7.1 Typical environmental problems

In-situ techniques can be applied to support different studies, including:

• Environmental characterization to establish a baseline reference for a proposed or new operation.
  
  
• Airborne surveys in support of geological exploration and assessment of radioactive fallout over large and medium size territories.
  
  
• The assessment of the risk level to human health, safety and security, and the potential effects on the environment from contaminants arising from or that may arise from a facility operation.
  
  
• Radiological/compositional characterization of metal scrap.
  
  
• Radiological characterization during search for lost sources (for example in oil prospection and processing).
  
  
• Environmental measurements and emergency response, with the possibility to identify the contribution of each radionuclide to the total dose rate.
  
  
• Confirmation of the effectiveness of site decommissioning and decontamination /mitigation actions (e.g., stack scrubbers, liners or other barriers, effluent treatment) through environmental monitoring to support compliance determinations and to support communicating the effectiveness of containment and effluent controls to the public.
  
  
• Clean up and remediation in NORM industries.