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  DOI Prefix   10.20431


 

International Journal of Research in Environmental Science
Volume 1, Issue 2, 2015, Page No: 19-29

Sources of Cesium-137 Pollution of Bottom Sediments in the Kara Sea Continental Catchment, Russia

Ivan Semenkov1, Alexey Miroshnikov1

1.The Organization of Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits Petrography, Mineralogy and Geochemistry

Citation : Ivan Semenkov, Alexey Miroshnikov, Sources of Cesium-137 Pollution of Bottom Sediments in the Kara Sea Continental Catchment, Russia International Journal of Research in Environmental Science 2015,1(2) : 19-29

Abstract

The aim of the present research is to evaluate the contribution of 137Cs global fallout to the contamination of bottom sediments in the mixing zone of the Ob fresh water and the Kara sea salt water. Sources of cesium-137 pollution were explored in the Kara sea continental catchment based on modeling and published data. The main sources are global radioactive fallout (24.8 - 25.2 1015Bq), Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (1.3 - 37.0 1015Bq), PA 'Mayak' (liquid radioactive wastes in the Techa river 1.9 - 13.0 1015Bq and Karachay lake 200 - 444 1015Bq, Kyshtym disaster 2.7 1015Bq), Krasnoyarsk mining and chemical industrial complex (0.01 - 0.11 1015Bq). Cesium-137 inflow to the Kara sea from the Ob river basin (including decay) is 0.04 - 0.44 1015Bq. Global fallout 137Cs runoff forms 48 - 73% of total 137Cs runoff. Cesium-137 runoff from the landscapes contaminated due to activity in the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and PA 'Mayak' is 2 - 42% and 10 - 26% correspondingly.


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