Heterogeneity of 90Sr radioactive contamination at the head part of the East Ural radioactive trace (EURT)

M Modorov; A Seleznev; L Mikhailovskaya

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.11.019

Heterogeneity of ⁹⁰Sr radioactive contamination at the head part of the East Ural radioactive trace (EURT)

J Environ Radioact. 2017 Feb:167:117-126. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.11.019. Epub 2016 Nov 24.

Authors

M Modorov¹, A Seleznev², L Mikhailovskaya³

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Population Radiobiology, Institute of Plant & Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 202 8 Marta St., 620144 Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation. Electronic address: mmodorov@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Physics and Ecology, Institute of Industrial Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 20 Kovalevskoy St., 620990 Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation.
³ Laboratory of Common Radioecology, Institute of Plant & Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 202 8 Marta St., 620144 Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation.

PMID: 27890298
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.11.019

Abstract

1: We measured ⁹⁰Sr concentrations and beta particle flux density (BPFD) in 44 soil samples collected from four soil profiles across a central transect on the head of the East Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT). The relationship between BPFD and ⁹⁰Sr concentration of each soil sample can be characterised by a linear regression model; ⁹⁰Sr concentration in the upper 12 cm soil layer can thus be assessed by measuring BPFD in the soil surface. 2: The BPFD on the soil surface was measured at 969 points at seven sites with linear dimensions ranging from 140 × 20 m to 140 × 320 m. The correspondence of ⁹⁰Sr concentration in the 12 cm soil layer with its BPFD value was calculated for each of these seven sites. Eighty (80) % of ⁹⁰Sr concentration measurements in the 12 cm soil layer in each model site differed by a factor of 2.0-5. The variability of ⁹⁰Sr concentration increased significantly in the 12 cm upper soil layer over territories with visual features of landscape disturbance (pits, trenches). The ratio of maximum to minimum concentration of ⁹⁰Sr varied from 6.1 to 6.6 in the 12 cm soil layer over territories without visual features of anthropogenic soil disturbance. 3: The ⁹⁰Sr concentration was measured in the skeletons of 34 juvenile Microtus oeconomus individuals weighing less than 12.5 g and trapped at the four model sites in July. The assessment of ⁹⁰Sr concentration in the 12 cm soil layer was conducted for each point where an animal was trapped. The relationship between ⁹⁰Sr concentration in soil and in the skeleton was characterised by a linear regression model with a determination coefficient of 0.51. 4: The concentration ratio for ⁹⁰Sr from soil to skeleton (CR_{skeleton-soil}) was 2.0 ± 0.1 for M. oeconomus over the territory of the EURT, which is consistent with the minimum value of the same CR_{skeleton-soil} for M. oeconomus from the Chernobyl area (Chesser et al., 2000).

Keywords: (90)Sr; Concentration ratio; East ural radioactive trace (EURT); Kyshtym accident; Microtus oeconomus; Rodents.

MeSH terms

Radiation Monitoring*
Radioactive Hazard Release*
Russia
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
Strontium Radioisotopes / analysis*

Substances

Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
Strontium Radioisotopes