COUNTRY REPORT
THE USE OF NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES IN MARINE
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND MONITORING IN
VIETNAM: A SUMMARY OF THE STATUS OF
RELEVANT ACTIVITIES
by
Nguyen Trong Ngo
Nuclear Research Institute, Dalat, Vietnam
Report presented at Final Project Planning Meeting of RAS/7/016 on “Establishing a Benchmark for Assessing the
Radiological Impact of Nuclear Power Activities on the Marine Environment in the Asia-Pacific region”;
held in Vienna, Austria, 09 – 13 July 2007.
1
CONTENTS
The report is shortly dealing with:
1. Recent & current selective applied researches and some
typical results;
2. National Workplan for RAS/7/016 duration 2007-2009.
3. Suggestions.
2
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED RESEARCHES
AND SOME TYPICAL RESULTS
1.1. The survey on elemental composition of sediments in
the estuarine areas
 In recent time, increasing of sedimentation rate at some navigable
estuaries and waterways in Vietnam can be considered as an
evidence of environmental degradation caused by the destruction of
tropical rain forests in the mountain areas and protective mangrove
swamps along the coastline.
 The growing industrialization nowadays of the country, especially
the rapidly expanding oil and gas exploration and exploitation,
certainly cause another adverse impact to the coastal ecosystem.
Thus, there is a growing concern about the unfavorable
environmental change in the coastal and harbor areas adjacent to the
highly populated industrial centers, such as HoChiMinh City and
HaiPhong.
3
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.1. The survey on elemental composition of sediments in
the estuarine areas
 Concentrations of 35 elements in the sediment samples
were determined by INAA, RNAA, PGNAA and XRFA
methods at the DNRI. In general, the trace element
compositions of the collected bottom sediments are still of
geochemical origin and rather similar to those of alluvium
transported by the Red and Mekong rivers. The
concentrations of some ecologically relevant heavy metals
are far lower than those in some polluted estuaries of
industrialized countries (see Table I).
4
Table I. Concentration of some ecologically relevant heavy metals (in
ppm) in Haiphong and Saigon estuarine areas. (relative error is
given as a percentage in parentheses)
Element
Haiphong estuary
Saigon estuary
Cu
13
(20)
20
(15)
Pb
52
(15)
10
(15)
Se
1.5
(15)
1.4
(15)
Cr
100
(5)
94
(5)
As
20
(7)
8.5
(10)
Zn
500
(7)
400
(10)
(10)
0.15
(20)
(6)
1.3
(8)
Cd
Sb
3.7
3.2
5
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.1. The survey on elemental composition of sediments in
the estuarine areas
 The obtained data can be considered as a background reference
allowing the assessment of any elemental concentration variation of
anthropogenic origin in the future.
 Characterization of the elemental compositions has revealed the
features involved in the processes of sediment formation and
transportation.
 Trace element analysis has also provided a basic for identifying
suitable activable tracer, instead of using radioactive traces in
sediment transport studies, i.e. among the trace elements with
concentrations in the sediment at the sub-ppm levels, In and Se have
been selected for this purpose.
6
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.1. The survey on elemental composition of sediments in
the estuarine areas
 The typical concentration of 137Cs in the sediment
samples is 1.5÷3.5 Bq/kg d.w.. It is hopeful to say that
careful sampling with appropriate corer would
determine the sedimentation rate in the estuarine area
at various sites.
7
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.2. Marine pollutant research and monitoring:
The goals of the project are:
 To develop nuclear and nuclear-related analytical methods for
Marine pollutant monitoring by important radionuclides and trace
elements (90Sr, 137Cs, U, Th, 226Ra, 239,240Pu, 210Pb, 210Po, As, Cd,
Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Zn, Se, etc.).
 To acquire baseline data for main radionuclides and toxic trace
elements in Marine environmental materials (water, sediments
and biota) collected from suitable key coastal locations: Cat Ba
(20o40N, 107o05E), Cua Lo (18o46N, 105o46E), Nha Trang
(12o15N, 109o16E), Phan Thiet (10o54N, 108o22E), Vung Tau
(10o14N, 107o09E), Cua Dai (10o11N, 106o48E) – (Fig. 1).
8
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.2. Marine pollutant research and monitoring:
 700 data of 238U, 232Th, 210Po, 90Sr, 137Cs, 239,240Pu
radionuclides concentration in 120 sea water, sediment, fish,
molluses, crustaceans, oyster and weeds samples collected in 6
various locations of Vietnam during 2000 -2005 are obtained.
 The levels of artificial radionuclides in Marine environment of
Vietnam are lower as compared with other Asia-Pacific
countries.
 The activity ratios of 239,240Pu/137Cs and 137Cs/90Sr in the sea
sediment were higher than those in undisturbed terrestrial soils.
 High bioaccumulation factors for many radionuclides have
been observed in Gulfweed and Oyster.
 The primary data set obtained from this project is available to
contribute to the Asia-Pacific Marine database (ASPAMARD)(see Table II&III).
9
Fig 1. The map of Marine environmental
radioactivity sampling sites in Vietnam.
10
Table II. Artificial radionuclide concentrations of marine samples in
some typical sea regions of Vietnam (2000-2005)
90Sr
137Cs
239,240Pu
Ordina
l
Sample
1
Sea water*
1.530.24
0.913.60
**
(30)
1.5750.215
0.6693.600
(30)
0.0060.001
0.0020.014
(30)
2
Sediment*
0.140.03
0.050.41
(30)
0.370.23
0.022.62
(30)
0.3260.084
0.0120.683
(30)
3
Fish (5 kinds)*
0.050.13
0.040.06
(3)
0.6010.299
0.0641.856
(19)
< 0.0001
(19)
4
Mollusca*
0.030.06
0.020.03
(3)
< 0.001
(3)
< 0.0001
(5)
5
Shrimp*
0.050.06
0.040.05
(3)
0.0410.021
0.0040.077
(3)
0.00060.0002
0.00020.0006
(5)
6
Oyster*
< 0.01
(13)
0.2330.154
0.0020.678
(13)
0.00320.0016
0.00030.0080
(11)
7
Red laver*
0.050.01
0.030.07
(10)
0.0470.030
0.0030.115
(10)
0.00750.0050
0.00200.0226
(10)
8
Seaweed*(4
other
kinds)
< 0.01
(5)
0.1160.055
0.0050.432
(5)
< 0.0001
(5)
* Unit: Water (Bq/m3); sediment (Bq/kg dry); biota (Bq/kg fresh weight).
* * With number of observations in brackets.
11
Table III. Natural radionuclide concentrations of marine samples in
some typical sea regions of Vietnam (2000-2005)
U
210Po
Ordinal
Sample
Th
1
Sea water*
34.943.50
21.4059.69
**
(30)
1.270.35
0.234.35
(30)
0.800.16
0.581.02
(3)
2
Sediment*
27.145.36
4.5177.03
(30)
27.755.55
3.7356.80
(30)
142.5228.40
56.00240.00
(5)
3
Fish (5 kinds)*
0.3950.465
0.0323.630
(19)
0.2080.098
0.0090.810
(19)
2.0720.410
1.2443.686
(5)
4
Mollusca*
0.1111.290
0.0090.212
(3)
0.0430.080
0.0350.051
(3)
5.0621.012
1.9119.726
(3)
5
Shrimp*
0.5930.251
0.0381.440
(3)
0.4760.294
0.2190.620
(3)
3.1530.480
0.8743.894
(4)
6
Oyster*
3.4901.734
0.01722.620
(13)
0.8210.404
0.0932.590
(13)
22.4865.100
4.10158.642
(7)
7
Red laver*
2.4411.263
0.2215.840
(10)
3.6121.414
0.2186.660
(10)
5.9351.187
2.1089.761
(3)
8
Seaweed*(4
other kinds)
0.7930.388
0.4041.920
(5)
1.5100.450
0.2634.182
(5)
8.3020.161
8.1408.460
(3)
* Unit: Water (Bq/m3); sediment (Bq/kg dry); biota (Bq/kg fresh weight).
* * With number of observations in brackets.
12
1. RECENT & CURRENT SELECTIVE APPLIED … (CONT.)
1.3. Foods & foodstuffs research:




During the two years to implement the project on “Investigation on
radionuclides and toxic elements concentration in the main kinds of
foods & foodstuffs of Vietnam”. The obtained typical results are as
follows:
Establishment of some standard procedures for collection, preparation
and preservation of food & foodstuff samples.
The primary data set (1251 data) of present level of some major
radionuclides (40K, 210Pb, 210Po, 226Ra, U, Th, 90Sr, 137Cs, 239,240Pu) in
the collected samples (Table IV&V).
The primary data set (1244 data) of present level of some major toxic
elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Zn, Se) in the collected
samples (Table VI&VII).
Technical assistance for the Government management on radionuclide
and toxic element control in foods & foodstuffs by consumption of
Vietnamese at home as well as export and import.
13
Table IV. Means and concentration range of radionuclides in foods &
foostuffs in some typical locations of Vietnam (2004-2005)
(*) Unit: Rice, other cereals and milk in (Bq/kg dry).
No.
01
Rice*
02
Other cereals*
03
Tubers
04
Vegetable leaves
05
Vegetable tubers
06
Fruits
07
Meats
08
Eggs/milk*
09
Fishes
10
Concentration (Bq/kg fresh weight)
Food groups
Other aqua-products
U
Th
40K
210Pb
210Po
0.1370.027
0.0340.007
21.41.1
0.1570.039
0.5170.103
0.0020.380
0.0020.060
13.035.9
0.0750.420
0.2631.260
0.1230.024
0.0270.005
38.31.9
0.2460.062
0.7540.151
0.0400.320
0.0200.050
15.8153.5
0.1350.390
0.4031.077
0.0990.020
0.0380.008
57.72.9
0.1950.049
0.5810.116
0.0020.110
0.0110.110
33.980.0
0.0750.564
0.2301.494
0.1430.029
0.1300.26
76.43.8
0.2600.065
0.7980.160
0.0020.373
0.0120.429
35.5109.5
0.0020.468
0.0221.827
0.0990.020
0.1160.023
76.03.7
0.1750.044
0.4110.082
0.0020.294
0.0020.928
32.4170.0
0.0020.416
0.0152.376
0.1220.024
0.0740.015
92.34.6
0.1480.037
0.4580.092
0.0020.227
0.0020.246
35.7142.8
0.0200.459
0.0661.377
0.1560.031
0.0640.13
71.93.4
0.4070.102
0.9780.196
0.0020.577
0.0020.210
41.7110.7
0.0211.263
0.0653.667
3.110.775
0.3100.062
365.518,3
0.002
0.002
2.3004.500
0.0020.310
250.9496.0
0.002
0.002
0.3680.073
0.7730.170
67.43.4
0.7750.194
3.6820.736
0.0020.729
0.0023.220
33.294.1
0.2241.695
0.78210.275
0.2330.046
0.2390.048
39.42.0
0.9190.230
5.2851.057
0.0020.559
0.0150.702
11.780.5
0.2071.917
0.62411.508
14
Table V. Means and concentration range of radionuclides in foods &
foostuffs in some typical locations of Vietnam (2004-2005)
(*) Unit: Rice, other cereals and milk in (Bq/kg dry).
No.
01
Rice*
02
Other cereals*
03
Tubers
04
Vegetable leaves
05
Vegetable tubers
06
Fruits
07
Meats
08
Eggs/milk*
09
Fishes
10
Concentration (Bq/kg fresh weight)
Food groups
Other aqua-products
226Ra
90Sr
137Cs
239,240Pu
0.0360.007
0.100.03
0.0940.028
0.0002
0.0020.080
0.040.19
0.0020.148
0.0002
0.0320.006
0.130.04
0.2400.072
0.0002
0.0200.060
0.100.18
0.0020.240
0.0002
0.0310.006
0.050.01
0.002
0.0002
0.0020.075
0.010.05
0.002
0.0002
0.0850.017
0.040.01
0.0040.001
0.00040.0002
0.0020.241
0.010.04
0.0020.004
0.00020.0006
0.0310.006
0.040.01
0.0240.007
0.0002
0.0020.205
0.010.05
0.0020.070
0.0002
0.0620.012
0.070.02
0.002
0.0002
0.0020.149
0.010.07
0.002
0.0002
0.1620.032
0.040.01
0.0460.014
0.0002
0.0020.646
0.020.08
0.0020.081
0.0002
0.002
0.100.03
0.9430.283
0.0002
0.002
0.010.12
0.0021.074
0.0002
0.2740.055
0.140.04
0.0630.018
0.0002
0.0020.820
0.020.35
0.0020.127
0.0002
0.1020.020
0.090.02
0.0090.003
0.00320.0010
0.0020.252
0.020.38
0.0020.015
0.00020.0056
15
Table VI. Concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Sb, Se, Pb and Zn in foodstuff
samples at HoChiMinh city, Cantho city and Ninhthuan province.
Elements
HoChiMinh
Ninhthuan
Cantho
As (mg/kg)
0.028 ÷ 0.512
0.139  0.13
0.017 ÷ 0.456
0.152  0.141
0.055 ÷ 0.655
0.192  0.202
Cd
(mg/kg)
0.014 ÷ 0.077
0.053  0.056
0.010 ÷ 0.163
0.048  0.036
0.055 ÷ 0.907
0.084  0.186
Cu
(mg/kg)
0.21÷ 4.01
1.84  1.03
0.20 ÷ 4.36
1.38  1.04
0.16 ÷ 3.61
1.38  1.02
Hg
(g/kg)
5.6 ÷ 248.0
45.2  56.9
1.8 ÷ 378.0
46.4  80.2
11.4 ÷ 76.3
37.1  43.0
Sb
(g/kg)
7.7 ÷ 26.5
15.0  4.8
6.4 ÷ 41.0
24.5  10.2
16.5 ÷ 28.0
20.7  8.0
Se
(mg/kg)
0.011÷1.067
0.195  0.232
0.013 ÷ 0.808
0.196  0.253
0.012 ÷ 1.078
0.192  0.257
Pb
(mg/kg)
0.02 ÷ 1.04
0.23  0.20
0.196 ÷ 0.253
0.222  0.162
0.09 ÷ 0.35
0.18  0.08
Zn
(mg/kg)
1.1 ÷ 81
13.3  18.5
1.2 ÷ 68.7
12.7  16.9
0.9÷38.6
9.1  8.9
16
Table VII. Concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Sb, Se, Pb and Zn in
foodstuff samples at Travinh, Tiengiang and Lamdong province.
Elements
Travinh
Tiengiang
Lamdong
As (mg/kg)
0.022 ÷ 0.559
0.139  0.157
0.02 ÷ 0.321
0.106  0.086
0.017 ÷ 0.456
0.121  0.125
Cd
(mg/kg)
0.008 ÷ 0.356
0.056  0.066
0.013 ÷ 0.082
0.045  0.020
0.014÷0.157
0.059  0.052
Cu
(mg/kg)
0.11 ÷ 3.83
1.26  0.91
0.32 ÷ 3.12
1.58  0.84
0.07 ÷ 2.97
0.97  0.82
Hg
(g/kg)
3.6 ÷ 156.2
26.6  31.5
4.7 ÷ 71.0
23.0 19.3
2.7 ÷ 157
25.0  .33.0
Sb
(g/kg)
6.0 ÷ 82.4
18.4  16.7
2.9 ÷ 50.7
17.2  12.8
8.0 – 40.0
18.0  9.1
Se
(mg/kg)
0.011÷ 0.341
0.144  0.134
0.008 ÷ 0.635
0.123  0.146
0.022 ÷ 0.670
0.200  0.205
Pb
(mg/kg)
0.04 ÷ 0.38
0.18  0.09
0.04 ÷ 0.47
0.18  0.13
0.05 ÷ 0.91
0.22  0.17
Zn
(mg/kg)
0.8 ÷ 48.6
11.7  11.2
1.6 ÷ 55.2
15.2  13.3
0.1÷ 58.4
11.7  11.9
17


The obtained results of radionuclides concentration (40K, 210Pb, 210Po,
226Ra, U, Th, 90Sr, 137Cs, 239,240Pu) in 1251 observations are shown in
Table IV&V. The radionuclides concentration data could be adequate
to insert into the data bank of the Nation, and be a fundament of
further intake assessments of these radionuclides.
Neutron radiochemical analysis activation and atomic absorption
spectrophotometry method have beeen used for the investigation of
toxic elements in a total one hundred and forty samples of foodtuffs
and six samples of drinking water. The concentration of As, Cd, Cu,
Hg, Sb, Se Pb and Zn in foodstuff samples and drinking water (Table
VI&VII) which collected from six provinces/city (HoChiMinh city,
Ninhthuan, Cantho city, Travinh, Tiengiang) are lower respective
permissible limits according to Vietnam standard.
18
2. NATIONAL WORKPLAN OF RAS/7/016 DURATION 2007-2009



Implementation of National Project on “Assessment of Marine
Environmental Radioactivity Status for selected sites of Nuclear
Power Plant in the near future and Establishment of Transfer
Factors for Marine Organisms”.
Chief of investigator: Mr. Nguyen Trong Ngo, National Coodinator
of RAS/7/016.
Project team:
+ 12 persons from Dalat Nuclear Research Institute.
+ 1 person from Institute of Oceanography.
19
2. NATIONAL WORKPLAN OF RAS/7/016 DURATION 2007-2009
Activity
2007
Quarter 1
1.Assessment of Marine Environmental
Radioactivity Status for selected sites of
Nuclear Power Plant in the near future (fig.
2):
 Collection of sea samples: Sea water,
sediment and biota.
 Determination of radionuclides (40K,
90Sr, 137Cs, 210Po, 226Ra, 239,240Pu, U and
Th) in the colleted samples.
2
3
2008
4
×
1
2
×
×
3
2009
4
1
2
3
4
×
×
×
2. Establishment of Transfer Factors for
Marine Organisms (fish, shell fish)
× × × ×
3. Assessment of the public committed
effective doses caused by consumption of
seafoods.
× ×
20
Fig 2. The map of Marine
environmental radioactivity
monitoring in Vietnam
(From 2007-2009)
21
3. SUGGESTIONS

Supplementation of standard sources, tracer solutions.

Supply of software for assessing committed effective doses caused by
consumption of seafood to all the Project Members.
22
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
23