Advancements in NORM metrology - Results and impact of the European joint research project MetroNORM.

The results of the three years European Metrology Research Programme's (EMRP) joint research project 'Metrology for processing materials with high natural radioactivity' (MetroNORM) are presented. In this project, metrologically sound novel instruments and procedures for laboratory and in-situ NORM activity measurements have been developed. Additionally, standard reference materials and sources for traceable calibration and improved decay data of natural radionuclides have been established.

Environmental radioactivity study of Austrian and Bavarian forest ecosystems: Long-term behaviour of contamination of soil, vegetation and wild boar and its radioecological coherences.

137Cs and 40K in soil, vegetation and flesh of wild boar samples from Austrian and Bavarian regions were investigated by gamma-ray spectrometry and 90Sr in bones of wild boar with Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) after radiochemical separation. The soil core profiles revealed that 70-97% of the soil caesium content is still accumulated in the 0-10cm soil depth. From all vegetation samples the mushrooms, particularly the bay boletus showed the highest 137Cs contamination. The activity concentration of 137Cs in muscle tissue of boar ranged from 14.9±1.5Bq/kg (Bavaria) to 4711±377Bq/kg (Lower Austria). In the bones of wild boars, 90Sr activity concentration ranged from 1.4±0.2Bq/kg (Bavaria) to 70.3±10.5Bq/kg (Upper Austria).

Long-term environmental radioactive contamination of Europe due to the Chernobyl accident - Results of the Joint Danube Survey 2013.

In the course of the Joint Danube Survey 3 (JDS3), coordinated by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), laboratory ships travelled 2375km down the Danube River engaging in sampling, processing and on-board analyses during the summer of 2013. The results of the radiometric analysis of 90Sr, 137Cs and natural radionuclides in recent riverbed sediment are presented. The activity concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in Danube sediments have been found below 100Bq/kg.

Study of particular problems appearing in NORM samples and recommendations for best practice gamma-ray spectrometry.

In this paper spectral interference effects for selected gamma-emitting radionuclides of the natural decay series and 40K in selected NORM samples are studied. Recommendations for the choice of γ-lines and the consideration of possible spectral interferences are provided. Special attention is given to the radon tightness of the sample containers. A simple and sensitive method for the estimation of the 222Rn leakage of sample containers is introduced. The applied polystyrene sample containers show 222Rn leakages lower than 1%.