Corporate report

Sandside beach near Dounreay particle finds from 2021 to present

Updated 27 October 2023

This corporate report was withdrawn on

The particle finds attachment pages are updated as and when particles are found.

The details of particle finds on the Sandside beach near Dounreay.

2023

ID Number Date Easting Northing Depth cm Cs137 Bq Co60 Bq Nb94 Bq Am-241 Type Category Comments
SSBCH/23/001 14/04/2023 296556 965490 6 4.40E+04 <4.0E+00 <4.20E+00 8.20E+01 - Minor 16 hour count  
SSBCH/23/002 01/06/2023 296692 965544 15 1.50E+04 <3.8E+00 <3.7E+00 <4.4E+01 - Minor 16 hour count  
SSBCH/23/003 10/08/2023 296184 965439 10 5.40E+03 1.50E+01 <4.0E+00 <3.3E+01 - Minor 16 hour count  
SSBCH/23/004 27/09/2023 296499 965500 n/a 2.20E+04 <3.6E+00 <3.8E+00 6.10E+01 - Minor 16 hr count Unable to measure depth due to tides.
SSBCH/23/005 16/10/2023 296547 965445 8 9.90E+03 <3.4E+00 <3.9E+00 <2.9E+01 - Minor 16 hr count  

2022

ID Number Date Easting Northing Depth cm Cs137 Bq Co60 Bq Nb94 Bq Am-241 Type Category Comments
SSBCH/22/001 22/05/2022 296460 965511 20 3.00E+04 <3.8E+00 <7.7E+00 4.70E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/22/002 19/07/2022 296173 965434 5 1.70E+04 <3.40E+00 <4.20E+00 <3.70E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/22/003 18/10/2022 296290 965390 5 3.50E+04 <3.30E+00 <4.70E+00 4.60E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/22/004 20/11/2022 296578 965477 12 3.20E+04 <3.60E+00 <4.90E+00 3.00E+01 - Minor 16 hour count

2021

ID Number Date Easting Northing Depth cm Cs137 Bq Co60 Bq Nb94 Bq Am-241 Type Category Comments
SSBCH/21/001 13-Jan-21 296523 965409 4 2.8E+04 <2.8E+00 <3.3E+00 5.3E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/21/002 09/04/21 296698 965501 11 1.50E+04 <2.7E+00 <2.9E+00 <3.9E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/21/003 13/04/21 295990 965409 0 1.20E+04 <2.7E+00 <2.7E+00 <3.4E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/21/004 02/07/21 296669 965630 11 4.30E+03 <3.4E+00 1.00E+02 <2.1E+01 - Minor 16 hour count
SSBCH/21/005 01/12/2021 296708 965530 14 4.20E+04 <2.0E+00 4.10E+01 <2.0E+01 - Minor 16 hour count

Glossary of terms

Term Explanation
ID number Unique reference number given to each particle
Date Date on which the particle was found
Easting East co-ordinate of particle find in UK national grid
Northing North co-ordinate of particle find in UK national grid
Depth Approximate depth in centimetres at which the particle was located
Cs137 Bq Content of Caesium 137 activity in the particle, measured in becquerels
Co60 Bq Content of Cobalt 60 activity in the particle, measured in becquerels
Nb94 Bq Content of Niobium 94 activity in the particle, measured in becquerels
Am-241 Content of Americium-241 activity in the particle, measured in becquerels
Type Type of particle. Particles are generally of 3 main types depending on the origin of the particle, but a fourth type, denoted by U, has also been identified
Type of particle code Type of particle
DFR Originated from Dounreay Fast Reactor
MTR Originated from a Materials Test Reactor
SS Stainless steel, originated from DFR or PFR (Prototype Fast Reactor) cladding materials
U Contain irradiated uranium oxide, which could have originated from MTR or DFR fuel

Note: particle type is determined from analysis. Where required SEM/Edax is carried out, with the agreement of SEPA, on selected particles.

Comments: Some particles, when separated in the laboratory from the associated sediments, are found to comprise more than 1 fragment. The number of fragments are identified.