Biomedical subjects

C Papastefanou

Publications and source records attributed to C Papastefanou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Chlorine-39 in rainfall at a temperate latitude (40 degrees N).

Rainwater samples were collected and measured for the radioactivity to confirm the presence of Chlorine-39 (T1/2=56.2 min) formed by the interaction of cosmic-ray slow negative muons, mu- with Argon-40 in the lower atmosphere. The presence of 39Cl was confirmed by estimating the half-life of a radionuclide present in the rainwater ranging from 58 to 63 min and averaging 60.4 min. The disintegration rate of this radionuclide varied from 2.1 to 2.7 Bq L(-1) (125-160 dpm/L) of rainwater and averaged 2.3 Bq L(-1) (140 dpm/L) of rainwater in Thessaloniki (40 degrees 38'N, 22 degrees 58'E), Northern Greece. This concentration is indicative of mid or temperate latitudes. This is clearly less than that reported in the literature, 1.7 Bq L(-1) (100 dpm/L) of rainwater, for a southern latitude 31 degrees 54'N, 34 degrees 49'E (Rehovot, Israel), due to the latitudinal effect of cosmic radiation.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2006

The application of phosphogypsum in agriculture and the radiological impact.

Radium-226 in phosphogypsum produced in a phosphate industry, SICNG operating at Thessaloniki, Northern Greece since May 1966, varied from 261 to 688 Bq kg(-1) (mean value 508 Bq kg(-1)). This radionuclide in soil tilled with phosphogypsum used for agricultural purposes varied from 50 to 479 Bq kg(-1) (average 205 Bq kg(-1)), while in the regular soil of cultivated fields it varied from 37 to 54 Bq kg(-1) (average 48 Bq kg(-1)). Radium-226 in rice originated from cultivated fields tilled with phosphogypsum or not varied from 0.36 to 1.98 Bq kg(-1) (average 1.53 Bq kg(-1)) with the higher values observed in samples originated from cultivated fields tilled with phosphogypsum. Radium-226 transfer factors, TF, from soil tilled with phosphogypsum to plants for the case of rice varied from 6.5 x 10(-3) to 2.0 x 10(-2) (geometric mean: 1.1 x 10(-2)). A mean (226)Ra content in rice 1.53 Bq kg(-1) results in a daily intake of (226)Ra by humans in Greece 0.0084 Bq day(-1) leading to an annual effective dose for adults 0.86 microSv y(-1) which is much less in contributing to the average exposure to natural radiation sources (2.4 mSv y(-1)) and particularly to the part due to ingestion (0.29 mSv y(-1)). It is necessary to continuously control (monitoring) (226)Ra in phosphogypsum before any use for agricultural purposes.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Natural radioactivity of granites used as building materials.

Sixteen kinds of different granites, used as building materials, imported to Greece mainly from Spain and Brazil, were sampled and their natural radioactivity was measured by gamma-ray spectrometry. The activity concentrations of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K of granites are presented and compared to those of other building materials as well as other granite types used all over the world. In order to assess the radiological impact from the granites investigated, the absorbed and the effective doses were determined. Although the annual effective dose is higher than the limit of 1mSvy(-1) for some studied granites, they could be used safely as building materials, considering that their contribution in most of the house constructions is very low. An attempt to correlate the relatively high level of natural radioactivity, shown by some of the granites, with their constituent radioactive minerals and their chemical composition, was also made.

Background Radiation↗

PubMed2006

Radiation dose from cigarette tobacco.

The radioactivity in tobacco leaves collected from 15 different regions of Greece before cigarette production was studied in order to estimate the effective dose from cigarette tobacco due to the naturally occurring primordial radionuclides, such as (226)Ra and (210)Pb of the uranium series and (228)Ra of the thorium series and or man-made radionuclides, such as (137)Cs of Chernobyl origin. Gamma-ray spectrometry was applied using Ge planar and coaxial type detectors of high resolution and high efficiency. It was concluded that the annual effective dose due to inhalation for adults (smokers) for (226)Ra varied from 42.5 to 178.6 microSv y(-1) (average 79.7 microSv y(-1)), while for (228)Ra from 19.3 to 116.0 microSv y(-1) (average 67.1 microSv y(-1)) and for (210)Pb from 47.0 to 134.9 microSv y(-1) (average 104.7 microSv y(-1)), that is the same order of magnitude for each radionuclide. The sum of the effective doses of the three natural radionuclides varied from 151.9 to 401.3 microSv y(-1) (average 251.5 microSv y(-1)). The annual effective dose from (137)Cs of Chernobyl origin was three orders of magnitude lower as it varied from 70.4 to 410.4 nSv y(-1) (average 199.3 nSv y(-1)).

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed2005

Residence time of tropospheric aerosols in association with radioactive nuclides.

The residence time of atmospheric aerosol particles is a function of various removal processes, such as dry deposition by impaction, diffusion, sedimentation and resuspension as well as wet deposition by rain drops (precipitation scavenging). Estimation of the mean-residence time of atmospheric aerosols could be based on measurements of the activities and ratios of activities of cosmic-ray produced radionuclides, such as (7)Be and the radioactive decay products of radon-222 emanated from soil into the atmosphere, such as (210)Pb, (210)Bi and (210)Po. It was found that a mean value of about 8 days could be applied to aerosol particles in the lower atmosphere below precipitation cloud levels as resulted by the application of two different methods, i.e. the (7)Be-associated atmospheric aerosols and the radon decay product aerosols at two different locations, i.e. at Thessaloniki, Greece 40 degrees 38'N 22 degrees 58'E with dry (precipitation free) climate and at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA 35 degrees 58'N 84 degrees 17'W with high precipitation (wet climate), roughly at similar temperate latitudes, but the first one at East longitude and the other at West longitude, respectively.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Precipitation scavenging of 7Be and 137Cs radionuclides in air.

Atmospheric depositional fluxes of the naturally occurring 7Be of cosmogenic origin and 137Cs from fallout of the Chernobyl accident were measured over a 6-year period (January 1987-December 1992) at Thessaloniki, Greece (40 degrees 38'N, 22 degrees 58'E). Total precipitation accumulation during 1987-1992 varied between 33.7 cm and 65.2 cm, reflecting a relatively dry (precipitation-free) climate. The activity concentrations of 7Be and 137Cs in rainwater depended on the precipitation rate, being higher for low precipitation rates and lesser for high precipitation rates. 137Cs was removed by rain and snow more efficiently than 7Be. Snowfall was more efficient than rainfall in removing the radionuclides from the atmosphere. The annual bulk depositional fluxes of 7Be varied between 477 and 1133 Bq m(-2) y(-1) and this variability was attributed to the amount of precipitation and the variations of the atmospheric concentrations of 7Be. The annual bulk depositional fluxes of 137Cs showed a significant decrease over time from 1987 to 1992, resulting in a removal half-life of 1.33 years. The presence of 137Cs in air, and therefore in rainwater and snow, long after the Chernobyl accident (26 April 1986) was mainly due to the resuspension process. The normalized depositional fluxes of both radionuclides showed maximal values during the spring season where the maximum amount of precipitation occurred. The relatively high positive correlation between 7Be and 137Cs normalized depositional fluxes indicates that the scavenging process of local precipitation controlled the fluxes of both radionuclides. The dry depositional flux of 7Be was less than 9.37% of total (wet and dry) depositional flux. The fraction of dry-to-total depositional flux of 137Cs was much higher than that of 7Be, due to the resuspended soil.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2005

Temporal changes of 7 Be and 210 Pb concentrations in surface air at temperate latitudes 40 degrees N.

Atmospheric concentrations of (7)Be and (210)Pb were measured for 15 years (1987--2001) in ground-level air at Thessaloniki, Northern Greece (40 degrees 38'N, 22 degrees 58'E). Mean activity concentrations of (7)Be and (210)Pb were 5.02 mBqm(-3) and 664 microBqm(-3), respectively, characteristic of the latitude of 40 degrees N. Monthly atmospheric concentrations of (7)Be showed a strong seasonal trend with the highest values being observed in the summer and the lowest in the winter period. Multiple regression analysis of the data of (7)Be concentrations and a number of meteorological parameters revealed that the sunspot number and temperature are the most significant parameters affecting the concentrations of (7)Be in surface air. The observed strong positive correlation between the mean monthly concentrations of (7)Be and the temperature confirms that the increased rate of vertical transport within the troposphere, especially during the warm months, has as a result to carry down to the surface layer air masses enriched in (7)Be. Highest values of the mean monthly atmospheric concentrations of (210)Pb were observed in the autumn and lowest in the spring period. The positive correlation that was observed between (210)Pb and (7)Be concentrations during the summer months suggests that these two radionuclides could be used together as tracers of environmental processes.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2005

Cesium-137 in grass from Chernobyl fallout.

Grass ecosystem was monitored for 137Cs, a relatively long-lived radionuclide, for about 16 years since the Chernobyl reactor accident occurred on April 26, 1986. Cesium-137 in grass gramineae or poaceae the species, ranged from 122.9 Bq kg(-1) (September 4, 1986) to 5.8 mBq kg(-1) (October 16, 2001) that is a range of five orders of magnitude. It was observed that there was a trend of decreasing 137Cs with time reflecting a removal half-time of 40 months (3 1/3 years), which is the ecological half-life, T(ec) of 137Cs in grassland.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Measurement of radon emanation factor from granular samples: effects of additives in cement.

Two methods for radon emanation factor determination were performed and compared regarding their measuring accuracy: (a) by hermetically closing the sample in an airtight container and measuring the induced radon activity, and (b) by mixing charcoal and sealing the sample hermetically and after placing the sample in an open vessel with no charcoal addition, measuring each time the 226Ra content using gamma-spectrometry. Measurements of radon emanation factor of cement and pozzolanic additives, i.e. fly ash and phosphogypsum were also performed.

Calcium Sulfate↗

PubMed2004

Beryllium-7 and solar activity.

A very low concentration of (7)Be in air at Thessaloniki, Northern Greece (40 degrees 38'N, 22 degrees 58'E) was recorded on November 9, 2003 following a strong event of solar wind that occurred on October 29, 2003.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2003

Assessment of natural radiation exposure and radon exhalation from building materials in Greece.

In controlling the natural radiation exposure for the residents of dwellings, it is necessary to determine the levels of natural radioactivity (external exposure) and radon exhalation rate (internal exposure) from building materials. Using a high-resolution gamma ray spectrometry system, the activity concentration of natural radionuclides was measured. The radon exhalation rate was measured by hermetically closing the sample in a container and following the radon activity growth as a function of time. Three different methods were applied in order to find the most appropriate, i.e. that with the less uncertainty for the less exposure time. Typical building materials were analyzed in order to examine the external and internal exposures. In addition, the total annual effective dose was evaluated for the residents of a typical Greek dwelling.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗

PubMed2003

Application of activation methods on the Dubna experimental transmutation set-ups.

High spallation neutron fluxes were produced by irradiating massive heavy targets with proton beams in the GeV range. The experiments were performed at the Dubna High Energy Laboratory using the nuclotron accelerator. Two different experimental set-ups were used to produce neutron spectra convenient for transmutation of radioactive waste by (n,x) reactions. By a theoretical analysis neutron spectra can be reproduced from activation measurements. Thermal-epithermal and fast-super-fast neutron fluxes were estimated using the 197Au, 238U (n,gamma) and (n,2n) reactions, respectively. Depleted uranium transmutation rates were also studied in both experiments.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

An overview of instrumentantion for measuring radon in soil gas and groundwaters.

Instruments for the measurements of radon and its decay products in earthquake research are based mostly on the detection of alpha particles. The devices and methods used, depend on whether the techniques measure radon or radon decay products, and the duration of the measurements, of which there are three types: (i) grab or instantaneous; (ii) integrating; and (iii) continuous. Other criteria used in the design of these instruments are field measurements applicability. portability. convenience and reliability. With the recent increased demand for radon and radon decay products measurements, instruments development has focused on the design of appropriate devices for short-term measurements, as well as on more complex and sophisticated instruments for long-term measurements used in radon research for geophysical, geochemical and hydrological studies.

Disasters↗

PubMed2002

Depleted uranium in military conflicts and the impact on the environment.

Kosovo was bombarded by fired shells (bullets) with depleted uranium (DU) during April 1999. Around 30,000 depleted uranium rounds (projectiles) were fired, and about 10 tons of the DU debris were scattered across Kosovo. In reviewing the data on environmental measurements for depleted uranium collected by field missions in the Kosovo area during the period of 5-19 November 2000 (1.5 y following the 1999 conflict), evidence of depleted uranium was found only in soil samples at localized points of concentrated contamination. Concentrations varied from a few mg (2.34 mg) DU per kg soil (29 Bq DU/kg soil) at depths of 39.5-44.5 cm up to about 18 g DU per kg soil (225,760 Bq DU/kg soil) at depths of 0-5 cm surface soil. There were no signs of depleted uranium in waters. However, in most (80%) of the 145 soil (core) samples reported by UNEP, 238U was lower than 100 Bq per kg soil (the lowest was 8.8 Bq per kg soil) in 112 locations of widespread contamination.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2001

Radioactivity in tobacco leaves.

The radioactivity in tobacco leaves collected from 15 different regions of Greece before cigarette production was studied in order to find any association between the uptake of the naturally occurring radionuclides and the isotopes of cesium of Chernobyl origin. The activities of the isotopes of radium, 226Ra and 228Ra, in the tobacco leaves reflected their origin from the soil by root uptake rather than from fertilizers used in the tobacco cultivation. Lead-210 originated from the air and was deposited onto the tobacco leaves and trapped by the trichomes. Potassium-40 in the tobacco leaves was due to root uptake either from soil or from fertilizer. The isotopes of cesium, 137Cs and 134Cs, in the tobacco leaves were due to root uptake and not due to deposition onto the leaf foliage as they still remained in soil four years after the Chernobyl reactor accident but were absent from the atmosphere in rain washout (precipitation) and gravitational settling.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2001

Radiological impact from atmospheric releases of 238U and 226Ra from phosphate rock processing plants.

Phosphate rocks are used extensively, mainly as a source of phosphorus for fertilizers and secondarily for phosphoric acid and other speciality chemicals. Phosphates are typically enriched in uranium and are thus one of the sources of technologically enhanced natural radiation (TENR) which increases exposure to man from natural radionuclides. Emissions from phosphate rock processing plants in gaseous and particulate form contain radionuclides, such as 238U and 226Ra, which are discharged into the environment causing radiation exposures to the population. About 10 MBq each of 238U and 226Ra are discharged into the environment each year from SICNG, a phosphate rock processing plant in Thessaloniki area, Northern Greece. The collective dose commitment to lung tissue resulting from atmospheric releases was estimated to be approximately 2 x 10(-9) person Gy t-1 for 238U and approximately 0.1 x 10(-9) person Gy t-1 for 226Ra, i.e. about 2 times higher than that estimated in the UNSCEAR reports issued in 1982, 1988, and 1993.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

PubMed2001

Coloured rain dust from Sahara Desert is still radioactive.

A coloured rain event originating from the Sahara Desert occurred on April 9, 2000 at Thessaloniki, Northern Greece (40 degrees 38'N, 22 degrees 58'E). The radioactive nuclides that were determined in a coloured rain dust sample were 137Cs of Chernobyl origin, 7Be of cosmogenic origin and 40K of terrestrial origin. Cesium-137 still remained 14 years after the Chernobyl accident, reaching 26.6 Bq kg-1 in the coloured rain dust.

Africa, Northern↗

PubMed1996

Radiation impact from lignite burning due to 226Ra in Greek coal-fired power plants.

Lignite contains naturally occurring radionuclides arising from the uranium and thorium series as well as from 40K. Lignite burning is, therefore, one of the sources of technologically enhanced exposure to humans from natural radionuclides. Emissions from thermal power stations in gaseous and particulate form contain radioisotopes, such as 226Ra, that are discharged into the environment causing radiation exposures to the population. About 11,672 MBq y-1 of 226Ra are discharged into the environment from four coal-fired power plants totalling 3.62 GW electrical energy in the Ptolemais Valley, Northern Greece, in which the combustion of 1.1 x 10(10) kg of lignite is required to produce an electrical energy of 1 GW y. The collective committed equivalent dose to lung tissue per unit power generated resulting from atmospheric releases of 226Ra was estimated to be 1.1 x 10(-2) person Sv (GW y)-1; i.e. more than 15 times higher than the average value for a modern type coal-fired power plant according to the UNSCEAR 1988 data.

Coal↗