Findings and recommendations from an international comparison of models and approaches for the estimation of radiological exposure to non-human biota

¹ Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, CEH-Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av., Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
² Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, France
³ Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Norway
⁴ Argonne National Laboratory, USA
⁵ England & Wales Environment Agency, UK
⁶ International Radioecology Laboratory, Slavutych, Ukraine
⁷ SÚJB, Czech Republic
⁸ SPA-Typhoon, Russia
⁹ Institute of Physics, Lithuania
¹⁰ SCK⋅CEN, Belgium
¹¹ University of Portsmouth, UK
¹² International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria
¹³ Westlakes Scientific Consulting Ltd., UK
¹⁴ EcoMetrix Incorporated, Canada
¹⁵ Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group, The Netherlands
¹⁶ University of Liverpool, UK

Corresponding author: nab@ceh.ac.uk

Abstract

There is general international acceptance of the need to demonstrate that the environment is protected from ionising radiation. In some countries requirements and guidelines for the protection of non-human biota are already in place. As a consequence a number of models and approaches have been proposed for the estimation of the exposure of non-human biota to ionising radiation. The IAEA EMRAS programme's Biota Working Group has conducted the most comprehensive intercomparison of the predictions of these approaches to date. In this paper, we present an overview of the activities of the Biota Working Group concentrating on its conclusions and recommendations.