Development of organically bound tritium data set in Kazakhstan

#K-2156

Estimation of ecological effects of tritium (including organically bound tritium) and other radionuclides (fission products) in the North-Eastern region of Kazakhstan

Tech Area / Field

CHE-OTH/Other/Chemistry
ENV-WPC/Water Pollution and Control/Environment

Status
3 Approved without Funding

Registration date
10.09.2014

Leading Institute
Kazakh National University / Center of Physical and Chemical Methods of Analysis, Kazakstan, Almaty

Supporting institutes

Semey State University, Kazakstan, Semey\nResearch Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology, Kazakstan, Semey

Collaborators

University of Nebraska, USA, NE, Lincoln

Project summary

The territory surrounding the STS is more populated and seems to be an area where tritium could be accumulating. The project consists of conducting a literature survey of the information available on radionuclide contamination within the STS region and along the Shagan River. The search will attempt to identify the potential sources for the surface tritium contamination currently observed and gather hydrological information that could be of help to understand how tritium contamination have been and is likely to be evolving in that region. Such information will also help defining the best sampling locations for sampling water, air moisture, precipitations, soil, vegetation, animals (blood and meet) and foodstuff (milk). Tritium measurements (HTO and OBT) will be obtained, along with other radionuclide measurements, on the different environmental compartments. Environmental effect monitoring data will also be acquired during the study. The data set obtained will fulfill a number of purposes. It will generate radioecology data, other than for the Chernobyl area, that are defendable and have the potential to reunite scientists, It will interest regulators that are looking for OBT data to define tritium regulatory guidelines, it will allow environmental modelers that are looking for tritium (OBT in particular) data to develop (and validate) more accurate environmental models that can generate improved dose predictions and it will address some of the Northern-East Kazakh population concerns and questions about potential exposure (leading to effects) due to the nuclear tests.

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