Assessment of radioactivity status in coastal waters of Türkiye

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  • Authors: N. Dogan1, O. Tunc Dede2
  • Affiliations:
    1. State Hydraulic Works, Department of Technical Research and Quality Control, Ankara, Türkiye
    2. Giresun University, Environmental Engineering Department, Giresun, Türkiye
  • Keywords: Türkiye, the Black Sea water, the Chernobyl NPP accident, natural and artificial radionuclides
  • UDC: [502.175:614.73](262.5:560)

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Abstract

Anatolia has a geopolitical location between Europe and Asia, surrounded by sea on three sides. The Black Sea washes the northern coast of Türkiye, stretching 1,700 km from the suburbs of Istanbul to the town of Hopa. Following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, the dust cloud containing radioactive elements (first of all, an artificial radionuclide 137Cs) reached western Türkiye in May 1986 and affected Thrace, Istanbul, and the western Black Sea. Upon the increase in radioactive fallout in these regions, a nationwide radiation monitoring program was initiated by the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency to determine the nuclear and radiological hazard status and geographical distribution of radionuclides. Many studies were focused on environmental radioactivity measurements in air, water, soil, rocks, and sediments in order to reveal the possible health effects of their radioactive pollution on the population of Türkiye after the Chernobyl NPP accident.

Keywords: Türkiye, the Black Sea water, the Chernobyl NPP accident, natural and artificial radionuclides

Authors

N. Dogan

engineer, D. Sc.

State Hydraulic Works, Department of Technical Research and Quality Control, Ankara, Türkiye

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3895-6986

O. Tunc Dede

associate professor

Giresun University, Environmental Engineering Department, Giresun, Türkiye

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5534-4773

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