Ecology

Data on Environmental Radioactivity Detailed by V. Ramzaev and Co-Authors

  2012 JUL 6 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Ecology, Environment & Conservation -- Data detailed on Environmental Radioactivity have been presented. According to news reporting out of St. Petersburg, Russia, by VerticalNews editors, researchers stated "Samples of soil and epigeic lichens were collected from the 'Taiga' peaceful nuclear explosion site (61.30 degrees N 56.60 degrees E, the Perm region, Russia) in 2009 and analyzed using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. For soil samples obtained at six different plots, two products of fission (Cs-137 and Eu-155), five products of neutron activation (Co-60, Nb-94, Eu-152, Eu-154, Bi-207) and Am-241 have been identified and quantified."

  Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research by the authors, "The maximal activity concentrations of Co-60, Cs-137, and Am-241 for the soils samples were measured as 1650, 7100, and 6800 Bq kg(-1) (d.w.), respectively. The deposit of Cs-137 for the top 20 cm of soil on the tested plots at the 'Taiga' site ranged from 30 to 1020 kBq m(-2); the maximal value greatly (by almost 3 orders of magnitude) exceeded the regional background (from global fallout) level of 1.4 kBq m(-2). Cs-137 contributes approximately 57% of the total ground inventory of the man-made gamma-ray emitters for the six plots tested at the 'Taiga' site. The other major radionuclides - Am-241 and Co-60, constitute around 40%. Such radionuclides as Co-60, Cs-137, Am-241, and Bi-207 have also been determined for the epigeic lichens (genera Cladonia) that colonized certain areas at the ground lip produced by the 'Taiga' explosion. Maximal activity concentrations (up to 80 Bq kg(-1) for Co-60, 580 Bq kg(-1) for Cs-137, 200 Bq kg(-1) for Am-241, and 5 Bq kg(-1) for Bi-207; all are given in terms of d.w.) have been detected for the lower dead section of the organisms. The air kerma rates associated with the anthropogenic sources of gamma radiation have been calculated using the data obtained from the laboratory analysis. For the six plots tested, the kerma rates ranged from 50 to 1200 nGy h(-1); on average, 51% of the dose can be attributed to Cs-137 and 45% to Co-60."

  According to the news editors, the researchers concluded: "These estimates agree reasonably well with the results of the in situ measurements made during our field survey of the 'Taiga' site in August 2009."

  For more information on this research see: Radiological investigations at the "Taiga" nuclear explosion site, part II: man-made gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in the ground and the resultant kerma rate in air. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2012;109():1-12. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity can be contacted at: Elsevier Sci Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Journal of Environmental Radioactivity - www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/405861)

  Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting V. Ramzaev, Inst Radiat Hyg, St Petersburg 197101, Russia.

  Keywords for this news article include: Russia, Eurasia, St. Petersburg, Environmental Radioactivity

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