Evolution of radioecology in Armenia: a short review

Abstract

Purpose

The article generalizes the evolution of radioecological studies conducted by female scientists in Armenia in the period of 1950–2020. Radioecological studies were launched in 1958, prior to the construction of the ANPP and major nuclear disasters.

Conclusion

The obtained results allowed the revealing peculiarities of distribution and accumulation of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and artificial radionuclides in the natural environment, urban sites and industrial centers. Series of national environmental monitoring programs were designed in order to reveal the main migration pathways of NORM and artificial radionuclides, as well as the assessment of exposure to natural and induced radiation.

Keywords:

• Environmental radioactivity
• NORM
• baseline and background
• artificial radionuclides
• ¹³⁷Cs
• Armenia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science Committee of Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports RA (“Environmental Geo- Ecological Studies”, State Budgetary Fund 2020).

Notes on contributors

Olga Belyaeva

Olga Belyaeva, Ph.D. in Biology, graduated from Vanadzor State Teachers’ Training Institute in 2002, Department of Biology and Chemistry and defended her Ph.D. thesis in Biology in 2013. From 2005 to 2015 she was a researcher in the Environmental Geochemistry department. She has been leading the Radioecology department of CENS since 2016.

Nona Movsisyan

Nona Movsisyan, Ph.D. Student, graduated from Yerevan State University (BSc) in 2014, graduated from the International Scientific Educational Center, Department of Environmental Protection and Nature Management in 2016. Since 2018 she is a Ph.D. student of the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies of NAS RA.