Radionuclide activity in soil samples at a site from Atomic Lake to the neighbor winter camps of Sarapan and Zhanan at the boundary of the southeast part of Semipalatinsk test site

Abstract In this investigation we studied the content of some extremely dangerous radionuclides (137Cs, 90Sr, 241Am, 239+240Pu) in soil samples taken around "Atomic lake" moving from the explosion crater by 4 terrains. Selected sampling terrains pass through the wintering grounds of Sarapan and Zhanan located at the south-east part of the former Semipalatinsk test site (STS). The research results have shown that soil samples near "Atomic lake" have a wide range of radionuclide activity values: 137Cs from 6.8 to 4500 Bq/kg, 90Sr from 241Am from 1 to 350 Bq/kg, 239+240Pu from 7 to 1800 Bq/kg. The highest radioactivity levels are found in soil samples near "Atomic lake". The content of 241Am is within the admissible limit values, whereas the content of 137Cs and 239+240Pu exceeds the regulated values at some sampling places. The coefficient of variation of radionuclides content in studied soils has high values: 137Cs (240%), 90Sr (193%), 241Am (225%), and 239 + 240Pu (225%). This fact shows a high degree of the results scatter, which is most likely associated with a high activity of soils near "Atomic Lake".