Environmental radioactivity surveillance in Germany

Environment International Vol. 3, pp. 411-416 Pergamon Press Ltd. 1980. Printed in Great Britain

Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance in Germany

Walter A. Kolb Phvsikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig, Federal Republic of Germany

The environmental radioactivity surveillance program of the Federal Republic of Germany is briefly described. Some results of intercomparative measurements carried out by the Federal Milk Research Institute are presented.

Introduction The organization of environmental-radioactivity surveillance in the Federal Republic of Germany belongs to the responsibilities of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. As in most other countries we have to distinguish between a surveillance program for the evaluation of the radiation exposure of the population in general due to environmental radiactivity and monitoring programes in the vicinity of nuclear installations. The historical background of these programs is summarized in Appendix 1 and a list of eight central institutions is presented; this also includes a description of their tasks. The results of all measurements are compiled and evaluated by the Federal Health Office and an annual report is issued by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The last one was published for 1976 last year. At present new guidelines are being prepared dealing with monitoring programs in the vicinity o f nuclear installations. The latest draft of these guidelines (Feldt, 1979) is summarized in Appendix 2. It states the required detection limits for the different kinds of measurements, the number of sampling locations, the sampling frequency and the annual number of measurements. One set of samples has to be measured by the operator and another different set of samples, mainly combined samples averaged over some months, has to be measured by an independent state institute. The total number of samples to be measured per yr for a given facility may be estimated to be about 350. In the vicinity of about 20 facilities some 7000 samples have to be measured according to the new guidelines. There are also numerous institutions responsible for general environmental surveys. Their results are reported to the central institutions mentioned in Appendix 1. The total number of samples to be measured in accor-

-

-

-

411

dance with the general surveillance program will considerably exceed the above mentioned number. Quality control In the past, intercomparisons have been organized by the Federal Health Office and other central institutions on a more or less voluntary basis. According to the new guidelines, however, intercomparative measurements are required once a year under the control of the relevant central institute mentioned in Appendix 1. The Federal Milk Research Institute has carried out some intercomparisons on lalI spiked milk samples (Wiechen, 1979). The results are presented in Figs 1-3 and in Table 1. A further intercomparison test has been made with milk powder spiked with STCo, 65Zn and laTCs (Heine, 1979). After ashing the measurement was repeated. Results are presented in Figs 4-6 and in Table 2. The evaluation of these intercomparisons shows that the quality of 131I measurements in milk samples is sufficient. The procedure for the analysis of milk powder and milk ash, however, needs some improvement. Finally two further intercomparisons carried out by the Federal Health Office: - - effluent water from a nuclear-power plant; building material samples. The final results of these intercomparisons are not yet available. The question may arise whether the PTB should be responsible for the preparation of spiked sample materials or just deliver standard solutions to the central institutions as is done now. We feel that it is more economic not to change our present policy for two reasons: the PTB has neither the facilities for sample preparation nor enough man power; -

-

412

Walter A. Kolb

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37 33

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p a r t i c i p a n t no. Fig. 1. S3Zlintercomparison of milk samples, carried out in December 1977 (Wiechen, 1979)

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Fig. 3. 1311 intercomparison of milk samples, unnotified delivery, rapid measurement within two day after receiving, carried out in November 1978(Wiechen, 1979)

Environmental radioactivity surveillance in G e r m a n y

413

experience has shown that the central institutions have been successful in preparing spiked samples with the aid of PTB standard solutions. -

Table 2, Frequency distribution o f deviations o f results from the " t r u e " values of specific activities in milk powder and milk ash samples

-

Milk powder " t r u e " value in pCi/g: Table 1+ Frequency distribution o f deviations of results from the " t r u e " values o f ~3~1activity concentration in milk samples lntercomparison: " t r u e " value in p C i / f

12/77 9.2

3/78 13

1t/78" 840

Deviation (°70) 0-10 10-20

4 3

9 4

18 2

20-30 30-50

4 3

3 0

0 3

> 50

1

1

0

15

17

23

Total n u m b e r of laboratories

10 1 2

8 3 0

No result reported

t

0

2

Milk ash " t r u e " value in pCi/kg

555

842

571

Deviation (°7o) 0-20 20-50 >50

3 5 1

6 4 0

7 2 1

No result reported

1

0

0

I 000 + 000 1

o

600

.:, "

000

milk__powder

T

.= o

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porticipont no.

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..................

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1~

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*Unnotified delivery and rapid measurement within 2 days.

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Fig. 4+ STCo intercomparison o f milk powder samples before and after ashing, April 1978 (Heine, 1979)

414

Walter A. Kolb

milk

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References Feldt, W. (1979) Neue Richtlinie zur Emissions- und Immissionsiiberwachung; paper presented at 3. Fachgesprach "Oberwachung der Umweitradioaktivitat, 3.-5. Apr. 1979, Karlsruhe. Heine, K. (1979) Ergebnisse des Vergleichsprogramms Gammaspektrometrie yon Milchpulver und Milchasche 1978; paper presented at 3. Fachgesprach "Oberwachung der Umweltradioaktivitat, 3.-5. Apr. 1979, Karlsruhe. Wiechen, A. (1979) Ergebnisse der Vergleichsprogramme Jod-13.1 in Milch in den Jahren 1977 und 1978; paper presented at 3. Fachgesprach "Oberwachung der Umweltradioaktivitat, 3.-5. Apr. 1979, Karlsruhe. Appendix

1

From the annual report of 1976, "Environmental Radioactivity and Radiation Exposure", published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. In the Federal Republic of Germany, numerous institutions are concerned with monitoring environmental radioactivity and evaluating radiation exposure to the population. Based on nuclear atmospheric tests carried out after 1948 and the resulting increased concentration of artificial radioactive substances in air, water, soil, and food contributing to population exposure to a degree as no longer to be ignored, a system for monitoring and measuring environmental radioactivity was established in the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1955, the "Deutsche Wetterdienst" was obliged by law "to monitor the atmosphere as to pollution by radioactive substances and their subsequent distribution". Simultaneously, a measuring system for monitoring surface waters, soil, and food was initiated.

According to Article 35 of the foundation act of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), concluded on March 25, 1957, the member states are pledged "to establish the necessary foundations for the constant monitoring of radioactive content in air, water and soil as well as to control the compliance with basic radiation standards". Article 36 prescribes the necessity of regular reports on measurement results. During the course of 1960, the competent Federal Ministries and Federal States agreed on the establishment of a monitoring system which is still valid today. The obligations laid down in Art. 35 and 36 of the Euratom Act are met by means of "official institutions for monitoring radioactivity". Further legal obligations are to be derived from the nuclear and radiation protection legislation. Thus, the development of peaceful utilization of nuclear energy since the operation of the first research reactors in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957 and 1958 presented an additional task in monitoring environmental radioactivity. At present, the monitoring system includes eight central institutions which control the environment ar regular intervals as to its content of radioactive substances and/or register and interpret the results of the various monitoring stations. The table below presents a compilation of monitoring fields of the individual central institutions: 1. Deutscher Wetterdienst - atmosphere, precipitation and Zentralamt - - , Offenbach/M. environmental radiation 2. Bundesanstalt fur Gewasser- surface waters, suspended load, and water beds kunde, Koblenz 3. Deutsches Hydrographisches seawater, suspended load, and Institut, Hamburg water beds 4. Bundesforschungsanstalt for marine biology and biology of inland waters, fish and fish Fischerei - - isotopenlaboratorium - - , Hamburg products 5. Bundesanstalt for Milchforplants and fodder plants, milk and

Environmental radioactivity surveillance in Germany schung - - Institut for Physik --, Kiel 6. Bundesgesundheitsamt, Institut for Wasser-, Boden- und Lufthygiene, Berlin 7. Bundesforschungsanstalt for Erniihrung, Karlsruhe

415 8. Bundesgesundheitsamt, lnstitut building materials, population ftir Strahlenhygiene, Berlin In addition, the Bundesgesundheitsamt (Federal Health Office) is concerned with monitoring the emission of radioactive substances through exhaust air and waste water from nuclear installations and other facilities. lnstitut ftJr Strahlenhygiene monitoring of exhaust air Institut ftir Wasser-, Bodenmonitoring of waste water un Lufthygiene

milk products drinking water and waste water grain and grain products, meat, other nutritional items, prepared food (incl. infant food), and total nutriment

milk

powder

900L~ c=z_ .......

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600

mean value 606-*95 p C i / k g " t r u e " value 571 pCi/kg

i" % . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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mean value 512s 6 1 p E i / k g " t r u e " value 571 pCi/kg

v

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Fig. 6.6SZn intercomparison of milk powder samples before and after ashing, April 1978 (Heine, 1979)

416

Walter A. Kolb

Appendix 2 Environmental surveyance o f nuclear facilities in Germany - - routine program for normal operation conditions (simplified summary) Required Number of sampling detection locations Total number of limit* A B Frequency samples per year Aerosols (a) longlived E-emitters (total activity concentration) (b) single radionuclides (3,-spectroscopy) (c) 9°Sr (d) u-emitters (total activity concentration) taq in gaseous form

1.8 m B q / m a

2

--

0.37 m B q / m 3

2

2

1.8 m B q / m 3 3.7 #Bq/m 3

2

--

"

8

2

--

"

8

3.7 #Bq/m a

2

--

Milk (a) 9°Sr (b) single radionuclides (c) 13ai

18.5 mBq/l 135 mBq/I 18.5 mBq/l

Gras single radionuclides Soil (a) g°Sr (b) single radionuclides Vegetable (a) 9°Sr (b) single radionuclides Meat single radionuclides Surface water (a) Tritium

Continuous sampling for 14 days

52

Mixed sample averaged over 3 months

16

Continous sampling for 14 days

52

m

2 2 2

Twiceayear Twiceayear Each month within green fodder time

4 4 16

0.74 Bq/kg

3

2

Beforethe first and second harvest

l0

74 mBq/kg 0.37 Bq/kg

3 3

-2

Twiceper year Twice per year

6 10

As required by CA. As required by CA.

37 mBq/kg 0.37 Bq/kg 0.37 Bq/kg

2

Twice per year Averaged samples per month

185 Bq/1

2

2

0.11 Bq/1 74 mBq/1

2 2

2 2

18.5 Bq/kg 22.2 Bq/kg

2 --

-3

74 mBq/l

+

as required by CA

74 mBq/l

--

(b) 9°Sr

74 mBq/I

--

(c) single radionuclides

74 mBq/I

--

1 Every 3 months from next well 2 Averaged 6 months samples from water works 2 "

(b) residual H-emitters (c) single radionuclides

Sediments singleradionuclides single radionuclides Ground water single radionuclides Drinking water (a) single radionuclides

Only in cases where result of (b) is >0.37 Bq/l

? ? 4 48 48 ?

Every months Twice per year

8 6 ? 4 4

4 >312

Remarks: *The detection limit is refered to: 9°Sr in case of longlived 3-emitters; S°Co in case of single radionuclides; 4°K in case of residual B-emitters. A: served by the operator; B: served by an independent inspectorate.