UP-TO-DATE RADIOECOLOGICAL SITUATION AROUND THE MAYAK NUCLEAR FACILITY

An overview is given of the modern radioecological situation around th e reprocessing plant 'Mayak', which was constructed more than 40 years ago for the production of plutonium for military purposes. The follow ing topics are considered: lake Karachay; artificial water reservoirs contaminated by radionuclides; solid radioactive wastes and their vitr ification. Some new approaches, methods and tools developed at the Ver nadsky Institute of RES for determination of different radionuclides i n various environmental samples from the impact zone of the facility a re discussed. The data on distribution, occurrence forms and migration processes of Sr-90,Cs-137, Np-237, Pu-239 and Am-241 in aquatic and t errestrial ecosystems are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.