Accumulation peculiarities of artificial radionuclides in the elements of coastal ecosystems on the Kola Peninsula

Abstract

Since 1991, the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute has carried out comprehensive investigations of radioactivity of Arctic and subarctic marine ecosystems, which are based on extensive documentary, geographic, and taxonomic materials. Long-term monitoring of artificial nuclides was focused on ecosystems of the Barents and White seas. Interest in this region stemmed from the availability of potential regional and local sources of radionuclide emission: atomic fleet bases, nuclear test sites on the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, and radwaste burial sites on the shelf. Special attention was concentrated on study of the content and distribution of radioisotopes in ecosystems of numerous gulfs in the Kola Peninsula [1, 2], since the possible emission of radionuclides to offshore zones of the Barents and White seas from objects of the atomic industry located on their coasts remains a pressing issue. In this respect, the necessity arises for carrying out further investigations of the state of the artificial radionuclide background in coastal ecosystems of the Kola Peninsula, which are most exposed to anthropogenic impact. The purpose of this work was the assessment of the current radioecological situation in ecosystems of bays and gulfs of the Kola Peninsula. Radioecological conditions of the regions under study were assessed by the content of artificial radionuclides 137 Cs and 90 Sr in the environment and biota samples. Samples were collected during coastal expeditions in the White and Bering seas in 2004‐2005. Pechenga, Ura, Saida, Dalnie Zelenetsy, Teriberka, and Kola (middle and southern bends) bays were inspected for radioactive pollution in the Barents Sea, as well as Palkina Bay and the region of the Kandalaksha Coast in the White Sea. Sampling sites are represented in Fig. 1. CANBERRA γ -spectrometer was used for measuring 137 Cs contents in samples; α – β scintillation counter LS 6500 BEKMAN, for measuring the 90 Sr content in accordance with certified procedures. Cesium radionuclides were sorbed from seawater using an ANFEZh sorbent, which is most reliable in the mass radiochemical analysis of flow media with low activity. The volume of the analyzed seawater sample was 100 l.