Barnett, C.L.; Beresford, N.A.; Walker, L.A.; Baxter, M.; Wells, C.; Copplestone, D.
Element and radionuclide concentrations in representative species of the ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants and associated soils from a forest in north-west England
Cite this dataset as:
Barnett, C.L.; Beresford, N.A.; Walker, L.A.; Baxter, M.; Wells, C.; Copplestone, D. (2013). Element and radionuclide concentrations in representative species of the ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants and associated soils from a forest in north-west England. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/e40b53d4-6699-4557-bd55-10d196ece9ea
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This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
https://doi.org/10.5285/e40b53d4-6699-4557-bd55-10d196ece9ea
This dataset presents the results of an initial sampling exercise conducted at a terrestrial site in northwest England in summer 2010. The following samples of terrestrial Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) were obtained from an area of circa 0.4 km squared: Molinia caerulea (ICRP RAP Wild Grass defined as Poaceae); Picea sitchensis (ICRP RAP Pine Tree defined as Pinaceae); Apis spp., Bombus spp., Nomada spp. (ICRP RAP Bee defined as Apidea); Apodemus sylvaticus (ICRP RAP Rat defined as Muridae); Earthworms (species in the Family Lumbricidae as defined for the ICRP RAP Earthworm); Deer (belonging to the Family Anatidae (i.e. the ICRP RAP Deer). Soil samples were also collected from throughout the sampling area. All samples were analysed for multiple elements using ICP-MS/ICP-OES and most for gamma-emitting radionuclides. Results have been used to derive biota-soil concentration ratios. The ICRP have published their framework for radiation protection of the environment (ICRP Publication 108). This describes the use of RAPs as the basis for their framework. The RAPs are generalised to the taxonomic level of Family. Publication 108 presented dose coefficient values for the selected RAPs and also reviewed data on the effects of ionising radiation to suggest Derived Consideration Reference Levels for each RAP. In summer 2010 the ICRP released a further report on their protection framework for consultation. This report presented transfer parameter values (organism-media concentration ratios) for Reference Animals and Plants. The report also raised the possibility of identifying a series of sites where samples of each Reference Animal and Plant, and their different lifestages, could be collected and analysed. It was suggested that the resultant data would constitute a set of reference values analogous to approaches used by the ICRP for human radiological protection.
Publication date: 2013-12-31
View numbers valid from 01 June 2023 Download numbers valid from 20 June 2024 (information prior to this was not collected)
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
2010-08-01 to 2011-02-28
Provenance & quality
The study site (circa 0.4 km2 in area) was located in a managed coniferous forestry plantation (c. 25 km2) in north-west England (NGR 3325 4917). It was largely a mixture of established coniferous plantation with an understory of predominantly grass and sedge species. Samples (bee, earthworm, sitka spruce, wood mouse, purple moor grass and soil) were collected from this area with the exception of Capreolus capreolus (Roe deer) which were collected from within the forest at distances of less than 2 km to the north and east of the main study site. Samples were collected between August 2010 and February 2011. The locations of all sampling sites were recorded using a hand held GPS. Biota and associated soils samples were analysed for stable element by ICP-MS by the Food and Environment Research Agency using methods accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Sub samples were analysed to determine their C and N concentrations and samples with a higher mass were also analysed for gamma emitting radionuclides by CEH using a method also accredited by UKAS. The Percentage Loss on Ignition (LOI) and pH was also determined in the soil samples. For full details relating to each sample type collected in this study, 'please refer to the Online Resource: Supporting Documentation 'Materials and Methods_ICRP_RAP'.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Barnett, C.L.; Beresford, N.A.; Walker, L.A.; Baxter, M.; Wells, C.; Copplestone, D. (2013). Element and radionuclide concentrations in representative species of the ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants and associated soils from a forest in north-west England. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/e40b53d4-6699-4557-bd55-10d196ece9ea
© UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Citations
Barnett, C.L., Beresford, N.A., Walker, L.A., Baxter, M., Wells, C., & Copplestone, D. (2013). Transfer parameters for ICRP reference animals and plants collected from a forest ecosystem. Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 53(1), 125–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-013-0493-6
Guillén, J., Beresford, N.A., Baeza, A., Izquierdo, M., Wood, M.D., Salas, A., … Muñoz-Muñoz, J.G. (2018). Transfer parameters for ICRP’s Reference Animals and Plants in a terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 186, 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.06.024
Beresford, N.A., Barnett, C.L., Gashchak, S., Maksimenko, A., Guliaichenko, E., Wood, M.D., & Izquierdo, M. (2020). Radionuclide transfer to wildlife at a ‘Reference site’ in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and resultant radiation exposures. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 211, 105661 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.02.007
Wood, M.D., Beresford, N.A., Howard, B.J., & Copplestone, D. (2013). Evaluating summarised radionuclide concentration ratio datasets for wildlife. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 126, 314–325 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2013.07.022
Barnett, C.L., Beresford, N.A., Wood, M.D., Izquierdo, M., Walker, L.A., & Fawkes, R. (2020). Element and radionuclide concentrations in soils and wildlife from forests in north-eastern England with a focus on species representative of the ICRP’s Reference Animals and Plants. Earth System Science Data, 12(4), 3021-3038. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3021-2020
Beresford, N.A. & Vives i Batlle, J. (2013) Estimating the biological half-life for radionuclides in homoeothermic vertebrates: a simplified allometric approach. Radiation and Environmental Biophysics 52, 505–511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-013-0481-x
Correspondence/contact details
Cath Barnett
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg
LA1 4AP Lancaster
Lancashire
UNITED KINGDOM
enquiries@ceh.ac.uk
LA1 4AP Lancaster
Lancashire
UNITED KINGDOM
Authors
Barnett, C.L.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Baxter, M.
The Food and Environment Research Agency
Wells, C.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Copplestone, D.
University of Stirling
Other contacts
Rights holder
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Additional metadata
Keywords
Last updated
19 April 2024 09:29