Journal of environmental radioactivity最新文献

{"title":"The effects of carbon-14 exposure on photosynthetic energy metabolism and carbon metabolism in microalgae","authors":"Mei Tao ,&nbsp;Jinlong Lai ,&nbsp;Yan Huang ,&nbsp;Qian Fu ,&nbsp;Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuegang Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107787","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107787","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon-14 (¹⁴C) is one of the main radioactive elements in nuclear power plant effluent, but research on its ecological risk remains limited. This study aims to analyze the responses of photosynthetic performance and metabolic profiling in microalgae under ¹⁴C exposure and explore the effect of ¹⁴C on microalgae. The physiological traits results indicated that ¹⁴C inhibited the photosynthesis of <em>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</em> but promoted the photosynthesis of <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em>. The photosynthetic oxygen evolution rate of <em>C. reinhardtii</em> decreased by 32.6 % in T1 group, and 60.5 % in T2 group. Both Fv/Fm and Pi-Abs values showed a decrease in <em>C. reinhardtii</em> and a increase in <em>C. vulgaris</em>. The combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome revealed that ¹⁴C exposure significantly affected the photosynthetic energy metabolism and carbon metabolism in microalgae. Photosynthesis and carbon metabolism pathways including pentose phosphate pathway, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and TCA cycle were significantly affected. According to the transcriptome analysis results, we thought that the up-regulation of photosynthetic genes such as <em>Psb</em>C, <em>Psb</em>E, <em>Psb</em>Z, and <em>Psb</em>28 enhanced the photosynthesis in <em>C. vulgaris.</em> This study can help to evaluate the ecological risk of ¹⁴C and provide reference for the impact of ¹⁴C emissions from nuclear power facilities on aquatic ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107787"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anomaly detection in gamma-ray radiation spectra using artificial neural network and ant colony optimization","authors":"Assem Abdelhakim","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate detection of anomalous radioactive sources in environmental monitoring systems is critical for both radiological protection and nuclear security. This study addresses the fundamental challenge of discriminating anomalous radiation signals from natural background fluctuations, particularly at low source to background ratios. We present a novel machine learning approach for anomaly detection in gamma-ray spectra that combines neural network modeling with bio-inspired optimization. The method innovatively partitions radiation spectra into two complementary sub-spectra, using a trained neural network to establish their background correlation. Anomalies are identified through significant deviations between measured values and neural network predictions. A key innovation is the integration of ant colony optimization to select spectral partitions that provide maximum accuracy. The system was rigorously evaluated using empirical data from distributed radiation detectors, incorporating both background measurements and spectra from common radioactive sources (¹³⁷Cs and ⁵⁷Co). Comparative experiments demonstrate superior performance over existing benchmark methods, with particular advantage in low source to background ratios. The proposed technique advances radiation monitoring capabilities by providing enhanced sensitivity to weak anomalous signals and practical deployment potential using standard detector networks. These improvements are particularly relevant for environmental monitoring and security applications where early detection of radiation anomalies is critical.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107790"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogeological and structural controls on radon concentration in aquifers from alluvial areas: A case study of the Pordenonese plain (NE Italy)","authors":"Dino Di Renzo ,&nbsp;Daniele Cinti ,&nbsp;Monia Procesi ,&nbsp;Gianfranco Galli ,&nbsp;Elena Marrocchino ,&nbsp;Carmela Vaccaro","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to investigate the complex relationship between hydrogeological processes and tectonic structures which influence the spatial distribution of radon within alluvial aquifers in the Pordenonese Plain (PP). The results suggest that the source of dissolved ²²²Rn is primarily linked to the intrinsic radioactivity of plain's sediments. Seasonal fluctuations in radon concentrations, which are closely related to recharge inputs into aquifers, have been observed for shallower unconfined and semi-confined aquifers, (i.e., those responding rapidly to meteoric inputs), while no significant variations have been observed in the deeper confined aquifers. Meteoric recharge leads to a dilution effect, thereby reducing radon concentrations during periods of increased precipitation. The spatial distribution of dissolved ²²²Rn shows a correlation between anomalous concentrations and the seismogenic structures crossing the study area, i.e. the Polcenigo-Maniago Thrust Fault (PMTF), the Cansiglio Thrust Fault (CTF), and the Vigonovo Thrust Fault (VTF), suggesting that the fracture network likely plays an important role in favouring its migration. This work establishes the baseline for ²²²Rn concentrations in the sedimentary aquifers of the PP, while also illustrating the role of climatic factors in their variability. The findings provide valuable insights for future multidisciplinary monitoring efforts, enhancing the understanding of tectonic processes in the PP and contributing to the development of more effective seismic risk management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107791"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dispersion, radiological dose assessment, risk evaluation, and emergency response of radioactive materials based on WRF-HYSPLIT modeling","authors":"Hefan Liu ,&nbsp;Guiying You ,&nbsp;Chengwei Lu ,&nbsp;Liquan Ge ,&nbsp;Peng Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107783","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107783","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate prediction of radionuclide dispersion is essential for radiation hazard prevention, yet predictive studies remain limited. This study employed the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to generate a high-resolution meteorological data for the hybrid single particle lagrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to simulate the atmospheric transport of iodine-131 (¹³¹I). The calculation results of the real-time impact of radioactive emissions were obtained by first solving the gridded standard response distribution, then multiplying the coefficients according to the actual emission situation. Results revealed that the diffusion range of the nuclide ¹³¹I in the horizontal direction increased rapidly with the increase of altitude. Horizontal diffusion peaked at 1500 m altitude and declined above 2000 m, while vertical transport reached 1000 m within 2 h and 2000 m by 8 h, with effects lasting over 720 h. Deposition peaked 8 h post-release, particularly between 100 and 1000 m. Integrated dose assessment across multiple exposure pathways (e.g., dry/wet deposition and inhalation) showed negligible differences between adults and children, supporting unified evacuation planning. This study also revealed the potential threats to human health posed by various radiation dose pathways, such as environmental immersion external exposure, dry deposition, wet deposition external exposure, and internal exposure. Emergency response zones and timeframes were defined using international atomic energy agency (IAEA) standards. Though focused on ¹³¹I, the approach applies to other fission products. In addition, by combining field monitoring data and remote sensing technology to verify and optimize the simulation results, not only can the impact be calculated quickly after a real nuclear accident, but also the impact can be predicted rapidly after a hypothetical accident, which significantly improve the reliability and practicality of the emergency response plan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107783"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Initial 131I physicochemical composition ratios during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station accident and impact of 131I re-emission process from surface deposition on air concentrations: three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion simulation approach","authors":"Masanao Kadowaki,&nbsp;Haruyasu Nagai,&nbsp;Hiroaki Terada","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study validated previously reported initial physicochemical composition ratios of ¹³¹I plumes released during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident using three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion simulations performed with a chemical transport model (CTM). Using these reported ratios, we simulated air concentrations of organic gas, inorganic gas, and particulate forms of ¹³¹I and compared the relative abundance of gaseous and particulate forms with observational data collected in Ibaraki prefecture, a neighboring region of Fukushima prefecture. Simulations were generally consistent with observations, demonstrating significantly improved agreement with observations for releases occurring around midnight on March 15. Refining the source term based on these initial composition ratios is beneficial when utilizing a previously proposed ¹³¹I source term for the FDNPS accident. Subsequently, we investigated the influence of ¹³¹I re-emission processes on air concentrations. Simulations using the CTM revealed that air concentrations at the observation site from March 17 to 19 were largely influenced by re-emission from surface deposition. The re-emission parameter used in our simulations suggests that direct volatilization from surface deposition is a key mechanism in the ¹³¹I re-emission process during the FDNPS accident. Previous source term estimates of ¹³¹I following the FDNPS accident did not account for re-emission, which limited the effective use of observational data. The findings of this study are expected to improve the integration of observational data into future assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107784"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144886939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated approach to predicting rock fracture intensity based on radon tracing and artificial neural network","authors":"Wenhao Wang ,&nbsp;Shengyang Feng ,&nbsp;Xiaodong Wang ,&nbsp;Yong Liu ,&nbsp;Shili Han ,&nbsp;Guoqiang Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107782","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107782","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In geological and engineering practices, determining fracture intensity of rock masses is critical for the exploitation of resources such as oil, natural gas, uranium, and geothermal energy. Due to the lack of technological means to directly measure the distribution of rock fractures, it is very difficult to obtain the rock fracture intensity. This paper proposes an integrated approach to predicting rock fracture intensity based on artificial neural network (ANN) and radon tracing. Firstly, a radon migration model was established to numerically simulate radon exhalation rate of fractured rock masses under different fracture parameters. In the model, rock fractures were generated using the discrete fracture network (DFN). 900 sets of data were numerically calculated as learning data for the ANN using the model. The proposed method has good prediction accuracy with a coefficient of determination of 0.907. The number of hidden layers and neurons are key factors determining the accuracy of model prediction. Finally, the model was used to predict the fracture intensity of a fractured rock mass with outcrop. The predicted fracture intensity is close to the measured value, with a difference of 7.5 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107782"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward a modification of the soil compartment of the CSA N288.1 environmental transfer model for permafrost conditions","authors":"Trevor J. Stocki ,&nbsp;Xiangyi Chai ,&nbsp;Jennifer M. Dolan ,&nbsp;H. Brendan O'Neill ,&nbsp;Andrew Arden","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Canadian road map for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) details that possible uses for SMRs includes providing electricity to remote communities. Many of the communities in the Canadian Arctic use diesel fuel generators to provide electricity. SMRs provide a possible future alternative to the combustion of fossil fuels in these communities. This has been done before by the United States Army Nuclear Power Program (ANPP) and Russia currently uses two SMRs to supply electricity in the Arctic. For power reactors in Canada, Derived Release Limits must be calculated using the N288.1 environmental compartment model. There is a compartment for soil in the N288.1 model that includes a few different soil types. However, the compartment is not suitable for soils that are underlain by permafrost (cryosols). In this paper we describe how the N288.1 soil compartment could be modified for permafrost conditions, and specifically those representative of the continuous permafrost zone, where 90–100 % of the ground underlying the surface is perennially frozen. We provide example calculations using the modified version of the N288.1 soil compartment representative of conditions around Inuvik, a site in continuous permafrost. In general the specific calculations of the modified N288.1 standard tend to decrease the value of the P₁₃ (air to soil) transfer factor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107776"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Warming coupled with uranium exposure can alter the marine microbial community and induce toxin accumulation in shellfish","authors":"Ran-li Wang ,&nbsp;Qian Fu ,&nbsp;Ge Yao ,&nbsp;Jin-long Lai ,&nbsp;Shao-heng Bao ,&nbsp;Xue-gang Luo ,&nbsp;Hui Jiang ,&nbsp;Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Peng-gang Han","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107778","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107778","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the coupled effects of warming and uranium exposure on marine microbial communities and assesses their potential impact on shellfish toxicity. Different temperature conditions (20 °C and 30 °C) and uranium exposure levels (a controlled setting, 25 μM, and 50 μM) were simulated in an artificial climate chamber. The results indicate that the coupling of warming and uranium exposure significantly altered the water system's properties, including its pH, dissolved oxygen, redox potential, and conductivity. The uranium exposure also significantly altered the diversity and composition of the seawater's microbial community, increasing <em>Pseudomonadota</em>, <em>Flavobacteriia</em>, and <em>Marivita</em> while decreasing <em>Gammaproteobacteria</em>. When subjected to warming and uranium exposure, toxin-producing dinoflagellates exhibited upregulation in toxin anabolism and cell signaling at the gene level, leading to a 25 % increase in toxic synthesis compared to the control group. These changes were positively correlated with temperature and pollution levels, suggesting that uranium exposure and warming promote toxin accumulation in dinoflagellates. The study highlights that seawater warming and uranium exposure synergistically affect microbial community diversity and shellfish toxicity, potentially inducing toxin accumulation in shellfish. Thus, under the conditions of global climate change, uranium exposure may increase the risk of toxin accumulation in shellfish living in seawater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107778"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of dynamic seepage response of 3H and 238Pu in the surrounding of a disposal repository in northwest China","authors":"Chao Chen ,&nbsp;Ke Chen ,&nbsp;Ying Hao ,&nbsp;Aiming Zhang ,&nbsp;Bing Lian ,&nbsp;Jun Zhu ,&nbsp;Chunli Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107779","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107779","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the disposal of low- and intermediate-level waste, damage to the fuel casing through oxidation and breakage can lead to the leaching and migration of radionuclides, posing significant risks to the surrounding environment. This study addresses these challenges by highlighting the limitations of relying solely on batch experiments and chemical reaction models, which may lead to overly conservative assessments of radionuclide migration. Instead, a comprehensive approach that integrates both physical nonequilibrium and chemical nonequilibrium adsorption mechanisms is warranted for a more accurate appraisal of the adsorption behavior of ²³⁸Pu within environmental media. This article studied the migration of ³H and ²³⁸Pu in different stratigraphic media through column experiments, and fitted their non-equilibrium reaction processes. The obvious asymmetry in the break-through-curves of ³H and ²³⁸Pu in strongly weathered granite is due to the large pore preferential flow or channels. The symmetry of the peak shape of the ³H curve in medium sand and gravel sand with more uniform structure is significantly better than that in strongly weathered granite, indicating that the reaction is less affected by physical non-equilibrium mechanisms. Remarkably, all four models-LEA, OSM, TSM, and TRM-effectively align with the experimental data. When considering chemical non-equilibrium adsorption, both TSM and TRM models denote a superior fit compared to the LEA and OSM models, underscoring the influence of chemical nonequilibrium adsorption. For strongly weathered granite media, the TRM two-zone model exhibits a higher degree of precision in fitting the experimental data and highlights the exacerbating effect of large pore preferential flow conductive channels on ²³⁸Pu mobility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107779"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determination of the radon progeny activity size distribution at different types of workplaces","authors":"Petr PS. Otahal ,&nbsp;Eliska Fialova","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107781","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvrad.2025.107781","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inhalation of radon and its short-lived progeny is one of the most significant contributors to the total effective dose from natural sources of ionising radiation. Exposure to radon progeny represents a substantial health risk, primarily due to its established link to lung cancer. Dose coefficients are derived from biokinetic models describing the behaviour of radon decay products in the respiratory tract, combined with dosimetric models that account for energy deposition from emitted radiation.</div><div>Given the variability of environmental and working conditions at different workplaces, obtaining site-specific aerosol data to support more accurate and tailored dose coefficient calculations is beneficial. The key parameters influencing effective dose include the equilibrium equivalent activity concentration (EEAC), total aerosol concentration, and the size distribution of radioactive aerosol particles. Additional factors such as work activity, relative humidity, and ventilation type significantly affect aerosol characteristics and, consequently, the equilibrium factor (F) and the unattached fraction (f_p), which can vary considerably between sites.</div><div>This study presents field measurements of the activity size distribution of short-lived radon progeny at several workplaces, using the Dekati ELPI + cascade impactor and the Graded Screen Array Diffusion Battery (GSA DB). The measurements were conducted primarily at underground workplaces with natural ventilation, including former mining excavations and tourist caves. For comparison, the study also includes one site with forced ventilation—a facility for disposing of low-level radioactive waste—and one outdoor location influenced by radon exhalation from a uranium mining waste rock dump.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental radioactivity","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107781"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144828222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}