Characterization of biocenoses in the storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive wastes of Mayak PA. Initial descriptive report. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pryakhin, E.A.; Mokrov, Yu.G.; Tryapitsina, G.A.; Ivanov, I.A.; Osipov, D.I.; Atamanyuk, N.I.; Deryabina, L.V.; Shaposhnikova, I.A.; Shishkina, E.A.; Obvintseva, N.A.; Egoreichenkov, E.A.; Styazhkina, E.V.; Osipova, O.F.; Mogilnikova, N.I.; Andreev, S.S.; Tarasov, O.V.; Geras'kin, S.A.; Trapeznikov, A.V.; Akleyev, A.V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 151:Part 2(2016:Jan.)
• Page Start: 449
• Page End: 460
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Radioecology -- Water ecosystems -- Radionuclides -- Biocenoses -- Hydrobionts; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.05.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: As a result of operation of the Mayak Production Association (Mayak PA), Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, an enterprise for production and separation of weapon-grade plutonium in the Soviet Union, ecosystems of a number of water bodies have been radioactively contaminated. The article presents information about the current state of ecosystems of 6 special industrial storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive waste from Mayak PA: reservoirs R-3, R-4, R-9, R-10, R-11 and R-17. At present the excess of the radionuclide content in the water of the studied reservoirs and comparison reservoirs (Shershnyovskoye and Beloyarskoye reservoirs) is 9 orders of magnitude for 90 Sr and 137 Cs, and 6 orders of magnitude for alpha-emitting radionuclides. According to the level of radioactive contamination, the reservoirs of the Mayak PA could be arranged in the ascending order as follows: R-11, R-10, R-4, R-3, R-17 and R-9. In 2007–2012 research of the status of the biocenoses of these reservoirs in terms of phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacterioplankton, zoobenthos, aquatic plants, ichthyofauna, avifauna parameters was performed. The conducted studies revealed decrease in species diversity in reservoirs with the highest levels of radioactive and chemical contamination. This article is an initial descriptive report on the status of the biocenoses of radioactively contaminated reservoirs of the Mayak PA, and is the first article in a series of publications devoted to the studies of the reaction of biocenoses of the fresh-water reservoirs of the Mayak PA to a combination of natural and man-made factors, including chronic radiation exposure. Highlights: The current state of storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive waste of the Mayak Production Association is presented. Radionuclides contents in water and sediments of the reservoirs of Mayak PA are presented. The status of the major ecological groups of hydrobionts of the given reservoirs is described.