Independent regulatory examination of radiation situation in the areas of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive wastes storage in the Russian far east

Abstract

This paper describes the findings of the radiation situation analysis on-site near Sysoeva and Razbojnik Bays. The results of radiation monitoring performed by radiological laboratory of DalRAO and studies performed by the experts from the Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre have been used in the course of analysis. On the industrial sites, gamma dose rate reaches 60 µSv h(-1), and the specific activities of man-made radionuclides in soil reach 2.5 × 10(4) Bq kg(-1) for (137)Cs, 7.6 × 10(3) Bq kg(-1) for (90)Sr and 2.0 × 10(3) Bq kg(-1) for (60)Co. Beyond the industrial sites, there are three local parts of the area on the coast and in the off-shore water area, contaminated with man-made radionuclides. Gamma dose rate reaches 8 µSv h(-1). The radionuclide contents in soil at this area reach 3.6 × 10(3), 2.8 × 10(3) and 19 Bq kg(-1) for (137)Сs, (90)Sr and (60)Со, respectively. At the remaining part of the area nearby Sysoeva Bay, the radiation situation complies with natural background.

Comprehensive environmental monitoring during remediation of a nuclear legacy site in the Far East of Russia

“…The local foodstuff includes locally-produced milk, and vegetables grown 4 indicates that concentrations of the artificial radionuclides in locally-produced foodstuff is at the level compatible with global fallout, and is well below the permissible levels [32]. According to measurements, the radiation situation in the inhabited area of the village is characterized as normal without trends to deterioration, compared with the results of a radiological survey in 2010 [1]. Public doses are mainly due to external exposure.…”

“…The lack of appropriate maintenance of SNF and RW storage facilities' infrastructure after the operations' termination resulted in the degradation of the storage facilities' protective barriers. This caused the release of radioactivity into the environment and an uneven distribution of man-made contamination in the soil at the industrial sites [1]. According to the advanced international approach, the contaminated territories resulting from military activities improperly regulated in the past are called nuclear legacy sites [2,3].…”