Spatial radionuclide deposition data from the 60 km radial area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant: results from a sampling survey in 1987

The data set “Spatial radionuclide deposition data from the 60 radial km area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant: results from a sampling survey in 1987” is the latest in a series of data to be published by the Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) describing samples collected and analysed following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in 1986. The data result from a survey carried out by the Ukrainian Institute of Agricultural Radiology (UIAR) in April and May 1987 and includes sample site information, dose rate, radionuclide (zirconium-95, niobium-95, ruthenium-106, caesium-134, caesium-137 and cerium-144) deposition, and exchangeable (determined following 1M NH4Ac extraction of soils) caesium-134 and 137. The purpose of this paper is to describe the available data and methodology used for sample collection, sample preparation and analysis. The data will be useful in reconstructing doses to human and wildlife populations, answering the current lack of scientific consensus on the effects of radiation on wildlife in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and evaluating future management options for the Chernobyl-impacted areas of Ukraine and Belarus. The data and supporting documentation are freely available from the EIDC under the terms and conditions of the Open Government Licence (Kashparov et al., 2019; https://doi.org/10.5285/a408ac9d-763e-4f4c-ba72-73bc2d1f596d)

The importance of in-year seasonal fluctuations for biomonitoring of apex predators: a case study of 14 essential and non-essential elements in the liver of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) in the United Kingdom

Trace elements are chemical contaminants spread in the environment by anthropogenic activities and threaten wildlife and human health. Many studies have investigated this contamination in apex raptors as sentinel birds. However, there is limited data for long-term biomonitoring of multiple trace elements in raptors. In the present study, we measured the concentrations of 14 essential and non-essential trace elements in the livers of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) collected in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2019 and investigated whether concentrations have changed during this period. In addition, we estimated the importance of selected variables for modelling element accumulations in tissues. •Except for cadmium, hepatic concentrations of harmful elements in most buzzards were lower than the biological significance level of each element. Hepatic concentrations of certain elements, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic, varied markedly seasonally within years. Their peak was in late winter and trough in late summer, except copper which showed an opposite seasonal pattern. In addition, lead in the liver consistently increased over time, whereas strontium showed a decreasing trend. Hepatic concentrations of cadmium, mercury, and chromium increased with age, whereas selenium and chromium were influenced by sex. Hepatic concentrations of arsenic and chromium also differed between different regions. •Overall, our samples showed a low risk of harmful effects of most elements compared to the thresholds reported in the literature. Seasonal fluctuation was an important descriptor of exposure, which might be related to the diet of the buzzard, the ecology of their prey, and human activities such as the use of lead shot for hunting. However, elucidating reasons for these observed trends needs further examination, and biomonitoring studies exploring the effects of variables such as age, sex, and seasonality are required