• Energy Research

The 2014 Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for Radioecology identified the key challenge in education and training (E&T) as being 'to maintain and develop a skilled workforce in Europe and world-wide, through university candidates and professionals trained within radioecology' since 'scientific research in radioecology and application of that knowledge … requires scientists and workers with adequate competence and appropriate skills.' Radioecology is a multidisciplinary science and E&T is needed by both students and professionals within research, industry and radiation protection. In order to address these needs, the EU COMET project has developed an E&T web platform and arranged a number of field courses, training courses, PhD and MSc courses, refresher courses and workshops, drawing on the COMET consortium to assemble relevant experts. In addition, COMET has been engaged in discussions with stakeholders for more long-term solutions to maintain the sustainability of radioecology E&T after the end of the project. Despite much progress in some areas, many of the challenges outlined in the 2014 SRA remain, mainly due to the lack of sustainable dedicated funding. Future plans within the ALLIANCE radioecology platform and the CONCERT-European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research must urgently address this lack of sustainability if radioecological competence is to be maintained in Europe.

A stakeholder needs assessment, carried out under the EU-EURAC and EU-ENEN-II projects, clearly showed that, at the European level, there are a significant and constant need for post-graduates with skills in radiochemistry, radioecology, radiation dosimetry and environmental modelling and a smaller, but still important, demand for radiobiologists and bio-modellers. Most of these needs are from government organizations. If only the nuclear industry is considered, then the largest demand is for radio chemists and radiation protection dosimetry experts. Given this spectrum of need and existing capacity in the areas of radiobiology it was concluded that the needs identified would be most efficiently met by three new degree programs:European MSc Radiation Protection,European MSc Analytical Radiochemistry,European MSc Radioecology. All three master programs would be developed using the framework provided by the Bologna Convention and the lecturing could be shared among specialist Scientists within a network of collaborating universities. Therefore, educational plans have been developed for the above MSc degrees. These plans envisage each degree comprising three modules that are common to all the degrees (3 × 10 ECTS credits), three specialist modules (3 × 10 ECTS credits) and a research project (1 × 60 ECTS credits). The courses should be aimed, not only to fill the identified European post-graduate education gap in radiological sciences, but also to provide a modular structure that is easily accessed by stakeholders for CPD training. It is anticipated that the European Masters will meet the academic training requirements of qualified experts", as defined by the European Commission and the IAEA. At the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) a pilot MSc in Radioecology has successfully been initiated in collaboration with UK and France. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) has been used to measure Pu activities and 240Pu/239Pu isotope ratios in samples contaminated by releases from the Mayak nuclear installation. Determination of Pu isotopes in high-level samples indicated that the ratio of 240Pu/239Pu in waste has increased toward the present. The lowest 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios, 0.012−0.024, were found at the Asanov Swamp, where the primary source of contamination was discharge of intermediate-level radioactive waste between 1949 and 1951. The highest ratios, 0.06−0.29, were found in industrial reservoirs contaminated by various sources of waste up to the present day. Measurement of Pu isotopes in low-level samples collected from the Techa, Iset, and Ob Rivers showed that while activity levels decrease with distance from Mayakfrom 2000 Bq/kg at 7 km downstream to less than 1 Bq/kg sediment at 250 km240Pu/239Pu isotope ratios increase. Results suggest that most of the plutonium in the Upper Techa River originates from the early waste disc...