Radioactive pollution of the Ob river system from urals nuclear enterprise ‘MAJAK’ (original) (raw)
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Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2000
The radioactive contamination of the Techa}Iset rivers downstream from the MAYAK reservoirs has been determined by measurements of Sr, Cs and transuranic elements in #oodplain soils and sorlake sediments. Empirical models for the spatial distribution of the radioactive contamination in the river system were developed by "tting the data to power and exponential functions. The radionuclide inventories calculated from the models were compared with Russian data. The models applied in this study predicted higher inventories than those obtained from the Russian data in the upper reaches of the Techa; but lower inventories were predicted for the downstream part of the river. Estimation of the Sr inventory is encumbered with larger uncertainties than those of Cs and Pu because the distribution of Sr does not always follow simple models as do Cs and Pu. The contamination downstream of MAYAK of the #oodplain and Techa}Iset river system was estimated to be 0.1 PBq Sr, 0.3 PBq Cs and 0.8 TBq Pu. While essentially all the Cs and Pu outside the MAYAK reservoir are found in the Techa river, the Sr contamination extends further downstream. : S 0 2 6 5 -9 3 1 X ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 2 2 -8 A sorlake (also called an oxbow lake) is an annually #ooded lake characterized by a low-#ow environment and thus expected to preserve the sediment transported there each year .
Environment and Natural Resources Journal, 2019
Assessment of radioactive pollution of the Syrdarya river was carried out. A large number of water samples were collected over a twelve-year period from three zones: upstream of uranium mines; around uranium mines; and downstream of the mines. Samples were analyzed for gross α-, β-activity and radionuclideconcentrations. Gross α-activity exceeded the permissible level in almost every water sample. Both gross α-and β-activity in Baigekum village and PV-1 mine significantly exceeded safe levels throughout entire monitoring period. Concentrations of 230Th and 210Pb surpassed the national intervention levels in almost all water samples. In a number of samples from Baigekum village excessive concentration of 226Ra was observed. Furthermore, water samples collected from Tabakbulak in the spring of 2009 had extremely high levels of radionuclides. In general, elevated levels of radionuclides had been observed around the uranium mines and down the stream of Syrdarya since 2008-2009 when industrial-level production started at Zarechnoye, Khorasan and Irkol uranium deposits. The results suggest that radioactive pollution of Syrdarya in Kazakhstan is primarily caused by uranium mining activities. It is likely that the Syrdarya waters are not only unpalatable for human, but it may also not be suitable for household and agricultural use due to radioactive pollution.
Radioecological investigation of the Techa-Iset' river system
Russian Journal of Ecology, 2000
Data on the current radioecological situation in the Techa-Iset' river system, which was contaminated by radioactive wastes from the Mayak Production Association in the 1940s and 1950s, are discussed. Mathematical models are presented that describe the decrease in the contamination of water, bottom sediments, h~robionts, and floodplain soils with an increase in the distance from the discharge site. The amounts of 9~ C, 137Cs, and transuranium elements in the main components of the ecosystem are estimated.
Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 2014
Eu Radionuclide burial patterns Landscape-radiometric survey and soil sampling performed in the islands of Beriozovy and Balchug (20 km downstream the Krasnoyarsk Mining and Chemical Combine), and in the Mikhin Island (180 km downstream) showed that the distribution of technogenic radionuclides depends upon the history of contamination and landscape features of the floodplain. Contamination densities of 137 Cs appeared to be significantly higher than could be expected from global fallout (1.75-2.5 kBq/m 2 ): in 2000 the maximum value for 137 Cs in the Beriozovy Island equaled 663 kBq/m 2 , in the Balchug site -577 kBq/m 2 and in the Mikhin Island -518 kBq/m 2 ). 137 Cs contamination density was practically independent of the remoteness from the KMCC that proved its considerable migration in the water-soluble or fine particulate forms. Vertical distributions of man-made nuclides in soil cores depended upon the different half-life of the studied radionuclides, the soil profile relative altitude, its structure and texture. The two main burial depths of 137 Cs activity depended upon the intensity of sedimentation and varied from 5 cm to 20-25 cm. In 2000 maximum contamination by 60 Co and 152,154 Eu isotopes was associated with the top layer and decreased exponentially with depth. Obtained data is believed to be important for ecological monitoring of the flood plains subjected to radionuclide contamination. (E.M. Korobova), Justin.Brown@nrpa.no (J. Brown), potapov_v@mail.ru (V.N. Potapov).
Water Quality, 2017
The Yenisei River is one of the largest rivers in the world. There is Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC) of Rosatom located at Krasnoyarsk, on the bank of the River Yenisei, 50 km downstream of the city of Krasnoyarsk. Since 1958 MCC used river's water for cooling of industrial nuclear reactors for the production of weapon plutonium-238 Pu. Besides the pollution caused by industry-related radionuclides, pollution by natural radionuclide-uranium and its isotopes-are also investigated. Besides the natural uranium isotopes (234 U, 235 U, 238 U), exclusive artificial isotope-236 U was also found. Yenisei water was also polluted by high tritium content: from 4 Bq/L (back road value) to 200 Bq/L (some sample of water). The total amount of radionuclides investigated was about 20 radioisotopes. These radionuclides have different physical and chemical properties, different half-lives, and so on. Thus, the data on artificial radionuclides entering the Yenisei River water were obtained by long-term monitoring, which is likely to be connected with the activity of the industrial enterprises located on the river's banks of the studied area.
Radioprotection, 2002
The results of the retrospective global radioactive contamination mapping of the Enisey-river catchment are presented. The maps of spatial ,J7 Cs distributions of 1964, 1974, 1986, 2000 are compiled using the geoinformation technologies in the Institute of Global Climate and Ecology. The territory of mapping is 2600000 km 2. The mapping is done from the airbome-gamma-spectrum data obtained at the beginning of 1960, of 1970 and 1990. In 2000 the global levels of IJ7 Cs are 0.4-3 kBq/m J. A small contribution of Chernobyl deposition can be registered on the maps built later 1986 (0.02-0.15 kBq/m :). The levels of 2.5-3 kBq/m 1 in the region of Severo-Eniseyski and Teya localities can be estimated as the tail part of the eastern Chernobyl partem. The present levels of 2.59-122 kBqVm 2 are observed on the Enissey valley at distances of 0-1700 km from Krasnoyarsk-26. The parameters of runoff and soil erosion are estimated using the cartographic information, provided by the Laboratory of River Processes and Soil Erosion of the Moscow State University. A part of 137 Cs, accumulated in the Enisey-valley from early 1960 to 2000 with the transport of soil material from interfluve of all Enisey tributaries, will be estimated using a balance model of soil erosion. The contribution of IJT Cs from the catchment to the valley is estimated with respect to total l37 Cs deposited in the valley.