Submitted by Claire Wells on
COMET - Chernobyl Field course (Sept 2016)
Enhancing and maintain European capacity and skills in radioecology is one of the objectives of the COMET project. The field training courses play important role here, as they are an opportunity for trainees to take part in measurement campaigns and gather experience in developing sampling strategies and application of different measurement techniques. The training course in Ukraine was held in September 2016 at one of the two radioecological observatory sites. It was focused on most aspects of environmental radiation impact and risks associated with the contamination from the Chernobyl accident in 1986. A lot of attention was given to the key processes, which control the behaviour of radionuclides in different ecosystems. These include basic concepts, variables, parameters and kinetics needed for modelling purposes. Four intensive days of lectures and exercises covered the whole process of impact assessment, starting with sampling strategies and protocol preparation, sampling campaign, sample pre-treatment and preparation, hot particles and the use of state-of-the-art measurement techniques. Special attention was paid to the problems caused by the uneven distribution of radionuclides in the environment due to the fallout of highly radioactive particles. Application of appropriate methods is important for assessing the radiation impact and risk, especially in the case of the complex mixture of radionuclides from the Chernobyl accident. Therefore, course included a variety of lab on radiochemistry, gamma, alpha, beta and liquid scintillation spectrometry, sequential extractions, autoradiography, fish sampling and dissection.
For further details on the field course see the following web pages:
NMBU
NuBIP - (page requires translating from Ukrainian)
COMET training page - details of programme and presentations