Trace Metals and other Contaminants in the Environment, 2003
Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was formed in 1957 as a specialised agency... more Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was formed in 1957 as a specialised agency within the United Nations system for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field. Its Statute authorises it, among others, “… to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world”. Since its foundation, therefore, the IAEA has been supporting the use of nuclear analytical techniques such as neutron activation analysis, particle induced X-ray emission and X-ray fluorescence, for undertaking environmental monitoring and assessment activities ever since founded. Research work on trace element air pollution has been systematically supported since 1992. The activities supported include mainly (1) collection and analysis of coarse (2.5–10 μm diameter) and fine (
Summary. The NIST natural-product leaf Standard Reference Materials have been widely used in deve... more Summary. The NIST natural-product leaf Standard Reference Materials have been widely used in developing reliable meth-ods of analysis. A small amount of mineral matter present in these materials was separated by flotation, and characterized qualitatively by microscopy and ...
In the framework of the IAEA programmes, Member States involved in air pollution studies using nu... more In the framework of the IAEA programmes, Member States involved in air pollution studies using nuclear analytical techniques have harmonized their methodologies. Participants characterising chemical composition of size fractionated airborne particulate matter based their methodology on a common type of air sampler, centralised data collection and evaluation, and the same kind of data processing. Institutions involved in biomonitoring air pollution identified appropriate organisms to be applied at a regional scale, and harmonized procedures for sample preparation and analysis, as well as data processing and presentation. Both metrology approaches have been validated and disseminated in many Member States.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Aug 29, 2013
The uranium mine and mill at Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, operated from 1982 to 1990. After processing... more The uranium mine and mill at Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, operated from 1982 to 1990. After processing, the uranium mill tailings were deposited onto the Boršt waste pile lying close to the mine. Radioecological studies focused on assessing the mobility and bioavailability of deposited radionuclides were initiated some five years ago. The mobility of 238U, 234U, 230Th and 226Ra in soil was studied by applying sequential extraction protocols. The highest activity concentrations were found at the bottom of the waste pile. Uranium isotopes were the most mobile, followed by 226Ra whose mobility appeared to be suppressed by high sulphate concentrations and 230Th. The wetland plants grown in soils contaminated with seepage waters from the tailings contained higher levels of 238U, 226Ra and 230Th compared to plants from a control site. The activity concentration of 226Ra was the highest in all studied plant species. The radiological risk to wildlife around the mine area as assessed by the ERICA Tool was negligible. Activity concentrations in bovine milk from the area of Žirovski vrh were comparable to the reference location, except for uranium where the content was higher. The combined annual effective dose for adults consuming milk from the Žirovski vrh area is 13.0 ± 1.7 μSv a−1.
Summary Different radiometric techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb are prese... more Summary Different radiometric techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb are presented and compared in terms of detection limits with mass spectrometric techniques. It can be concluded that when samples with low activity concentrations have to be measured, the method of choice in the case of 238U should be either RNAA/INAA or alpha particle spectrometry. In the case of 226Ra and 210Pb the best performance can be expected by the alpha spectrometry, whereas drawback of waiting for establishing secular radioactive equilibrium of 210Pb with 210Po makes techniques like beta counting and LSC more attractive for the determination of 210Pb. In addition, a case study on monitoring the former uranium mine Žirovski vrh is presented along with the used methodology and the summarised measurement results.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been supporting work on airborne particulate ma... more The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been supporting work on airborne particulate matter since 1992 through various coordinated research and technical co-operation projects. In 1997, biomonitoring air pollution using plants, became officially a part of the IAEA project on environmental pollution monitoring and research. Based on (1) positive experience in using biomonitors, especially lower plants such as mosses and lichens in several developed countries, (2) the continuous use of biomonitors in several Member States, and (3) the fact that nuclear and related analytical techniques have been shown to be particularly appropriate for the analysis of air pollution biomonitors, such studies are now being supported by the IAEA in 14 countries within a co-ordinated research project. The main emphasis of this project is on (1) identification of suitable biomonitors of atmospheric pollution for local and/or regional application, and (2) their validation for general environmental monitoring, whenever possible. Although the participants are using different plants as biomonitors in their research in geographically and climatically diverse parts of the world, they are harmonising sampling approaches and analytical procedures. In all of these activities, proficiency testing and analytical quality assurance are important issue. To this end, a variety of analytical quality control materials have been used in intercomparison exercises and proficiency testing. Within the scope of the NAT-5 intercomparison exercise, two lichen materials were distributed among 15 participating laboratories and a proficiency test was organised. The results obtained proved satisfactory performance for most participating laboratories.
Trace Metals and other Contaminants in the Environment, 2003
Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was formed in 1957 as a specialised agency... more Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was formed in 1957 as a specialised agency within the United Nations system for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field. Its Statute authorises it, among others, “… to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world”. Since its foundation, therefore, the IAEA has been supporting the use of nuclear analytical techniques such as neutron activation analysis, particle induced X-ray emission and X-ray fluorescence, for undertaking environmental monitoring and assessment activities ever since founded. Research work on trace element air pollution has been systematically supported since 1992. The activities supported include mainly (1) collection and analysis of coarse (2.5–10 μm diameter) and fine (
Summary. The NIST natural-product leaf Standard Reference Materials have been widely used in deve... more Summary. The NIST natural-product leaf Standard Reference Materials have been widely used in developing reliable meth-ods of analysis. A small amount of mineral matter present in these materials was separated by flotation, and characterized qualitatively by microscopy and ...
In the framework of the IAEA programmes, Member States involved in air pollution studies using nu... more In the framework of the IAEA programmes, Member States involved in air pollution studies using nuclear analytical techniques have harmonized their methodologies. Participants characterising chemical composition of size fractionated airborne particulate matter based their methodology on a common type of air sampler, centralised data collection and evaluation, and the same kind of data processing. Institutions involved in biomonitoring air pollution identified appropriate organisms to be applied at a regional scale, and harmonized procedures for sample preparation and analysis, as well as data processing and presentation. Both metrology approaches have been validated and disseminated in many Member States.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Aug 29, 2013
The uranium mine and mill at Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, operated from 1982 to 1990. After processing... more The uranium mine and mill at Žirovski vrh, Slovenia, operated from 1982 to 1990. After processing, the uranium mill tailings were deposited onto the Boršt waste pile lying close to the mine. Radioecological studies focused on assessing the mobility and bioavailability of deposited radionuclides were initiated some five years ago. The mobility of 238U, 234U, 230Th and 226Ra in soil was studied by applying sequential extraction protocols. The highest activity concentrations were found at the bottom of the waste pile. Uranium isotopes were the most mobile, followed by 226Ra whose mobility appeared to be suppressed by high sulphate concentrations and 230Th. The wetland plants grown in soils contaminated with seepage waters from the tailings contained higher levels of 238U, 226Ra and 230Th compared to plants from a control site. The activity concentration of 226Ra was the highest in all studied plant species. The radiological risk to wildlife around the mine area as assessed by the ERICA Tool was negligible. Activity concentrations in bovine milk from the area of Žirovski vrh were comparable to the reference location, except for uranium where the content was higher. The combined annual effective dose for adults consuming milk from the Žirovski vrh area is 13.0 ± 1.7 μSv a−1.
Summary Different radiometric techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb are prese... more Summary Different radiometric techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb are presented and compared in terms of detection limits with mass spectrometric techniques. It can be concluded that when samples with low activity concentrations have to be measured, the method of choice in the case of 238U should be either RNAA/INAA or alpha particle spectrometry. In the case of 226Ra and 210Pb the best performance can be expected by the alpha spectrometry, whereas drawback of waiting for establishing secular radioactive equilibrium of 210Pb with 210Po makes techniques like beta counting and LSC more attractive for the determination of 210Pb. In addition, a case study on monitoring the former uranium mine Žirovski vrh is presented along with the used methodology and the summarised measurement results.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been supporting work on airborne particulate ma... more The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been supporting work on airborne particulate matter since 1992 through various coordinated research and technical co-operation projects. In 1997, biomonitoring air pollution using plants, became officially a part of the IAEA project on environmental pollution monitoring and research. Based on (1) positive experience in using biomonitors, especially lower plants such as mosses and lichens in several developed countries, (2) the continuous use of biomonitors in several Member States, and (3) the fact that nuclear and related analytical techniques have been shown to be particularly appropriate for the analysis of air pollution biomonitors, such studies are now being supported by the IAEA in 14 countries within a co-ordinated research project. The main emphasis of this project is on (1) identification of suitable biomonitors of atmospheric pollution for local and/or regional application, and (2) their validation for general environmental monitoring, whenever possible. Although the participants are using different plants as biomonitors in their research in geographically and climatically diverse parts of the world, they are harmonising sampling approaches and analytical procedures. In all of these activities, proficiency testing and analytical quality assurance are important issue. To this end, a variety of analytical quality control materials have been used in intercomparison exercises and proficiency testing. Within the scope of the NAT-5 intercomparison exercise, two lichen materials were distributed among 15 participating laboratories and a proficiency test was organised. The results obtained proved satisfactory performance for most participating laboratories.
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Papers by Borut Smodiš