Assessment of the impact of the BN-800 reactor operation on the radionuclides content in local foodstuffs in the vicinity of Beloyarsk NPP

Abstract

The research results are presented as an analysis of long-term data on the effect of gas-aerosol emissions and liquid discharges of Beloyarsk NPP and the Institute of Reactor Materials on the content of artificial radionuclides in local foodstuffs. It was noted that the distance and directions from radiation-hazardous facilities do not significantly affect the accumulation of 90Sr and 137Cs in potatoes and milk. The investigation of a wide range of foodstuffs from the private households of 23 settlements, forests, rivers, and a reservoir of the 30-km zone of the Beloyarsk NPP influence showed that the operation of the BN-800 reactor since 2016 did not lead to a registered increase in the content of artificial radionuclides in agricultural and natural foodstuffs. The maximum specific activities of 90Sr (0.84 Bq/kg) and 137Cs (0.26 Bq/kg) in root vegetables, potatoes, melons and vegetables were noted before the start of operation of the new power unit and were 45 and 300 times, respectively, lower than the current SanPiN standards. The highest content of 90Sr in milk (0.41 Bq/l) was 60 times lower than the requirements of SanPiN, 137Cs (0.11 Bq/l) was 900 times less than the permissible levels. In poultry, the specific activity of 90Sr (0.2-0.3 Bq/kg) and 137Cs (0.13-0.16 Bq/kg) has remained stable low in recent years, and the standardised content of 137Cs in beef (maximum 0.12 Bq/kg) more than 1.5 thousand times lower than the requirements of SanPiN. The highest concentration of 137Cs in wild berries, found in strawberries (1.27 Bq/kg), was 125 times less than SanPiN standards. The content of 90Sr in mushrooms was at the level of 0.1-2.5 Bq/kg, the content of 137Cs is slightly higher than - 0.6-5.8 Bq/kg. The maximum recorded specific activity of 137Cs in mushrooms was more than 80 times lower than the requirements of SanPiN. During the observation period, a decrease of up to 20% or more in the content of artificial radionuclides in samples of 5 fish species was noted; the maximum levels of 90Sr and 137Cs in it were 14 times lower than the strictest SanPiN standards (using fish for baby food). Selective radiation monitoring of foodstuffs of Beloyarsk NPP area aimed at 3H and 14C showed that the content of these radionuclides in foodstuffs was low, close to the background level. In agricultural products, 3H and 14C accumulated to a greater extent in potatoes and milk, and in natural products – in rough boletus and bream. There was noted a need to continue research on the accumulation of 3H and 14C in foodstuffs of Beloyarsk NPP vicinity.