressurized-water-reactor (PWR) power plants required the establishment of analytical procedures for a number of nuclides. In this report the procedure to assess 99Tc and 129I content in liquid samples using liquid-scintillation counting is presented. 99Tc and 129I are adsorbed on AG 1 X2 ion-exchange resin. 129I is then eluted with NaOCl and further purified by liquid-liquid extraction using carbon tetrachloride and an aqueous solution of sodium thiosulphate. 99Tc is eluted with hot nitric acid (6 M/60 degrees C). If necessary any 60Co present in the sample is separated by liquid-liquid extraction of the cobalt-TTA complex with iso-BuOH. The overall recovery yield is 96.5 +/- 2.5% for 99Tc and 90.1 +/- 6.2% for 129I. Finally beta-activity is measured by liquid-scintillation counting. A limit of detection of 5 Bq/L can thus be obtained for both 99Tc and 129I.

As part of the EU Fifth Framework Programme IDEAS project 'General Guidelines for the Evaluation of Incorporation Monitoring Data', and in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, a new intercomparison exercise for the assessment of doses from intakes of radionuclides was organised. Several cases were selected, to cover a wide range of practices in the nuclear fuel cycle and medical applications. The cases were: (1) acute intake of HTO, (2) acute inhalation of the fission products 137Cs and 90Sr, (3) acute inhalation of 60Co, (4) repeated intakes of 131I, (5) intake of enriched uranium and (6) single intake of Pu isotopes and 241Am. This intercomparison exercise especially focused on the effect of the Guidelines proposed by the IDEAS project for harmonisation of internal dosimetry. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

The need for harmonisation of the procedures for internal dose assessment has been recognised within an EU research project under the 5th Framework Programme. The aim of the IDEAS project was to develop general guidelines for standardising assessments of intakes and internal doses. It started in October 2001 and ended in June 2005. The project is closely related to some goals of the work of Committee 2 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection and since 2003 there has been close co-operation between the two groups. The general philosophy of the guidelines is focusing on the principles of harmonisation, accuracy and proportionality. The proposed system of 'level of task' to structure the approach of internal dose evaluation is also reported. Some details of the internal structure of the guidelines for the different pathways of intake are provided. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

An Internet based intercomparison exercise on assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides has been performed to check the applicability of the 'General Guidelines for the Assessment of Internal Dose from Monitoring Data' developed by the IDEAS group. There were six intake cases presented on the Internet and 81 participants worldwide reported solutions to these cases. Results of the exercise indicate that the guidelines have a positive influence on the methodologies applied for dose assessments and, if correctly applied, improve the harmonisation of assessed doses.

Monitoring of the workforce in the nuclear industries is carried out primarily in order to demonstrate compliance with European Union (EU) legislation and the Basic Safety Standards for the protection of the health of workers against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). There is, however, no common strategy for internal dose monitoring programmes currently in use in the EU countries. Surveys have been carried out in which organisations were asked to provide information on the design of their internal dose monitoring programmes and on the costs of these programmes. Information was requested from both EU countries and Associated States. Databases for storage and reporting of all gained information were constructed, and results from the surveys have been compiled. This work was carried out within the EC 5th Framework Programme project, OMINEX, which aims to provide advice and guidance on designing and implementing internal dose monitoring programmes in the workplace in such a way that best use is made of available resources, while minimising costs.

When a set of bioassay data is given to two different dosimetrists, it is likely that these data will be interpreted differently, that different methods and dosimetric models will be applied and therefore different numerical values will be obtained. Thus, it is important for laboratories dealing with internal dosimetry to undergo performance testing procedures such as interlaboratory comparisons of bioassay data interpretation. Several intercomparison exercises have already been organised at national and international levels. The largest one so far was the 3rd European Intercomparison Exercise on Internal Dose Assessment, which has been organised in the framework of the EULEP/EURADOS Action Group, 'Derivation of parameter values for application to the new model of the human respiratory tract for occupational exposure'. The most important lesson learned from these intercomparison exercises was the need to develop agreed guidelines for internal dose evaluation procedures to promote harmonisation of assessments between organisations and countries.

The costs of monitoring for internal exposure in the workplace are usually significantly greater than the equivalent costs for external exposure. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that resources are employed with maximum effectiveness. The EC-funded OMINEX (optimisation of monitoring for internal exposure) project is developing methods for optimising the design and implementation of internal exposure monitoring programmes. Current monitoring programmes are being critically reviewed, the major sources of uncertainty in assessed internal dose investigated, and guidance formulated on factors such as programme design, choice of method/techniques, monitoring intervals, and monitoring frequency. OMINEX will promote a common, harmonised approach to the design and implementation of internal dose monitoring programmes throughout the EU.

An optimised multiple window counting technique, using liquid scintillation counting combined with internal standardisation and spectrum unfolding has been developed for the assessment of low-level, low-energy beta activity in multilabeled samples containing high-energy beta impurities. Distinct spectral contributions are reconstructed for every individual radionuclide and impurity using software deconvolution techniques. The most important advantages of this method are that it does not require setting up quench correction curves and that the exact knowledge of reference activity is not required, thus eliminating two important sources of uncertainty in the final results. The technique has been successfully used on mixtures of 3H, 14C, 63Ni, 99Tc and 60Co over a wide range of quenching and activity ratios.

In spectrometry with low-activity α-particle sources, deconvolution of multiplets which usually have poor statistics is a problem. In the present work, a peak-fitting model that is used successfully in metrology of α-particle spectrometry has been applied to the low-level case to identify problems and limitations. The method consists of measuring relative peak areas and peak positions in spectra of the single isotopes of interest. They serve to subsequently optimize (in the least-squares sense using constraints) the isotopic ratio in the spectra from the mixed-isotope sources. It is found that the method can perform reasonably well provided all sources have about the same thickness. Source thickness and the large solid angle produce peak deformation and increase coincidence summing with conversion electrons. At present they limit the application of the peak-fitting model.

Using X-ray powder diffraction techniques we have followed as a function of time the effects of self-irradiation damage at room temperature in the americium-241 oxides. The radiation induced lattice expansion of the dioxide is slightly different wether the samples are kept in a vacuum or under an oxygen atmosphere: differential oxygen losses under the effect of self-irradiation would satisfactorily account for this effect. The influence of the irradiation of the sesquioxide is shown to be markedly dependent upon the crystalline form under investigation. Evidence is presented for the spontaneous transformation over a period of several years of the room-temperature cubic form of the sesquioxide into the hexagonal high-temperature form.

The brown alga Fucus spiralis (Fucales) grows along the Belgian coast in sufficient amount to permit regular sampling. The algae were collected at four different places (Nieuwpoort, Oostende, Blankenberge and Zeebrugge) from March 1985 to February 1986. The method used to determine 99Tc and the subsequent results are reported. The concentration of 99Tc (Bq kg−1 dry weight) in whole plants was found to increase as a function of time. In addition, analyses on separated parts have revealed that, generally, apical fragments possess a lower content of 99Tc than the middle and basal ones. These results suggest that the old tissues of Fucus spiralis , present in middle and basal fragments, have integrated technetium uptake over a period of few years, in contrast to the young ones of the apices, which have probably fixed this radionuclide only during a short period of time. The concentration factors (CFs), evaluated on the basis of 3 mBq 99Tc l−1 seawater, varied from 8,000 to 36,000 in whole plants, reaching however 51,000 in middle fragments. These figures are of the same order of magnitude than those reported for related species of Fucus collected along the French coast of the Channel. It adds further evidence that Fucus spiralis may be used as a bioindicator for 99Tc contamination of coastal waters.