BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The level of natural radioactive radiation in Azerbaijan’s lowland areas is up to two times lower compared to mountainous regions, the Institute of Radiation Problems of the Ministry of Science and Education told Trend.
Studies conducted on the distribution of radionuclides in soil across all regions of the country showed that these soils contain only minor amounts of natural radionuclides, characterized by low activity levels typical for arable land:
“The results of radiometric measurements carried out in the territories of liberated districts, including the southern districts (Imishli, Beylagan, Fuzuli, Horadiz, Jabrayil, Gubadli, Lerik, Lankaran, and Astara) following airstrikes by Israeli and US Air Forces on Iran’s nuclear facilities, are also consistent with the mentioned indicators. That is, no anthropogenic radioactive contamination occurred in our country’s territory as a result of the mentioned military conflict.
Even with uninterrupted contact of the population with these areas during most of the year, the observed (and aforementioned) level of radioactive exposure across the territory of the country cannot exceed the permissible annual absorbed dose limit for the general population (100 milliRoentgen or one milliSievert) as stipulated in the Law on Radiation Safety of the Population, meaning that these areas are completely safe for human habitation in terms of radioactive contamination.
Only in some local zones around cold and hot natural springs in the western mountainous area of the Kalbajar district, values of the natural radiation background ranging from two to 15 times higher have been observed, and it is a natural process that small concentrations of accompanying natural radionuclides emerge together with groundwater and accumulate on the soil surface in these localized areas,” the institute said.
Besides, since 2016, employees of the Institute of Radiation Problems have determined the mineral composition of fertile soil layers, green vegetation, and all major water sources in all regions of the country, the amounts of existing trace natural isotopes, conducted measurements of natural radiation background, and evaluated types of radioactive radiation.
These studies are being carried out continuously to this day.
The results of the studies are as follows.
"In residential areas of Baku city, the dose rate of natural radioactive radiation was measured between 0.011–0.035 µSv/hour, alpha radiation at 0 Bq/cm²;
In industrial zones, the dose rate is between 0.035–0.045 µSv/hour, and alpha radiation between 0.01–0.04 Bq/cm².
In residential areas of Sumgayit city, the dose rate was measured between 0.015–0.035 µSv/hour, alpha radiation at 0 Bq/cm²;
In industrial zones, the dose rate is between 0.030–0.045 µSv/hour, and alpha radiation is between 0–0.05 Bq/cm².
In the Sadarak district, the dose rate was measured between 0.031–0.042 µSv/hour, and alpha radiation between 0–0.11 Bq/cm²;
In Nakhchivan city and Ordubad district, the dose rate is between 0.045–0.082 µSv/hour, and alpha radiation between 0–0.01 Bq/cm².
In the Beylagan and Imishli districts, the dose rate is between 0.031–0.042 µSv/hour, with alpha radiation at 0 Bq/cm².
In the southern, central, northeastern, and northwestern districts of the country, the dose rate of natural radioactive radiation was measured between 0.011–0.140 µSv/hour, and alpha radiation between 0–0.03 Bq/cm²," the institute added.
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