Radiation biology. Radioecology
ISSN: 0869-8031

Archives → 2018 → Vol. 58, No. 2 → pp. 183-194

Article

Radionuclides in Soil in the Areas of Forest Fires on the Territory of the Exclusion Zone in the Republic of Belarus

Sadchikov V.I.¹, Bondar Yu. I.¹, Zabrotski V.N.¹, Kalinin V.N.¹, Brown J.E.², Dowdall M.²

¹ The State Institution of Nature Conservation Research "Polessye State Radiation Ecological Reserve", Choyniki, Republik of Belarus
² Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Osteraas, Norway

Abstract

The redistribution of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, ²⁴¹Am in soil in the areas of forest fires on the territory of the Belarusian sector of the Chernobyl exclusion zone is considered. The change of distribution of radionuclides through the vertical soil profile due to fires is shown. The character and degree of these changes depend on the migration ability of the radionuclide, soil characteristics and the type and intensity of the fire. The crown fire results in the carry-over of radionuclides into the environment. The calculated values of the radionuclide carry-over to the atmosphere are the following: ¹³⁷Cs — 21%, ⁹⁰Sr — 10.5%, ²⁴¹Am — 7.3%. It is shown that at the sites of the fire radionuclides migrate from the lower into upper soil layers. Also considered is the reason for the rise of water soluble and exchangeable forms of radionuclides during fires from the depth into the near-surface soil in the areas of fires.