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Optimizing the radiation monitoring network to support emergency operational levels and sampling in Greece.

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Title: Optimizing the radiation monitoring network to support emergency operational levels and sampling in Greece.
Authors: Salpadimos N; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece. Electronic address: nikos.salpadimos@eeae.gr., Karfopoulos K; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece., Potiriadis C; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece., Carinou E; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece., Seimenis I; Medical Physics Lab, Medical University of Athens (EKPA), Goudi, Athens, 115 27, Greece., Andronopoulos S; National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece., Housiadas C; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.
Source: Journal of environmental radioactivity [J Environ Radioact] 2026 Sep; Vol. 299, pp. 108138. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Aug 18.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8508119 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-1700 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0265931X NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Environ Radioact Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Barking, Essex : Elsevier Applied Science Publishers
MeSH Terms: Radiation Monitoring*/methods , Radioactive Hazard Release*, Greece
Abstract: The environmental radiation monitoring network of Greece currently comprises 23 operational stations. It provides routine measurements of ambient radiation background and serves as an early notification system, as well as a decision-making tool in the event of an emergency. Despite its functionality, the number of existing stations poses constraints in decision-making due to incomplete coverage of all geographical regions in Greece. This limitation was addressed through simulations of transboundary accidental release scenarios, originating from nearby nuclear power plants, conducted using HYSPLIT and JRODOS tools. The goal was to optimize the implementation of the Greek environmental radiation monitoring network, by establishing conditional plume passage probabilities between neighboring monitoring stations, and incorporating their spatial proximity into a weighting methodology. This methodology facilitates the implementation of countermeasures in all geographical regions of Greece, including those not directly covered by a radiation monitoring station. The sampling strategy outlined in the national plan for transboundary nuclear emergencies was then adjusted, based on station conditional plume passage probability, and spatial proximity, as well as the agricultural production of each regional unit. Furthermore, the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination in food according to the European Union legislation were correlated to the measurements from radiation monitoring stations, supporting the national operational level for prompt decision-making prior to the implementation of sampling procedures. It was established that a total effective gamma dose rate of 190 nSv/h above the background may correspond to the 1250 Bq/kg limit of 137Cs concentration in foodstuff being exceeded.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Dispersion model; Emergency preparedness; Radiation monitoring
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260818 Date Completed: 20260910 Latest Revision: 20260910
Update Code: 20260911
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2026.108138
PMID: 42612429
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Salpadimos+N%22">Salpadimos N</searchLink>; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece. Electronic address: nikos.salpadimos@eeae.gr.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Karfopoulos+K%22">Karfopoulos K</searchLink>; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Potiriadis+C%22">Potiriadis C</searchLink>; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Carinou+E%22">Carinou E</searchLink>; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Seimenis+I%22">Seimenis I</searchLink>; Medical Physics Lab, Medical University of Athens (EKPA), Goudi, Athens, 115 27, Greece.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Andronopoulos+S%22">Andronopoulos S</searchLink>; National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Housiadas+C%22">Housiadas C</searchLink>; Environmental Radiation Monitoring Department, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Agia Paraskevi, 15341, Greece.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%228508119%22">Journal of environmental radioactivity</searchLink> [J Environ Radioact] 2026 Sep; Vol. 299, pp. 108138. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Aug 18.
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  Data: The environmental radiation monitoring network of Greece currently comprises 23 operational stations. It provides routine measurements of ambient radiation background and serves as an early notification system, as well as a decision-making tool in the event of an emergency. Despite its functionality, the number of existing stations poses constraints in decision-making due to incomplete coverage of all geographical regions in Greece. This limitation was addressed through simulations of transboundary accidental release scenarios, originating from nearby nuclear power plants, conducted using HYSPLIT and JRODOS tools. The goal was to optimize the implementation of the Greek environmental radiation monitoring network, by establishing conditional plume passage probabilities between neighboring monitoring stations, and incorporating their spatial proximity into a weighting methodology. This methodology facilitates the implementation of countermeasures in all geographical regions of Greece, including those not directly covered by a radiation monitoring station. The sampling strategy outlined in the national plan for transboundary nuclear emergencies was then adjusted, based on station conditional plume passage probability, and spatial proximity, as well as the agricultural production of each regional unit. Furthermore, the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination in food according to the European Union legislation were correlated to the measurements from radiation monitoring stations, supporting the national operational level for prompt decision-making prior to the implementation of sampling procedures. It was established that a total effective gamma dose rate of 190 nSv/h above the background may correspond to the 1250 Bq/kg limit of <superscript>137</superscript>Cs concentration in foodstuff being exceeded.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
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