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Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement
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Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2025) | Viewed by 5990

Special Issue Editor

Dr. José Antonio Suarez-Navarro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Environment, Environmental Radioactivity and Radiological Surveillance Unit, CIEMAT Research Center of Energy, Environmental and Technology, Av. Complutense, 22, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: environmental radioactivity; NORM; radiochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental radiological monitoring covers various aspects of physics, chemistry, and biology related to the assessment of impacts caused by natural and artificial radionuclides in the environment. The sources of radionuclides primarily originate from nuclear fuel cycle facilities, medicine, and industries generating NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) waste. The analytical and measurement techniques employed to evaluate the impact of these facilities are based on the type of radionuclide to be determined. Radiochemical methods are based on classical chemical techniques such as selective precipitations, ion exchange resins, liquid–liquid extraction, and chromatographic extraction, among others. Measurements are conducted using detectors such as scintillation counters (ZnS(Ag), NaI(Tl), or liquid scintillation), continuous-flow proportional gas counters, or semiconductor detectors (HPGe and PIPS). Furthermore, chemical techniques such as ICP, ICP-MS, AAS, and AES enable the determination of radionuclides with long half-lives. This Special Issue aims to compile the latest advancements in measurement techniques and methodologies to assess the radiological impact of various facilities on the environment. Additionally, studies related to soil–plant transfer factors, radionuclide diffusion models in air, the quality control of measurements, and characterization studies of soils, waters, foods, and indicator organisms will be of great interest in this Special Issue.

Dr. José Antonio Suarez-Navarro
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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 in soils, waters, foods and air
  • radiological monitoring
  • environmental radioactivity
  • radiochemistry

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 973 KB  
Article
Methodological Applicability of Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counters in Low-Level Tritium Measurement
by Hong-Yi Li, Jian Shan, Hao Zhang, Hui Yang and Nan-Nan Wei
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(24), 13168; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152413168 - 15 Dec 2025
Abstract
Tritium (3H) is a low-energy β emitter commonly found in environmental water samples, and its routine monitoring requires highly sensitive techniques capable of achieving low detection limits. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is the standard method for low-level 3H analysis; however, [...] Read more.
Tritium (3H) is a low-energy β emitter commonly found in environmental water samples, and its routine monitoring requires highly sensitive techniques capable of achieving low detection limits. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is the standard method for low-level 3H analysis; however, quenching significantly affects detection efficiency and minimum detectable activity (MDA), and systematic evaluations across different quench levels and measurement approaches remain limited. This study evaluates quench-related uncertainties in low-level 3H measurement using two ultra-low background liquid scintillation counters, Quantulus 1220 and GCT 6220. High- and low-quench conditions were created by varying sample-to-cocktail ratios, and performance was assessed through detection efficiency, minimum detectable activity (MDA), and stability. Under the relative measurement method with limited quench variation, GCT 6220 achieved higher efficiency, lower background, and lower detection limits. Under the internal standard method with broader quench spans, Quantulus 1220 produced smoother efficiency–quench curves and more stable results. Thus, GCT 6220 is advantageous for sensitivity-demanding scenarios, while Quantulus 1220 is better suited for quench-correction applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement)
10 pages, 448 KB  
Article
The New Operational Quantity Ambient Dose in Environmental Radiation Monitoring
by Thomas Otto
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(22), 12291; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212291 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 361
Abstract
In ICRU Report 95, the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) has proposed jointly with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) new operational quantities for external radiation. The quantity for environmental monitoring is ambient dose H*. This paper [...] Read more.
In ICRU Report 95, the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) has proposed jointly with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) new operational quantities for external radiation. The quantity for environmental monitoring is ambient dose H*. This paper analyses how present ambient dosimeters and monitors for photons would respond to the new operational quantity. The results show that passive environmental dosimeters designed for determining ambient dose equivalent and capable of registering photons to energies as low as 10 keV show a strong overestimate of ambient dose in the energy interval from 15 keV to approximately 50 keV. Active dosimeters exhibit a low-energy cut-off and are not affected by the overestimation. In spectrometer-type ambient monitors, the operational quantity can be calculated by multiplying the unfolded count-rate spectrum with the conversion coefficient for H*. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement)
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12 pages, 1897 KB  
Article
Thirteen-Year Cesium-137 Distribution Environmental Analysis in an Undisturbed Area
by Sergio Suárez-Contreras, Víctor Sánchez-Mendieta, Beatriz Hernández-Méndez, Juan Carlos Sánchez-Meza and Miguel Balcázar
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(18), 9982; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15189982 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 2171
Abstract
137Cs activity concentration in soil was analyzed yearly for 13 years (2010–2022) in an undisturbed area in Mexico. The temporal variation at 17 sampling points is consistent with the natural radioactive decrease of 137Cs, excluding increased activity concentration detected after the [...] Read more.
137Cs activity concentration in soil was analyzed yearly for 13 years (2010–2022) in an undisturbed area in Mexico. The temporal variation at 17 sampling points is consistent with the natural radioactive decrease of 137Cs, excluding increased activity concentration detected after the Fukushima accident at 4 sampling points. Geospatial analysis was permitted to obtain 137Cs activity concentration distributions for each year. The highest 137Cs activity concentration was found at higher topography levels and close to intermittent water streams: 87.1 ± 5.5 Bq kg−1 for the year 2011, which increased to 135.5 ± 14.5 Bq kg−1 for the year 2013, and then 137Cs decreased down to 46.4 ± 4.0 Bq kg−1 by the year 2022. The lowest 137Cs activity concentration was in the range of 0.6 ± 0.1 Bq kg−1 to 13.5 ± 1.0 Bq kg−1 at the points far from the undisturbed area, probably due to anthropogenic activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement)
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21 pages, 10366 KB  
Article
An Assessment of the Impact of Gypsum Deposit Development on Changes in the Radiation Environment
by Alexander I. Malov, Vitaliy A. Nakhod, Sergey V. Druzhinin and Elena N. Zykova
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 6639; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126639 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 953
Abstract
The aim of the conducted research was to assess the impact of gypsum deposit development on changes in the radiation levels of the abiotic components of the environment. For this purpose, a study of the radioactivity of water, bottom sediment, soil, gypsum and [...] Read more.
The aim of the conducted research was to assess the impact of gypsum deposit development on changes in the radiation levels of the abiotic components of the environment. For this purpose, a study of the radioactivity of water, bottom sediment, soil, gypsum and loam samples was performed. Ground-based studies of the distribution of the values of the ambient dose equivalent rate of gamma radiation and radon flux density were also carried out. It was shown that due to the high solubility of gypsum, the degree of karstification of the territory increases under the influence of meteoric waters, and as a result of the intensification of anthropogenic impact, the degree of chemical weathering of rocks increases. This leads to a coordinated change in not only the chemical but also the radiation conditions. In particular, radioactive contamination of quarry waters and areas of increased radon flux density in soil air were established. In bottom sediments, the significant correlations of 137Cs, 238U and 234U activity concentrations with carbonates, organic matter and soluble salts contents, as well as Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, Mo, Cd, Co, Ti and V, indicate a significant role of the anthropogenic factor in the accumulation in bottom sediments. This factor is associated with both regional atmospheric transport (137Cs) and the activity of the mining enterprise in the study area (238U and 234U). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement)
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34 pages, 8577 KB  
Article
Uranium Mineral Transport in the Peña Blanca Desert: Dissolution or Fragmentation? Simulation in Sediment Column Systems
by Victoria Pérez-Reyes, Rocio M. Cabral-Lares, Jesús G. Canche-Tello, Marusia Rentería-Villalobos, Guillermo González-Sánchez, Blanca P. Carmona-Lara, Cristina Hernández-Herrera, Fabián Faudoa-Gómez, Yair Rodríguez-Guerra, Gregorio Vázquez-Olvera, Jorge Carrillo-Flores, Ignacio A. Reyes-Cortés, Daniel Hernández-Cruz, René Loredo-Portales and María E. Montero-Cabrera
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020609 - 10 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1777
Abstract
The Sierra Peña Blanca (SPB) region in Chihuahua, Mexico contains a significant uranium deposit representing about 40% of the country’s reserves. Common uranium minerals in this area include uranophane, schoepite, and weeksite/boltwoodite, with several superficial occurrences. Mining activities in the 1980s left unprocessed [...] Read more.
The Sierra Peña Blanca (SPB) region in Chihuahua, Mexico contains a significant uranium deposit representing about 40% of the country’s reserves. Common uranium minerals in this area include uranophane, schoepite, and weeksite/boltwoodite, with several superficial occurrences. Mining activities in the 1980s left unprocessed uranium ore exposed to weathering, with potential transport towards Laguna del Cuervo. This study presents an experimental simulation of uranium transport in SPB sediments using three approaches: (i) a batch experiment to evaluate the ideal adsorption of (UO2)2+ by fine sediment; (ii) a column system fed with 569 mgU L−1 UO2(NO3)2 to simulate adsorption by different sediment particle sizes; (iii) a column system with an upper horizon of uranophane from the area, fed with deionized water, to simulate uranium weathering and transport in particulate material, determined by liquid scintillation counting, revealed that the clay fraction had the highest adsorption capacity for U. X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) analysis at the U L3 edge confirmed the U(IV) oxidation state and the fittings of the extended XAFS spectra confirmed the presence of the uranophane group of minerals. X-ray tomography further corroborated the distribution of particulate minerals along the column. The results suggest that the primary transport mechanism in SPB involves the fragmentation of uranium minerals, accompanied by eventual dissolution and subsequent adsorption of U onto sediments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Measurement)
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