Radiation hazardous facilities at the Caspian regions of Kazakhstan

The following objects are to be referred to the radiation hazardous ones: the former nuclear test site Azgir and sites of implementation of peaceful nuclear explosions; atomic power reactor BN-350 (Aktau); waste burials of the uranium exploration; sites where hydrocarbon raw is explored. The AZGIR Test Site In total, for period from 1966 to 1979 seventeen explosions of various powers were performed in 10 technological areas in wells in the depths from 165 to 1500 m. Nine caverns of the primary net volume comprising about 1.2 million Cu. m were created. During 2000-2001 the remediation action at the near mouth areas have been undertaken. Radiological situation in the inhabited localities situated at the lands adjacent to the test site is stable, normal and is characterised by the parameters typical for a local region. The values of radionuclide concentrations in the upper soil layers at the territory of LIRA facilities are within the ranges: 5 to 45 Bq/kg for Cs-137 and 3 to 35 Bq/kg for Sr-90. For plutonium isotopes, the concentration levels higher than 1.5 Bq/kg wasn't detected. The entire set of all factors - the average concentrations of artificial isotopes, its distributions over the soil layers and the granulometric fractions - witnesses that global fallout is the main source of radionuclides throughout the land of the LIRA facilities and adjacent territories. Complex radiological examination of the Karachaganak, Oblavka, Zharsuat, Tungush, Beryozovka settlements situated near the LIRA facilities hasn't detected presence of artificial radionuclides in potable water and agricultural products. 'Batolit-2', 'Region-3', 'Mangyshlak' (the plateau Ustyurt) It has been found that the radiation background throughout the lands adjacent to the firing well head areas in the objects 'Batolit-2' and 'Region-3' is, in general, at the level of natural regional background; and throughout the areas of the object 'Mangyshlak', it doesn't exceed the natural radiation background, typical for a given region, at the except of several localised spots. Atomic power reactor BN-350 (Aktau) Industrial fast breeder reactor BN-350 is located in Aktau Mangistau province. The radionuclide composition of soils, underground and surface water, plants and sediments including Pu-238, 239+240, Sr-90, Cs-137, Mn-54, Co-60, Eu-152, Na-22 has been determined. Tritium content in water was measured additionally Radiation environment in the territories adjacent to the BN-350 reactor facility was being formed as a result of radioactive gas and aerosol carry-over to the near-surface layer of the atmosphere and sewage water discharge. So, the results of radionuclide analysis of the soil accumulating atmospheric radioactive fall outs as well as of the water and bottom sediments from Karakol Sor where sewage water was being discharged after decontamination is of special attention. Obtained quantitative data make error-free conclusion possible that technogenic radionuclide content of the environmental assay totality sampled within the buffer area and the radiation-control area of the BN-350 reactor facility is no more than background values, i.e. correspond to the average level of global radionuclide fall-outs in the West Kazakhstan territory (see Table). Radionuclide content range in the samples studied, Bq/kg level of global radionuclide Fall-outs (for the West Kazakhstan), Bq/kg Cs-137 2.1 - 33.5 0.5 - 50 Sr-90 5 - 10.5 5 - 30 Eu-152 1.4 - 2.5 s not measured Pu-239; Pu-240 0.05 - 0.55 0.05 - 5. To ascertain the source of plutonium inflow to the environment the Pu-238 / Pu-239; Pu-240 isotope ratio was studied in the samples as well. In should be noted that by the assessments of different authors (3-4) the mentioned ratio stipulated by global radionuclide fall-outs for the Northern Hemisphere is about 0.02-0.06. Analogous data obtained by INP specialists for a range of Western Kazakhstan objects are within the limits. Pu-238 / Pu-239; Pu-240 isotope ratio for the technogenic silt assays sampled at the sewage disposal plant is within 0.7-0.9 and within 0.45-0.15 for Karakol Sor bottom sediments being evidence of plutonium technogenic genesis of the samples under investigations. Moreover, some assays of bottom sediments showed trace contents of Eu-152 (2-3 Bq/kg) and this also testifies to BN-350 reactor facility contribution to the forming of radioecological situation within the territories under investigation. The data obtained in the course of radioecological survey of the buffer area and the radiation-control area of the BN-350 reactor facility show the certain effect of the reactor facility upon the environments. However radiation contamination levels of the environmental objects are no more than the background values and correspond to the levels of global radionuclide fall outs. The tail waste repository Koshkar Ata Radiology of the regions where uranium is explored is paid much less attention. A scale of the problem can be exemplified by the tail waste repository Koshkar Ata. The repository Koshkar Ata represents drain-free lake used for settling industrial, toxic, chemical and radioactive waste, ordinary drains and is situated 5 km to the north of Aktau town (the Mangistau province) located, in turn, in the shore of the Caspian Sea. In the tail waste repository, beginning with 1965 and up to now, industrial waste and solid non-purified ordinary drains, including the waste of the chemical mining metallurgic plant, waste of uranium exploration, are stored. The total area of the repository comprises 56 km2. At the present time balance between the liquid volumes entering and evaporating from the lake is broken. As a result, this lake is getting shallower, bottom sediments, represented by the waste of the phosphate and uranium raw, are naked. The net area of the naked part of the lake comprises about 11 km2