ALUMANDA M. DELA ROSA Director Philippine Nuclear Research Institute

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION  RCA MTS/ Priorities for  Environment Sector Areas of Interest Accomplishments  Way forward

RCA MTS/Priorities for Environment Sector – 2010 Consultant’s Report: A total of 11,211 person-days of inputs and a total expenditure of US$5,529,077 since Priority areas for : Air Particulate Matter Pollution Management and Protection of Water Resources Coastal and Marine Pollution

STRATEGIES BY RCA MSs IN PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION  work on the most pressing problems where nuclear techniques offer a comparative advantage;  undertake capacity building of national teams on the concepts, methodologies and protocols, interpretation and analysis of data  Utilize the TCDC mechanism and the expertise from the developed RCA MSs  build on the knowledge and experience gained to tackle more complex problems

PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS  Generation of high-quality regional databases which provide science-based information to relevant government agencies for the formulation of environmental policies and regulations  Build up of well trained human resources with knowledge on nuclear analytical techniques and methodologies to assess environmental impacts  Build up of physical, human, and scientific infrastructure which can be used to implement new programs over the next five years

The Problem: Air particulate matter pollution is of great concern in the Australasia and Asia The variety of sources makes it impossible to simply collect and weigh the air particulates and to draw conclusions from that. Visibility degradation, health effects Industrial emissionsDomestic heatingConstruction Vehicular emissionsFireworks pollutionDesert sandstorm Volcanic eruptionsForest fireBiomass burning

RCA Approach: SRM2783 spectrum Ge-secondarytarget Air Flow Coarse filter (8 m m) Fine filter (0.4 m m) Ion Beam Analysis Neutron Activation Analysis X-ray Fluorescence Analysis Sample Collection and Analysis Non-destructive Multi-element Analysis by Nuclear and Related Analytical Techniques Gent sampler set-up Gent Sampling Unit Sampling Head Assembled Stack Filter Cassette Nuclepore Filters Particulate Mass by Gravimetry (Mettler MT5) Black Carbon by Reflectometry (M34D Smokestain Reflectometer) Use of nuclear and related analytical techniques for source identification and apportionment

RCA Contribution: First RCA database on fine and coarse air particulate matter: A-PAD (Asia-Pacific Aerosol Database) at Box and whisker plots of fine (PM 2.5 ) and coarse (PM ) mass concentrations for each country for all data

Source Identification and Apportionment and Long-Range Transport Studies Source identification and apportionment in New Zealand Long-range transport of fine soil in South Asian region

Important information on PM2.5 Black Carbon (BC) was revealed: Reduction of BC in the region will have very big impact on climate change while waiting for mitigation measures for GHGs to take effect BC, or soot, a product of combustion processes, stays in the atmosphere for weeks or months only. A lot is generated in the Asian region

For over a decade now, the IAEA has been assisting the RCA Member States to respond to water challenges in the region by developing infrastructure and human resource capacity to undertake isotope studies. The application of isotope techniques has provided science-based information to understand and manage water resources better.

RAS/08/084  “Access to Clean Drinking Water”  Started in project cycle  Aimed to promote the use of isotope techniques to address specific problems related to drinking water supply and to develop and verify groundwater flow and transport models for selected aquifer systems in the region

RAS/08/084 “Access to Clean Drinking Water” In Davao City Philippines:  Isotope studies confirmed groundwater recharge zones delineated by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau from terrain classification studies  These formed part of the basis for the adoption of a resolution for the implementation of watershed management and protection policies (DENR 23 Series of 2005) and to the issuance of City of Davao Executive Order (№ 22 Series of 2005) delineating groundwater protection zones in the Talomo-LIpadas watershed

RAS/08/084 “Access to Clean Drinking Water” In Pakistan:  Isotopes in the investigation of groundwater recharge and pollution in Lahore City showed the significant contribution of river to groundwater recharge, and consequently the vulnerability of groundwater t contamination  The information provided basis for verifying a pollutant transport model developed

RAS/08/084 “Access to Clean Drinking Water” In China:  Isotopic composition of sulphate in groundwater was employed to study the dynamics of arsenic occurrence in the groundwater in the Datong basin, located in northern part of the Shanxi province in China

Marine Pollution Tracing the origin of marine contaminants in Map Ta Phut industrial estate, Rayong Province, Thailand

Mitigation of Coastal Impacts of Natural Disasters Impact of sediment-derived metals from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami on coral ecosystems

Mitigation of Coastal Impacts of Natural Disasters Radioecology experiments on uptake and retention of 65 Zinc on the coral Acropora formosa at the Phuket Marine Biology Centre

Reference Manual for the HAB Receptor Binding Assay

Sediment Dating in HAB Studies

Sediment Fingerprinting for Harmful Algal Bloom Studies (HABs) Assessment/measurement of suspended sediment-associated nutrients, selected diagnostic properties of suspended sediments in selected HABs-affected areas Cu Pb

RCA Success Story in 2012  “Establishing a Benchmark for Assessing the Future Radiological Impact of Nuclear Power Activities on the Marine Environment” strengthened capabilities in the region for measuring RI in marine environmental samples contributed new 1,443 inputs to ASPAMARD (represents one of the most comprehensive compilations of available data on Cs-137 and Pu , other radionuclides in marine samples from the A-P seas)

RCA Success Story in 2012  “Establishing a Benchmark for Assessing the Future Radiological Impact of Nuclear Power Activities on the Marine Environment” developed a TQM Manual for monitoring the impacts of nuclear activities in the marine environment is an excellent precursor of the new project on “Marine benchmark study on the possible impact of radioactive releases in the Asia-Pacific Region”

Way Forward  Emerging Concerns Effects of climate change on environmental processes Vulnerability of ground water to pollution Effects of natural disasters  Sustainability of projects Preservation of knowledge and expertise gained Maintenance of physical infrastructure

ALUMANDA M. DELA ROSA Director Philippine Nuclear Research Institute