What is the background radiation in the cities of the USSR statistics. The most radioactive place on Earth. And this is not Chernobyl. Mining and chemical plant, Zheleznogorsk, Russia

In one form or another, people are regularly exposed to radiation. We have collected 10 places that are among the most radioactive territories on the planet. Being there is life-threatening. And extreme people who stop at nothing should take care of safety.

1. Natural Radiation Ramsar (Iran)

This part of the country is known for having high natural radiation exposure. There are few such places on the planet, radiation activity indicators often exceed 250 m3.

2. Infected sand Guarapari (Brazil)

Due to the natural radioactivity of the natural element monazite, the beaches of Guarapari are considered highly radioactive. The level of radiation activity in places reaches 175 m3.

3. Underground springs from Paralan Ercarolla (Australia)

The hot underground springs of Paralan flow through rocks enriched with uranium. As a result, the hot waters of the springs bring radiation to the surface with their flows.

4. Hanford, Washington (United States of America)

Hanford is part of a research project to develop an atomic bomb. This is where the plutonium used to build the nuclear weapons that hit Nagasaki was produced. Despite the fact that the site has not been operated for a long time, about 2/3 of the radioactive material remained directly in Hanford, which led to the contamination of the soil and groundwater.

5. Central Mediterranean

Researchers suggest that a crime syndicate controlled by influential Italian mafiosi used the Mediterranean Sea as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. Was dropped here great amount processed radioactive and toxic materials - about forty ships.

6. Sea coast of Mogadishu (Somalia)

According to experts, for a long time the coast of the island was used as a cemetery for nuclear waste by various criminal structures. More than 600 barrels of radioactive material have been found here. No one would have known about this if the tsunami had not hit Srmali in 2004. As a result, the find was made public and reburied.

7. Production plant Mayak (Russian Federation)

Long time the Russian Federation remained home to a nuclear facility called Mayak. At the beginning of 1957, as a result of an accident, about a hundred tons of radioactive waste were “thrown out” into the atmosphere. As a result, there was a big explosion. Up until the 80s. the details of the explosion were kept classified. It turned out that back in the 50s, processed products were dumped into natural environment. The inhabitants of Karachay suffered - more than four thousand people.

8. Mining and chemical plant Mailuu-Suu (Kyrgyzstan)

Mailuu-Suu is one of the most radiation places on the planet Earth. No, nuclear tests were not conducted here and not a single nuclear power plant was built. Radiation in the area is high due to the mining and processing industry. This is a uranium mining site. The territory of infection is 1,960,000 m2.

Due to the extensive earthquake, the Fukushima nuclear power plant (Japan) was destroyed. To date, this accident is considered one of the worst in the world. The incident caused the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. At a distance of two hundred miles from the station, everything is infected and will be a danger to humans for many decades to come.

10. Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Ukraine)

Chernobyl was home to an accident that horrified the entire world. Six million people were affected that year alone. The number of deaths is ninety-three thousand people. The level of radiation exceeded the levels recorded as a result of the nuclear attack in Nagasaki by a hundred times.

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Disasters at nuclear power plants or tests atomic bombs, all this is detrimental to environment. It is because of them that the level of radiation in some places on the planet is higher than in others.
Radioactivity is the ability of unstable atoms to spontaneously decay. Often, human activity accelerates this process. A prime example such activity is the testing of nuclear weapons by several states at once. Below is a rating of places where the level of radiation significantly exceeds the average allowable.
9. GOIAS, BRAZIL

This strange incident took place in 1987, in the state of Goiás, Central Western Region of Brazil. Scrap metal collectors stole a radiation therapy machine from a local abandoned hospital. A device that emitted an unusual blue color attracted attention. However, subsequently the entire region was in great danger, since unprotected contact with this device led to the spread of radiation.
8. SELLAFIELD, UK

Sellafield is an atomic complex for the production of weapons-grade plutonium for atomic bombs. The complex was founded in 1940, and in 1957 there was a fire, which resulted in the release of plutonium. The tragedy claimed thousands of lives and caused great material damage to the owners. The survivors soon died of cancer.
7. HANFORD COMPLEX, USA

Hanford Nuclear Complex, located in Washington state, on the northwest coast Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1943 by the US government. The main task of the complex was the generation of nuclear energy for the production of weapons. Now the complex has been decommissioned, however, the radiation emanating from it will remain on the territory for many decades to come.
6. SOMALI COAST

Unfortunately, the perpetrators of the spread of radiation in Somalia are neither local residents nor the country's authorities. According to available data, the responsibility for this lies with the management of European companies based in Switzerland and Italy. The authorities of these companies took advantage of the unstable situation in the republic and dumped radioactive waste on its shores. The consequences of this discharge had a very strong impact on the health of the people of Somalia.
5. DENVER, USA

Compared to other regions of the world, the Denver region in the United States has been shown to have high levels of radiation itself. However, some scientists attribute this to the fact that the city is located at an altitude of one mile (1609.344 m) above sea level. As you know, in high mountainous regions the atmospheric layer is thinner, respectively, and protection from the sun's radiation-carrying rays is not so strong. The region also has large deposits of uranium, which also play an important role in the spread of radiation in the region.
4. SEMIPALATINSKY TEST POINT, KAZAKHSTAN

In the years cold war, on the territory of the test site, which at that time belonged to the USSR, nuclear weapons were tested. 468 tests were carried out, the consequences of which are still reflected in the inhabitants of the surrounding areas adjacent to the test site. About 200,000 people have been affected by the radiation in the region, according to the data.
3. MAYAK (PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION), RUSSIA

During the Cold War, the Mayak production association built several nuclear power plants throughout Russia. The largest station was located in closed city Chelyabinsk-40 (now Ozersk), Chelyabinsk region. On September 29, 1957, an accident occurred at the station, which experts attributed to the 6th level on the international scale (the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was attributed to the 7th level). The death toll from this disaster is still uncertain. Attempts to clean up the region from radiation are unsuccessful, it is still among the regions unsuitable for habitation.
2. FUKUSHIMA, JAPAN

In March 2011, at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, or "Fukushima Daiichi", located in Japan, there was the most terrible nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. As a result of the accident, the area around the nuclear power plant was empty. About 165 thousand local residents were forced to leave their homes, which existed in the zone around the plant, which has now become an exclusion zone.
1. CHERNOBYL, UKRAINE

disaster on Chernobyl nuclear power plant left its mark on the entire territory of Ukraine and beyond. On April 26, 1986, the world was shocked by the news that an accident at a nuclear power plant had occurred in the city of Pripyat. Vast territories of Ukraine, as well as neighboring territories of Belarus and Russia, were put at risk of infection. There was a large release of radiation into the atmosphere. And although, according to official figures, only 56 people are listed as dead, the true number of victims is still in question.

Radiation. The tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant instilled fear in many before this word. However, we are sure that there have not yet been terrible accidents, there were no major emissions, everything is fine. But this is a sad delusion, because even residents of cities far from nuclear power plants are not immune from getting a dose of radiation that is harmful to the body. Do you know what the radiation background is in Moscow? Does it exceed the norm? What areas are considered unfavorable in this regard? In this article, we will answer these and other burning questions.

What you need to know about radiation

Radiation - "irradiation") - ionizing radiation. Radioactivity - instability atomic nuclei, manifested in their spontaneous decay and emission of ionizing radiation. Let's list the radioactive particles:

Alpha - heavy helium nuclei with a positive charge.
Beta - electron flows.
Gamma - light rays with great penetrating power.
X-ray - similar to the previous radiation, but has less activity.
Neutrons are neutral particles emitted from nuclear reactors.

If we translate everything that has been said to a person, then for us radiation is particles and rays that can penetrate the body, negatively affecting it on cellular level which inevitably leads to serious health problems and even death. This effect is called irradiation - the transfer of radioactive energy to the cells of a living being.

Human Consequences

If the radiation background in Moscow is critically increased, then this will threaten the residents of the capital with the following:

blood cancer;
metabolic disorders;
genetic mutations;
malignant tumors;
infertility;
infectious complications and so on.

The worst thing is that radiation affects a person the more, the younger his body is.

How does radiation affect us? This usually happens in the following ways:

Through food and water.
Through contaminated air.
Through frequent medical procedures involving exposure to radiation.
Location next to natural sources radiation.
In view of living close to scientific, industrial radiation enterprises that do not care about protecting the environment from their activities.

Therefore, it is important to know in Moscow, so as not to settle in an area where constant presence is detrimental to the body.

Technogenic and natural radioactivity

Let's make a small digression. If the natural radiation background in Moscow or another city in some area is increased, you should not immediately blame the authorities and enterprises for hiding radioactive dumps or accidents. After all, radiation can be not only man-made, but also natural.

Let's look at the difference:

natural radiation:
- Solar, space - we are reliably protected from it by the atmosphere.
- Earth's crust - comes from building materials, sand, stone. In Moscow, a number of decorative granite slabs on the streets have a high radioactive background.
- Radon gas - according to some sources, it emits Earth's crust, why it "exists" in the basement. And from there, through the ventilation system, it is brought into residential apartments. "Escape" from it is simple - regularly ventilate your home.
Man-made radiation:
- Nuclear reactors.
- Mining sites for underground minerals.
- radioactive dumps.

Radiation protection

If you noticed with the help of your own dosimeter that the radiation background in Moscow or the Moscow Region is increased, then the first thing to do is contact:

to the radioactive safety service "Radon";
to the Head Department for Civil Defense and Emergency Situations of Moscow;
to the Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of Moscow, Department of Radiology.

Then you should take care of your security:

protect yourself with a temporary barrier from radiation;
use special protective equipment;
immediately leave the zone with an increased radiation background in Moscow, try to spend less time there.

Recall the simple means that will protect you from radiation:

alpha - regular paper sheet;
beta - glass;
gamma - lead;
neutrons - water.

Measurements of the background radiation level in Moscow and the Moscow Region

Let's not sow panic among readers: the radiation level, which is extremely dangerous for human health and life, is 30 microR/h. Nowhere in Moscow today have such figures been recorded!

Here is the official data:

average radiation background in open areas - 8-12 microR/h;
sleeping areas - 8 microR/h;
industrial zones - 8 microR/h;
city center - 10.8 microR/h;
the recorded maximum is 20.2 μR / h.

Let's look in the table at the radiation situation in Muscovites' favorite vacation spots.

It's not all bad, but it could be better.

radioactivity in Moscow

As for the capital, a network of sensors has been installed throughout the metropolis, which are designed to monitor the radiation background. Here are some of their locations:

emb. Kotelnicheskaya;
st. Timiryazevskaya;
sq. uprisings;
emb. Sadovnicheskaya;
st. Aviamotornaya;
sh. Kashirskoye;
sh. Enthusiasts;
Leninsky Prospekt;
WWII museum;
Okhotny Ryad;
sh. Warsaw;
sh. Leninskoe.

If you believe the indicators of these devices, then the average background radiation in Moscow is 0.11-0.15 μSv / h.

Disadvantaged areas of Moscow

According to experts, getting a dose of radiation in the capital, though not deadly, but not useful, is quite realistic. They identify the following unfavorable zones:

Troparevsky forest park;
District of Lublino;
Krylatskoe;
Strogino;
"Zelenaya Gorka" (Rokossovsky Boulevard) - radioactive burial;
Area of the hotel "Ukraine";
"Shcherbinka" - a site for the burial of radioactive waste of the Podolsk plant;
The city of Sergiev Posad is a rather extensive radioactive dump;
Lake Solnechnoye;
Zhestovsky quarry;
24th kilometer of the Leningrad highway - here is the plant of the Research Institute of the Center for Testing the Safety of Radiation of Space Objects.

The main danger of these zones is associated with the proximity of waste disposal sites.

Map of radioactive contamination of Moscow and the region

Scientists scrupulously examine data on the background radiation in the capital and surrounding areas. Based on this information, we can distinguish:

Particularly polluted areas: Lyubertsy (considered a crisis), Moscow, Khimki, Mytishchi, Noginsky, Voskresensky, Kashirsky, Shatursky, Krasnogorsky district.
Medium degree: Shchelkovo, Pushkino, Kolomna, Serpukhov, Podolsk, Orekhovo-Zuevo, Ramensky, Leninsky, Pavlovo-Posadsky, Lukhovitsky, Kolomna, Stupinsky district.
Relatively clean zones: Egoryevsky, Ozersky, Zaraisky, Serebryano-Prudsky, Naro-Fominsky, Chekhov, Odintsovsky, Mozhaysky, Istra, Volokamsky, Dmitrovsky, Ruzsky, Shakhovskaya district.

Now let's see what radionuclides most each district of Moscow is infected with:

Cesium: Eastern, Southeastern, Northwestern. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Northern, Western, South-Western.
Radon: East, Northeast, North, South, West. Some areas in the North-West, South-West.
Uranus: Northeast, West, Southwest, South. Some zones in the Northwest, East and Southeast.
Thorium: Northwest, Southwest. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Western.

Now you are aware of the dangers of radiation for humans, as well as the background radiation in Moscow. Let us reassure you once again: it does not currently exceed the norm that is dangerous for a person. But you should not close your eyes to the areas polluted in this regard. Our advice is to go there as little as possible.

A selection of materials about the radiation background and the radiation situation in Moscow for residents and guests of the city. Unfortunately, large cities have an increased radiation background, which in the vast majority of cases is not associated with an accident at and the movement of radioactive dust from the radiation contamination zone, but is determined by a large amount of building materials with increased natural radioactivity(granite, crushed stone, etc.), the placement of hazardous industrial facilities within the city, vehicle emissions, emissions from operating urban thermal power plants.

1. Who, what and where controls the radiation situation in Moscow

Directly in the city of Moscow, the analysis of the radiation situation is carried out by the State Unitary Enterprise MosNPO "Radon", which operates under the "Program of radioecological monitoring of Moscow", agreed with the city government.
Radiation environment in the city of Moscow is estimated by measuring the radiation background, and by sampling the environment and analyzing the content of cesium-137, strontium-90 and other natural and artificial radionuclides. Soil, grass, air, precipitation (snow, rain), leaves are sampled at 150 points in Moscow, and water samples are taken at 60 points in the city's water bodies. This makes it possible to control the state of objects in the urban environment.
The radiation background is controlled in Moscow using a special automatic control network. As in the modern exclusion zone, on the territory of the city of Moscow, a network of points of the Automated System for Monitoring the Radiation Situation (ARMS) is equipped, which allows you to automatically receive information from 50 points in Moscow with a half-hour frequency. The measurement points are presented on the ARMS map of the city of Moscow.

Location map of ARMS points in the city of Moscow

Some installation locations for ARMS sensors in Moscow:
st. Gamaleya;
Kotelnicheskaya embankment;
7th Rostov lane;
st. Aviamotornaya;
st. Timiryazevskaya;
st. Naval;
Uprising Square;
Kapotnya, 3 quarter;
st. Izhora;
Sadovnicheskaya embankment;
MKAD, sh. Enthusiasts;
MKAD, Kashirskoe sh.;
MKAD, Warsaw highway;
MKAD, Profsoyuznaya street;
Moscow Ring Road, Leninsky Prospekt;
MKAD, Mozhayskoe highway;
MKAD, Leninskoe shosse;
Black Sea Boulevard;
Museum of the Great Patriotic War;
Okhotny Ryad;
Metro "Kashirskaya", etc.

According to official data, samples are analyzed from certified laboratories using Camberra spectrometric equipment. Sample analysis methods are certified by the State Standard of Russia.
System radioecological monitoring Moscow allows you to determine the global fallout of radioactive substances, man-made radionuclides and natural, and with the help of an integrated system determines the dose load (exposure levels) of the population of the city of Moscow.

2. Maps of radiation contamination of the city of Moscow

Based on the results of analysis of data from studies of samples for the content of radionuclides, MosNPO Radon, using a special geo-information model of the city of Moscow, creates maps of contamination with radionuclides of the city of Moscow. The map below shows the distribution of densities of radioactive contamination of water. Data are normalized to control levels.

Map of radiation contamination of the city of Moscow

At the same time, scientists who have compiled a conditional map of the city demonstrating the general radiation state are also interested in the radiation state of Moscow and the Moscow region. Ecologists have divided the territory of the Moscow region into zones - especially clean, clean, fairly clean, especially polluted, polluted, heavily polluted and crisis.

Map of radiation risks of Moscow and Moscow region. Evaluation scheme of ecologists.

Moscow has a large number of places with extremely high levels of background radiation. These are the consequences of the work of scientific and military institutions that used radioactive substances for your work. There are many different maps dedicated to this issue. Map of location of sites of radiation contamination of the city of Moscow different types radionuclides - Cesium, Thorium, Uranium, Radon ...

Location map of radioactive sources for cesium, thorium, radon and uranium in the city of Moscow

Below is a map of areas with high levels of radiation pollution, which were identified in the 80s of the last century. Pay attention to the red dots - these are the areas where the DER levels were more than 1 Roentgen per hour. According to the map, all such sites were deactivated.

Map of the location of highly radioactive sites in the city of Moscow

3. The value of the radiation background on the roads and squares of the city of Moscow

Radiation background control sensors are installed in crowded places and production (industrial) areas are especially monitored. According to the MosNPO Radon, the equivalent dose rate in the residential areas of Moscow is 0.09 μSv / h (9 μR / h), the central part of Moscow is 0.108 μSv / h (10.8 μR / h), but in some places maxima 0.202 µSv/h (20.2 µR/h). The average DER in industrial areas is 0.09 µSv/h (9 µR/h). In Zelenograd 0.07 µSv/h (7 µR/h).

note - absolutely safe for children and adults are the levels of background radiation components 30 microR/h.

According to other data, MEPhI, the radiation background in the city of Moscow in open areas is - 8 - 12 microR / hour. But the levels of background radiation in Moscow can differ by orders of magnitude. Thus, according to http://gorobmen.spb.ru, the radiation background in the area of Moskovsky Prospekt is from 10 to 16 μR/hour, places have been established where there are sources where the EDR reaches 1000 μR/hour (Tipanova and Blagodatnaya streets).
It's important to know radiation background in recreation parks in the city of Moscow, where adults and children spend a lot of time on clean air. According to the eco-rating of Moscow parks, the radiation situation in them is as follows: