Background exposure rates of terrestrial wildlife in England and Wales

Beresford, NA; Barnett, CL; Jones, DG; Wood, MD; Appleton, JD; Breward, N; Copplestone, D

Abstract

It has been suggested that, when assessing radiation impacts on non-human biota, estimated dose rates
due to anthropogenically released radionuclides should be put in context by comparison to dose rates
from natural background radiation. In order to make these comparisons, we need data on the activity
concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in environmental media and organisms of interest.
This paper presents the results of a study to determine the exposure of terrestrial organisms in England
and Wales to naturally occurring radionuclides, specifically 40K, 238U series and 232Th series radionuclides.
Whole-body activity concentrations for the reference animals and plants (RAPs) as proposed by
the ICRP have been collated from literature review, data archives and a targeted sampling campaign. Data
specifically for the proposed RAP are sparse. Soil activity concentrations have been derived from an
extensive geochemical survey of the UK. Unweighted and weighted absorbed dose rates were estimated
using the ERICA Tool. Mean total weighted whole-body absorbed dose rates estimated for the selected
terrestrial organisms was in the range 6.9x10-2 to 6.1x10-1
mGy h-1.

Citation

Beresford, N., Barnett, C., Jones, D., Wood, M., Appleton, J., Breward, N., & Copplestone, D. (2008). Background exposure rates of terrestrial wildlife in England and Wales. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 99(9), 1430-1439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.03.003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Nov 30, 2011
• Journal: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
• Print ISSN: 0265-931X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 99
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1430-1439
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.03.003
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.03.003