Entweicht Radioaktivität aus den Abfallfässern im nordostatlantischen Versenkungsgebiet?

Radioactivity measured in samples from the NEA-Dumping-Site not only emanated from dumped barrels. Just as everywhere on the world also fallout from former nuclear weapon tests can be found there. Radionuclides which can emanate from different sources do not tell anything about their origin. To assess the fractions from various sources activity ratios from radionuclides can be used. There are different activity ratios for fallout and for waste from peaceful nuclear power engeneering. The comparison of the ratios of the plutonium isotopes Pu-238 and the sum of Pu-239 and Pu-240 (Pu-238/Pu-239,240) in benthic samples from the dumping site and from reference sites without waste dumping gives a clear hint. In the sampling period from 1980 to 2000 for samples from the dumping site this ratio increases significantly from 1986 on. Radioactivity emanating from the dumped barrels is regarded as causing this.

Bestimmung von künstlichen Radionukliden in Konsumfisch

The identification of artificial radionuclides in fish involves some diffculties, because the quantities of these nuclides are very low (10-16 to 10-10 g/kg). The procedures have to be done very carefully. The sample preparation, the radiochemical analyses and the final preparation of the samples for the detection of the radioactivity of strontium-90, plutonium-238, -239, -240 and americium-241 are briefly described. The levels of artificial radioactivity in some species of fish from the North Sea are shown. The additional exposure to radiation by artificial radionuc1ides by ingestion of fish amounts only to about 0,02 % of the mean exposure to natural radiation. Nevertheless further monitoring of radioactivity should be continued in order to ensure that changes can be detected in time.