title: Radioactivity measurements and dose rate calculations using ERICA tool in the terrestrial environment of Greece.
abstract: In the present study, the radioactivity levels to which terrestrial non-human biota were exposed are examined. Organisms (grass and herbivore mammals) and abiotic components (soil) were collected during the period of 2010 to 2014 from grasslands where sheep and goats were free-range grazing. Natural background radionuclides ((226)Ra, (228)Ra, (228)Th) and artificial radionuclides ((137)Cs, (134)Cs, (131)I) were detected in the collected samples using gamma spectrometry. The actual measured activity concentrations and site-specific data of the studied organisms were imported in ERICA Assessment Tool (version 1.2.0) in order to provide an insight of the radiological dose rates. The highest activity concentrations were detected in samples collected from Lesvos island and the lowest in samples collected from Attiki and Etoloakarnania prefectures. The highest contribution to the total dose rate was clearly derived from the internal exposure and is closely related to the exposure to alpha emitters of natural background ((226)Ra and (228)Th). The Fukushima-derived traces of (137)Cs, (134)Cs, and (131)I, along with the residual (137)Cs, resulted in quite low contribution to the total dose rate. The obtained results may strengthen the adaptation of software tools to a wider range of ecosystems and may be proved useful in further research regarding the possible impact of protracted low level ionizing radiation on non-human biota. This kind of studies may contribute to the effective incorporation of dosimetry tools in the development of integrated environmental and radiological impact assessment policies.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear & Radiological Sciences & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR, Agia Paraskevi, Athens, 15341, Greece. msotirop@ipta.demokritos.gr.|Atomic and Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece. msotirop@ipta.demokritos.gr.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sotiropoulou
authors.affiliation: Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear & Radiological Sciences & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR, Agia Paraskevi, Athens, 15341, Greece.
authors.forename: Heleny
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Florou
authors.affiliation: Atomic and Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece.
authors.forename: Metaxia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manolopoulou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001417:Background Radiation; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D006041:Goats; D065948:Grassland; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D012984:Software; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
keywords: Non-human biota; Radiological impact assessment; Radionuclides