Chapter 12
Pre and Post-Chernobyl Environmental
Radioactivity in Romania: a Review
Constantin Dovlete, Iolanda Osvath, and Sandu Sonoc
Abstract The influence of the Chernobyl accident on environmental radioactivity
in Romania (period 1986–1994) was analysed mainly on the basis of gamma
spectrometric measurements of environmental samples (atmospheric aerosol and
deposition, soil, surface water, Danube and Black Sea water, sediment and biota).
As part of the Romanian environmental radioactivity monitoring programme,
environmental samples were systematically collected at the sampling stations of the
National Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance Network (NERSN) and
analysed for gamma emitting radionuclides at the Environmental Radioactivity
Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, for gamma spectrometric analyses.
All stations followed a unitary programme and methodology to collect and
prepare samples, performing prompt gross beta measurements.
Chernobyl fallout space-time patterns, radionuclide concentration ratios and
deposition velocities were determined. The resuspension process was studied and
a time dependence model of resuspension factors for
137 Cs was proposed. Hot
particles were identified in some of the deposition samples. The dynamics of
137 Cs
in Romanian rivers, Danube and the Black Sea is presented.
Keywords Chernobyl accident • Resuspension • Radioactive aerosols • Sediment •
Deposition velocity • Environmental radioactivity •
137 Cs • Black Sea
radioactivity • Danube radioactivity • Soil radioactivity
C. Dovlete (*)
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
Private Consultant, Eze-sur-Mer, France
e-mail: cdovlete@yahoo.fr
I. Osvath
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco, Monaco
S. Sonoc
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_12
203
Pre and Post-Chernobyl Environmental
Radioactivity in Romania: a Review
Constantin Dovlete, Iolanda Osvath, and Sandu Sonoc
Abstract The influence of the Chernobyl accident on environmental radioactivity
in Romania (period 1986–1994) was analysed mainly on the basis of gamma
spectrometric measurements of environmental samples (atmospheric aerosol and
deposition, soil, surface water, Danube and Black Sea water, sediment and biota).
As part of the Romanian environmental radioactivity monitoring programme,
environmental samples were systematically collected at the sampling stations of the
National Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance Network (NERSN) and
analysed for gamma emitting radionuclides at the Environmental Radioactivity
Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, for gamma spectrometric analyses.
All stations followed a unitary programme and methodology to collect and
prepare samples, performing prompt gross beta measurements.
Chernobyl fallout space-time patterns, radionuclide concentration ratios and
deposition velocities were determined. The resuspension process was studied and
a time dependence model of resuspension factors for
137 Cs was proposed. Hot
particles were identified in some of the deposition samples. The dynamics of
137 Cs
in Romanian rivers, Danube and the Black Sea is presented.
Keywords Chernobyl accident • Resuspension • Radioactive aerosols • Sediment •
Deposition velocity • Environmental radioactivity •
137 Cs • Black Sea
radioactivity • Danube radioactivity • Soil radioactivity
C. Dovlete (*)
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
Private Consultant, Eze-sur-Mer, France
e-mail: cdovlete@yahoo.fr
I. Osvath
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco, Monaco
S. Sonoc
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, Bucharest-Afumati, Institute of Environmental
Research and Engineering, Bucharest-Afumat ¸i, Romania
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_12
203