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 present in every-day life are given. A short outline of the course is given below.

Lecture content

Part I

Formation of Earth and the elements

Natural radioactivity

• Primordial radionuclides
• Cosmic radiation
• NORM

Anthropogenic radionuclides

• Sources
• Fission products
• Transuranium elements

Radionuclide transport pathways

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

Part II

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

Radioecology in everyday life

• Age determination
• Environmental processes
• Forensic science

Lecture notes

• Table of content
• Part 1 (16.2 MB)
• Part 2 (16.5 MB)
• Part 3 (13.4 MB)

If you do not have the user name and password, please contact Dr. Natalia Mayordomo Herranz.

2022 lecture notes

The lecture scripts of the last year (2022) are also available for further self-study.

• Dr. N. Huittinen: Part 1 (13.8 MB)
• Dr. N. Huittinen: Part 2 (16.1 MB)
• Dr. N. Huittinen: Part 3 (10.1 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 10^th of October, 3^rd double period, 11:10 to 12:40 p.m.

Location:

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

Dates:

oral exam in February 2023

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"

---