Main radiation pathways in the landscape of Armenia

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate sources, accumulation, and vertical migration of radionuclides in Armenia, and their impact on biota.

Conclusions

This review describes the radiation status in the landscape of Armenia and features of the impact of natural and human-generated radiation on human and non-human biotas, according to studies of Armenian scientists carried out since the middle of the last century. The mountain landscape demonstrates the diversity, speciation, and radioresistance of the biota, which arise under radiation exposure in a variable environment. Although the effects of radiation have been described for a long time, some of them require further study. It is important to present the data collected in order to produce a base line for future studies of radiation effects and interactions with other stressors caused by climate change.

Keywords:

• Landscape of Armenia
• natural and human-generated sources of radiation
• accumulation and migration of radionuclides
• impact on human and non-human biotas

Acknowledgements

This review on radioecological investigations in Armenia is dedicated to famous Armenian scientists Dr. Victoria L. Ananyan and Prof. Armen K. Saghatelyan. The authors are grateful for discussions and recommendations to Prof. A. Chilingarian (AANL), R. Sadoyan (ASPU), K. Pyuskyulyan, O. Belyaeva (CENS NAS RA); Dr. R. Danielyan (CDC, Armenia); Drs. L. Beskrovnaya and G. Timoshenko (JINR); Prof. V. Sakanyan (Nantes University). We thank Profs Ani Aprahamian (AANL) and Samvel Harutyunyan (JINR), who support radioecological studies in Armenia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Additional information

Funding

Project EC 058-02 “Paleoecology and paleo-radioecology of Lake Sevan, Armenia” (2002–2003), NFSAT/CDRF Grant; NATO SfP/OSCE Project N977991 “South Caucasus River Monitoring” (2002–2007)

Notes on contributors

V. B. Arakelyan

V. B. Arakelyan – Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Department of Molecular Physics at Faculty of Physics of the Yerevan State University, Armenia; Leading Researcher, Candle Synchrotron Research Institute, Yerevan, Armenia.

G. E. Khachatryan

G. E. Khachatryan – PhD, Chief of Group of Radiation Biophysics at A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory in Yerevan Armenia.

A. G. Nalbandyan-Schwarz

A. G. Nalbandyan-Schwarz – PhD in Geology, Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Department of Research and Development and International Nuclear Safety and Security, Section for the High North, former Researcher and the Head of Laboratory of Radioecology at the CENS NAS RA.

C. E. Mothersill

C. E. Mothersill – PhD in Radiobiology, Professor of Radiobiology, Head of Canada Research Chair in Radiobiology, Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Supervisor of Radiation Science Graduate Program (RadGrad), Faculty of Science at the McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

C. B. Seymour

C. B. Seymour – PhD, Professor of Biology, Faculty of Science; Associate Member, Earth, Environment & Society, Faculty of Science at the McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

V. L. Korogodina

V. L. Korogodina – PhD in Genetics, Senior Researcher in the Laboratory of Radiation biology at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. Dubna, Moscow region, RF.