Comparative analysis of water contamination of the Shagan river at the Semipalatinsk test site with heavy metals and artificial radionuclides. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gorlachev, I.; Kharkin, P.; Dyussembayeva, M.; Lukashenko, S.; Gluchshenko, G.; Matiyenko, L.; Zheltov, D.; Kitamura, A.; Khlebnikov, N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 213(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Semipalatinsk test site -- Shagan river -- Heavy metals -- Artificial radionuclides -- Management; 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.2019.106110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to determine the degree of contamination of the largest waterway of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (STS), the Shagan River, with heavy metals and artificial radionuclides. With the data obtained by the long term monitoring results, we identified the most significant contaminants and determined the most contaminated reaches of the Shagan River. The contamination indices for heavy metals were calculated and applied to evaluate possible usage of the Shagan River water for domestic purposes. Highlights: The Shagan river is the largest waterway of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test Site. The excesses of the intervention limit for tritium in the Shagan river water are observed only at 4 sampling points near the outflow of the Shagan river from the "Atomic" lake. The excesses of the maximum acceptable concentration values in the Shagan river water for heavy metals are observed to varying degrees for all sampling points. It is necessary to carry out measures to purify water from heavy metals and tritium in order to use the water of the Shagan river for drinking purposes.