International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2018)

URANIUM AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR: A NEW IAEA TECHNICAL REPORTS SERIES PUBLICATION

27 Jun 2018, 17:00

1h

Vienna

POSTER Track 10. Health, safety, environment and social responsibility Poster Session

Speaker

Mrs Andra-Rada Iurian (IAEA)

Description

Uranium is a naturally-occurring element that is present at low concentrations in all environmental media, but elevated concentrations of uranium can be found in some minerals e.g. uranium-rich ores. Assessments of the impact of uranium on humans and other biota are a specific challenge because of the combination of different types of hazards and potential exposures. The IAEA is preparing an overview document intended to provide IAEA Member States with information on the environmental behaviour of uranium for use in environmental impact assessments of routine discharges and accidental releases, for uranium impact assessments in different contamination scenarios and for remediation planning of sites contaminated with uranium. This report covers the behaviour of uranium in the atmosphere, terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. The primary focus of the report is the environmental behaviour of uranium, as the environmental behaviour of uranium progenies (such as radioisotopes of radium, radon, polonium and thorium) are considered in other IAEA documents. The information presented is relevant to the environmental transfer of uranium to both humans and non-human biota.