Assessment of radioecological situation in the areas of the “Chernobyl footprint” in Russia (1986-2020)

«Radiation and Risk», 2021, vol. 30, No. 2, pp.25-37

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2021-30-2-25-37

Authors

Kryshev I.I. – Chief Researcher, D. Sc., Phys.-Math., Prof.
Buryakova A.A. – Researcher. Contacts: 4 Pobedy str., Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249038. Tel.: +7 (484) 397-16-01; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Sazykina T.G. – Chief Researcher, D. Sc., Phys.-Math. RPA “Typhoon”.
Research and Production Association “Typhoon”, Obninsk

Abstract

The current environmental situation in areas located in the “Chernobyl footprint” in Russia is considered in the paper. Radiation contamination in different parts of the “footprint” varies from the maximum level in the exclusion zones to the level close to the background in areas with low level of radioactive contamination. Environmental monitoring data and calculated density of soil contamination with radionuclides in the vicinities of residential areas in Bryansk, Kaluga, Tula, Orel and Novgorod regions were used as reference data for assessment of radiation dose rates and ecological risks for the reference biological species: the elk (Alces alces), red-backed mouse (Myodes glareolus), the Archangel fir (Pinus sylvestris), brandling (Lumbricus terrestris), the pike (Esox lucius), and the fresh-water soldier (Stratiotes aloides). The integrated contamination index, that is the sum of ratios of registered radionuclides contamination density to the reference levels, was used as the indicator of territory radioecological safety. The calculation was made in accordance with the Roshydromet Recommendations R-52.18.853-2016. The highest doses to the biota and ecological risks were registered in 1986. Radiation dose rates to some vertebrates in the most contaminated districts of the Bryansk region in May 1986 exceeded ecologically safe radiation level of 1 mGy/day. Doses to reference biological species inhabited outside exclusion zones within the period of May-December 1986 were lower than the radioecological safety level. After decay of 131I and other short-lived radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs became the basic contributor to the biota dose. Radiation dose rate to the terrestrials and radio-ecological safety index gradually decreased due to radionuclides physical decay over the period of 1986-2020. Current radiation doses to the terrestrials inhabited the most contaminated districts were, on average, one order below the safe radiation dose to the vertebrates, two orders below the safety radiation level to the Archangel fir and three orders below the safety radiation dose to the soil invertebrates. Current radiation dose rates to inhabitants of the lake of Kozhanovskoe, one of the most contaminated areas due to the radioactive fallout, current radiation dose rates to the lake fish were two orders below the safe level, radiation dose rates to algae were three orders below the safety level, however, they still are above the background level. Current indices of integrated contamination in areas of the Chernobyl radioactive “footprint” are inhomogeneous. Current indices of integrated contamination in the majority of contaminates areas are dozens times and the indices in low radiation contaminated areas are hundreds times lower than ecological safety level. The highest indices occur in a number of districts of Bryansk region but they are lower than ecological safety level, however in some sites in exclusion zones the indices exceed the ecological safety level. These sites are unique natural testing grounds for radioecological research and monitoring of the environment and radiation protection development. In this connection it is recommended to continue long term research and development of radiological protection of the environment.

Key words
Chernobyl accident, monitoring, exclusion zone, biota, reference species, ecological risk, reference level, environmental criterion, long-term dynamics, integrated contamination index.

References

1. Radioaktivnoye zagryazneniye territorii SSSR v 1986 g. Ezhegodnik [Radioactive contamination of the USSR territory in 1986. Yearbook]. Ed.: K.P. Makhon’ko. Obninsk: RPA «Typhoon», 1987. 134 p.

2. Izrael’ Yu.A., Vakulovski S.M., Vetrov V.A., Petrov V.N., Rovinskii F.Ya., Stukin E.D. Chernobyl: radioaktivnoe zagryaznenie prirodnykh sred [Chernobyl: radioactive contamination of natural environment]. Ed.: Yu.A. Izrael’. Leningrad, Gidrometeoizdat, 1990. 296 p.

3. Atlas sovremennykh i prognoznykh aspektov posledstviy avarii na Chernobyl’skoy AES na postradavshikh territoriyakh Rossii i Belarusi [Atlas of current and forecasted aspects of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident in the affected areas of Belarus and Russia]. Eds.: Yu.A. Izrael’, I.M. Bogdevich. Moscow, Foundation «Infosphere» – NIA – Nature; Minsk, Belkartografiya, 2009. 140 p.

4. Shershakov V.M., Bulgakov V.G., Katkova M.N., Yakhryushin V.N., Borodin R.V., Uvarov A.D. Radioak-tivnoye zagryazneniye naselennykh punktov Rossiyskoy Federatsii tseziyem-137, strontsiyem-90 i plutoni-yem-(239+240) v rezul’tate Chernobyl’skoy avarii [Radioactive contamination of the settlements of the Russian Federation points cesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-(239+240) as a result of the Chernobyl accident]. Moscow, Informpoligraf, 2012. 312 p.

5. Dannyye po radioaktivnomu zagryazneniyu territorii naselennykh punktov Rossiyskoy Federatsii tseziyem-137, strontsiyem-90 i plutoniyem-(239+240) [Data on radioactive contamination of the territory of the Russian Federation settlements with caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-(239+240)]. Ed.: S.M. Vakulovsky. Obninsk, FSBI «RPA «Typhoon», 2020. 224 p. Available at: https://www.rpatyphoon.ru/upload/mediali-brary/e6a/ezheg_rzrf_2020.pdf (Accessed 20.10.2020).

6. Sokolov V.E., Ryabov I.N., Kryshev I.I. Ispol’zovaniye ponyatiya "radionuklidnoye ekologicheskoye kol’tso" v zadachakh likvidatsii posledstviy avarii na ob”yektakh yadernoy energetiki. Biologicheskiye i radi-oekologicheskiye aspekty posledstviy avarii na Chernobyl’skoy atomnoy stantsii [Using the concept of «radi-onuclide ecological ring» in the tasks of eliminating the consequences of an accident at nuclear power facili-ties. Biological and radioecological aspects of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant]. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences, 1990. 101 p.

7. Kryshev I.I., Aleksakhin R.M., Ryabov I.N., Makhon’ko K.P., Taskaev A.I. Radioekologicheskiye posledstviya Chernobyl’skoy avarii [Radioecological consequences of the Chernobyl accident]. Ed.: I.I. Kryshev. Moscow, Nuclear Society of the USSR, 1991. 172 p.

8. Kryshev I.I., Sazykina T.G., Kryshev A.I. Ekologicheskiye riski Chernobyl’skoy avarii. Radioaktivnost’ posle yadernykh vzryvov i avariy: posledstviya I puti preodoleniya [Environmental risks of the Chernobyl accident. Radioactivity after nuclear explosions and accidents: consequences and overcoming ways, Conference proceedings, April 19-21]. Obninsk, FSBI «RPA «Typhoon», 2016, pp. 246-266.

9. Aleksakhin R.M., Buldakov L.A., Gubanov V.A., Drozhko E.G., Il’in L.A., Kryshev I.I., Linge I.I., Romanov G.N., Savkin M.N., Saurov M.M., Tikhomirov F.A., Kholina Yu.B. Krupnyye radiatsionnyye avarii: posledstviya i zashchitnyye mery [Large-scale radiated accidents: consequences and protective measures]. Eds.: L.A. Il’in, V.A. Gubanov. Moscow, IzdAt, 2001. 752 p.

10. Pitkevich V.A., Shershakov V.M., Duba V.V., Chekin S.Yu., Ivanov V.K., Vakulovsky S.M., Makhonko K.P., Volokitin A.A., Tsaturov Yu.S., Tsyb A.F. Reconstruction of the radionuclide composition of precipitation on the territory of Russia as a result of the Chernobyl accident. Radiatsiya i risk – Radiation and Risk, 1993, vol. 3, pp. 62-93. (In Russian).

11. Beresford N., Brown J., Copplestone D., Garnier-Laplace J., Howard B., Larsson C.M., Oughhton D., Prohl G., Zinger I. D-ERICA: An Integrated Approach to the assessment and management of environmental risks from ionising radiation: Description of purpose, methodology and application. ERICA. EC, Contract Number: FI6R-CT-2004-508847, 2007. 82 p.

12. Kryshev I.I., Ryazantsev E.P. Environmental risk of the radiological accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima (Japan) NPPs. Atomnaya energiya – Atomic Energy, 2017, vol. 122, no. 1, pp. 46-55. (In Russian).

13. Buryakova A.A., Kryshev I.I., Sazykina T.G., Vedernikova M.V., Panchenko S.V. Assessment of dose and environmental risk to biota in the area of Mining and Chemical Combine. Radiatsionnaya biologiya. Radioekologiya – Radiation Biology. Radioecology, 2020, vol. 60, no. 6, pp. 658-667. (In Russian).

14. ICRP, 2009. Environmental protection: the concept and use of reference animals and plants. ICRP Publication 108. Ann. ICRP, 2009, vol. 38, no. 4-6, pp. 1-251.

15. Recommendations R 52.18.820-2015. Assessment of radiation and environmental impacts on natural envi-ronment based on radiation monitoring data. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Roshydromet 17.04.2015. Obninsk, 2015. 60 p. (In Russian).

16. Recommendations R 52.18.853-2016. Estimation procedure for control levels of radionuclide content in fresh water and soils. Approved by the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Roshydromet, 17.08.2016. Procedures for estimating the radionuclide control levels in environ-mental objects. Obninsk, 2016, pp. 29-55. (In Russian).

17. Vakulovsky S.M., Kolesnikova L.V., Tertyshnik E.G., Uvarov A.D. The dynamics of contamination of Kozhanovskoe Lake with 137Cs in the post-Chernobyl period. Radiatsionnaya biologiya. Radioekologiya – Radiation Biology. Radioecology, 2009, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 204-208. (In Russian).

18. Ryabov I.N. Radioekologiya ryb vodoyemov v zone vliyaniya avarii na Chernobyl’skoy AES [Radioecology of fishes in water reservoirs in the zone of influence of the accident at Chernobyl NPP]. Moscow, KMK, 2004. 215 p.

19. Polyakova N.I., Pelgunova L.A. Radioekologicheskoye sostoyaniye ikhtiofauny vodoyemov Bryanskoy oblasti. Radioaktivnost’ posle yadernykh vzryvov i avariy: posledstviya I puti preodoleniya [Radioecological state of fish fauna of the Bryansk region reservoirs. Radioactivity after nuclear explosions and accidents: consequences and overcoming ways, Conference proceedings April 19-21]. Obninsk, FSBI «RPA «Typhoon», 2016, pp. 74-75.

Full-text article (in Russian)