Radioactively contaminated areas: Bioindicator species and biomarkers of effect in an early warning scheme for a preliminary risk assessment

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Lourenço, J (Author) Other; Mendo, S (Author) Other; Ruth Pereira (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Hazardous Materials

Vol. 317

Pages: 503-542

ISSN: 0304-3894

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

Scopus - 27 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-K9W

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.06.020

Abstract (EN): Concerns about the impacts on public health and on the natural environment have been raised regarding the full range of operational activities related to uranium mining and the rest of the nuclear fuel cycle (including nuclear accidents), nuclear tests and depleted uranium from military ammunitions. However, the environmental impacts of such activities, as well as their ecotoxicological/toxicological profile, are still poorly studied. Herein, it is discussed if organisms can be used as bioindicators of human health effects, posed by lifetime exposure to radioactively contaminated areas. To do so, information was gathered from several studies performed on vertebrates, invertebrate species and humans, living in these contaminated areas. The retrieved information was compared, to determine which are the most used bioindicators and biomarkers and also the similarities between human and non-human biota responses. The data evaluated are used to support the proposal for an early warning scheme, based on bioindicator species and on the most sensitive and commonly shared biomarkers, to perform a screening evaluation of radioactively contaminated sites. This scheme could be used to support decision-making for a deeper evaluation of risks to human health, making it possible to screen a large number of areas, without disturbing and alarming local populations. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific