Archives → 2022 → Vol. 62, № 5 → pp. 543-554
Article
Accumulation of 137Cs by Cladonia Lichens in the Impact Zone of the Kola Nuclear Power Plant
Popova M.B.1, Lipatov D.N.2, Manakhov D.V.2, Kizeev A.N.3, Ushamova S.F.4
1Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia 2Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia 3North-West Scientific Center for Hygiene and Public Health of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, St. Petersburg, Russia 4Lapland State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Murmansk region, Monchegorsk, Russia
Abstract
The accumulation of 137Cs and its stratification in Cladonia lichens growing in the Kola nuclear power plant area have been studied. For this, samples of reindeer lichens were selected at 12 test sites in the sanitary protection zone of the station, the observation zone and in the background area. The specific activities of 137Cs in the samples were determined using a scintillation gamma spectrometer. The weighted average specific activities of 137Cs in Cladonia lichens were 22.3–104.8 Bq/kg, while most of the radiocaesium was concentrated in the upper layers of the lichen. Statistical data processing using a single-sample t-test, Spearman’s coefficient, and cluster analysis indicated the dominant role of global fallout in the 137Cs input into the lichens, while the possible impact of the Kola nuclear power plant on this process is limited to the sanitary protection zone.
Keywords
Cladonia lichens, 137Cs, 40K, Kola Nuclear Power Plant, correlation analysis
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