Empirical data on the behavior of radionuclides in aquatic ecosystems are needed for radioecological modeling, which is commonly used for predicting transfer of radionuclides, estimating doses, and assessing possible adverse effects on species and cenosis. Preliminary studies of radioecological parameters distribution coefficients and concentration ratios for 90 Sr and 137 Cs showed not a full agreement with the default values (obtained based on the geological data on stable elements) used in the Erica Tool and the Resrad Biota codes. Unique radiation situation in the Techa River contaminated by long-lived radionuclides ( 90 Sr and 137 Cs) in the mid of the last century allow to improve the knowledge about these parameters for the river systems. Therefore the study was focused on the evaluation and of radioecological parameters for the Techa River and the Miass River, viz., distribution coefficients and concentration ratios for 90 Sr and 137 Cs. To achieve the aim the current contamination of biotic and abiotic components of the river ecosystems was studied; distribution coefficients for 90 Sr and 137 Cs were calculated; concentration ratios of 90 Sr and 137 Cs for 3 fish species (roach, perch and pike), gastropods and filamentous algae were evaluated. Obtained results were compared with default values used in the well-known computer codes ERICA Too and RESRAD BIOTA. It was shown that the concentration ratios of 137 Cs in fish bodies depend on the predominant type of nutrition (carnivores and phytophagous). The concentration ratios of 90Sr are species-specific and strongly depended on Ca + concentration in water. The universal characteristic allowing to combine the data of fish caught in the water with different mineralization was proposed by multiplying 90 Sr CR and concentration of Ca + . The individual variability of concentration ratios for fishes was well-fitted by Generalized Logistic Distribution function (GDL). The GDL can be used for probabilistic modeling of the concentration ratios in fishes.
Liquid radioactive waste from the Mayak Production Association (Chelyabinsk Region, Russia) is contained in industrial reservoirs (R-11, R-10, R-4, R-17, and R-9) that have different levels of radioactive contamination, increased from R-11 to R-17. A study of the ecosystems in these reservoirs was performed in 2009 to determine if there was any association with the level of contamination. No significant change in the status of biota was found in the reservoir with the lowest radionuclide concentrations (R-11) in comparison to other reservoirs in the region with a similar geography that are unaffected by radioactive contamination. In reservoir R-10, changes in the zoobenthos indices were registered. In reservoir R-4, changes in the zoobenthos and zooplankton communities were registered. In reservoir R-17, there was no ichthyofauna, but strong changes in the phytoplankton, zooplankton, and zoobenthos communities were registered. In reservoir R-9, under the conditions of the heaviest radioactive contamination of water ecosystems in the biosphere, there was no ichthyofauna, and phytoplankton and zooplankton consisted of almost a monoculture of cyanobacteriae and rotifers.
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