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Beresford, N.A. et al

Exposure of burrowing mammals to Radon Rn-222 in Northwest England

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https://doi.org/10.5285/2641515F-5B76-445C-A936-1DA51BF365AD
This dataset includes individual passive detector measurements of radon Rn-222 in the air of artificial burrows, Rn-222 measurements by instrumentation in soil gas of interstitial soil pores and burrow air, gamma analyses results for soil samples and, soil moisture and temperature data. Estimates of absorbed dose rates to wildlife from exposure to natural background radionuclides are required to put estimates of dose rates arising from regulated releases of radioactivity and proposed benchmarks into context. These data are from a study conducted at seven sites in northwest England (comprising broadleaved and coniferous woodlands, scrubland and pastures). Passive track etch detectors were used to measure the Rn-222 concentrations in artificial burrows over a period of approximately one year (July 2009 to June 2010). Instrumented measurements of burrow air and soil pore gas were also conducted in October 2009.

The data result from a study funded by NERC-CEH and the England & Wales Environment Agency.
Publication date: 2012-05-29
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Format

Comma-separated values (CSV)

Spatial information

Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid

Temporal information

Temporal extent
2008-12-01    to    2012-06-30

Provenance & quality

Methodologies for Rn-222 measurements described in: Beresford N.A. et al, Exposure of burrowing mammals to 222Rn, Sci Total Environ (2012), doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.023 Gamma analyses (not reported in above paper) Soil samples were taken to a depth of 50 cm from adjacent to each burrow at the end of the study for subsequent gamma-analyses. Samples we dried at 80°C, homogenised and weighed into c. 950 ml plastic containers. The containers were sealed and left for 25 d to allow secular equilibrium to be reached. The samples were subsequently counted on hyper-pure Ge-detectors for 4 d. The resultant spectra were analysed using the Canberra Apex-Gamma software package. The detectors are calibrated using certified standards, containing mixtures of gamma-emitting radionuclides, which are mixed into matrix of different densities. The methodology is UKAS accredited.

Licensing and constraints

Licence terms and conditions apply

Cite this dataset as:
Beresford, N.A.; Barnett, C.L.; Vives i Batlle, J.; Potter, E.D.; Ibrahimi, Z-F.; Barlow, T.S.; Schieb, C.; Jones, D.G.; Copplestone, D. (2012). Exposure of burrowing mammals to Radon Rn-222 in Northwest England. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2641515F-5B76-445C-A936-1DA51BF365AD

Citations

Beresford, N. A., Barnett, C. L., Vives i Batlle, J., Potter, E. D., Ibrahimi, Z.-F., Barlow, T. S., Schieb, C., Jones, D.G. & Copplestone, D. (2012). Exposure of burrowing mammals to 222Rn. Science of The Total Environment, 431, 252-261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.023

Correspondence/contact details

Professor Nick Beresford
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg
Lancaster
Lancashire
LA1 4AP
UNITED KINGDOM
 enquiries@ceh.ac.uk

Authors

Beresford, N.A.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Barnett, C.L.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Vives i Batlle, J.
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK.CEN)
Potter, E.D.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Ibrahimi, Z-F.
Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards
Barlow, T.S.
British Geological Survey
Schieb, C.
British Geological Survey
Jones, D.G.
British Geological Survey
Copplestone, D.
University of Stirling

Other contacts

Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk

Additional metadata

Topic categories
environment
INSPIRE theme
Environmental Monitoring Facilities
Keywords
background exposure , burrowing animals , Cumbria , exposure , Great Britain , Pollution , radioecology , Radioecology , radionuclide , radon
Funding
Natural Environment Research Council
Environment Agency
Last updated
08 February 2024 17:33