Anthropogenic radionuclides in water samples from the Chernobyl exclusion zone

authored by

Rebecca Querfeld, Wolfgang Schulz, Jan Neubohn, Georg Steinhauser

Abstract

Radionuclides from water samples from the Chernobyl exclusion zone were studied for anthropogenic radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr. Tritium levels remained below detection limits. For comparison, a sample of mollusk shells from the cooling pond of the NPP has been included into the study, which were found to accumulate ⁹⁰Sr by a factor of 600 from the surrounding water. The highest contamination in water has been found in water from the channel to the NPP (8.0 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs, 4.1 Bq/kg for ⁹⁰Sr), followed by the cooling pond and water from the Pripyat river bay. Activity concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in water generally decrease with increasing distance, however, at the same time, the ⁹⁰Sr/¹³⁷Cs activity ratio was found to increase.

Organisation(s)

Centre for Radiation Protection and Radioecology

Type

Article

Journal

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Volume

318

Pages

423-428

No. of pages

6

ISSN

0236-5731

Publication date

01.10.2018

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging, Pollution, Spectroscopy, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6030-y (Access: Closed)