NDA supports leading-edge research at Westlakes
Recognising the important contribution that Westlakes scientists are making nationally and internationally in assessments of radiation impact on wildlife, the NDA has awarded further research funding to the group. A new study, entitled 'Methodology for the assessment of risk from ionising contaminants to populations of non-human biota,' will focus on radioactivity in the marine environment and its uptake by organisms.
Scientists at Westlakes Scientific Consulting will be developing models of the impact of environmental radioactivity in lobster and plankton populations in order to compare radiation effects with other natural and manmade stresses. Westlakes has a world-wide reputation for its fundamental research in this field, and its scientists are invited experts at many international meetings and regularly attend scientific conferences to present their work.
Two recent examples are the International Conference on Radioecology and Environmental Radioactivity 16-20 June 2008 in Bergen (more), and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Task Group meeting on dosimetric modelling for animals and plants, 30 June - 2 July 2008, in Munich (more). The head of the group, Dr. Jordi Vives said 'We are developing our knowledge on the movement and impact of radioactivity on ecosystems to complement the knowledge on impacts to Man.
This is a very important area of study, as recognised by the NDA, and this award enables us to boost the research undertaken by the Westlakes Radioecology Group in providing new information to help fill knowledge gaps in this field and to further enhance the reputation of the science performed here in West Cumbria.'