Introduction to the ERICA Tool

Download Report

Transcript Introduction to the ERICA Tool

Slide 1


Slide 2

ERICA project objective
“to provide and apply an integrated approach of addressing scientific,
managerial and societal issues surrounding environmental effects of
ionising contamination, at a community level, with emphasis on biota
and ecosystems”

The ERICA Tool is the freely available software which implements the
ERICA integrated approach.
To download Tool:

http://www.project.facilia.se/erica/download.html
Well documented:

https://wiki.ceh.ac.uk/display/rpemain/ERICA+reports
Considers terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems


Slide 3

ERICA flow chart
M anagem ent
P la n

A ssessm ent T ool

C haracterisation

E x it

S takeholder Involvem ent

P ro b lem fo rm u la tio n

Issu es

T ier 1

C o n cen tra tio n screen in g v a lu e

T ier 2

D o se ra te screen in g v a lu e

and
o p tio n s

T ier 3
S ite-sp ecific
P ro b a b ilistic a n a ly sis

E v a lu a tio n o f
a ssessm en t

D eta iled a n a ly sis an d
ev a lu a tio n o f d a ta . In tera ctio n
a n d su p p lem en ta tio n w ith a ll
relev a n t d a ta b a ses
E x tra p o la tio n
(e.g . p o p u la tio n , eco sy stem )

E x it

E R IC A In tegrated A p p roach
www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT

A p ril 2 0 0 6


Slide 4

Tiered approach
TIER 1

TIER 2

TIER 3

Risk screening

Generic quantitative

Detailed Quantitative

Environmental and health protection

Data needs

Conservatism

Resources


Slide 5

Tiered approach
TIER 1

TIER 2

TIER 3

Risk screening

Generic quantitative

Detailed Quantitative

Environmental and health protection

Data needs

Conservatism

Resources


Slide 6

Elements of assessment
Release
Dispersion model
Media concentration

Transfer model

Wholebody activity
concentrations

Dosimetry model
(external exposure)
Dose rate

Dosimetry model
(internal exposure)

Effects understanding/
numerical benchmark
Risk
www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 7

What are protection goals?

Clear goals shape Swedish environmental policy
………………………. The overall goal is to pass on to the
next generation a society in which the major environmental
problems have been solved. …………………………….


Slide 8

What are protection goals?
A condition or state desired to be
brought about through a course of
action program. They are usually
qualitative statements that
provide direction for plans and
GOAL
projects. Goals are not specific
numerical limitations, but
conditions or states which can be
obtained through careful planning
and implementation.

The water use goal for the fishery,
established by the Hamilton
Harbour Stakeholder Group, is
"that water quality and fish habitat
should be improved to permit an
edible, naturally-reproducing
fishery for warm water species,
and water and habitat conditions
in Hamilton Harbour should not
limit natural reproduction and the
edibility of cold water species."


Slide 9

So - what are protection goals?
…….. a term which is inconsistently used!
But obviously need to know what you want to protect before
conducting an assessment/setting dose rate benchmarks
- what is protecting the environment? …. There appears to be no
internationally agreed definition.

How are protection goals being defined in radiological
protection/what’s driving the need for assessment ?


Slide 10

Typical radiological
protection goal definition


For instance (from EC PROTECT project):


To protect the sustainability of populations of the
vast majority of all species and thus ensure
ecosystem function now and in the future.
Special attention should be given to keystone,
sentinel, rare, protected or culturally significant
species


Slide 11

Stakeholder involvement:
what do we mean by stakeholders?


Term stakeholders here means:




any person or organisation that could either be
affected by, or interested in, the outcome of a
decision

Consequently
Will vary with the objective of the assessment
 May include a wide range of people (experts, lay
people, elected people, volunteers, etc)



Slide 12

What is Problem Formulation?


Identifies the:
source (of radionuclides)
 receiving media
 any key receptor species
 assessment criteria to use
 uncertainties (either knowledge or data)




Considers the
need for, and takes into account, stakeholder
involvement
 legislation and/or any regulatory requirements



Slide 13

Problem formulation...


Should be documented




Commonly, by conceptual model




in a transparent & understandable way

describing what is known about the site

Level of detail required


will be influenced by a number of factors


Slide 14

Elements of assessment
Release
Dispersion model
Media concentration

Transfer model

Wholebody activity
concentrations

Dosimetry model
(external exposure)
Dose rate

Effects understanding/
numerical benchmark

Tier 1
Risk
www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT

Dosimetry model
(internal exposure)


Slide 15

Tier 1 – a simplified screening
tier






Designed to be simple and conservative
 User only needs to input media activity concentrations
Aims to identify sites of negligible concern, removed from further
assessment – with a high degree of confidence
Envisaged that most sites will only need this level of assessment
[i.e. ‘be screened out’]


Slide 16

Dose rate screening value
Dose rate below which it is agreed (for the
purposes of an assessment) that there is no
requirement for further evaluation
 In ERICA Tier 1 input media (soil, water,
sediment) activity concentrations are
compared to precalculated concentrations
estimated to give rise to the screening dose
rate for the most exposed organism




These are termed ‘Environmental Media
Concentration Limits’ (EMCL)

www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 17

Required inputs – Tier 1


Maximum measured or
modelled media
concentrations






Terrestrial ecosystem - soil
(or air for a few
radionuclides)
Aquatic ecosystems – water
and/or sediment

If no measurements but
site release estimates then
Tool has simple dispersion
models
www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 18

Reference organism?


Vast number of potential
organisms to simplify a set of
organisms have been selected
to represent different tropic
levels, organisms likely to be
exposed, radiosensitive
organisms, encompass all
European protected species,
incorporate ICRP RAPs




These are the ‘Reference
Organisms’
12 freshwater, 13 terrestrial,13
marine organisms

www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT

Terrestrial
Amphibian
Bird
Bird egg
Detritivorous invertebrate
Flying insects
Gastropod
Grasses and herbs
Lichen and bryophytes
Mammal
Reptile
Shrub
Soil invertebrate
Tree


Slide 19

Risk Quotient (RQ)

Sum of RQs adds together the RQs for the
radionuclides (may be for different organisms)

If RQ>1 then screening dose rate exceeded (under
these conservative assumptions)

www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 20

Tier 2 – create organism


Common Lizard characteristics:



Size (cm) - 14 length x 1 width x 2 depth
Weight - 10 g
Occupancy - 50% in soil/50% on soil


Slide 21

Elements of assessment
Release
Dispersion model
Media concentration

Transfer model

Wholebody activity
concentrations

Dosimetry model
(external exposure)
Dose rate

Dosimetry model
(internal exposure)

Effects understanding/
numerical benchmark
Risk
www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 22

Transfer model
Very simple:
Activity concentrat ion in biota whole body (Bq kg

CR 
Activity

concentrat ion media (filtered water (Bq l

-1

), soil (Bq kg

-1
-1

fresh weight)
dry weight ) or air (Bq m

Default values derived from literature review
Assumptions made where no data

www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT

-3

))


Slide 23

RQ at Tier 2

www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 24

Tier 3 distribution
Assume lognormal for all
 Soil


Am-241 300±50 Bq/kg
 Cs-137 9500±5000 Bq/kg




Deer
Am-241 1±0.5 Bq/kg
 Cs-137 5000±400 Bq/kg


www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT


Slide 25

Windows 7 or Vista


Slide 26

Run as administrator