Calculation of generalized indicators of radiation-ecological risk for areas of the Barents and Kara Seas exposed to the influence of nuclear and radiation hazardous objects

Abstract

Most of the potential sources of radioactive contamination in the Arctic are located in the Barents and Kara Seas. In this regard, scientific research is regularly carried out in these territories, the results of which can be used to determine and analyze radiation and environmental risk. The goal and objective of the work is to calculate integral indicators of radionuclide pollution and generalized indicators of radiation-ecological risks in water and bottom sediments of the Barents and Kara Seas areas exposed to nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities. It is shown that the index ranges from 9.5·10-5 to 4.1·10-4 for water and from 1.2·10-4 to 1.3·10-2 for bottom sediments, which is much less than one. Calculated values of the risk indicator for K-159 range from 3 to 6, which corresponds to an insignificant radiation impact on the marine environment, for bays and the Novaya Zemlya depression from 12 to 18, which is characterized by a weak impact on the radiation situation. Thus, the objects under assessment have an insignificant and weak impact on the radiation situation in the Arctic region, but, taking into account the potential danger, they require constant monitoring of the components of the marine environment in order to timely detect radiation-ecological changes.

Keywords

• arctic
• radiation-ecological risk
• integral indicator of pollution
• reference level
• marine biota