BELHYDROMET

On 9 July, a training session for advanced training of employees was held at the Republican Centre for State Environmental Expertise, Training, Advanced Training and Retraining of Personnel of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The speaker was Vladimir Samsonov, Head of the Radiospectrometry Department of the Radiation Monitoring Service.

Since 1963, measurements of gamma radiation dose rate have been carried out in Belarus at the network of hydrometeorological stations, and later control points for radioactive fallout from the atmosphere were introduced (sampling of natural fallout from the atmosphere was carried out using horizontal collectors).

There are 120 radiation monitoring observation points operating on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

The objects of observation during radiation monitoring are atmospheric air, soil, surface and ground waters.

Radiation monitoring is carried out for the purpose of monitoring:

- the natural radiation background;
- the radiation background from potential sources of radioactive contamination, including for the assessment of transboundary transport of radioactive substances;
- radioactive contamination of atmospheric air, soil, surface and ground waters in the territories exposed to radioactive contamination as a result of the Chernobyl NPP accident.

Monitoring of the natural radiation background and radioactive contamination of atmospheric air is carried out at 43 observation points throughout the Republic (including 3 observation points in the area of the Belarusian NPP location).

Currently, the network of radiation monitoring observation points for atmospheric air of Belhydromet includes:

- 41 dosimetric posts – measurement of gamma radiation dose rate (stationary);
- 25 observation points for natural fallout from the surface atmospheric layer (using horizontal collectors);
- 12 observation points for radioactive aerosols in the surface atmospheric layer (using filter-ventilation units).

The soil radiation monitoring network consists of 52 observation points, including 38 reference sites and 14 landscape-geochemical polygons.

Radiation monitoring of surface waters on the territory of the Republic of Belarus is carried out at 19 observation points:

- 6 main rivers of Belarus flowing through territories contaminated as a result of the Chernobyl NPP accident;
- 7 transboundary observation points located in the zones of influence of nuclear power plants of neighbouring states;
- 3 observation points located in the area of the Belarusian NPP location;
- 3 observation points located on the territory of the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve.

Bottom sediments are sampled once a year at surface water bodies in the area of the Belarusian NPP location, and at other observation points – once every three years.

At 6 observation points of groundwater radiation monitoring, the determination of total alpha and beta activity and the content of caesium-137 and strontium-90 radionuclides is carried out.

The Chernobyl accident demonstrated the importance and necessity of maintaining a high level of the national system for early detection and warning of possible radiological emergencies, and also stimulated the creation and development on the territory of the Republic of Belarus of an automated system for radiation environment control in the zones of influence of nuclear power plants.

Currently, the automated system for radiation environment control located in the zones of influence of nuclear power plants of neighbouring states includes 23 automatic radiation monitoring posts operating in continuous mode in the zones of influence (in the 100 km observation zone):

Smolensk NPP – 5;
Chernobyl NPP – 6;
Rivne NPP – 4;
Ignalina NPP – 8.

Continuous control of the radiation environment is ensured by 10 automatic radiation monitoring posts of the automated system for radiation environment control in the zone of influence of the Belarusian NPP.