Dounreay foreshore particle finds from 2021 to present
Updated 27 October 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radioactive-particles-in-the-environment-around-dounreay/dounreay-foreshore-particle-finds-2021
The particle finds attachment pages are updated as and when particles are found.
The details of particle finds on Dounreay foreshore.
2022
| ID Number | Date | Easting | Northing | Depth cm | Cs137 Bq | Co60 Bq | Nb94 Bq | Am-241 | Type | Category | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF/22/001 | 04/02/2022 | 298377 | 967058 | 10 | 3.60E+05 | <6.8E+00 | 1.40E+03 | <6.6E+01 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/002 | 14/02/2022 | 298308 | 966982 | 26 | 1.50E+06 | <7.0E+00 | <2.4E+01 | 2.40E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/003 | 14/02/2022 | 298332 | 966998 | 8 | 3.40E+06 | <2.4E+01 | <8.1E+01 | 2.90E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/004 | 14/02/2022 | 298358 | 966996 | 4 | 7.50E+05 | <4.5E+00 | <1.6E+01 | 1.30E+03 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/005 | 14/02/2022 | 298350 | 966989 | 8 | 2.10E+05 | <9.2E+00 | <2.1E+01 | 3.70E+02 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/006 | 08/03/2022 | 298354 | 967072 | 17 | 1.30E+06 | <6.5E+00 | <1.9E+01 | 6.30E+02 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/007 | 08/03/2022 | 298361 | 967012 | 16 | 4.50E+06 | <2.3E+01 | <8.3E+01 | 4.20E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/008 | 08/03/2022 | 298369 | 967057 | 10 | 1.90E+06 | <1.1E+01 | <3.6E+01 | 7.90E+02 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/009 | 08/03/2022 | 298386 | 967040 | 4 | 1.60E+06 | <2.1E+01 | <5.7E+01 | 5.00E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/010 | 08/03/2022 | 298389 | 967051 | 7 | 5.30E+05 | <4.0E+00 | <1.1E+01 | 1.80E+03 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/011 | 14/03/2022 | 298718 | 967409 | 7 | 1.20E+06 | <6.0E+00 | <2.8E+01 | 9.10E+02 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/012 | 14/03/2022 | 298721 | 967410 | 16 | 3.30E+06 | <1.6E+01 | <3.7E+01 | 2.30E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/013 | 15/03/2022 | 298285 | 966977 | 36 | 2.00E+06 | <1.3E+01 | <2.8E+01 | 2.10E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/014 | 22/03/2022 | 298273 | 966981 | 14 | 4.50E+06 | <2.3E+01 | <4.3E+01 | 6.10E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
| DF/22/015 | 28/03/2022 | 298722 | 967410 | 8 | 8.50E+06 | <4.3E+01 | <8.1E+01 | <2.0E+03 | - | Significant | 16 hour count |
2021
| ID Number | Date | Easting | Northing | Depth cm | Cs137 Bq | Co60 Bq | Nb94 Bq | Am-241 | Type | Category | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF/21/001 | 16/04/21 | 298350 | 967029 | 15 | 9.60E+05 | <9.7E+00 | <2.5E+01 | 2.30E+03 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/21/002 | 03/11/2021 | 298300 | 966952 | 3 | 5.40E+05 | <1.5E+01 | <3.5E+01 | 4.40E+02 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/21/003 | 18/11/2021 | 298261 | 966979 | 12 | 9.70E+05 | <6.7E+00 | <1.5E+01 | 2.30E+03 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/21/004 | 18/11/2021 | 298298 | 966984 | 7 | 1.20E+05 | <3.7E+00 | <9.1E+00 | 6.40E+01 | - | Relevant | 16 hour count |
| DF/21/005 | 03/12/2021 | 298366 | 967027 | 4 | 4.60E+05 | <7.1E+00 | <2.1E+01 | 1.90E+02 | - | Relevant | 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.