Assessing radiation exposure of herbaceous plant species at the East-Ural Radioactive Trace

• A modeling approach (The ERICA Tool-Tier 2, Tier 3 and R&D 128/SP1a) was used to estimate dose rates for herbs growing in the wild at the East-Ural Radioactive Trace.
• The highest levels of anthropogenic radiation exposure were determined for herbs at Impact EURT sites.
• Total absorbed dose rates increased 43–110 times (Tier 3) for different herbaceous plant species along the pollution gradient.
• Total dose rate per plant organism for herbs is under 100 μGy h−1 at the most polluted site. Currently herbaceous plant populations exist under low-level chronic exposure at the EURT area.

The East-Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) is a result of the Mayak Production Association accident that occurred in 1957 in Russia. Radiological assessment improves the interpretation of biological effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore a modeling approach was used to estimate dose rates on Leonurus quinquelobatus, Silene latifolia, Stellaria graminea and Bromus inermis. Soil-to-organism transfer parameter values are delivered from empirical data of 90Sr and 137Cs soil and vegetative plant mass activity concentrations. External and internal whole-body dose rates were calculated using deterministic (The ERICA Tool-Tier 2 and R&D 128/SP1a) and probabilistic (The ERICA Tool-Tier 3) methods. The total dose rate for herbs was under 100 μGy h−1 at the most polluted site. The total absorbed dose rates increased 43–110 times (Tier 3) for different herbaceous plant species along the pollution gradient. Based on these data, it can be concluded that herbaceous plant populations currently exist under low-level chronic exposure at the EURT area.