16.2 Material and Methods
16.2.1 Place of Sampling and Research Objects
Studies of the radioecological state of the Black Sea ecosystem have been
performed in the period between 1986 and 2014. The
238,239,240 Pu alpha–radionuclides were analyzed in abiotic and biotic components of the Black Sea ecosystems
in open and coastal areas mainly from the west, north-western and central part of
the sea. To analyze the samples of surface water ( 2–5 m
3 ), bottom sediment (total
sample height 5 cm and vertical column for cutting layers with 0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2 cm)
and hydrobionts were taken. Among the Black Sea hydrobionts following indicators were selected: macroalgae – Phyllophora crispa (Hudson) P.S. Dixon,
Cystoseira crinite Duby, Ulva rigida C. Ag., bivalves – Mytilus galloprovincialis
Lamark, 1819; crab – Carcinus maenas aestuarii Nardo, 1847; and fish – Trachurus
mediterraneus ponticus Aleev, 1956, Sprattus sprattus phalericus Risso, 1827 and
Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840 (Tereshchenko et al. 2007, 2013,
2014; Polikarpov et al. 2008).
16.2.2 Methods of Investigation
Determination of
238,239,240 Pu was carried out according to accepted radiochemical
techniques (Polikarpov et al. 2008; Tereshchenko et al. 2011). The plutonium
alpha-samples were then analyzed with the “EG & G ORTEC OCTETE PC”
alpha–spectrometer. The
242 Pu was added to the samples, as a radiotracer standard
to determine the chemical yield. The total error of the
239,240 Pu activity concentration determination was not more than 20% but error of the
238 Pu determination was
more than 50% due to its low levels of concentration activity in the samples.
Quantitative parameters of radioecological processes of plutonium redistribution
in the Black Sea ecosystems calculated by well known methods (concentration
factor (C f ), factor of radiocapacity (F r ), effective half–life (T 1/2ef ), (Polikarpov and
Lasorenko 1992; WOMARS 2005; Polikarpov et al. 2008) and by the techniques
developed in the Department of Radiation and Chemical Biology of IMBR (sedimentation rate (SR), sedimentation rate of suspended matter (MAR), sedimentation
flux (F sed ) (Polikarpov et al. 2008; Gulin et al. 2002, 2012; Egorov et al. 2013).
Absorbed dose rates (D ab R, Gy/year) and equivalent dose rates (Н eq R, Sv/year)
for the Black Sea hydrobionts were calculated in accordance with widely accepted
procedures (Blaylock et al. 1993; Amiro 1997; Polikarpov et al. 2008). To assess
the level of environmental impact of ionizing radiation doses of the plutonium
alpha–radionuclides was used Polikarpov’s conceptual model of chronic action
zonality of ionizing irradiations dose rates in the nature (Polikarpov 1998;
Polikarpov et al. 2008) was used. The obtained results were compared with the
16 Levels of Activity Concentration, Migration and Dose Rates on Biota from. . .
251
16.2.1 Place of Sampling and Research Objects
Studies of the radioecological state of the Black Sea ecosystem have been
performed in the period between 1986 and 2014. The
238,239,240 Pu alpha–radionuclides were analyzed in abiotic and biotic components of the Black Sea ecosystems
in open and coastal areas mainly from the west, north-western and central part of
the sea. To analyze the samples of surface water ( 2–5 m
3 ), bottom sediment (total
sample height 5 cm and vertical column for cutting layers with 0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2 cm)
and hydrobionts were taken. Among the Black Sea hydrobionts following indicators were selected: macroalgae – Phyllophora crispa (Hudson) P.S. Dixon,
Cystoseira crinite Duby, Ulva rigida C. Ag., bivalves – Mytilus galloprovincialis
Lamark, 1819; crab – Carcinus maenas aestuarii Nardo, 1847; and fish – Trachurus
mediterraneus ponticus Aleev, 1956, Sprattus sprattus phalericus Risso, 1827 and
Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840 (Tereshchenko et al. 2007, 2013,
2014; Polikarpov et al. 2008).
16.2.2 Methods of Investigation
Determination of
238,239,240 Pu was carried out according to accepted radiochemical
techniques (Polikarpov et al. 2008; Tereshchenko et al. 2011). The plutonium
alpha-samples were then analyzed with the “EG & G ORTEC OCTETE PC”
alpha–spectrometer. The
242 Pu was added to the samples, as a radiotracer standard
to determine the chemical yield. The total error of the
239,240 Pu activity concentration determination was not more than 20% but error of the
238 Pu determination was
more than 50% due to its low levels of concentration activity in the samples.
Quantitative parameters of radioecological processes of plutonium redistribution
in the Black Sea ecosystems calculated by well known methods (concentration
factor (C f ), factor of radiocapacity (F r ), effective half–life (T 1/2ef ), (Polikarpov and
Lasorenko 1992; WOMARS 2005; Polikarpov et al. 2008) and by the techniques
developed in the Department of Radiation and Chemical Biology of IMBR (sedimentation rate (SR), sedimentation rate of suspended matter (MAR), sedimentation
flux (F sed ) (Polikarpov et al. 2008; Gulin et al. 2002, 2012; Egorov et al. 2013).
Absorbed dose rates (D ab R, Gy/year) and equivalent dose rates (Н eq R, Sv/year)
for the Black Sea hydrobionts were calculated in accordance with widely accepted
procedures (Blaylock et al. 1993; Amiro 1997; Polikarpov et al. 2008). To assess
the level of environmental impact of ionizing radiation doses of the plutonium
alpha–radionuclides was used Polikarpov’s conceptual model of chronic action
zonality of ionizing irradiations dose rates in the nature (Polikarpov 1998;
Polikarpov et al. 2008) was used. The obtained results were compared with the
16 Levels of Activity Concentration, Migration and Dose Rates on Biota from. . .
251