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Radioactivity and the Environment

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Staff
Head:
Research team:
Anna Camp, PhD Student
Montserrat Montaña, PhD Student
Vicente Blasco Argente, Lab.Technician
Sonia Blázquez Pérez, Lab.Technician
Isabel Serrano Carreño, Lab.Technician
Juan Antonio Romero, Inf. Support
Aims of the programme
  • To study the physical, chemical and meteorological processes that are responsible for spatial and temporal variations of radionuclide concentrations in the environment
  • To develop measurement methods for environmental surveillance of natural and artificial radionuclides
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Current Research Projects
  • Radon as a tracer.
    Arturo Vargas Drechsler
    Radon concentration measurements at hourly intervals at heights of 10m and 100m in the tall tower located at “El Arenosillo” station (Huelva, South-West Spain), together with sampling of various meteorological parameters provides a set of data which enables validation of atmospheric dispersion models in coastal regions and studies of air masses origen. Specifically, the mesoscalar model WRF-FLEXPART will be used. Furthemore, hourly radon measurements are also carried out at the station located in the Ebro delta (North-East Spain). The “El Arenosillo” station is managed by the National Insitute for Aerospace technology (Insituto nacional de Técnica Aerosespacial –INTA)  and the station of the Ebro delta by the Catalan Institute of Climate Sciences (Institut Català de Ciències del Clima - IC3)
    In 2013, a 3-year research project funded by the Spanish Ministry has started. The PRISMA project (Aerosol optical properties and radiative forcing in the western Mediterranean as a function of chemical composition and sources, reference CGL2012-39623-C02-01) is lead by the CSIC and the main objective is to estimate the direct radiative forcing caused by the atmospheric aerosols in the Western Mediterranean from a database including key parameters on chemical, physical and optical properties of the aerosols. The INTE-UPC will study the atmosphere structure by means of measurement of the vertical radon concentration profiles using planes.
  • Atmosfèric radiological surveillance using gamma spectrometry.
    Arturo Vargas Drechsler
    The main objective of the project consists on setting up and characterizes a new dose rate monitor based on LaBr3 scintillator material. Characterization of the monitor will be carried out in the Calibration Laboratory of the INTE accredited by ISO 17025 and using the PENELOPE Monte Carlo code. The project is the framework of the WG3 of EURADOS. A second research line in this project consists on the study of the response of CsI and NaI detector installed in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). In the project, the INTE collaborates with the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) and the ICARUS group of the UPC.
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Low level background Laboratory
Associated laboratories
Closed Research Projects
  • MATER-2009-2011 "Development and validation of advanced atmospheric dispersion models for their application in radiological emergency systems." MICINN ref. CGL 2008-00473/CLI
  • Analysis of the representativeness of PTS ATM backtracking results at the IMS stations.
    CTBTO ref 2009-1550 (2010)
  • SOSTAQUA-2007-2010 "Environmental radiological impact of subproducts related to water treatment. Risk evaluation due to radioactive components" Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial ref. CENIT 2007-1039
  • Study of the problems in determining the total alpha activity index in drinking water: Procedures proposal CSN (2010-2011)
  • MEC 2006-2008 "Evolución de los inventarios de aerosoles radiactivos de origen natural y artificial en áreas urbanas".
  • MCYT REN-2002-1994. "Estudio de la dinámica de las concentraciones de radón atmosférico en estaciones de control radiológico y su aplicación al movimiento de masas de aire".
  • CICYT AMB-99 "Estudio de las relaciones entre concentraciones de gas radón y descendientes radiactivos y las propiedades ambientales. Aplicación al transporte de masas de aire y contaminantes".
  • FI3P-CT920034 "Characteristics of radon an thoron daughters aerosols".
  • FI4P-CT950025 "Risk assessment of Exposure to Radon Decay Products".
  • AMB92-0817-C02-01 "Estudio del impacto radiológico ambiental producido por el gas radón en el interior de edificios".
  • AMB96-0988 "Relación entre los parámetros ambientales y el impacto rediológico debido al radón y sus descendientes".
Doctoral theses in progress
Thesis title Response of aerial and fixed stations with gamma spectrometry detectors for emergency situations
Institution Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
PhD Student
Anna Camp
Supervisor Arturo Vargas Dechsler
Thesis title Optimització de la determinació d´emisors alfa en aigües. Estudi del comportament dels radionucleids en plantes de tractament d´aigua
Institution Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
PhD Student
Supervisor Isabel Vallès, Antònia Camacho
Doctoral theses read in the five last years
Thesis title Study of the atmospheric radon concentration dynamics at the Spanish radiological surveillance stations and its application to air masses movement
Place and year of defence Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2009
Author Name
Dèlia Arnold
Supervisor Arturo Vargas Dechsler
Thesis title Carracterización de aerosoles radiactivos en area urbanas.Aplicación en la ciudad de Barcelona
Place and year of defence Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2012
Author Name
Miguel González de Perosanz
Supervisor Arturo Vargas Dechsler
Thesis title Desarrollo y validación de modelos avanzados de dispersión atmosférica para si aplicación a los estudios de sistemas de emergencias radiológicas
Institution Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
PhD Student
Supervisor Arturo Vargas Dechsler
Publications
To browse publications follow the researcher link. 
All INTE publications are available here
last modified : April 2013
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