Uranium, thorium, and potassium in soils along the shore of lake Issyk-Kyol in the Kyrghyz Republic

The Kyrghyz Republic, located in the southeastern region of the former Soviet Union, maintains a population of more than one-half-million persons and is heavily dependent on Lake Issyk-Kyol, both to draw tourists to the area and for its utilization by some as a food and recreation source. Historical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2002, Vol.73 (2), p.101-108
Main Authors: HAMBY, D. M, TYNYBEKOV, A. K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Environmental Monitoring
Exact sciences and technology
Historical account
Kyrgyzstan
Lakes
Mining
Mountains
Pollution
Pollution sources. Measurement results
Pollution, environment geology
Potassium - analysis
Soil and sediments pollution
Soil contaminants
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis
Studies
Thorium
Thorium - analysis
Uranium
Uranium - analysis
Water Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis
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Summary:The Kyrghyz Republic, located in the southeastern region of the former Soviet Union, maintains a population of more than one-half-million persons and is heavily dependent on Lake Issyk-Kyol, both to draw tourists to the area and for its utilization by some as a food and recreation source. Historical surveys, conducted primarily for geological exploration, have indicated that localized areas of shoreline on Lake Issyk-Kyol have relative radiation levels in excess of ambient background by as much as a factor often. Uranium mining operations in the mountains bordering the lake to the south may have resulted in the contamination of a number of areas on the lake's southern shore. Concentrations of naturally occurring uranium, thorium, and potassium are present in these soils in elevated quantities. This paper presents the results of an investigation of soil concentrations along the shoreline of Lake Issyk-Kyol relative to previously discovered areas of high exposure rate.
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1023/A:1013071414970