Environmental radioactivity in southern Serbia at locations where depleted uranium was used

  • Nataša B. Sarap University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Marija M. Janković University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Dragana J. Todorović University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Jelena D. Nikolić University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Milojko S. Kovačević University of Belgrade, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Radiation and Environmental Protection Department, Belgrade, Serbia
Keywords: environmental samples, gamma spectrometry, gross alpha activity, gross beta activity

Abstract

In the 1999 bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, NATO forces used ammunition containing depleted uranium. The cleaning of depleted uranium that followed was performed in southern Serbia by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences between 2002 and 2007 at the locations of Pljačkovica, Borovac, Bratoselce, and Reljan. This paper presents detailed results of radioactivity monitoring four years after cleaning (2011), which included the determination of gamma emitters in soil, water, and plant samples, as well as gross alpha and beta activities in water samples. The gamma spectrometry results showed the presence of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 235U, 238U, and the produced radionuclide 137Cs (from the Chernobyl accident). In order to evaluate the radiological hazard from soil, the radium equivalent activity, the gamma dose rate, the external hazard index, and the annual effective dose were calculated. Considering that a significant number of people inhabit the studied locations, the periodical monitoring of radionuclide content is vital.
How to Cite
1.
Sarap NB, Janković MM, Todorović DJ, Nikolić JD, Kovačević MS. Environmental radioactivity in southern Serbia at locations where depleted uranium was used. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol [Internet]. 1 [cited 2024Mar.29];65(2). Available from: https://arhiv.imi.hr/index.php/arhiv/article/view/199
Section
Original article