Lecture "Radioecology"

The Radioecology lecture is part of the module "Umwelt- und Actinidenchemie" (Chem-Ma-M06). Lecture topics on environmental radioactivity deal with e.g. sources of radionuclides in the environment, factors influencing radionuclide migration and uptake in food chains and our ecosystems, sampling and pre-treatment of environmental samples, and radionuclide separation methods. In addition, examples on how radioecology is applied will be shown. A short outline of the course is given below.

Lecture content

Part I

Introduction to radioactivity and radioactive decay

Formation of Earth and the elements

Natural radioactivity

• Primordial radionuclides
• Cosmic radiation
• NORM

Anthropogenic radionuclides

• Sources
• Fission products
• Transuranium elements

Part II

Radionuclide transport pathways

• Atmospheric deposition
• Radionuclide uptake in plants
• Radionuclide uptake in animals and humans – the food chains

Mobility of radionuclides in the environment

• Radionuclide speciation in aqueous solution
• Radionuclide interactions with interfaces
• Formation of solid phases
• Impact of microorganisms on radionuclide mobility in the environment

Part III

Environmental samples and their radiochemical separation methods

• Special aspects of radionuclide chemistry
• Collection and pretreatment of environmental samples

Separation methods

• Precipitation
• Ion exchange
• Solvent extraction
• Extraction chromatography

Measurement of environmental samples

• Radioanalytical methods
• Mass spectrometric methods

Modelling

Applied aspects of Radioecology

• Research
• Analytics

Lecture notes

• Table of content
• Part 1 (17.3 MB)

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Notes of 2023/2024

• Part 1 (16.2 MB)
• Part 2 (17.9 MB)
• Part 3 (11.6 MB)

Certificate of achievement

Master studies in Chemistry (MA-CH-MRBO 10) see Modul "Umwelt- und Actinidenchemie"
Other courses:

• Certificate of participation with grading after oral examination or
• Certificate of participation only.

Semester:

winter semester

Schedule:

every Monday, starting on 14^th of October, 3^rd double period, 13:00 to 14:30 p.m.

Location:

Room CHE/182/P, Chemistry New Building, Bergstraße 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Dates:

oral exam in February 2025

Course literature

• Kratz, Lieser: "Nuclear and Radiochemistry"
• Choppin, Rydberg, Liljenzin: "Radiochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry"
• Atwood: "Radionuclides in the Environment"
• Poinssot, Geckeis: "Radionuclide behaviour in the natural environment"
• Lehto, Hou: "Chemistry and Analysis of Radionuclides"

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