129I Variability in precipitation over Europe

We present results and an overview of studies on I-129 in precipitation over Europe during the last decade, covering latitudes 37-70 degrees N. The data show about three orders of magnitude variability in concentrations but without specific correlation to latitude when all Europe is considered. The total amount of I-129 provided annually by precipitation over Europe composes only a tiny portion of the annual marine discharge but a significant portion of the gaseous discharges from the nuclear reprocessing facilities. Contribution of gaseous releases seems to be significant, although difficult to estimate. As shown by this study, a unified sampling procedure and systematic measurements of I-129 in precipitation throughout Europe are needed to achieve a coherent picture about the loading and sources of I-129 in precipitation and the atmosphere. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.