Radionuclide activity concentrations in two species of reptiles from the Chernobyl exclusion zone

¹ Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, CEH-Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Av., Bailrigg, LA1 4AP Lancaster, UK
² International Radioecology Laboratory, Slavutych, Ukraine

Corresponding author: clb@ceh.ac.uk

Abstract

Assessments of radiation exposure of reptiles may be required in some countries as many species are protected. However, there are few data available for the transfer of radionuclides to them, especially in terrestrial ecosystems, and consequently, no specific peer reviewed reptile data have been used in the derivation of default transfer parameters in the ERICA Tool. Twenty samples of Lacerta agilis (sand lizard) and five of Natrix natrix (grass snake) were collected from two sites within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and analysed for Pu-isotopes, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr. Corresponding activity concentrations for soil from the sampling sites were available. These data have been used to derive concentration ratios (CR) (i.e. reptile whole-body fresh weight activity concentration relative to the dry weight activity concentration in soil). CR values for N. natrix tended to be lower than those for L. agilis. The CR values derived in this paper will be used to improve the default values provided within the ERICA Tool. Whole-body activity concentrations determined in the reptile samples were broadly comparable with data available from the same sampling sites for small mammal species.