D-ERICA: An integrated approach to the assessment and management of environmental risk from ionising radiation. Description of purpose, methodology and application.

Abstract

Using the ERICA Integrated ApproachThe ERICA Integrated Approach advises the user on how to formulate the problem (involving stakeholders if appropriate), perform an impact assessment and evaluate data.It outlines the issues and options available to the user (and requiring decisions) before, during, and after an assessment.The ERICA Integrated Approach is supported by the ERICA Tool, which is a software programme that guides the user through the assessment process, keeps records and performs the necessary calculations to estimate dose rates to selected biota.A detailed help is provided to assist the user in making appropriate choices and inputs, as well as interpret the outputs.The Tool interacts with a number of databases and other functions that help the assessor to estimate environmental media activity concentrations, activity concentrations in biota, and dose rates to biota.The databases consider the majority of the radionuclides included in Publication 38 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).The ERICA Tool also interfaces with the FREDERICA radiation effects database, which is a compilation of the scientific literature on radiation effect experiments and field studies, organised around different wildlife groups and, for most data, broadly categorised according to four effect umbrella endpoints: morbidity, mortality, reproduction, and mutation.The databases of the ERICA Tool are built up around a number of reference organisms.Each reference organism has its own specified geometry and is representative of either terrestrial, freshwater or marine ecosystems.The approach is compatible with that used by ICRP; some of the geometries proposed for the ICRP 'reference animals and plants' are used as defaults in the ERICA Tool.The assessment element of the ERICA Integrated Approach is organised in three separate tiers, where satisfying certain criteria in Tiers 1 and 2 allows the user to exit the assessment process while being confident that the effects on biota are low or negligible, and that the situation requires no further action.Where the effects are not shown to be negligible, the assessment should continue to Tiers 2 and 3. Situations of concern should be assessed further in Tier 3, by making full use of all relevant information available through the Integrated Approach or elsewhere.www.erica-project.orgERICA D-ERICA: An INTEGRATED APPROACH to the assessment and management of environmental risks from ionising radiation 7/82 Dissemination level: PU Date of issue of this report: 01/02/07 chronic exposure data in the FREDERICA database and is supported by other methods for determining predicted no effect values.However, the user can change the default screening dose rate within the ERICA Tool, For Tier 1, the predefined screening dose rate is back-calculated to yield Environmental Media Concentration Limits (EMCLs) for all reference organism/radionuclide combinations.The Tool compares the input media concentrations with the most restrictive EMCL for each radionuclide and determines a risk quotient (RQ).If the RQ is less than one, then the tool suggests that the user should exit the assessment process.If the RQ is greater than one, the user is advised to continue with the assessment. Tier 2 assessmentTier 2 allows the user to be more interactive, to change the default parameters and to select specific reference organisms.The evaluation is performed directly against the screening dose rate, with the dose rate and RQs generated for each reference organism selected for assessment.A 'traffic light' system is used to indicate whether the situation can be considered:(i) of negligible concern (with a high degree of confidence);(ii) of potential concern, where more qualified judgements may need to be made and/or a refined assessment at Tier 2 or an in-depth assessment in Tier 3 performed;(iii) of concern, where the user is recommended to continue the assessment either at Tier 2 if refined input data can be obtained or at Tier 3.Decisions to exit an assessment given outcomes (ii) and (iii) should be justified, for example by using information from FREDERICA provided in the Tool as 'look-up effects tables' for different wildlife groups.