Bøger i Eur serien

PH. BOURDEAU Directorate-General Science. Research and Development. Commission of the European Communities. Brussels. Belgium We are living on a unique planet, the only one in the solar system where life exists. The very existence of life has modified the physical and chemical environment of the earth, its atmosphere and oceans, in a way that makes life sustainable. This system with its complex cybernetic mechanisms has been named GAIA by Lovelock. Man has always interfered with it on a more or less limited scale. This interference is now reaching global proportions such as climate modifications resulting from CO and trace gas 2 accumulation in the atmosphere or the destruction of stratospheric ozone, not to speak of global radioactive contamination. GAIA will probably prevail as a living system but it probably does not give much importance to man's survival as such, and it is man that has to take care of his own survival. In the ecosystem of Planet Earth, soils are the thin interface between lithosphere and atmosphere which constitutes the essential substrate for the terrestrial biosphere, the productivity of which far exceeds that of the oceans, even though the latter cover a much larger area than the continents. Soils themselves are complex systems. They develop through weathering of minerals, are colonised by living organisms which in turn modify their substrate making it suitable for other organisms. This induces a primary ecological succession which eventually reaches a climax, in equilibrium between climate, soil and the biological communities.

The European Community's programme on the decommissioning of nuclear ~wer plants has the prime objective of developing effective techniques and procedures for ensuring the protection of nan and his envirornnent aginst the potential hazards of nuclear ~wer plants that have been finally shut down. The Carrnission of the European Ccrrmunities organized this interna­ tional conference to present results achieved during the past five years of the prograrme. It also provided an opportunity for discussions anongst experts fran Merriber States of the European Catmuni ty and participating SCl.en­ tists fran outside the Ccrrmunity, on the issues and options for future research. The conference was limited to invited papers, presented by scien­ tists involved in European Ccmnunity contract studies. The topics covered by the conference and in the proceedings are : characterization of the radioactivity associated with nuclear ~wer plants that have been finally shut dawn; implications of maintaining shut-down nuclear ~wer plants for long periods before disnantling; decontamination of metal and concrete surfaces for decommissioning purposes; dismantling of nuclear ~r plant cam~nents and structures; conditioning and packaging of the radioactive waste arising fran the dismantling; systems for remotely controlled decommissioning operations; aspects related to the classification of solid decommissioning waste, namely measurement of very low-level radioactivity and eValuation of radiological consequences; nuclear power plant design features facilitating decommissioning; experience with industrial-scale decommissioning operation. The proceedings also report the discussions on the papers as well as the results of two technical panels and of the concluding panel.

Multiple sclerosis is an unique disease with a tremendous impact on social life in countries with moderate climates. Its cause is unknown. In recent years however hopes have been raised that the disease might be fought, and possibly cured. With the disappearance of poliomyelitis as the main paralyzing disease multiple sclerosis has taken its place as the single disease that is responsible for paralyzing the young with an incurable affliction of long duration, for social disruption and for an 1 economic impact that is estimated to be higher than heart disease . A multi-national, mUlti-disciplinary approach to this extremely disabling disease is urgently needed in this phase of hopeful scientific developments. The Commission of the European Communities therefore sponsored a Con­ ference on Multiple Sclerosis Research in Europe on 29,30 and 31 January 1985 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, with the aim of formulating practical proposals for such cooperation in the Communities. This volume contains the papers read at that conference.

In 1980 the Internal Emitters Committee of EULEP organised a symposium in Rotterdam on Bone and Bone Seeking Radionu cI ides: Their Physiology, Dosimetry and Effects. The speakers for this meeting, mostly from EULEP associ­ ated laboratories, were chosen to review this field of scientific research mostly for the benefit of interested scientists who were not actively researching with bone­ seeking radionuclides. This meeting was a success and its proceedings were subsequently published in the form of a book by the Commission of the European Communities, reflecting the great importance that both EULEP and the Radiologi­ cal Protection Programme of the Commission of the European Communities attaches to the study of radionuclides that deposit in bone. The Metals in Bone symposium in Angers was intended to serve a different function from that of the meeting held in Rotterdam in that, while these proceed­ ings will certainly be of interest to non-involved scientists, the meeting was intended to be of most benefit to those actively researching the metabolism and effects of bone-seeking metals. Moreover, in an attempt to increase the value of its discussions and the number of interested and participating scientists, the remit of the meeting was broader and set to include papers on stable as well as radioactive metals.