Radioactivity OF Atmospheric Aerosols In Sarajevo

The aim of the present work is to provide information on the variations of the activity concentration of the cosmogenic radionuclide 7Be and other natural and man made radionuclides like 137Cs, in airborne particulate matter in Sarajevo area during the 2010 - 2013 period. The aerosols were collected using high volume sampler ASS-500 (airflow rate about 500 m3/h), trapped in a chlorinated polyvinylchloride filters (Petrianov filter FPP - 15 - 1.5). The filters were collected on weekly basis and prepared for the measurements in predetermined geometry. The measurements were performed by high resolution gamma spectrometry. The activity concentration of 7Be within observed period ranged from 236 to 4781 micro Bq/m³ with the average value of 2890 ± 75 micro Bq/m³. The range of 40K activity concentration for this period was 4.2 to 70.4 micro Bq/m³, with the average of 19.1 ± 4.2 micro Bq/m³ and from 0.30 to 11.70 micro Bq/m³ with average value of 2.58 ± 0.13 micro Bq/m³ of anthropogenic 137Cs. A mean aerosol mass concentrations of about 52.30 micro g/m³ was also determined during the period of measurements. Activity concentration of 7Be, 137Cs and 40K show typical seasonal variations with mutually inverse trends. The activity concentrations were observed to be higher in spring and early summer for 7Be and opposite to that in winter months they are higher for 137Cs and 40K. The observed range and average values can be considered as representative at ground level air in our geographical region. The results can be considered as baseline value for the ambient radiation measurements and provide reliable data in case of nuclear accident. (author).