REMdb as a framework for collaborations in environmental radioactivity research

Abstract

Under the terms of Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty, European Union Member States (MSs) shall periodically communicate to the European Commission (EC) information on environmental radioactivity levels. These results have been introduced into the Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring database (REMdb) of the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) sited in Ispra (Italy) (https://rem.jrc.ec.europa.eu/RemWeb/). The initial purpose of the REMdb was to bring together environmental radioactivity data produced in the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, and to store them in a harmonised manner. Thus the database has two main objectives: 1) to collect the environmental radioactivity data gathered through the national environmental monitoring programs of the MSs to prepare comprehensive annual monitoring reports; and 2) to keep a historical record of the radiological accidents for scientific studies. Nowadays, containing nearly two million records of radioactivity levels in milk, water, air and mixed diet received from the MSs, the REMdb offers the scientific community dealing with environmental radioactivity endless research opportunities. The records stored in REMdb prior to 2007 are fully public, while the access to the data from the 2007-2015 period can be granted only after explicit request. This fact makes the REMdb a useful and unique pillar on which to perform environmental radioactivity studies at the European level, and which can be considered as a liaison platform between national and international scientific groups conducting collaborative research.