Abstract
Radioecology as a branch of ecology became particularly important in the second half of the 20th century after several accidents and disasters associated with the operation of nuclear power facilities. The progress in this scientific discipline is primarily explained by social needs. The author’s reflections on the specificities and main aspects of radioecology and measures that are necessary for nuclear safety are valuable to science and to the use of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes in these days.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. M. Kuzin, Ideas of Radiation Hormesis in the Nuclear Age (Nauka, Moscow, 1995) [in Russian].
S. G. Neruchev, Uranium and Life in the Earth’s History, 2nd ed. (VNIIGRI, St. Petersburg, 2007) [in Russian].
R. M. Aleksakhin and B. S. Prister, “Radioecology as a Natural Science: A Few Reflections on the Interesting Past, Complex and Important Present, and Prospects for the Future,” Radiats. Biol. Radioekol. 48(6) (2008).
Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. UNSCEAR 1996 Report to the General Assembly with Scientific Annex “Effects of Radiation on the Environment” (United Nations, New York, 1996).
Soviet Scientists on the Danger of Nuclear Arms Tests (Atomizdat, Moscow, 1959) [in Russian].
A. D. Sakharov, “Preface,” in G. Medvedev, The Truth about Chernobyl (London, 1990).
Large Radiation Emergencies: Aftermaths and Protective Measures, Ed. by L. A. Il’in and V. A. Gubanov (IzdAT, Moscow, 2001) [in Russian].
Investigation Results and Experience of Mitigating the Aftermaths of Accidental Pollution of Territories with Uranium Fission Products, Ed. by A. I. Burnazyan (Energoatomizdat, Moscow, 1990) [in Russian].
R. M. Aleksakhin, “At Ground Zero of Domestic Radioecology: On the Centenary of the Birth of Academician V.M. Klechkovskii of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences,” Vestn. Ross. Akad. Nauk 71(1) (2001).
On the Behavior of Radioactive Fission Products in Soils, Their Invasion of Plants and Uptake by Crops, Ed. by V. M. Klechkovskii (Akad. Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1956) [in Russian].
S. V. Fesenko, R. M. Alexakhin, M. I. Balonov, et al., “An Extended Review of Twenty Years of Countermeasures Used in Agriculture after the Chernobyl Accident,” Sci. Total Environ. 383, 1 (2007).
A. V. Panov, R. M. Aleksakhin, P. V. Prudnikov, et al., “Influence of Rehabilitation Measures on 137Cs Uptake by Crops from Soils Contaminated during the Chernobyl NPP Accident,” Pochvovedenie, No. 4 (2009) [Eur. Soil Sci. 42, 445 (2009)].
Remediation of Contaminated Environments, Ed. by G. Voigt and S. Fesenko, in Radioactivity in the Environment, (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2009), Vol. 14.
E. O. Adamov and I. Kh. Ganev, Envirionmentally Flawless Nuclear Engineering (NIKIET, Moscow, 2007) [in Russian].
V. M. Kuznetsov, Kh. D. Chechenov, and V. S. Nikitin, Decommissioning Nuclear Energy Facilities (OOO NIPKTs Voskhod-A, Moscow, 2009) [in Russian].
R. M. Aleksakhin and S. V. Fesenko, “Radiation Protection of the Environment: The Anthropocentric and Ecocentric Principles,” Radiats. Biol. Radioekol. 44(1) (2004).
“A Framework for Assessing the Impact of Ionizing Radiation on Non-Human Species. ICRP Publication 91,” Annals of the ICRP 33, 207 (2003).
S. A. Geras’kin, S. V. Fesenko, and R. M. Alexakhin, “Effects on Non-Human Species Irradiation after the Chernobyl NPP Accident,” Environ. Int. 34, 880 (2008).
S. V. Fesenko, R. M. Alexakhin, S. A. Geraskin, et al., “Comparative Radiation Impact on Biota and Man in the Area Affected by the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,” J. Environ. Radioactivity 80, 1 (2005).
Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. 56th session (10–18 July 2008). General Assembly Official Records, 63d session, Supplement 46 (United Nations, New York, 2008).
R. M. Aleksakhin, “Radioactive Contamination as a Type of Soil Degradation,” Pochvovedenie, No. 12 (2009) [Eur. Soil Sci. 42, 1386 (2009)].
S. V. Kazakov and S. S. Utkin, Approaches and Principles of Radiation rotection of Water Bodies, Ed. by I. I. Linge (Nauka, Moscow, 2008) [in Russian].
R. V. Arutyunyan, L. A. Bol’shov, and O. A. Pavlovskii, “Modern Views on Radiation Safety Standardization,” At. Energ. 106, 285 (2009).
Proceedings of the International Conference “Radioecology: Results, Present Status, and Prospects,” Moscow, June 3–5, 2008, Ed. by R. M. Aleksakhin (Fabrika ofsetnoi pechati, Obninsk, 2008) [in Russian].
Additional information
Original Russian Text © R.M. Aleksakhin, 2010, published in Vestnik Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, 2010, Vol. 80, No. 4, pp. 321–328
Academician Rudolf Mikhailovich Aleksakhin of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (RAAS) is director of the All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Radiology and Agroecology, RAAS, and a vice president of the International Union of Radioecology.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aleksakhin, R.M. Radioecology of the 21st century. Her. Russ. Acad. Sci. 80, 165–172 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1019331610020085
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1019331610020085