A biomonitoring plan for assessing potential radionuclide exposure using Amchitka Island in the Aleutian chain of Alaska as a case study

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

Volumn 98, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 315-328

  Burger, Joanna ^a,b,c   Gochfeld, Michael ^b,c,d   Kosson, D S ^b,e   Powers, Charles W ^b,c,d,e  

^a RUTGERS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute   (United States)

^c RUTGERS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^d RUTGERS ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL   (United States)

^e VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Actinides; Algae; Amchitka; Biological indicators; Birds; Fish; Invertebrates; Marine; Radiocesium; Uranium

Indexed keywords

ALGAE; BIOMARKERS; BIRDS; CESIUM; MARINE BIOLOGY; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; URANIUM;

AMCHITKA; BIOMONITORING PLANS; INVERTEBRATES; RADIOCESIUM;

RADIOISOTOPES;

AMERICIUM 241; CESIUM 137; COBALT 60; EUROPIUM 152; IODINE 129; PLUTONIUM 238; PLUTONIUM 239; PLUTONIUM 240; RADIOISOTOPE; STRONTIUM 90; TECHNETIUM 99M; URANIUM 234; URANIUM 235; URANIUM 238;

BIOINDICATOR; BIOMONITORING; BIRD; EARLY WARNING SYSTEM; FISH; HEALTH IMPACT; MARINE ECOSYSTEM; POLLUTION EXPOSURE; RADIOACTIVE WASTE; RADIONUCLIDE; TROPHIC LEVEL;

ARTICLE; ATOMIC WARFARE; BIOLOGICAL MONITORING; CONTROLLED STUDY; ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; NONHUMAN; NUCLEAR WASTE; RADIATION EXPOSURE; UNITED STATES;

ACTINOID SERIES ELEMENTS; ALASKA; ANIMALS; BIRDS; CESIUM RADIOISOTOPES; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; FISHES; GEOGRAPHY; HUMANS; INVERTEBRATES; RADIATION MONITORING; RADIOISOTOPES; URANIUM; WATER POLLUTANTS, RADIOACTIVE;

ALASKA; ALEUTIAN ISLANDS; AMCHITKA ISLAND; NORTH AMERICA; UNITED STATES;

ALARIA FISTULOSA; ALGAE; AVES; FUCUS; GADUS MACROCEPHALUS; HIPPOGLOSSUS STENOLEPIS; INVERTEBRATA; LARUS GLAUCESCENS; MYTILUS EDULIS; MYTILUS TROSSULUS; SALVELINUS MALMA; SEBASTES MELANOPS;

EID: 36148962886     PISSN: 0265931X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2007.06.002     Document Type: Article

References (35)

1. Ahearne J.F. Scientists, policy makers, and the public: a needed dialogue. Health Physics 80 (2001) 384-387
2. Bidone E.D., Castilhos Z.C., Santos T.J.S., Souza T.M.C., and Lacerda L.D. Fish contamination and human exposure to mercury in Tartarugalzinho River, Northern Amazon, Brazil. A screening approach. Water Air and Soil Pollution 97 (1997) 9-15
3. Burger J. Bioindicators: types, development, and use in ecological assessment and research. Environmental Bioindicators 1 (2006) 1-18
4. Burger J., and Gochfeld M. On developing bioindicators for human and ecological health. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 66 (2001) 23-46
5. Burger J., and Gochfeld M. Bioindicators for assessing human and ecological health. In: Wiersma G.B. (Ed). Environmental Monitoring (2004), CRC Press, Boca Raton 541-566
6. Burger J., Gaines K.F., and Gochfeld M. Ethnic differences in risk from mercury among Savannah River fishermen. Risk Analysis 21 (2001) 533-544
7. Burger J., Gaines K.F., Boring C.S., Stephens Jr. W.L., Snodgras J., and Gochfeld M. Mercury and selenium in fish from the Savannah River: species, trophic level, and locational differences. Environmental Research 87 (2001) 108-118
8. Burger J., Gochfeld M., Kosson D., Powers C.W., Friedlander B., Eichelberger J., Barnes D., Duffy L.K., Jewett S.C., and Volz C.D. Science, policy, and stakeholders: developing a consensus science plan for Amchitka Island, Aleutians, Alaska. Environmental Management 35 (2005) 557-568
9. Burger J., Gochfeld M., Kosson D.S., and Powers C.W. Biomonitoring for Ecosystem and Human Health Protection at Amchitka Island (2006), Consortium for risk evaluation with stakeholder participation, Piscataway, New Jersey
10. Burger J., Jewett S., Gochfeld M., Hoberg M., Harper S., Chenelot H., Jeitner C., and Burke S. Can biota sampling for environmental monitoring be used to characterize benthic communities in the Aleutians?. Science of the Total Environment 369 (2006) 393-402
11. Burger J., Gochfeld M., Jeitner C., Gray M., Shukla T., Shukla S., and Burke S. Kelp as a bioindicator: does it matter which part of a 5 m long plant is used for metal analysis. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (2006)
12. Burger J., Gochfeld M., and Jewett S.C. Selecting species for marine assessment of radionuclides around Amchitka: planning for diverse goals and interests. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 123 (2006) 371-391
13. Burger, J. A model for selecting bioindicators to monitor radionuclide concentrations in the marine environment around Amchitka Island in the Aleutians. Environmental Research, in press.
14. Carignan V., and Villard M.A. Selecting indicator species to monitor ecological integrity: a review. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 78 (2001) 45-61
15. Department of Energy (DOE), 2002a. Modeling groundwater flow and transport of radionuclides at Amchitka Island's underground nuclear tests: Milrow, Long Shot, and Cannikin (DRAFT). Nevada Operations Office, Las Vegas, Nevada, DOE/NV-11508-51.
16. Department of Energy (DOE), 2002b. DRAFT screening risk assessment for possible radionuclides in the Amchitka marine environment. Nevada Operations Office, Las Vegas, Nevada, DOE/NV-857.
17. DiGuilio R.T., and Monosson E. Interconnections between Human and Ecosystem Health (1996), Chapman and Hall, London, UK
18. Florid H.K. Alternative goals and policy mechanisms for radiation protection. Health Physics 80 (2001) 397-400
19. Green N.W., and Knutzen J. Organohalogens and metals in marine fish and mussels and some relationships to biological variables at reference localities in Norway. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46 (2003) 362-377
20. Greenberg, M., Lowrie, K., Burger, J., Powers, C.W., Gochfeld, M., Mayer, H. Nuclear waste and public worries: public perceptions of the United States major nuclear weapons legacy sites. Human and Ecological Reviews, in press.
21. Hakanson L. A new general dynamic model predicting radionuclide concentrations and fluxes in coastal areas from readily accessible driving variables. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 78 (2005) 217-245
22. International Bering Sea Forum, 2007. Available from: (accessed 12 July 2007).
23. Kryshev A.I., Sazykina T.G., Kryshev I.I., Strand P., and Brown J.E. Radioecology modelling and the computer codes for calculations of doses to marine biota and man in the Arctic. Environmental Modelling Software and Environmental Data News 16 (2001) 697-709
24. Lange T.R., Royals H.E., and Connor L.L. Mercury accumulation in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in a Florida Lake. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 27 (1994) 466-471
25. Matishov G.G., Matishov D.G., Anisimova N.A., Dzhenyuk S.L., and Zuev A.N. Radiation conditions of the environment and biota on the Murmansk Bank in the area of the sunken Kursk nuclear submarine. Oecologia 41 (2001) 853-860
26. Merritt, M.L., Fuller, R.G. (Eds.), 1977. The Environment of Amchitka Island, Alaska, U.S. Report NVO-79, Technical Information Center, Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington DC.
27. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), 2004. Dutch Harbor - Unalaska, in Alaska, Top U.S. Port for landings in 2003. NOAA report 04-096. Available from: (accessed 26 May 2006).
28. Omenn G.S. The new millennium: values, perceptions of risk, and the key roles of science and technology. Health Physics 80 (2001) 328-332
29. Peakall D. Animal Biomarkers as Pollution Indicators (1992), Chapman and Hall, London
30. Pinho A.P., Guimaraes J.R.D., Marins A.S., Costa P.A.S., Olavo G., and Valentin J. Environmental Research 89 (2002) 250-258
31. Piotrowski J.K. Individual exposure and biological monitoring. In: Vouk V.B., Butler G.C., Hoel D.G., and Peakall D.B. (Eds). Methods for Estimating Risk of Chemical Injury: Human and Non-human Biota and Ecosystems (1985), Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK 123-135
32. In: Powers C.W., Burger J., Kosson D., Gochfeld M., and Barnes D. (Eds). Amchitka Independent Science Assessment: Biological and Geophysical Aspects of Potential Radionuclide Exposure in the Amchitka Marine Environment (2005), Consortium for risk evaluation with stakeholder participation, Piscataway NJ
33. Powers C.W., Burger J., Kosson D., and Gochfeld M. Additional Radiological Data for Bioindicator Selection (2006), Consortium for risk evaluation with stakeholder participation, Piscataway NJ
34. Slovic P. Perception of risk. Science 236 (1987) 280-285
35. Thomas J.P. Rebuilding trust in established institutions. Health Physics 80 (2001) 379-383