pulses that coincide with similar features in
238
Pu,
241 Am,
137 Cs, and
238 Pu/
239+240
Pu profiles reported previously. The Chernobyl-derived Pu in the Danube Delta
sediments evidently originates from non-volatile actinides deposited into the Danube catchment basin during April–May 1986, followed by erosion and fluvial
transport to the Black Sea.
18.2.3 Turkish Marine Research
The radionuclide content in the Black Sea was studies by several Turkish scientists
– Ugur, Topcuoglu, Guven, Varinglioglu etc. The Chernobyl fallout radionuclides
were determined in a considerable amount of the anthropogenic radionuclides
entered in Turkish coast of the Black Sea after Chernobyl.
The
137 Cs,
238 U,
232
Th and
40 K contents in sediment trap material are given in
Table 18.1.
137 Cs specific activities range from 0.04 Æ 0.01 to 0.10 Æ 0.02 Bq.g
À1
dry weight. The highest activity concentration of
137 Cs was found during Autumn
2003. Earlier, the range of the
137 Cs concentration was found to be 0.5–1.9 Bq
. g
À1
dry weight.
Integrated studies were conducted by the Radioecology Laboratory of Qekmece
Nuclear Research and Training Center (QNAEM) in Turkey. The Laboratory has
gained considerable experience over the years, including through its collaboration
since 1970 with the IAEA’s Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco.
Agency technical cooperation projects and research programmes additionally have
benefited the laboratory. This article highlights selected Turkish studies of the
Black Sea related to both radioactive and chemical pollution.
Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the fallout radionuclides in Black Sea
fish samples were determined weekly and monthly for 3 years. The fish samples
were selected from both the pelagic and benthic species that can become products
for human consumption. High levels of total gamma activity (
131 I,
106 Ru,
134
Cs and
137 Cs) in fish samples were found in the range of 37–65 Bq/kg during May 1986.
The total radioactivity levels in the fish samples gradually decreased during the first
3 months. Thereafter, except for
137 Cs, radionuclides attributed to the Chernobyl
accident were not detected studies of the Black Sea related to both radioactive and
chemical pollution.
The Chernobyl radionuclides were also investigated in mussel, sea snail and
macro-algae species after the accident. The highest activities found for
134 Cs and
137
Cs were 142 Bq/kg and 289 Bq/kg dry weight in soft tissues of mussels during May
and June 1986, respectively. The
110m Ag radionuclide was detected at low levels in
sea snails during 1986 and 1987.
90 Sr activity was found to be below 0.1 Bq/kg dry
weight in all samples. The results showed that the western part of the Black Sea’s
Turkish region was less contaminated than its eastern part. Turkish specialists have
been working on the determination of anthropogenic radionuclides namely,
210 Po,
210 Pb,
238 U,
232 Th and
40 K in biota and sediment samples from seven stations in the
Black Sea since 1997. Studies of anthropogenic
137 Cs also have been conducted.
18 Radioecology of the Black Sea
307
238
Pu,
241 Am,
137 Cs, and
238 Pu/
239+240
Pu profiles reported previously. The Chernobyl-derived Pu in the Danube Delta
sediments evidently originates from non-volatile actinides deposited into the Danube catchment basin during April–May 1986, followed by erosion and fluvial
transport to the Black Sea.
18.2.3 Turkish Marine Research
The radionuclide content in the Black Sea was studies by several Turkish scientists
– Ugur, Topcuoglu, Guven, Varinglioglu etc. The Chernobyl fallout radionuclides
were determined in a considerable amount of the anthropogenic radionuclides
entered in Turkish coast of the Black Sea after Chernobyl.
The
137 Cs,
238 U,
232
Th and
40 K contents in sediment trap material are given in
Table 18.1.
137 Cs specific activities range from 0.04 Æ 0.01 to 0.10 Æ 0.02 Bq.g
À1
dry weight. The highest activity concentration of
137 Cs was found during Autumn
2003. Earlier, the range of the
137 Cs concentration was found to be 0.5–1.9 Bq
. g
À1
dry weight.
Integrated studies were conducted by the Radioecology Laboratory of Qekmece
Nuclear Research and Training Center (QNAEM) in Turkey. The Laboratory has
gained considerable experience over the years, including through its collaboration
since 1970 with the IAEA’s Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco.
Agency technical cooperation projects and research programmes additionally have
benefited the laboratory. This article highlights selected Turkish studies of the
Black Sea related to both radioactive and chemical pollution.
Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the fallout radionuclides in Black Sea
fish samples were determined weekly and monthly for 3 years. The fish samples
were selected from both the pelagic and benthic species that can become products
for human consumption. High levels of total gamma activity (
131 I,
106 Ru,
134
Cs and
137 Cs) in fish samples were found in the range of 37–65 Bq/kg during May 1986.
The total radioactivity levels in the fish samples gradually decreased during the first
3 months. Thereafter, except for
137 Cs, radionuclides attributed to the Chernobyl
accident were not detected studies of the Black Sea related to both radioactive and
chemical pollution.
The Chernobyl radionuclides were also investigated in mussel, sea snail and
macro-algae species after the accident. The highest activities found for
134 Cs and
137
Cs were 142 Bq/kg and 289 Bq/kg dry weight in soft tissues of mussels during May
and June 1986, respectively. The
110m Ag radionuclide was detected at low levels in
sea snails during 1986 and 1987.
90 Sr activity was found to be below 0.1 Bq/kg dry
weight in all samples. The results showed that the western part of the Black Sea’s
Turkish region was less contaminated than its eastern part. Turkish specialists have
been working on the determination of anthropogenic radionuclides namely,
210 Po,
210 Pb,
238 U,
232 Th and
40 K in biota and sediment samples from seven stations in the
Black Sea since 1997. Studies of anthropogenic
137 Cs also have been conducted.
18 Radioecology of the Black Sea
307