Helcom : Monitoring Of Radioactive Substances

HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 10/3

(Supersedes the present HELCOM Recommendation 8/1)

Adopted 14 February 1989 having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention

MONITORING OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING Paragraph 1 of Article 6 of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1974 (Helsinki Convention), in which the Contracting Parties undertake to take all appropriate measures to control and minimize land-based pollution of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area, and Paragraph 2 of Article 6, in which the Contracting Parties undertake to take all appropriate measures to control and strictly limit pollution by noxious substances and materials in accordance with Annex II of the Convention,

RECALLING ALSO Paragraph 3 of Article 16 of the Helsinki Convention, in which the Contracting Parties undertake directly, or when appropriate, through competent regional or other international organizations and other basis of the information and data acquired pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 16, to cooperate in developing intercomparable observation methods, in performing baseline studies and in establishing complementary or joint programmes for monitoring,

NOTING the concern for the effects of radioactive substances on the environment, due to accidental or other releases,

NOTING FURTHER the decision by the Commission that the monitoring of radioactive substances be started in 1985 as a continuation of the previous work coordinated by IAEA,

DESIRING to protect the Baltic Sea against harmful effects to be possibly caused by radioactive substances,

BEING MINDFUL of the need of reliable data on the radionuclides in the different compartments of the environment,

RECOMMENDS to the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention that:

a) each Baltic Sea State should have environmental stations on the sea or on the coast, and the Commission will be informed about the positions of the stations;

b) the list contained in the Attachment to this Recommendation should be used as the basis for the environmental monitoring programme in all Baltic Sea States, bearing in mind that the list consists of minimum requirements, and that the voluntary measurements are also highly recommended as essential complementary information;

c) guidelines for the monitoring programme prepared by experts and adopted by the Commission (Attachment to this Recommendation) should be followed as detailed as possible including the guidelines for reporting of data;

d) the release data should be reported to the Commission according to the guidelines,

RECOMMENDS ALSO that the Baltic Sea States would report their data to the Commission once every year by 1 June.

ATTACHMENT

GUIDELINES FOR MONITORING OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

1. Environmental monitoring

1.1 with reference to sub-paragraph a) routine stations

1.2 with reference to sub-paragraph a) maps

1.3 with reference to sub-paragraph b) radionuclides to be monitored

1.4 with reference to sub-paragraph c) forms to be used for reporting environmental data

2. Release data

2.1 with reference to sub-paragraph d) release data to be reported

2.2 with reference to sub-paragraph d) form to be used for reporting release data

1. Environmental monitoring

1.1 Routine station network for regular monitoring programme is recommended as indicated in the following list and the maps.

Additional stations are recommended to be sampled and data to be reported accordingly.

A. WATER SAMPLES

*) st. = station(s) - location indicated in the maps attached (1.2))

1. Belt Sea and Baltic Proper

DK= 4 st. *)

FI= 3 st.

DD= 10 to 20 st. (1 coastal st.)

DE= 5 to 20 st.

PL= 6 st. 3 (open sea st.) + 3 (coastal st.)

SU= 5 st.

The regions covered are:

Denmark = Belt Sea

Finland = North, Central, South

German Democratic Republic = Central, South-west

Federal Republic of Germany = South-west

Poland = South

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics = East

2. Great Belt and Sound

DK = 9 st.

DE = 2 st.

3. Kattegat and Skagerrak

DK = 5 st. (occasionally)

DE = about 8 st.

SE = 1 st.

4. Gulf of Finland

FI = 3 st. (1 open sea, 2 coastal st.)

DD = 2 st.

SU = 6 st.

5. Gulf of Bothnia

FI = 3 st. (2 open sea, 1 coastal st.)

SE = 1 st. (open/coastal)

B. SEDIMENT SAMPLES / SINKING MATTER

1. Baltic Proper

FI = 2 st.

DD = 3 st. (coastal st.)

PL = 6 st. (3 open sea, 3 coastal st.)

SE = 1 open (1 coastal st.)

SU = 2 st. (open sea)

2. Belt Sea and Kattegat

DK = 3 st.

DE = 5 st. (maximum)

SE = 2 coastal st.

3. Gulf of Finland

FI = 2 open sea st., 2 coastal st. (sinking matter)

SU = 2 open sea st.

4. Gulf of Bothnia

FI = 2 open sea st., 1 coastal st. (sinking matter)

SE = 1 coastal st.

C. FISH SAMPLES

( **) [ ] = information uncertain)

1. Baltic Proper

DD = commercial catches (1 open, 1 coastal)

DE = commercial catches (open sea areas) **)

PL = commercial catches (Gulf of Gdansk, open sea areas)

SE = 3 st. (1 open sea st., 2 coastal st.)

SU = 3 st. (coastal)

2. Belt Sea and Kattegat

DK = commercial catches

SE = 1 st. (open)

3. Gulf of Finland

FI = 2 st.

SU = 3 st. (coastal)

4. Gulf of Bothnia

FI = 3 st.

SE = 2 st. (coastal)

D. AQUATIC PLANTS (coastal stations)

1. Baltic Proper

DD = 2 st.

SE = 1 st. (open/coastal)

SU = 4 st.

2. Belt Sea and Kattegat

DK = about 6 st.

SE = 3 st.

3. Gulf of Gdansk

PL = 3 st.

4. Gulf of Finland

FI = 1 st.

SU = 3 st.

5. Gulf of Bothnia

FI = 1 st.

SE = 1 st.

E. BENTHIC ANIMALS

1. Baltic Proper

DD = 4 st.

PL = 2 st.

SE = 1 st.

2. Belt Sea and Kattegat

DK = 2 st.

SE = 3 st.

3. Gulf of Finland

FI = 1 st.

4. Gulf of Bothnia

FI = 1 st.

SE = 1 st.

1.2 Maps indicating location of the sampling areas:

Map 1. The sampling stations of Finland, German Democratic Republic, Sweden and USSR for sea water and the sites of the nuclear power stations.

Map 2. The sampling stations of Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany and Poland for sea water.

Map 3. The sampling stations for sediment/sinking matter.

Map 4. The sampling stations for aquatic plants and benthic animals.

Map 5. The sampling areas for fish.

Abbreviations used for the names of the Contracting Parties:

DK = Denmark

FI = Finland

DD = German Democratic Republic

DE = Federal Republic of Germany

PL = Polish People's Republic

SE = Sweden

SU = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Maps 1. - 5.

1.3 Radionuclides to be monitored

Sample Obligatory Voluntary Desirable remarks

A. Water Radiocesium *) H-3; Tc-99 salinity, temperature,

(results in Bq m^-3) Sr-90 *) Pu-239,240; Am-241; sample depth,

γ -emitters total depth

B. Sediment γ -emitters ***) Sr-90; Pu-239,240; type of sediment

(results in Am-241; (mud, sand etc.),

Bq kg^-1dry wt. and Bq m^-2) natural radionuclides grain size distribution,

(e.g. Po-210) water content, carbon content,

oxic / anoxic, density,

mass depth (kg m^-2),

sample treatment and storage,

sedimentation rate

C. Fish γ -emitters ***) Sr-90; species, total fish or

(result in Bq kg^-1 wet wt.) natural radionuclides organ (fraction),

(e.g. Po-210) size, age, sex

D. Aquatic plants γ -emitters ***) Sr-90; Tc-99; species

(results in Bq kg^-1 dry wt.) Pu-239,240; Am-241;

natural radionculides

E. Benthic animals γ -emitters ***) Sr-90; Tc-99; species,

(results in Bq kg^-1 dry wt.) natural radionuclides fraction

(e.g. Po-210);

Pu-239,240; Am-241

F. Sinking matter cf. sediment cf. sediment dry weight (%),

(results in Bq kg^-1 dry wt.) ignition loss (%)

*) Cs-137 and Cs-134, if possible

**) regularly, on a carefully selected number of samples

***) K-40, Cs-137 and other γ-emitters identified in the γ -spectrum

1.4 Forms to be used for reporting environmental data (4)

- for sea water

- for bottom sediment

- for biota

- for sinking matter

HELCOM/MORS REPORTING FORMAT FOR SEA WATER

1. Form identifier code I W I

2. Country I___I___I

3. Laboratory I___I___I___I___I

4. Sequence number I___I___I___I___I___I

5. Sampling date I___I___I___I___I___I___I

6 Sampling station I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lat. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lon. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

7. Total depth (m) I___I___I___I

8. Sample depth (m) I___I___I___I

9. Water salinity (‰) I___I___I___I___I

10. Water temperature (^oC) I___I___I___I

11. Filtrated/not filtrated sample I_____I

Activity concentrations Bq m^-3

Radionuclide Method Value Exp. term Error %

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I I__I__I I__I__I__I__I I__I__I__I I__I__I

HELCOM/MORS REPORTING FORMAT FOR BOTTOM SEDIMENT

1. Form identifier code I S I

2. Country I___I___I

3. Laboratory I___I___I___I___I

4. Sequence number I___I___I___I___I___I

5. Sampling date I___I___I___I___I___I___I

6 Sampling station I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lat. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lon. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

7. Sampling device/method I___I___I

8. Total depth (m) I___I___I___I

9. Core slice depth from surface

upper (cm) I___I___I

lower (cm) I___I___I

10. Sampled area (m²) I___I___I___I___I

11. Type of sediment I___I___I

12. Oxic/anoxic I_____I

13. Dry weight (%) I___I___I

14. Ignition loss (%) I___I___I

Activity concentrations

Bq kg^-1 dry wt. Bq m^-2

Anal. Error

Radionuclide method Value Exp. term % Value Exp. term

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I I__I__I I__I__I__I__I I__I__I__I I__I__I I__I__I__I__I I__I__I__I

HELCOM/MORS REPORTING FORMAT FOR BIOTA

1. Form identifier code I B I

2. Country I___I___I

3. Laboratory I___I___I___I___I

4. Sequence number I___I___I___I___I___I

5. Sampling date I___I___I___I___I___I___I

6 Sampling area/station I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lat. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lon. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

7. Sample depth (m) I___I___I___I

8. Species code (Rubin) I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I___I

9. Tissue code I___I___I

10. Number of specimen in the sample I___I___I___I

11. Average size of specimen

Length (cm) I___I___I___I

Weight (g) I___I___I___I___I

12. Dry weight (%) I___I___I

13. Ignition loss (%) I___I___I

Activity concentrations

(given for fish in Bq kg^-1 wet wt., for aquatic plants and benthic animals in Bq kg^-1 dry wt.)

Radionuclide Method Value Exp. term Basis Error %

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I I__I__I I__I__I__I__I I__I__I__I I__I I__I__I

HELCOM/MORS REPORTING FORMAT FOR SINKING MATTER

1. Form identifier code I M I

2. Country I___I___I

3. Laboratory I___I___I___I___I

4. Sequence number I___I___I___I___I___I

5. Sampling period

from I___I___I___I___I___I___I

to I___I___I___I___I___I___I

6 Sampling station I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lat. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

Lon. I___I___I___I___I___I___I

7. Sampling device/method I___I___I

8. Total depth (m) I___I___I___I

9. Sample depth (m) I___I___I___I

10. Dry weight (%) I___I___I

13. Ignition loss (%) I___I___I

Activity concentrations Bq kg^-1 dry weight

Anal.

Radionuclide Method Value Exp. term Error %

I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I__I I__I__I I__I__I__I__I I__I__I__I I__I__I

Guidelines for filling the HELCOM/MORS Reporting formats

The forms for sea water, bottom sediment, biota and sinking matter should be filled in according to the following description.

Item Code Description

Form identifier code W =sea water

S = bottom sediment

B = biota

M = sinking matter

Country Denmark = 26

Federal Republic of Germany = 06

Finland = 34

German Democratic Republic = 96

Polish Peoples Republic = 67

Sweden = 77

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics = 90

Laboratory Insert a four-letter mnemonic code for your laboratory:

RISO Risø National Laboratory (DK)

DHIG Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut (DE)

STUK Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (FI)

SAAS Staatliches Amt für Atomsicherheit und Strahlenschutz (DD)

CLOR Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (PL)

NCRS National Swedish Environmental Protection Board, Coastal Research Laboratory (SE)

Sequence number Insert the number of your W, S, B and M format being filled

I 8 I 8 I 0 I 0 I1 l for the first form in 1988 (the two first digits are for the year).

Sampling date Indicate the year (last two digits only), month and date of the sampling, e.g. I 8 I 8 I 1 I 2 I 3 I 1 I

Sampling station Insert first the code of the sampling station (without spaces), e.g.

I B I Y I 1 I 5 I I I or

I L I O I V I 2 I I I or

I T I E I I I L I I I 1 I

and then the coordinates as follows:

60^o 15, 5' = I 6 I 0 I 1 I 5 I 5 I 0 I

Note that decimal fractions of minutes are recorded and not seconds. N (north) and E (east) are not needed in the Baltic Sea.

Total depth and Insert the depth in metres, e.g.

sample depth (m) 0.1 m = I 0 I 0 I 0 I

(W7-8, S8, B8, M8-9) 1.20 m = I 0 I 0 I 1 I

240 m = I 2 I 4 I 0 I

Water salinity (‰) 6.85 ‰ = I 0 I 6 I 8 I 5 I

(W9)

Water temperature (^oC) 5.1 ^oC = I 0 I 5 I 1 I

(Wl0)

Filtrated/not filtrated Insert F if filtrated or N if not filtrated

sample

(W11)

Sampling device/method Make a list of the methods used in your laboratory and

(S7, M7) insert your own numeric code into the form according to the list. Keep up a corresponding catalog on the descriptions of methods - Example: I 0 I 1 I Sediment sampling with the Niemistö corer used by STUK since 1977. Reference: Niemistö, L., A gravity corer for studies of soft sediments. Merentutkimuslait. Julk./Havsforskningsinst. Skr. 238, 33-38, Helsinki, 1974.

I 0 I 2 I Sediment sampling with box corer used by STUK...

The HELCOM data bank should have an up-to-date catalog on all the methods used in your laboratory.

Core slice depth Insert the upper and lower limit of the slice depth

from surface in centimetres, e.g.

(S9) 0-2 cm= upper l 0 I 0 I

lower I 0 I 2 I

2-4 cm = upper I 0 I 2 I

lower I 0 I 4 I

Sampled area (m²) Indicate, which area of bottom surface the sample

(S10) represents, e. g. 5 subsamples with the Niemistö corer

(Ø5 cm) = 5 x 19.6 cm² = 98.2 cm² = I 0 I 0 I 1 I 0 I m²

Type of sediment Main codes:

(S11) 0 = gravel

1 = sand

2 = fine sand

3 = silt

4 = clay

5 = mud ("gyttja")

The numbers 0-5 have the same meaning both as first and second digit, but the first is always the dominating component in the sample, e.g.

I 3 I 0 I = silt and gravel,

I 3 I 4 I = silt and clay.

Pure gravel = I 0 I 0 I

pure sand = I 1 I 1 I

pure f. sand = I 2 I 2 I

pure silt = I 3 I 3 I

pure clay = I 4 I 4 I

pure mud = I 5 I 5 I

Additional codes:

6 = glacial clay characteristic for the Baltic Sea.

Number 7 as second digit means "soft". e.g.

I 4 I 7 I = soft clay

Number 8 as second digit means "sulphidic", e.g.

I 4 I 8 I = sulphidic clay

Number 9 as second digit means, that the sample consist ferromanganese concretions.

Mass depth (kg m^-2) Deleted during editorial work after STC 15.

(S11)

Oxic/anoxic Insert O if the surface layer of the sediment is oxic

(S12) or A if anoxic.

Dry weight (%) Dry weight in percents from fresh weight

(S13, B12, M10)

Ignition loss (%) Ignition loss in percents from dry weight

(S14, B13, M11)

Species code (Rubin) The RUBIN 8-letter codes are strongly preferred. Codes for

(B8) some common species are as follows:

FUCU VES = Fucus vesiculosus

CLAD GLO = Cladophora glomerate

MACO BAL = Macoma baltica

MYTI EDU = Mytilus edulis

SADU ENT = Saduria entomon (syn. Mesidotea e.)

CLUP HAR = Clupea harengus

GADU MOR = Gadus morhua

Tissue code Insert a code for the tissue or fraction analysed

(B9) as follows:

FISH AND MAMMALS

01 fish as whole

02 as whole, without entrails

03 as whole, without head and entrails

04 flesh with bones

05 flesh without bones (fillets)

06 head

07 fins

08 skin/epidermis

09 scales

10 bones

11 gills

12 entrails

13 stomach

14 intestine

15 stomach + intestine

16 heart

17 blood

18 liver

19 kidney

20 ovary

21 testes

INVERTEBRATES

41 whole animals

42 shells

43 soft parts

PLANTS

51 whole haptophytic plants

52 loose - lying plants

53 growing tips

54 upper parts of plants

55 lower parts of plants

Radionuclide First the symbol of element and then the mass number (without spaces), e.g.

I K40 I

I SR90 I

I CS137 I

I AG110M I

I PU239240 I

I CM243244 I

Anal. method Insert your own code for analyse method, cf. sampling device/method

Value + exp. term Insert the result in exponential form, first the mantissa and then the signed exponential term as follows:

22 000 = I 2 I 2 I I I I + I 0 I 4 I

1.54 = I 1 I 5 I 4 I I I + I 0 I 0 I

0.003 = I 3 I I I I I - I 0 I 3 I

0.076 = I 7 I 6 I I I I - I 0 I 2 I

(The results of sediment analyses are recommended to give both in Bq kg^-1 dry wt. and in Bq m^-2 )

Error Insert the analytical error in percents (1 sigma).

Basis Insert a one-letter code for the basis on which

(B) the value is being reported, as follows:

W = wet weight (fresh weight)

D = dry weight

A = ash weight (not recommended)

2. Release data

2.1 Release data to be reported:

1) Discharges into the aquatic environment from the nuclear power plants

- on obligatory basis

2) Discharges into air from the nuclear power plants and other releases, if significant

- on voluntary basis

3) Only nuclides with a longer half-life than one week should be reported

4) Other necessary monitoring is encouraged to be carried out e.g. related to airborne pollution, river discharges etc.

2.2 Form to be used in reporting release data

Page of pages

REPORTING FORMAT

Radioactive Discharges to the Baltic Sea from Land Based Sources

1. FACILITY

1.1 NAME

1.2 COUNTRY

1.3 TYPE OF FACILITY (e.g. reactor, fuel cycle operations, laboratory, mine etc.)

1.4 LOCATION - REGION

1.5 YEAR OPERATION COMMENCED

2. RIVER (in case of inland based sources)

2.1 NEAREST RIVER OR ROUTE FOR EFFLUENT TO REACH BALTIC SEA

2.2 AVERAGE ANNUAL RIVER FLOW (m³s^-1)

MINIMUM

MAXIMUM

Page of pages

3. RADIOACTIVE DISCHARGE YEAR

3.1 TOTAL ANNUAL DISCHARGE OF RADIONUCLIDES IN LIQUID EFFLUENTS FROM SITE (half-life longer than one week):

Nuclide	Bq	Nuclide	Bq

3.2 AIRBORNE DISCHARGES FROM SITE (on voluntary basis):

Nuclide	Bq	Nuclide	Bq

3.3 ESTIMATE OF FRACTION OF ABOVE MENTIONED RADIONUCLIDES REACHING THE BALTIC SEA

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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