Hunter/gatherer transfer factors for iodine (ongoing) Quantitative assessment of the disposal of nuclear fuel waste (NFW) requires data that are not commonly available. This is because the elements and settings of concern are not investigated for other environmental safety assessments. In particular, iodine is a key element for NFW because of the long-lived 129I present in the spent fuel. In terms of settings, hunter/gatherer pathways in boreal environments are important to the assessment of NFW but are not well parameterized. As a result, ECOMatters undertook a study of iodine transfer factors for fish and game (deer, moose, elk and geese). We included a limited survey of iodine concentrations in Canadian Shield lakes, sediment and soil solid/liquid partition coefficients, and plant/soil concentration ratios for wild berries. This study was possible because of a new analytical technique that lowered detection limits in biological specimens by about 200-fold. This figure shows the fish muscle iodine concentrations measured in 2007, ranging 39-fold across the 6 lakes. Interestingly, the strongest correlate was with stable cesium concentrations (r = 0.52, P < 0.007), which ranged 54-fold across the 6 lakes. Even though cesium is another element of concern for NFW disposal, the reason for the correlation in undisturbed settings is as yet unexplained. The range in iodine muscle concentrations was larger than expected, given that iodine is subject to strong homeostatic control at least in thyroid tissue. Only part of this variation seems to be explained by water concentrations. Automated Soil Gas Grid Sampling System The purpose of the project was to design, test and use an automated soil-gas CO2 sampling and analytical system, for detection of leakage to the surface of sequestered CO2 past well-bore seals and along geological fractures. The sampling and analytical system was designed and set up in ECOMatters Whiteshell laboratory by fixing five solenoids and a data logger to a work board and mounting it in a weather-proof box. The analyzer was calibrated using standard laboratory air (CO2 = ~365 ppm) and zero CO2 air (laboratory air stripped of CO2 using Ascerite (soda-lime)). A field trial experiment was then devised on a grid with 5 m spacing of sampling probes. The probes had been previously manufactured for soil gas sampling of radon and helium and were found to perform well in this application for CO2. Soil gases were sampled at a depth of 50 cm in the overburden and routed through a multi-port manifold to the CO2 analyser The system was tested over the period October-November. The tests were successful and CO2 concentrations as high as ~12,000 ppm were measured in the upper 50 cm of soils at the station. Assessment of Geological Barriers for CO2 Storage in Coal Deposits Coalbeds in the Alberta Basin are being investigated both as potential sites for enhanced coalbed methane recovery (ECBM) and for the long-term storage of CO2 and flue gas.
ECOMatters Inc. is Pinawa-based company (Manitoba, Canada) with a phone number 2047532747. Our data show that the company is located at the address: PO Box 430. The company has a web site: www.ecomatters.com.
Unfortunately сompany staff has not yet provided of company's activities, mission and detailed description.