Risk from Inhalation of the Long-Lived Radionuclides Uranium, Thorium, and Fallout Plutonium in the Atmosphere - Aerosols: Measurement, Dosimetry, and Health Effects - page 558

TABLE 22.1
Uranium Concentrations in Total Suspended Particulates

pg U m −3 μ Bq 238 U m −3

Remote Sites Mean SD Mean SD References

N. Atlantic Ocean 4.1 1.2 0.05 0.015 Hamilton (1970)

S. Atlantic Ocean 2.2 0.5 0.027 0.006 Hamilton (1970)

Antarctic Ice Pack 1.2 0.3 0.015 0.004 Hamilton (1970)

Antarctic Base Camp 3.0 1.0 0.037 0.012 Hamilton (1970)

Skibotn, Norway 3.0 1.3 0.037 0.016 Kolb (1989)

Vardo 5.5 0.9 0.068 0.012 Kolb (1995)

Asia
Tokyo, Japan 25 15 0.31 0.19 Hirose and Sugimura (1981)

Tsukba Science City 14 10 0.17 0.12 Hirose and Sugimura (1981)

Kamisaibama 234 98 2.9 1.2 Yunoki et al. (1995)

Europe
Mol, Belgium

115 95 1.4 1.2 Janssens et al. (1975)

Olen 114 36 1.4 0.5 Janssens et al. (1975)

Berlin, Germany 133 20 1.6 0.2 Kolb (1989)

Braunschweig 85 40 1.1 0.5 Kolb (1989)

Sutton, UK 62 78 0.77 0.97 Hamilton (1970)

North America
Ontario, Canada 100 1.2 Tracy and Prandl (1985)

United States, 23 States 170 54 2.1 0.7 USEPA (1993)

Global average 80 1 UNSCEAR (2000b)

TABLE 22.2
Thorium Concentrations in Total Suspended Particulates

pg Th m −3 μ Bq 232 Th m −3

SD Mean SD References

Remote Sites Mean

Skibotn, Norway 100 50 0.4 0.2 Kolb (1989)

Vardo 15 7 0.065 0.003 Kolb (1995)

Asia
Bombay, India 250-2500 1-10 Sunta et al. (1987)

Europe
Berlin, Germany 270 20 1.1 0.1 Kolb (1989)

Braunschweig 150 70 0.6 0.3 Kolb (1989)

North America
United States, Argonne, IL 50 20 0.2 0.1 Golchert et al. (1973)

New York, NY 100 50 0.4 0.2 Fisenne et al. (1987)

Global average 250 1 UNSCEAR (2000b)

continued until mid-1985 when the Pu concentrations in monthly composited samples approached
the detection limit for the measurement. The USEPA ERAMS measurements included Pu since
1978. The collections and measurements continue on an annual basis as the Pu concentrations in
the TSP are at the detection limit for the measurement. The radionuclide concentrations from the
ERAMS sites are available on their website, http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/erams. The off-site