Thesis supervisor: Tibor Kovács
co-supervisor: Edit Tóth-Bodrogi
Location of studies (in Hungarian): University of Pannonia Abbreviation of location of studies: PE
Description of the research topic:
Human activities and natural processes release various radioisotopes into the aquatic environment. The propagation of these in addition of being a good tracer for observing various processes can be a health concern due to bioaccumulation and bio-magnification through the food chain. Part of the radioisotopes attaches to particles floating in the water and together with the sedimentation it accumulates on the bottom. Various plants and animals can incorporate radioactivity either from the water or the sediment at the bottom, and if eaten can increase the internal dose of the local population. Good bio-monitoring species are easily identifiable, representative of their environment, can accumulate the investigated radioisotope to measurable levels without dying, have a dependable correlation between their activity concentration and the environmental concentration, should provide enough matter for a reliable determination, should have a determined life-span, and should be widespread enough to allow for comparing areas. Observing the activity concentrations in sediment, water, and various living organisms can paint an accurate picture revealing the effects of different natural and man-made processes, and by understanding their interdependence we can improve the accuracy of our predictive internal dose assessment models.
The basic hypothesis of this PhD study is to investigate radioactivity concentration in the various environmental media of the aquatic environment, and to determine the concentration ratios or transfer factors mainly in order to provide an input for internal dose assessment models, with a secondary goal of identifying good biomonitor species that are particularly good at magnifying one radionuclide or are useful for determining multiple radionuclides at once. The data should also be checked to determine the statistical differences, if any, due to the different living habits of the selected living organisms for example free floating, floating-leaved, rooted or emerging plants or different diets or trophic levels for animals.
Task of the candidates:
To collect samples from various environmental media and determine their activity concentrations
To process the obtained data and to determine the concentration ratios or transfer factors
To process the obtained data in order to identify good biomonitor species
To determine the statistical differences if any due to the different living habits of the selected living organisms
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2023-01-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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