Environmental radioactive contamination in Greenland: a 35 years retrospect

Environmental studies of anthropogenic radionuclides in Greenland over four decades are reported. The studies have comprised the marine as well as the terrestrial environments and emphasis has been laid on measurements of Sr- 90 and Cs-137. Th, temporal and the spatial trends of these radionuclides a re described. The radiation exposure from consumption of locally produced d iets has been calculated from consumption rates and the infinite time integ rated levels of Sr-90 and Cs-137 concentrations in the various food product s. Compared with most other Arctic people, the Greenlanders have received r elatively low doses from anthropogenic radionuclides. There are several rea sons for this, first of all, because of the relatively high consumption of marine products compared with terrestrial products. Secondly, because winte r slaughtering of reindeer is less frequent in Greenland than in other Arct ic countries and Greenland reindeer consume, in general, less lichen than m ost other Arctic reindeer, and thirdly, because the transfer from depositio n to lichen in Greenland seems lower than in other Arctic areas. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.