Monitoring Locations
Belfield
Land Monitoring Station
The RPII carries out several monitoring programmes to determine the levels of radioactivity in the environment and the doses received by the Irish population.
External radiation levels and particulates in air are continuously monitored. In addition, rainfall is continuously collected.
Samples of seawater, seaweed, sediment, fish and shellfish are collected from the marine environment.
Samples of drinking water, milk, ‘complete meals’ and individual foodstuffs are collected from the land.
Types of sampling at this station
A high volume air sampler operates continuously at this monitoring location . A precisely measured volume of air is pumped through particulate filters fixed on a rooftop location. After a sampling period of approximately one month, the filters are removed and analysed by gamma spectrometry at our laboratory. This enables us to monitor radioactivity in airborne particulates.
The levels of this radiation is normally very low. If a radioactive 'cloud' reaches Ireland, these air samplers will record elevated radiation levels. Following analysis, they would enables us to determine the concentrations of radionuclides present.
Complete meals (mixed diet samples) are also collected and analysed at this location as part of our programme to assess levels of radioactivity in the Irish foodchain.
Results of the monitoring can be seen in our latest report Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment.
More recent monitoring data is also available and is updated on an on-going basis.
Results of monitoring show that the levels of man-made radioactivity in foodstuffs and the environment are detectable but the levels are low and are of no health risk to the public.