1. Lichen Radionuclide Baseline Research By Loda Griffeth

2. Overview Definitions Importance Background: Radiation in Alaska Past Research Current Research

3. Definitions Units Becquerel (Bq) = 1 Disintegrations/sec (dps) Curie (Ci) =3.7 X 10 10 dps Gray (Gy) = 1 Joule/kg of material Sievert (Sv) = 1 Gy*Quality Factor (Q) Megaton (MT) = 4.18 X 10 15 Joules

4. Importance Arctic is a sink for radioactive contamination Effect on subsistence lifestyles Major source – nuclear weapons testing (1960 ’ s) Other sources – nuclear power plants and Chernobyl fallout.

5. Radiation in Alaska Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant Fort Greely Nuclear Power Plant Amchitka – Underground Nuclear Tests

6. Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant Chukotka, Russia Above Arctic Circle 4 - Light water graphite- 12MW (LWGR-12) Built 1974 (30 yrs) No containment structure Shutdown 2006-2010 Source: www.rosatom.com/english/stations/bilibino/bil_1.htm

7. Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant Fairbanks: 2012-km and Nome: 1304-km

8. Ft. Greely Nuclear Power Plant Near Delta Junction Operated 1962-1971 1.5-MW Stationary Medium Power (SM-1A) 1997 leakage detected Clean-up and decommissioning is on- going

9. Amchitka Island Hydrological study Sampling Long term monitoring 1220 ~1 Mt1969Milrow Device Testing1790~ 5 Mt1971Cannikin Seismic Calibration Seismic Testing71680kt1965Longshot PurposeDepth (m)Est. YieldYearProject Summary of the three nuclear test conducted on the island.

10. Research conducted in 1987, a year after the Chernobyl accident: Previous Research Sampling Locations Barrow (71N, 156W) Colville River (70N, 151W) Anaktuvuk Pass (68N, 151W) Nome (64N, 165W) Fairbanks (64N, 147W)

11. Previous Research Vegetation Moss Lichen Mushrooms Lake Sediment Soil Subsistence Foods White Fish Caribou Bowhead Whale Sampling Materials

12. Previous Research Cs-137 levels were low in all samples Deposition of Cs-137 varied by a factor of 28+ Cs-137 was greater in samples collected in Fairbanks Cs-137 levels were generally lower in soils than lichen Results from a radiocesium study conducted in 1987

13. Previous Research Transport via Western Canada:

14. Current Research Objectives Sampling Methodology Gamma Counter Data Results Future Research

15. Objectives Establish composition and spatial distribution radionuclides in Alaska Assess known and potential lichen indicator species Derive correlation between baseline lichen data and radiological data Derive correlation between current baseline lichen data and potential bioconcentration effects in caribou

16. Methodology - Lichen Separate lichen from other natural materials, store in sealed, tared plastic bags. Sample area – 1/4-meter (smaller, if lichen abundance is low). Drying time – 24-hours at 100°C. Ash for 24-hours at 450°C and store in tared plastic bags. Upper Right: Lichen abundance at Moose Pass. Lower Right: Sampling area at Moose Pass containing Cadina stellaris.

17. Methodology - Soil Metal corer 5x10-cm Split 8-10-cm plugs into 1-5-cm and 6-10-cm plugs Obtained replicate samples from lichen plots & 1-2 additional samples per site. Dried and ashed samples Sifted samples – discarded particles >2-mm size Upper Right: Soil sampling using a metal corer at Moose Pass along the Seward Highway. Lower Right: Soil sample collected at Moose Pass along the Seward Highway.

18. Sampling Sites * Indicates one of several types of lichen collected from site.

19. Data Lichen Samples (30) Soil Samples (46) 35% Analyzed Replicate measurements to ensure precision Multiple vials to ensure homogeneity

20. Gamma Counter Canberra Germanium Detector:

21. Gamma Counter Genie 2000 Spectroscopy and Analysis Software:

22. Results Cosmogenic Nuclide Be-7 Fission Product Cs-137 U-235?? Primordial Nuclides K-40 Decay Series Bi-214 Pb-214 Pa-234M Ra-226

23. Results

26. Cs-137 – Good Model Activity increases with Latitude Higher activity in lichen than activity in soil samples Low activity in Seward Hwy (SH) and Denali highway (DH) samples U-235 – Good to Marginal Model Activity increases with latitude and longitude Bethel samples have high activity Low activity in Seward Hwy and Denali Hwy samples Higher activity in lichen than activity in soil samples

27. Future Research Establish composition and spatial distribution radionuclides in Alaska Assess known and potential lichen indicator species Derive correlation between baseline lichen data and radiological data Derive correlation between current baseline lichen data and potential bioconcentration effects in caribou

28. Acknowledgements John Kelley (IMS) Larry Duffy Adrienne Orr Stan Read and Doug Dasher (ADEC) Richard Stolzberg Chemistry Department Pacific Northwest National Laboratories Laodong Guo and Celine Gueguen (IARC)