applsci-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Radioactivity

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 17657

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: radioprotection; ionizing radiation; radioactivity; environmental radiation; radon gas; radiation detection; solid-state detection; space radiation; numerical analysis; Monte Carlo simulation; geostatistical methods; physics education; outreach; health physics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: radiation detection; radiation; radiation protection; metastasis; radioactivity; tumors; cancer cells; Monte Carlo simulation; laser; optics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite academic scientists, researchers, and scholars from all over the world to contribute articles to a Special Issue of Applied Sciences that will be dedicated to the assessment of environmental radioactivity.

This Special Issue will gather original research articles, systematic literature reviews, communications, and case study reports that enhance our understanding and assessment of environmental radioactivity.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Methods for measuring radioactivity in various environmental media;
  • The evaluation of natural and anthropogenic radioactivity sources;
  • Advances in radiological monitoring technologies;
  • The environmental and health impacts of radioactivity;
  • The mitigation and management of radioactive contamination.

We believe that your expertise in this field could represent a valuable contribution to this collection.

Contributions will be subject to peer review to ensure that our high standards are met in terms of quality and scientific rigor.

Dr. Filomena Loffredo
Prof. Dr. Maria Quarto
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • radioactivity measuring
  • radioactivity sources
  • radiological monitoring
  • environmental and health impacts of radioactivity radioactive contamination

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 6479 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Analysis of Radiological Parameters in Historical City Soil: The Case of Mardin, Turkiye
by Ender Çetin, Naim Sezgin and Semih Nemlioglu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(9), 4792; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15094792 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 103
Abstract
This study evaluates the levels of natural radioactivity in surface soil samples across all districts of Mardin Province, Turkiye, using data from the Turkish Environmental Radioactivity Atlas. The activity concentration levels of Ra-226, Th-232, K-40, and Cs-137 were re-mapped, and radiological parameters (Ra [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the levels of natural radioactivity in surface soil samples across all districts of Mardin Province, Turkiye, using data from the Turkish Environmental Radioactivity Atlas. The activity concentration levels of Ra-226, Th-232, K-40, and Cs-137 were re-mapped, and radiological parameters (Raeq, DR, Hex, AEDE, AGDE, and ELCR) were calculated for an environmental risk assessment. The average Ra-226 concentration (33.66 Bq·kg−1) exceeded the Turkiye average but remained near the UNSCEAR global median. The Th-232 concentration (29.37 Bq·kg−1) was lower than both reference values, while K-40 (385.63 Bq·kg−1) was below the Turkiye average but higher than the global median. The Cs-137 concentration (20.52 Bq·kg−1) surpassed the Turkiye average, with the highest value detected in Yeşilli district of Mardin (75.05 Bq·kg−1), suggesting an anthropogenic influence. The radiological parameters indicated that the Raeq and Hex values remained within safe limits across all districts. However, the DR and AEDE exceeded UNSCEAR global medians in Ömerli and Midyat, while the AGDE was elevated in six districts. The ELCR surpassed the global median only in Ömerli. The districts of Artuklu, Derik, Kızıltepe, Mazıdağı, Midyat, and Ömerli exhibited higher natural radioactivity, whereas Dargeçit, Nusaybin, Savur, and Yeşilli had lower risk levels. Nusaybin was identified as the least radiologically hazardous district. Given these findings, radiological parameters should be considered when selecting new residential areas. Further studies with an increased number of soil samples are recommended for a more precise environmental risk assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Radioactivity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 4134 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Environmental Radiation Exposure and Algorithms for Determining the Occupational Effective Dose During 99mTc-MDP Bone Scintigraphy: A Comprehensive Analysis
by Suphalak Khamruang Marshall, Awatif Hayeeabdunromae, Nadia Noomad, Wanita Durawee, Nantakorn Sirieak, Pornchanok Karnkorn and Virunyupa Keawtong
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(23), 11211; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142311211 - 2 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 16083
Abstract
This study evaluated the occupational exposure of radiopharmacists, nurses, radiological technologists, and radiological technologist assistants involved in 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy procedures. Actual occupational effective doses for individual staff needed ascertaining. An environmental radiation exposure audit revealed all nuclear medicine areas were compliant [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the occupational exposure of radiopharmacists, nurses, radiological technologists, and radiological technologist assistants involved in 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy procedures. Actual occupational effective doses for individual staff needed ascertaining. An environmental radiation exposure audit revealed all nuclear medicine areas were compliant with ICRP and IAEA guidelines. To ascertain individual doses, they were recorded by OSL badges. The highest exposure was to the radiopharmacists, Hp(0.07) 2.19 µSv during radiolabeling. The nurse administering 99mTc-MDP recorded a dose of 0.27 µSv at Hp(0.07), 26.01% of the total occupational effective dose. The radiological technologist and assistant receive 73.05% of the total effective dose. However, the highest effective dose was received by the technologist assistant positioning patients for SPECT/CT scans, with an effective dose of 32.03 µSv. Single and double dosimetry effective dose estimate algorithms were evaluated, resulting in the double dosimetry being more accurate. The Padovani et al. algorithm was found to most closely align with 99mTc-MDP actual effective dose values (p > 0.05), thereby validating the measurement methods used in this study. The research offers benchmark environmental exposure and effective doses applicable in audits and the continuous effort to enhance radiation safety for personnel during 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Radioactivity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 6310 KiB  
Article
Modelling the Uptake of 226Ra and 238U Stable Elements in Plants during Summer in the Vicinity of Tailings from an Abandoned Copper Mine
by Víctor Manuel Expósito-Suárez, José Antonio Suárez-Navarro, Miguel Morales-Quijano, María Belén Gómez-Mancebo, Marta Barragan, Miriam Cortecero and José Francisco Benavente
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(20), 9201; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14209201 - 10 Oct 2024
Viewed by 886
Abstract
Transfer factors (TFs) are widely used tools for assessing the uptake of radionuclides by plants. The literature contains numerous studies on TFs in tropical and temperate climates; however, the existing data on TFs in arid and semi-arid climates are very scarce. Furthermore, the [...] Read more.
Transfer factors (TFs) are widely used tools for assessing the uptake of radionuclides by plants. The literature contains numerous studies on TFs in tropical and temperate climates; however, the existing data on TFs in arid and semi-arid climates are very scarce. Furthermore, the current trend in nuclear energy expansion in countries with this type of climate necessitates knowledge of the mechanisms of radionuclide incorporation by plants as well as the TF values. For this reason, this work investigates the TFs of 238U and 226Ra in plants in a study area during the summer period under conditions equivalent to a semi-arid climate. The selected plants were Scolymus hispanicus L., Eryngium campestre L., Chenopodium vulvaria L., and Chenopodium album L., which were collected in the vicinity of a waste dump from an abandoned copper mine. The selected study area has radionuclide levels above the global average, in addition to heavy metals, as it is a waste dump from an abandoned copper mine. The range of transfer factors for 238U varied between 1.5 × 10−4 kg−1 kg−1 and 7.8 × 10−3 kg−1 kg−1, while for 226Ra, the range was between 1.8 × 10−4 kg−1 kg−1 and 4.0 × 10−2 kg−1 kg−1. The correlations found with PCA were (i) 238U with Fe and Al, and (ii) 226Ra with S, Ti, Ca, and Sr. A transfer model of 238U and 226Ra was created using multiple linear regression analysis. The model showed how 238U was related to the presence of Al, while 226Ra was related to Al, Fe, and Ti. The results obtained have allowed us to propose a model for the incorporation of 238U and 226Ra, taking into account the chemical composition of the soil. The results obtained indicate that both Scolymus hispanicus L. and Eryngium campestre L. could be utilized in phytoremediation for soils contaminated by natural radionuclides in semi-arid climates. The TFs, as well as the proposed model, allow us to expand the knowledge of the absorption of natural radionuclides by plants in regions with arid and semi-arid climates, which is necessary for the radiological risk assessment of future nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Radioactivity)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop