Natural radionuclide concentrations in soil, water, sediment and biota in England and Wales

Data comprise estimates of activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides (40K, 238U and 232Th series radionuclides) in environmental media (soil and stream sediments and waters) and non-human biota (focusing on the ICRP Reference Animals and Plants). For soil, stream sediments and stream waters data were derived from total K, U and Th concentrations mainly from the ongoing geochemical survey of the United Kingdom (G-BASE), conducted by the British Geological Survey. The geochemical survey data are currently incomplete for England and Wales, but almost complete coverage was obtained for K in stream sediments by using the Wolfson Atlas data for southern England. For U and Th in sediments and K, U and Th in soils, more complete coverage was achieved by geological extrapolation (using relationships between soils/sediments and bedrock/superficial geology). For media and sediments, datasets are provided for both: (i) geometric mean concentrations from measured samples on a 5 x 5 km square basis where data are available; and (ii) extrapolated surfaces covering all of England and Wales. Data for non-human biota are from targeted sampling and analyses and data review.

Please download supporting information for full materials and methods. Alternatively refer to the following journal papers: For soil, water and sediment data: Background exposure rates of terrestrial wildlife in England and Wales N.A. Beresford, C.L. Barnett, D.G. Jones, M.D. Wood, J.D. Appleton, N. Breward, D. Copplestone. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 99 (2008) 1430-1439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.03.003 For biota data: Assessment of naturally occurring radionuclides around England and Wales: Application of the G-BASE dataset to estimate doses to non-human species Jones, D. G., Appleton, J. D., Breward, N., Mackenzie, A. C., Scheib, C., Beresford, N. A., … Copplestone, D. (2009). Assessment of naturally occurring radionuclides around England and Wales: Application of the G-BASE dataset to estimate doses to non-human species. Radioprotection, 44(5), 629–634. https://doi.org/10.1051/radiopro/20095116