Abstract
Uranium concentrations in the water and bottom sediments along the Uzynbulak creek at the Semipalatinsk Test Site are high, possibly implying anthropogenic contamination. These concentrations were measured by ICP-MS and the environmental mobility of uranium was determined by sequential extraction. Activity concentration in bottom sediments ranged from 20 to 6000 Bq/kg with a median of 156 Bq/kg, while that of water did not exceed 0.4 Bq/l. Uranium accumulated in sedimentary environments, up to 73% of which was bound to Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides, while isotopic compositions indicated natural uranium. Anthropogenic uranium was not observed in the samples.
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