Radioactive contamination zones. Chernobyl in Belarus - was, is and will be
We were exposed to natural radiation exposure even before the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. TUT.BY visited four research institutions, studied documents, some of which have not yet been published, and learned how “natural exposure” to radon affects the health of Belarusians.
Belarusian scientists who have studied the problem are unanimous: radon affects the level of morbidity - including oncology - now much more than the echoes of Chernobyl. The problem of radon exposure exists in almost all countries, as well as ways to combat it. But it is in Belarus that everyone is focused on the topic of Chernobyl radiation - there are foreign funds, there are grants to overcome the consequences of the man-made disaster. Radon, from the point of view of attracting funds, is “uninteresting”, something that Belarusians should, in an amicable way, cope with themselves. But in times of crisis at the state level, funding for radon research is being reduced and the problem is simply not advertised.
What kind of gas is this?
First, let's define what radon is. This is a gas that is formed when radium decays. It is 7.5 times heavier than air and therefore accumulates in basements and on the first floors. Radon is odorless and cannot be “smelled.” It enters the body through the lungs; some cases of lung cancer can be explained by its exposure.
Although many people’s first association with the word “radon” is the sanatorium of the same name. Like, what kind of cancer, we remember - radon is useful. But the whole question is in the dosage. Here, as with the sun, without it - rickets, and if you spend a day in the sun in swimming trunks - burns, heat stroke, the threat of developing skin cancer.
“Radon is contained in soil air and water and can penetrate into rooms if they are located in areas where its content is high, in particular in tectonic fault zones,” explains Director of the Institute of Environmental Management of the National Academy of Sciences Alexander Karabanov. — In Belarus, at least 40% of the territory is potentially radon hazardous. The maximum permissible norm for residential premises is considered to be 200 becquerels per cubic meter. Excess of radon was recorded in the premises of a number of settlements in the country, most often in the Grodno, Mogilev and Vitebsk regions. Minsk also stands on faults, although there is no exact map of them.
The main sources and routes of radon penetration into buildings. Gas enters premises from soil, water, and building materials. Source: Geoliss.ru
Scale of the problem
According to UN materials, in the annual exposure of humanity, the share of exposure to products from various tests is 0.7%, from the operation of nuclear power plants - 0.3%, from medical examinations - 34%, from natural factors - 22%, and from radon decay products - 43%. This is indicated in the article “Concentration of radon in soil air”, published on the website of the Institute of Environmental Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
“Almost 30 years later, the radiation situation in Belarus has improved significantly. The contribution of “Chernobyl” radionuclides to the total radiation dose of the population of Belarus from all natural and man-made radiation sources currently does not exceed 5%,” says the “Monitoring of radon in the air of buildings in populated areas in the Brest region.” But the value of average annual effective doses of radon radiation in four separate regions of the country exceeds the effective dose of population radiation from “Chernobyl” radionuclides by 2.4-13.8 times, in the Brest region - by 6 times.
— Relevant studies have been carried out in a number of countries. Where the concentration of radon is higher, the morbidity rate is higher, including cancer, says Professor Alexander Karabanov.— A connection has also been established between gastritis, diabetes, and rheumatism with long-term stay in such areas.
Chief radiologist of the Mogilev Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology Leonid Lipnitsky took part in a study of the risks of disease from natural radiation.
“There is a misunderstanding in society about the radon problem,” he states. — Average annual effective radiation doses per resident of the Mogilev region were: from natural sources of ionizing radiation, including radon 2.5 millisieverts, from radioactive contamination due to the Chernobyl accident (for radioactively contaminated areas) — 0.34 mSv . The difference is significant.
This is not classified information. Volumes of scientific works abroad are devoted to the problem of protecting public health from radon.
“At the same time, the radiation danger of natural radon in Belarus has received little coverage. A national research program on the problem of radon and protecting the population from exposure to this gas has not yet been developed. But epidemiological studies have long discovered a direct connection between radon exposure and cancer, says Leonid Lipnitsky.
Where does radon come out?
In general, there are hundreds of faults running under Belarus. Full size map of them
“On the territory of Minsk, one fault runs approximately along the Svisloch, the second - from southwest to northeast, the third - along the western part of the city, partially under Pushkin Avenue,” says Alexander Karabanov. — Faults can be more than a kilometer wide (it differs in different areas) and do not run in a straight line.
In the 1990s, measurements of radon content were taken over faults in Belarus, and there its concentration increased several times. In addition to it, anomalies of geophysical fields are noted in these places.
However, it’s not only the faults that cause noise.
“High concentrations of radon in soil air are formed in zones of gravel-pebble, moraine and some other clay deposits, as well as in shallow granite rocks,” notes engineer of the Joint Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research (Sosny) Lev Vasilevsky.— In the Gomel region there is a fault on a fault, but there is less radon there compared to the Vitebsk region. However, in the north they are less well studied. Radon can come not only from faults, but also from boulders and stones.
Where is "fonit" Minsk
The United Institute also carried out measurements in Minsk.
— We found an increased level of radon in Loshitsa, on the street. Mayakovsky, on Pushkin Ave., but these are single premises, for example, the registry office of the Frunzensky district. There is a lot of this gas in the Sosyny area. For example, in a quarry near the Moscow Ring Road there is 800 Bq per cubic meter, which is four times higher than the norm established for residential premises, the specialist adds.
Chief geophysicist of the Geophysical Expedition Alexander Belyashov agrees that where there are moraines (glacial deposits. - TUT.BY note), there is increased radioactivity. In the north it is higher than in the south. There are a lot of clay rocks there.
“Our radiologists made a correlation map between cancer incidence and exposure dose rate. Conclusion: the composition of soils is associated with cancer and other diseases,” the interlocutor clarifies.
Zoning scheme for radon concentration in soil air (No. 1−4, 6 - potentially radon-hazardous areas). Source: Institute of Natural Resources Management of the National Academy of Sciences In general, when doctors say that they do not always understand why people in a certain area get sick more, they may simply not be taking into account the radon factor.
Logically, citizens living on fault lines and in “dark” territories should be warned about the danger.
— In these areas, special work must be carried out to prevent the penetration of radon into premises, especially residential ones, by concreting and other methods. This is important! - insists Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences Alexey Matveev.
But the population is not warned. However, it cannot be said that Belarus is completely ignoring the problem.
“In our country, during new construction, radon in the soil must be measured, and building materials undergo careful control,” clarifies Alexander Belyashov.
Abroad, the problem has been given due attention for so long that no one notices that “anti-radon” protection is being done.
— A Swedish specialist came to us and advised us on faults. They have a clear correlation between the amount of radon in the home and the incidence of cancer. The problem there intensified long ago, when energy-saving housing with insulated facades and airtight windows came into fashion. They began to save on heating, but the number of diseases, including cancer, increased, says Alexander Belyashov. — In countries with a high radon hazard, there is forced sealing and ventilation of basements. This is in the building regulations. And it's not even discussed.
Indeed, there are no other ways to combat radon: only concreting and regular ventilation. That's enough.
The money has run out
Research on radon is carried out to the best of our ability by the Joint Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research, the Institute of Environmental Management of the National Academy of Sciences, and the Geophysical Expedition of the Research and Production Center for Geology.
Through the efforts of Belarusian scientists, a map of radon risk was created based on measurements in the air of buildings. It was presented in 2015. Judging by the map, increased concentrations of radon are in the premises of the Vitebsk, Grodno, and northeastern regions of the Mogilev regions. There are “spots” with dangerous radon concentrations ranging from 200-400 Bq per cubic meter in the Vitebsk, Grodno and Mogilev regions. To compile the radon risk map, 3594 measurements were used in 454 localities.
Map of radon concentration in rooms (No. 5 - the darkest spots - 200−400 Bq). Radiation background and pollution maps
Download:
After the greatest nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) in 1986, large amounts of radioactive fallout (radionuclides) fell over vast areas. We present to your attention fragments of maps of contamination of the Brest region with Cesium-137 (half-life 30 years).
The distance from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to Domachevo is 452 km.
Measurement data of gamma radiation dose rate (μSv/h) on the radiation monitoring network in the Republic of Belarus
The natural background radiation in Belarus is 0.10 μSv/h
Maps of Cesium-137 pollution in the Brest region
(Fig. 1) As of 1998
(orange color shows the pollution zone from 1 to 5 Ku/km²)
(purchased from www.beltc.info
)
(Fig. 2
→
(Fig. 3
(downloaded from www.chernobyl.gov.by)
(Fig.4) Map of contamination with Cesium-137 g.p. Domachevo and neighboring villages (1998)
Provided by: Administrator
Dosimeter readings Radex RD 1503 in Domachevo
Radex RD1503 is a household pocket device that assesses the radiation situation by 
the value of the ambient dose equivalent rate of gamma radiation (hereinafter - the dose rate), taking into account the contamination of objects by sources of beta particles, or the value of the exposure dose rate of gamma radiation (hereinafter - the exposure dose rate), taking into account the contamination of objects by sources of beta particles. It is used to assess the level of radiation on the ground, indoors and to assess radioactive contamination of materials and products.
For our area, background radiation (natural) is 10-11 microR/h (micro-Roentgen per hour). And everything higher is a man-made factor - Chernobyl.
Photos:
(near the "strip") 95.5KB
(near the abandoned monument to those killed border guards) 189KB
(near "system") 230KB
(near the abandoned monument to fallen border guards) 165KB
(as you all know, granite and other rocks emit ionizing radiation, as I was convinced of) 164KB
(in the background on the left is the Velcom antenna, and on the right is MTS) 73KB
(against the background of the Chabarok bar) 167KB
The signing of an agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant against the backdrop of the disaster in Japan once again made the nerves of Belarusians, fragile after the Chernobyl tragedy, tremble. What is radiation? How and in what doses does it affect a person? Is it possible to avoid exposure to radiation in everyday life? We decided it would be useful to once again recall what is what in terms of the influence of radiation on humans.
Most often, when people talk about radiation, they mean “ionizing” radiation associated with radioactive decay. Although a person is also irradiated by a magnetic field or ultraviolet light (non-ionizing radiation), says the chairman of the National Commission on Radiation Protection under the Council of Ministers Yakov Koenigsberg.
Units of measurement of radioactivity
The most common units for measuring radioactivity in soil and food are Becquerel (Bq) and Curie (Ci). Typically, activity is indicated per 1 kg of food. The maps indicate activity per unit area, for example, km 2. But the level of contamination of a territory of 1Ci/km2 in itself does not say anything about how much exposure people living in this territory received. A measure of the harmful effects of radioactive radiation on humans is the radiation dose, which is measured in Sieverts (Sv).
Term | Units of measurement | Unit ratio | Definition |
|
In the SI system | In the old system |
|||
Activity | Becquerel, Bq | 1 Ci = 3.7×10 10 Bq | number of radioactive decays per unit time |
|
Dose rate | sievert per hour, Sv/h | x-ray per hour, R/h | 1 μR/h=0.01 μSv/h | radiation level per unit time |
Absorbed dose | radian, rad | 1 rad=0.01 Gy | amount of ionizing radiation energy transferred to a specific object |
|
Effective dose | Sievert, Sv | 1 rem=0.01 Sv | radiation dose, taking into account different sensitivity of organs to radiation |
|
Thus, the level of background radiation is measured in sieverts per unit time. The natural background radiation on the earth's surface averages 0.1-0.2 μSv/h. A level above 1.2 μSv/h is considered dangerous for humans. By the way, yesterday the radiation level 20 km from the emergency Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima-1 - a radiation level of 161 μSv/h was recorded. For comparison: according to some data, after the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the radiation level in some places reached several thousand µSv/hour.
As for the Becquerel, it serves as a unit of measurement for the radioactivity of water, soil, etc. per unit in which this water is measured, soil... Thus, according to the latest data, the level of radiation in tap water in Tokyo is exceeded: the content of radioactive iodine in the water is 210 becquerels per liter.
And Gray is needed to measure the absorbed dose of radiation by a particular object.
But let's return to the Sieverts:
In accordance with Belarusian legislation, the permissible radiation dose for the population is 1 mSv per year, and for professionals working with sources of ionizing radiation - 20 mSv per year.
In addition, human exposure to radioactive radiation was previously calculated in a unit called the rem (the biological equivalent of an x-ray). Today Sieverts are used for this. In this unit, you can evaluate the influence of radiation sources in everyday life, for example. Thus, the annual dose from watching TV for 3 hours a day is 0.001 mSv. The annual dose from smoking one cigarette per day is 2.7 mSv. One fluorography - 0.6 mSv, one radiography - 1.3 mSv, one fluoroscopy - 5 mSv. Calculate and compare: 20 mSv is the average permissible level of radiation exposure for nuclear industry workers per year.
Additionally, the radiation from concrete dwellings is also taken into account - up to 3 mSv per year and the natural dose of radiation from the environment - more than 2 mSv per year. An interesting comparison: natural radiation near monazite deposits in Brazil is 200 mSv per year. And people live with it!
The effect of radiation on the human body
Radiation in the usual human understanding (i.e. ionizing radiation) has a certain effect on the human body. The effect of radiation on humans is called irradiation. The basis of this effect is the transfer of radiation energy to the cells of the body. Thus, one of the effects of exposure - deterministic - manifests itself from a certain threshold and depends on the radiation dose.
“Its most striking manifestation when irradiating a part or the entire body is acute radiation sickness, which develops only from a certain threshold and has varying degrees of severity. Theoretically, radiation sickness can manifest itself when exposed to a dose equal to 1 sievert (this is the weakest degree of radiation sickness),” says Yakov Koenigsberg. For comparison: according to our table, a dose of 0.2 sievert increases the risk of cancer, and 3 sievert threatens the life of the exposed person .
The deterministic effect also includes radiation burns, which occur both when a person is exposed to large doses of radiation, and when in contact with the skin. Very large doses lead to skin death, even damage to muscles and bones. Such burns, by the way, are treated much worse than chemical or thermal ones.
On the other hand, radiation can manifest itself long after exposure, causing the so-called. stochastic effect. This effect is expressed in the fact that among exposed people the frequency of certain oncological diseases. Theoretically, genetic effects are also possible, but at the moment experts attribute them to theory, since they have never been identified in humans. According to scientists, Even among the 78 thousand children of Japanese who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no increase in the number of cases of hereditary diseases was found.
Besides, Various experts note that radiation, in addition to burns and radiation sickness, can cause metabolic disorders, infectious complications, radiation infertility, and radiation cataracts.The effects of radiation have a stronger effect on dividing cells, so radiation is much more dangerous for children than for adults.
“We cannot say exactly which specific disease, even if receiving the same dose of radiation, may or may not develop any cancer,” notes J. Koenigsberg.
In a country with a large number of exposed people, the level of cancer incidence may increase. At the same time, diseases can be caused both by radiation and by harmful chemical substances, viruses, etc. For example, among Japanese people irradiated after the bombing of Hiroshima, the first effects in the form of increased incidence began to appear only after 10 years or more, and some - after 20 years old.
Today we know which tumors can be associated with radiation. These include thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and cancer of certain parts of the intestine.
***By the way, in addition to artificial radionuclides (iodine, cesium, strontium), which “hit” Belarusians after the Chernobyl tragedy, they also enter the body natural radionuclides. The most common among them are potassium-40, radium-226, polonium-210, radon-222, -220. For example, a person receives the bulk of the radiation dose from radon while in a closed, unventilated room (radon is released from the earth’s crust and concentrates in the air indoors only when they are sufficiently isolated from the external environment). Relatively little radon is released from building materials such as wood, brick and concrete. For example, granite and pumice, also used as building materials, have greater specific radioactivity.
Penetration of radionuclides into foodRadionuclides enter the body through food, water and polluted air. For example, as a result of nuclear tests, almost the entire globe was contaminated with long-lived radionuclides. From the soil they got into plants, from plants - into animal organisms. And to humans - with the milk and meat of these animals, for example, says Yakov Koenigsberg.
“Today, all products produced in Belarus in the public and private sectors are controlled,” he notes. “In addition, forestry enterprises have special maps that indicate the places where it is possible and where it is not possible to collect mushrooms and berries.”
If a person can check the level of radiation in the air on his own by purchasing the appropriate device, then in order to check, for example, the content of radionuclides in the “gifts of nature,” you need to contact a special laboratory. There are such laboratories in every regional center - in the system of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Health, and Belkooperatsiya.
In addition, you can reduce the risk of radioactive contamination through food by preparing food in a certain way.
More than 1.15 million people (12% of the total population) live in Belarus in areas of radioactive contamination. Of these, 115.7 thousand are residents of the Mogilev region.
Official statistics published on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant indicate that the consequences of the tragedy in Belarus have not yet been overcome. People continue to live in contaminated radionuclides (mainly cesium-137 - approx. website) towns and villages.
Thus, according to Belstat, at the beginning of 2011, this list included 29 cities and towns and 2,372 rural settlements (10.1% of all settlements in the republic).
Of the 1,140.4 thousand residents of these settlements, the majority (782.5 thousand) are city dwellers. Children aged 0 to 17 years make up 219.6 thousand (19.3%), and they are also predominantly city dwellers.
The statistics for the three most affected areas are as follows:
- Gomel region - 879.3 thousand people (61.3% of the total population of the region);
- Brest region - 116 thousand people (8.3%);
- Mogilev region - 115.7 thousand people (10.6%).
How the situation has changed
The statistical report data shows that since 1991, the number of citizens living in radioactively contaminated zones has decreased by 712.6 thousand people.
This happened as a result of resettlement from these zones, as well as due to the “improvement of the radioactive situation.”
The half-life of cesium-137 is 30 years. To prevent the spread of radionuclides in areas adjacent to areas of cesium-137 contamination, forests are planted in Belarus. In 2010, in the Mogilev region, Belstat notes, 1.8 thousand hectares (ha) of forest were planted, and in the Gomel region - 0.4 thousand hectares.
As reported on the website of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee, in the region “1252.984 thousand hectares of land are contaminated with radionuclides, including 804.184 thousand hectares of agricultural land and 448.8 thousand hectares of forest land.”
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Radiation monitoring of these territories is carried out by the Mogilev State Industrial Forestry Association.
To resolve issues related to overcoming the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (distribution and control of financial resources, benefits), a special department operates in the regional executive committee.
The conclusions of scientists about the causes of the disaster at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant should be taken into account when constructing nuclear power plants in Belarus. As the BelaPAN agency reported, this was stated on April 25 in Minsk by the Charge d'Affaires of Japan in Belarus Matsuzaki Kiyoshi.
The Japanese diplomat noted that “every government, state has the right to decide for themselves whether to build or not build a nuclear power plant,” and wished the Belarusian side that the work “goes successfully.” He knows that Belarus “consulted with the IAEA” on this issue.
What financial losses did Belarus suffer from the Chernobyl accident?
Total concentration of cesium-137 in European countries
The half-life of cesium-137 has ended, the half-life of benefits for Chernobyl victims continues, and the half-life of secrets has begun (publication of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, 2003)
