Take it above

The source of the Ruthenenii radioactive isotope-106, recorded in the atmosphere in September-October, could be on board an artificial satellite. This conclusion was reached by the Interdepartmental Commission specially created by the Rosatom State Corporation, Interfax reports .

Rosatoma specialists, the Institute for the Safe Development of Atomic Energy of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Medical and Biological Agency conducted an additional test of the radiation situation at the enterprise of the state corporation "On Mayak" in Ozersk in the Chelyabinsk region. The measurements of control samples did not reveal the presence of ruthenia-106 in them. The commission also did not find violations in the operation of the radiation monitoring system "Mayak".

The Commission believes that the release of Ruthenenia-106 discovered in the atmosphere cannot be associated with the processing of waste from the nuclear power plant, since Ruthenii-106, as a product of uranium division, is present in them only in mixtures with other isotopes.

According to the results of monitoring, represented by Roshydromet, the volumetric activity of the ruthenium-106 in the Southern Urals practically coincides with the values ​​measured in Europe. At the same time, there were no sites with an increased radiation background between these regions.

"Considering that these territories are at a removal of more than 2.5 thousand km, the current picture may indicate the presence of another source of emissions that was external to the mentioned territories. Such a source could be, including, in an atmosphere of an artificial satellite (or its fragment), on board the Ruthenia-106 with a high total activity," the saying that it was said. In the message of the commission.

In Greenpeace, the commission was not satisfied. “This is not similar to research in order to identify the source source,” said Rashid Alimov, head of the anti -core program of the Russian branch of Greenpeace. Ecologists believe that "the incident should be investigated so that in the future this does not lead to even more serious consequences and concealing significant information."

Ruthenius-106 (RU-106) can be used in food satellite power generators. The isotope is also used in medicine in the treatment of oncological diseases of the eyes and as a reference source when checking radiation control devices. The half-life of the ruthenium-106 is about 1 year.

In early October, European monitoring stations recorded the excess of the ruthenium-106 content in the air . Given the weather conditions, it was concluded that a cloud with radioactive isotopes could come from the Urals. The isotope in the discovered quantities did not represent dangers to the environment and people.

From September 26 to October 1, it was recorded "extremely high pollution" of the air by the Rutheneniya-106 particles in the Ural monitoring stations, the Roshydromet reported in November. In particular, at the station in the village of Argayash, 30 kilometers from Mayak, excess compared to the background value was 986 times.

On November 21, Greenpeace appealed to the Prosecutor General and Rosatom with a demand to investigate a possible incident that led to an atmosphere of a radioactive isotope. "The emergency release of Rutheneniya-106 at the Mayak plant may be associated with the glazing of the spent nuclear fuel. It is also possible to get a material containing rutheniya-106 into the furnace for remelting of metals," noted Greenpeace.

The press service of Mayak said that pollution is not related to the activities of the plant. "On the FSUE" by Mayak "in 2017 sources from Ruthenenia-106 were not made, emissions into the atmosphere were in ordinary regulatory values. Radiation background is normal. Additionally, we inform that the work on the release of ruthenium -106 from the exposed nuclear fuel (and manufacturing on its basis of sources of ionizing radiation) at our enterprise has not been carried out for many years, ”the message said.

On September 29, 1957, a large radiation accident occurred on the Mayak. In Soviet times, the accident was called Kyshtymskaya, in the nearest open city of Kyshtym. "Mayak" then was engaged in the development of weapons of plutonium. The explosion occurred in a container for radioactive waste. The cause of the accident was the failure of the cooling system.

About 6 thousand people were resettled from the radiation infection zone. At the same time, the evacuation of the population from the most affected villages began only 7-14 days after the accident. The radiation cloud of power was given out for the northern lights. The exact number of those who died and suffered from the consequences of the accident is unknown.

In 2001-2004, several tens of million cubic meters of liquid radioactive waste were dropped from the enterprise to the Techa River basin. In 2006, the General Director of Mayak Vitaly Sadovnikov in this regard was charged under Part 1 and 2 of Article 274 of the Criminal Code (violation of the rules for the appeal of environmentally hazardous substances and waste).

In 2007, at the "Mayak" during transportation from the chemical and metallurgical plant to the radiochemical plant on the territory of the enterprise industrial site , liquid radioactive waste leaks . As a result, there was a "formation of spot radioactive pollution in the site of the technological road above the established control levels." Presumably, the cause of the incident was a violation of the tightness of the tank valve with waste.