Radiological assessment of the territories of the Turkestan region on zero background and development of a radiation monitoring system in a transboundary context

The study shows the radiation situation on the territory of settlements located near the impact zone of the nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan at the «zero stage», with definition of dominant species of flora and fauna; on the basis of which, the most suitable bioindicators for further research will be identified. Within frame of this work, it was researched the territories of fives settlements in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the nearest to the power plant site of top priority in Uzbekistan. Radiochemical analysis, methods of radio spectrometry, mass spectrometry. The objects of study are soil, water, biota, food. In soil samples taken in Zhetysai and Zhyly-su, the specific activity of 232Th is twofold higher than the national average. The total alpha-activity of portable water samples in the village of Zhyly-su exceeds one-and-a-half fold of the allowable level. The concentrations of artificial (137Cs, 90Sr) and natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th) in the food products of population are within the standard. It was proposed dominant species of plants and animals for further use as the bioindicators of quality of environmental objects. The results obtained would enable to estimate forecasted effective doses for population and develop a monitoring system and a list of indicators for monitoring, evaluate the "zero background" of the selected territory. The monitoring model and its components used in this article may be applicable to other countries (in a transboundary context).