CHERNOBYL-DERIVED RADIOCESIUM IN MOSSES IN THE BLACK-SEA AREA

Abstract

Radiocesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) activity levels in mosses from the Black Sea area, northern Turkey, are reported following the Chernobyl accident during the period of 1989-1991. The cesium radionuclides were detected and measured in all the samples but other long-lived radionuclides such as Ce-144 and Ru-106 were measured in only one sample. The present data support the fact that radioactivity monitoring in mosses can be useful to determine the lasting effect of radioactive contamination.