Determination and mapping of the spatial distribution of cesium-137 in the terrestrial environment of Greece, over a period of 28years (1998 to 2015).

Abstract

In this study, we are applyingthe GIS techniques in order to record the data that have been collected for cesium-137, over the for the period 1998 to 2015, for the terrestrial environment in Greece. Following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) accident in 1986, extended fieldwork was conducted for the determination of cesium-137 concentrations in the terrestrial environment. In 2011, in the light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, new campaigns were organized in order to assess the variation in cesium-137 activity concentrations. The measured data, combined with data taken from the databases of the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (NCSR'Demokritos', inAthens, Greece), as well as, from the European Atlas of Cesium Deposition on Europe, are being used for the spatial distribution analysis of cesium-137 in the country. Furthermore, are used for the temporal analysis of this radionuclide in a long-term basis. Moreover, we are usingthe ERICA AssessmentTool for the calculation of the dose ratethat the studied organisms (plants of Poaceae spp. and mammals of Bovidae spp.) receive due to the exposure to cesium-137. All gathered information provides uswith thematic maps, designedthrough the GIS techniques, that allow for an appropriate representation of cesium-137 presence in the country nowadays. This study provides an insightful view of the behavior of this anthropogenic radionuclide that isuseful for future research in order to elucidate its behavior in long-term periods. The knowledge of the environmental fate of radionuclides is important because it contributes to the projection of long-term risks resulting from radionuclide releases, as well as, forthe selection of cost-effective remediation strategies. Furthermore, it provides the opportunity to conduct a comprehensiverisk assessmentin the region, as thestudied organisms were exposed to low-level ionizing radiation. But, as it was shown, on the level of ecosystem, no significant impact was estimated. However, regarding the future objectives, further consideration of the exposure levels should be considered while taking also into account the exposure to natural and background radiation and the exposure to spontaneous emission of anthropogenic radionuclides, especially if we want to consider the eventual effects of protracted low-level ionising radiation on the various levels of life's organization.