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Abstract: Three kinds of fish from a natural fishpond in the north of Taiwan were collected and analyzed in this study. The three species were non-predatory Ctenopharyn odon idellus, predatory Aristichthys nobilis and predatory Mylopharyngodon piceus. The activity concentrations of 90Sr in bone and edible flesh of fish, as well as in water and soil of fishpond were measured by using the radiochemical analysis. Additionally, the concentration of stable calcium in fish bone, [Ca]bone, and that of stable strontium in fish bone, [Sr]bone, were measured by ICP-AES. From the results, the concentration factors of 90Sr, CF(90Sr), in fish bone was no statistic difference between non-predatory and predatory fish. Besides, the accumulation of 90Sr in the non-predatory fish remarkably decreased with increasing the fish weight. As for the predatory fish, they both showed no statistically significant correlations between the 90Sr activity concentration and the fish weight. Regarding the activity concentrations of 90Sr in fish bone, all the fish were observed positively correlated with the measured [Sr]bone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The electronic radon monitors are noted for their convenience and acceptable accuracy. Even so, it is necessary to reassure their data quality regularly. We utilized a performance comparison system for this purpose. The instruments in our laboratories (Alphaguard, RAD7, RTM-2100 and Safety Siren) were tested via the comparison experiments. We conclude that by utilizing this system with the concept of calibration factor, it can be helpful to decide whether to send the monitors back to the original manufacturers for adjustment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) has designed an air-cooling distillation device and got a US patent. The decontamination factor 60Co and 137Cs is above 23,000. Tritium loss rate is one of testing items in ASTM D4107 Standard Test Method for Tritium in Drinking Water. In this study, the 3 levels (high, middle and low level) of tritium concentration of testing samples for the loss rate test were prepared similar to the concentrations reported in ASTM D4107. The loss rate of the high level is −2.37%, the middle is −2.31% and the low level is −2.47%. These results show that the air-cooling distillation device has good performance in the environmental water tritium analysis work. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The nuclear facilities at Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) had been successively decommissioned and decontaminated over the recent years. Since dismantling was a complex task, to achieve the main goal was minimization of radioactive waste production and required the set-up of procedures, criteria of free release, strict follow-up and traceability at all steps. This study gave an overview of the efforts on non-destructive assay (NDA) of relatively large volumes of waste and the sampling of contaminated waste with radiochemical analysis was utilized to determine the radionuclide vectors. The experiences of free release planning and measurement of a very low level radioactivity with high throughput for scrapped metal at the INER and the technical achievements in this research could offer a reference of decision-making by the competent authority. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 3–11 Earthquake occurred in Japan last year had greatly damaged the lives and properties and also caused the core meltdown accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant followed by the leakage of radioactive materials into biosphere. In order to protect against the detriment of radiation from foods which were imported from Japan, the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) in Taiwan started to conduct radioactivity inspection of food products from Japan after the accident. A total of about 20,000 samples had been tested from March 24 2011 to March 31 2012. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]