Ruggero Lorenzelli

137Cs content in the fruit bodies of various Tuber species.

In this research, the concentration of 137Cs in the fruit bodies of the Tuber species T. magnatum Pico, T. borchii Vitt., T. aestivum Vitt., and T. excavatum Vitt. collected in three different regions of Italy was determined. The values obtained have been compared to the soil concentration of 137Cs, and the transfer factor was determined. The radiocesium content of the examined fruit bodies ranged from 2.5 Bq kg(-1) to 33.3 Bq kg(-1) fresh weight; the median transfer factor values of the four species ranged between 0.06 and 0.6. Our findings indicate that the radiocesium level in truffles from these regions of Italy is generally low, and, thus, their consumption is not of radiological concern. The results may suggest certain hypotheses as to the mechanisms involved in radiocesium uptake in these fungi.

Optimisation of radioxenon measurement for comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty

ABSTRACT The international monitoring system (IMS) has been developed to verify compliance with the comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty (CTBT) and radionuclide monitoring stations are the smoking gun for underground nuclear explosions identification. One of the main objectives of the verification regime is to improve the sensitivity of measurements providing background reduction and, as a result, decrease the minimum detectable activity (MDA) values. At this ENEA laboratory an anticoincidence system has been developed: the system is comprised of a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector surrounded by a low–background shield and two plastic scintillators able to detect coincident cosmic-ray interactions. Tests conducted with the anticoincidence system have shown a reduction of the Compton continuum that contributes to the spectrum background and the measured MDA values, compared to those obtained using the standard system, decreased for all the four radioxenon isotopes.