Issue 11, 2013

The key role of atomic spectrometry in radiation protection

Abstract

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident has renewed considerable public concern about the dangers posed by radioactive contamination in the environment and the related internal exposure from the contaminating radionuclides. Sensitive and accurate analysis of radiation sources, and the amount and range of radioactive contamination is essential for effective radiation protection. This review describes atomic spectrometric techniques employed in radiation protection, such as accelerator mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, proton-induced X-ray emission and synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Applications of atomic spectrometric techniques in radio-ecological studies in several significant nuclear contamination events in Japan, studies using a suitable stable element as an analogue of long-lived radionuclides related to high-level radioactive waste disposal, and microbeam elemental analysis for estimation of internal radionuclides radiation, are reviewed to highlight the important role of atomic spectrometric techniques in radiation protection. Finally, future research perspectives of atomic spectrometric techniques for radiation protection with an emphasis on the Fukushima nuclear accident are briefly outlined.

Graphical abstract: The key role of atomic spectrometry in radiation protection

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
02 Jul 2013
Accepted
29 Aug 2013
First published
30 Aug 2013

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 1676-1699

The key role of atomic spectrometry in radiation protection

J. Zheng, K. Tagami, S. Homma-Takeda and W. Bu, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 1676 DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50217A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements