Radionuclide particles in ground level air in Sweden during 2010

Authors:

  • Johan Kastlander
  • Catharina Söderström
  • Stefan Ban
  • Neda Tooloutalaie

Publish date: 2011-10-25

Report number: FOI-R--3275--SE

Pages: 15

Written in: English

Keywords:

  • Airborne radionuclides
  • deposition
  • 7Be
  • 137Cs

Abstract

Filtering of ground level air is performed continuously at six different locations in Sweden: Kiruna, Umeå, Gävle, Kista, Visby and Ljungbyhed. The filters are pressed into weekly samples and the contents of different radionuclides are measured by gamma spectroscopy. Precipitation is also collected at four of the stations: Kiruna, Gävle, Kista and Ljungbyhed. The samples are ashed and the contents of radionuclides are measured. Weekly activity concentrations of Be-7 and Cs-137 during 2010 in air and precipitation are presented for the different stations. No other anthropogenic radionuclides were detected during 2010. In the appendix the measurement the concentration of Be-7 in daily filter samples (week 23-33) are compared to those of weekly averages. In addition a comparison between the results derived from a national station and a particulate station operated for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), located in the close vicinity of each other, are presented.