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Environmental levels of radiocarbon in Lund, Sweden, prior to the start of the European Spallation Source

Eriksson Stenström, Kristina LU ; Skog, Göran LU ; Bernhardsson, Christian LU orcid ; Mattsson, Sören LU ; Nielsen, Anne Birgitte LU orcid ; Rundgren, Mats LU ; Muscheler, Raimund LU orcid ; Linderson, Hans LU ; Pédehontaa-Hiaa, Guillaume LU and Rääf, Christopher LU orcid (2022) In Radiocarbon 64(1). p.51-56
Abstract
The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a neutron-based research facility under construction in Lund in southern Sweden. The spallation reactions will generate not only the desired neutrons, but also many radioactive byproducts, including 14C. As part of the licensing process, and as recommended by the IAEA, various preoperational studies are being carried out, including mapping the “zero-point” radiation environment around the site. As the city of Lund hosts several facilities using 14C-labeled substances, and since temporary and local 14C contamination have been observed in the past, 14C mapping is an important part of these baseline assessments. We here present a summary of 14C levels in various terrestrial environmental samples in Lund... (More)
The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a neutron-based research facility under construction in Lund in southern Sweden. The spallation reactions will generate not only the desired neutrons, but also many radioactive byproducts, including 14C. As part of the licensing process, and as recommended by the IAEA, various preoperational studies are being carried out, including mapping the “zero-point” radiation environment around the site. As the city of Lund hosts several facilities using 14C-labeled substances, and since temporary and local 14C contamination have been observed in the past, 14C mapping is an important part of these baseline assessments. We here present a summary of 14C levels in various terrestrial environmental samples in Lund and in southern Sweden during the years 2012 to 2020. These environmental F14C do not display significantly elevated levels compared to sites located remote from Lund. We also describe a local 14C contamination event that was detected at the Lund Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory in 2009. Horse-chestnut leaves collected close to the laboratory exhibited F14C values of up to ∼25% above the clean air background. Elevated values of F14C were also found in a short tree-ring series, especially in 2007. The source of this contamination was identified and successfully removed. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
contamination, environment, repreoperational assessments
in
Radiocarbon
volume
64
issue
1
pages
17 pages
publisher
Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85124995066
ISSN
0033-8222
DOI
10.1017/RDC.2022.2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0726c898-244d-4cbe-bf04-64a58396e475
date added to LUP
2022-02-23 08:56:45
date last changed
2024-05-31 23:53:55
@article{0726c898-244d-4cbe-bf04-64a58396e475,
  abstract     = {{The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a neutron-based research facility under construction in Lund in southern Sweden. The spallation reactions will generate not only the desired neutrons, but also many radioactive byproducts, including 14C. As part of the licensing process, and as recommended by the IAEA, various preoperational studies are being carried out, including mapping the “zero-point” radiation environment around the site. As the city of Lund hosts several facilities using 14C-labeled substances, and since temporary and local 14C contamination have been observed in the past, 14C mapping is an important part of these baseline assessments. We here present a summary of 14C levels in various terrestrial environmental samples in Lund and in southern Sweden during the years 2012 to 2020. These environmental F14C do not display significantly elevated levels compared to sites located remote from Lund. We also describe a local 14C contamination event that was detected at the Lund Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory in 2009. Horse-chestnut leaves collected close to the laboratory exhibited F14C values of up to ∼25% above the clean air background. Elevated values of F14C were also found in a short tree-ring series, especially in 2007. The source of this contamination was identified and successfully removed.}},
  author       = {{Eriksson Stenström, Kristina and Skog, Göran and Bernhardsson, Christian and Mattsson, Sören and Nielsen, Anne Birgitte and Rundgren, Mats and Muscheler, Raimund and Linderson, Hans and Pédehontaa-Hiaa, Guillaume and Rääf, Christopher}},
  issn         = {{0033-8222}},
  keywords     = {{contamination; environment; repreoperational assessments}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{51--56}},
  publisher    = {{Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)}},
  series       = {{Radiocarbon}},
  title        = {{Environmental levels of radiocarbon in Lund, Sweden, prior to the start of the European Spallation Source}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2022.2}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/RDC.2022.2}},
  volume       = {{64}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}