Goal oriented sampling strategies for radionuclide monitoring

Abstract

This work carried out in 2014 in the frame of Institute of Environmental Radioactivity at Fukushima University. Based on the experience gained during the performing countrywide monitoring of radionuclides in Hungary a sampling schedule was suggested for assessing the dose for the public in Japan. Many specialities are existing due to the size, climate, traditions which has to be taken into account: for establishing the long term series of the data the suggestion is to monitor in each prefecture: rice leafy vegetable, like spinach, root vegetable, seaweed, soy bean. For having well coverage in terms of spatial distribution, same sample across the whole country has to be collected: moss as integral indicator found everywhere in the country, fresh leaves of bamboo could be treated as differential indicator, bamboo spot forests in different sizes are found in the country. Bamboo leaves are proved to be a proper reference material in dried state. Above the samples the installation a large volume aerosol filter with about 250m³/h airflow and big filter surface (larger than 0.2m²) would be desirable in each prefecture. Several pilot studies were conducted and written as case studies and lessons learned were summarised as a suggestion.