Radionuclides are released into the environment from various nuclear as well as non-nuclear sources. A major fraction of the released radionuclides exists as particles, ranging from sub-microns to fragments (uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) are the best-known examples of these). The particles' characteristics may determine how ecosystem transfer, accumulation and effects in organisms are impacted. In RA1, we aim to improve the predictive power of impact assessment models by addressing the following key research questions:

• How do release scenarios impact the source term; radionuclide and multiple stressor composition and speciation, in particular the nm - mm sized particle characteristics
• What is the relevance of particle characteristics to air/water transport, deposition, ecosystem transfer and exposure models?
• Can a common dose concept be developed for UV and ionizing radiation?

Research Area 1 comprises three umbrella projects:

• Umb1A: Particle Sources
• Umb1B: Dispersion Modelling: Atmospheric and Marine
• Umb1C: UV/Ionising Radiation and Dosimetry

Key publications

Byrnes, I., Lind, O.C., Hansen, E.L., Janssens, K., Salbu, B., 2020. Characterization of radioactive particles from the Dounreay nuclear reprocessing facility. Science of the Total Environment 727, 138488.

Lukashenko, S., Kabdyrakova, A., Lind, O.C., Gorlachev, I., Kunduzbayeva, A., Kvochkina, T., Janssens, K., De Nolf, W., Yakovenko, Y., Salbu, B., 2020. Radioactive particles released from different sources in the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 216, 106160.

Reinoso-Maset, E., Brown, J., Pettersen, M.N., Steenhuisen, F., Tetteh, A., Wada, T., Hinton, T.G., Salbu, B., Lind, O.C., 2020. Linking heterogeneous distribution of radiocaesium in soils and pond sediments in the Fukushima Daiichi exclusion zone to mobility and potential bioavailability. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 211, 106080.

Geckeis, H., Zavarin, M., Salbu, B., Lind, O.C., Skipperud, L., 2019. Environmental Chemistry of Plutonium, in: Clark, D.L., Geeson, D.A., Hanrahan, R.J. (Eds.), Plutonium Handbook, 2 ed. American Nuclear Society, pg 1979-2118.

Simonsen, M., Lind, O.C., Saetra, O., Isachsen, P.E., Teien, H.C., Albretsen, J., Salbu, B., 2019a. Coastal transport of river-discharged radionuclides: Impact of speciation and transformation processes in numerical model simulations. Science  of the Total Environment 669, 856-871.

Simonsen, M., Teien, H.C., Lind, O.C., Saetra, O., Albretsen, J., Salbu, B., 2019b. Modeling key processes affecting Al speciation and transport in estuaries. Science  of the Total Environment 687, 1147-1163.

Lind O.C., Oughton, D.H., Salbu, B. (2018). The NMBU FIGARO low dose irradiation facility. International Journal of Radiation Biology 95 (1), 76-81.

Cagno, S., Brede, D.A., Nuyts, G., Vanmeert, F., Pacureanu, A., Tucoulou, R., Cloetens, P., Falkenberg, G., Janssens, K., Salbu, B., Lind, O.C. (2017). Combined Computed Nanotomography and Nanoscopic X-ray Fluorescence Imaging of Cobalt Nanoparticles in Caenorhabditis elegans. Anal Chem 89 (21), 11435-11442.

Simonsen, M., Saetra, Ø., Isachsen, P.E., Lind, O.C., Skjerdal, H.K., Salbu, B., Heldal, H.E., Gwynn, J.P. (2017). The impact of tidal and mesoscale eddy advection on the long term dispersion of ⁹⁹Tc from Sellafield. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 177, 100-112.

Jaeschke, B.C., Lind, O.C., Bradshaw, C., Salbu, B. (2015). Retention of radioactive particles and associated effects in the filter-feeding marine mollusc Mytilus edulis. Science of the Total Environment 502(C), pg 1-7.

Wendel, C.C., Fifield, L.K., Oughton, D.H., Lind, O.C., Skipperud, L., Bartnicki, J., Tims, S.G., Hoibraten, S., Salbu, B. (2013). Long-range tropospheric transport of uranium and plutonium weapons fallout from Semipalatinsk nuclear test site to Norway. Environment International 59, 92- 102.