Measurements of Cs137 deposition on different European countries
after the Chernobyl accident
Source:
Atlas of caesium deposition on Europe after the Chernobyl accident,
EU publication EUR 16733,
Luxembourg, 1998

Please, read the notes and comments!

Country Area,
1000 km2		 No of
points		 Points density
( / 1000 km2)		 Cs137,
PBq		 Aver. Cs137
kBq m-2 		Points density
per kBq m-2
             
EU            
United Kingdom * 245.0 45891 187.31 0.88 3.59 52.15
Sweden * 450.0 135848 301.88 3.5 7.78 38.81
Greece 132.0 1931 14.63 0.95 7.20 2.03
Luxembourg 2.6 15 5.77 0.008 3.08 1.88
Netherlands 41.2 84 2.04 0.062 1.50 1.35
Austria 83.9 1780 21.22 1.8 21.45 0.99
Ireland 68.9 342 4.96 0.35 5.08 0.98
Germany 366.0 1371 3.75 1.9 5.19 0.72
Italy 280.0 436 1.56 0.93 3.32 0.47
Finland 337.0 851 2.53 3.8 11.28 0.22
Belgium 30.5 11 0.36 0.053 1.74 0.21
Denmark 43.1 15 0.35 0.087 2.02 0.17
Spain 505.0 31 0.06 0.38 0.75 0.08
France 544.0 35 0.06 0.93 1.71 0.04
             
Europe            
United Kingdom * 245.0 45891 187.31 0.88 3.59 52.15
Sweden * 450.0 135848 301.88 3.5 7.78 38.81
Russia (Europ.) 3800.0 176971 46.57 29 7.63 6.10
Greece 132.0 1931 14.63 0.95 7.20 2.03
Luxembourg 2.6 15 5.77 0.008 3.08 1.88
Netherlands 41.2 84 2.04 0.062 1.50 1.35
Czeck Republic 78.9 776 9.84 0.6 7.60 1.29
Slovak Republic 49.0 411 8.39 0.32 6.53 1.28
Belarus 208.0 19058 91.63 15 72.12 1.27
Austria 83.9 1780 21.22 1.8 21.45 0.99
Ireland 68.9 342 4.96 0.35 5.08 0.98
Ukraine 604.0 11569 19.15 13 21.52 0.89
Germany 366.0 1371 3.75 1.9 5.19 0.72
Estonia 45.1 111 2.46 0.18 3.99 0.62
Latvia 63.7 153 2.40 0.25 3.92 0.61
Switzerland 41.3 190 4.60 0.36 8.72 0.53
Italy 280.0 436 1.56 0.93 3.32 0.47
Poland 313.0 299 0.96 1.2 3.83 0.25
Hungary 93.0 86 0.92 0.37 3.98 0.23
Finland 337.0 851 2.53 3.8 11.28 0.22
Belgium 30.5 11 0.36 0.053 1.74 0.21
Lithuania 65.2 90 1.38 0.44 6.75 0.20
Norway 324.0 448 1.38 2.5 7.72 0.18
Denmark 43.1 15 0.35 0.087 2.02 0.17
Moldavia 33.7 64 1.90 0.4 11.87 0.16
Slovenia 20.3 57 2.81 0.39 19.21 0.15
Romania 238.0 201 0.84 2.1 8.82 0.10
Spain 505.0 31 0.06 0.38 0.75 0.08
France 544.0 35 0.06 0.93 1.71 0.04
Croatia 56.5 4 0.07 0.37 6.55 0.01
Turkey (Europ.) 24.0 1 0.04 0.16 6.67 0.01

Notes and comments

Notes

1. Most of the Greek data have been provided by Prof. Simopoulos, NES-NTUA, while about 500 - by Dr. P. Kritidis, ERL, NCSR "Demokritos" (these pages).

2. The upper part of the data in the Table concern the EU countries, while the lower part includes also other European countries. Both parts have been sorted according to the last column, which represent the "relative density" of the sampling points with respect to the average caesium deposition in the country. This column (7), as well as columns 4 and 6 contain data not present in the source, but calculated by us on the basis of the original data ( Tables III.1 and B.1 ).

3. The data in blue result from airborn gamma-spectrometry measurements, which provide - typically - significant amounts of results. Those in black result from laboratory analysis of proper soil samples.

Comments

1. The average Cs137 deposition in Greece - 7.2 kBq m-2 - is very close to the value, estimated soon after the accident by ERL.

2. This value rates 4-th in EU and 13-th in Europe. This is in perfect accordance with the evaluations of our Laboratory - presented to the public by the former Minister of Health G. Genimatas - at the time, when most of the Greek press presented Greece as "the mostly contaminated European country".

3. Within EU, Austria and Greece provided the larger number of soil data measurements per unit of surface. Greece is 4-th, if we include also the airborn measurements. The Greek sampling density is 3 - 10 times higher than those of the most developed EU countries.

4. Within Europe, Greece is 3-th with respect to the soil data measurements per unit of surface, after Belarus and Austria and 7-th, if we include also the airborn measurements.

5. Amongst the soil sampling group, Greece is No 1 with respect to the sampling density per average caesium deposition, both in EU and Europe. If we include also the airborn measurements, Greece is 3-th in EU and 4-th in Europe. This means, that the relative attention, given in our country, as compared with the radiological impact, was one of the highest in Europe. This is again in direct contradiction with the statements of the Greek press, most of which had mean-spirited political targets.

Dr. P. Kritidis
Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory,
NCSR "Demokritos"