Alpha-emitting hot particles in the vicinity of BNFL Sellafield, Cumbria

In a survey of environmental samples in the vicinity of BNFL Sellafield, two alphaemitting radioactive particles were found in samples of grass. One particle appears to be of mineral origin, the other was not definitively identified, but may be a fragment of fuel cladding. Conservative estimates of the activities of these particles are very low. The abundance of radioactive particles in the terrestrial food chain appears to be low, with no evidence for any alpha-emitting hot particles in foodstuffs for consumption by humans. Results suggest that there is no significant dose to man through inhalation or ingestion pathways. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version; see www. iop. org)