Main results

Main results of scientific research:

During previous years the methods and technological projects optimizing the structure of the agricultural manufacturing in territories of Ukraine contaminated with radionuclides and other technogenic toxicants were elaborated. In frame of the works on monitoring of the agricultural lands and production, the technical project for system of the complete monitoring of agricultural manufacturing and estimation of a state of the agricultural lands in regions of Ukraine characterised by significant techogenic loading was prepared. Monitoring studies on contamination of agricultural lands and products with Sr-90 and respective estimation of the critical areas, objects and characterisitics were accomplished, that is more effective then a general radiation control of the whole contaminated territory.

Works elaborating the sub-system "Agricultural complex and production" to support the decision making-up at the action of techogenic loadings on the environment were carried out. Filling the system with new results and models has being implemented now.

The most dangerous links of radionuclides transfer to human were found on the results of scientific research. TF values were estimated for various soils, and it was shown that they can vary dozen of times in comparison with general known ones due to the specific natural conditions of Ukrainian Polessje .

Studies on characteristics of radionuclides metabolism in animal organism were performed. It promoted to substantiate and prepare the technology for final feeding of animals with clean forages, and predict the terms and procedure of obtaining the production in accordance with the current norms. Technique and device for living determination of caesium radioisotopes in the muscles of agricultural animals were elaborated and implemented, their improvement is still continuing. New techniologies for "clean" cheeses production from milk with the increased content of radionuclides were elaborated in direction of processing of contaminated animal products. According to the program "Ferrocyanides", experiments and testing on the principal kinds of animals were performed, recipes and technologies for using of the natural and synthetic adsorbents and products containing them were proposed; that permits to decrease caesium-137 contamination of meat and milk 3-10 times. Now these works are implemented in collective and private farms in the contaminated zone. The method of estimation of the base of forage resources and recommendations on their use in the contaminated zone is implemented.

Methodical approaches for countermeasures implementation in the contaminated areas of Ukraine aiming minimization of radionuclides outflows with agricultural production and decrease of the cost of implementation were elaborated by scientists; programs and recommendations concerning countermeasures implementation in two most critical regions were prepared. 5 technological projects on the countermeasures application in 5 critical settlements in the contaminated area are being implemented this year.

Specialists of the institute elaborated and published recommendations on conducting of the farming industry in contaminated territories of Ukraine for various post-accidental periods (the last one 1999-2002); specified propositions on conducting of the main branches of AIC (agroindustrial complex) and private farming are given in them. Critical directions for mitigation of the ChNPP disaster consequences in AIP are noted.

The methodical guide and program for rehabilitation (return to economical using) of abandoned agricultural lands located in Kiev and Zhitomyr regions were elaborated. Results of scientific research and respective calculations have shown that these lands can be used in accordance with the specific scenarioes without exceeding the dose limits defined by the state legislation. On the base of comprehensive analysis of the radiological situation in farming industry "The program for rehabilitation of lands in a zone of unconditional (obligate) resettlement in Kiev and Zhitomyr regions for the period 1998-2005", "Methodical guide for rehabilitation of lands in a zone of unconditional (obligate) resettlement in Kiev and Zhitomyr regions", "Recommendations on realisation of the regional program minimising the ChNPP acidental consequences in Zhitomyr region" were elaborated.

The gained experience and changes in radiational, economical and political state in Ukraine in a period after the accident have been represented in a new "Concept for agriculture conducting in the contaminated territories and their complete rehabilitation for the period 2000-2010" . The concept takes into account the obtained results and conclusions of scientific research and applied studies carried out in a frame of two National programs for the period 1992-2000. The concept is based on three main principles:

1.To prevent exceeding of the individual irradiation dose, radionuclides content in agricultural production obtaining in any area hasn't to exceed permissive levels (PL-97). This principle is realised by countermeasures implementation independently on their cost; if countermeasures application is economically unexpedient, agriculture and forestry conducting should be stopped.

2.Minimisation of the collective irradiation dose on population is realised by decreasing of the radionuclides outflows into human diet with local foodstuffs due to agricultural countermeasures application, which are chosen and planned with obligate use of optimising procedures. Countermeasures are implemented if their efficiency can significantly influence on radiation state.

3. Measures directed to decrease the irradiation dose on population can be practically always considered as intervention into traditional people's life, hence they ought to be applied according to the scientifically based recommendations and projects accounted radiological, medical-biological, ecological, social-psychological and economical consequences of their implementation.

Existence of the critical regions, landscapes, farms, arable lands, forages and foodstuffs charactrised by constant high level of the radioactive contamination in comparison with neighbouring analogous territories needs determination of priority in planning and implementation of countermeasures.

Main directions of scientific and applied activity

in UIAR in a period 1988 - 2003 :

Elaboration of recommendations, implementation of measures and countermeasures in farming industry directed to decrease the agricultural production contamination with radionuclides

scientific and manufactoring testing, approbation of measures and countermeasures directed to decrease the agricultural products contamination with radionuclides ;
rational plant-breeding in conditions of radioactive contamination of agricultural lands after ChNPP accident ;
rational stock-breeding in contaminated after ChNPP accident territories :
applying of "clean" forages and radionuclide-absorbing preparations to decrease contamination of the animal products ;
scientific substantiation of the meat stock-breeding in the radionuclide contaminated territories of Ukraine;
preparation of a method for estimation of the forage resources base in radionuclide contaminated areas with purpose to obtaine the products respective to established norms ;
technological projects for optimisation of a structure of farm production and countermeasures in farms located in the territories contaminated with radionuclides of ChNPP accident and other technogenic toxicants ;
creation of a system supporting the decision-making at the elimination of consequences of ChNPP accident in farm production;
methodology for rehabilitation of radionuclide contaminated lands in a zone of unconditional resettlement .

Studies on regularities of radionuclides and heavy metals transfer from soil to plants and animals, elaboration of the methods for prediction of possible contamination of agricultural production

transfer factors of radionuclides to the agricultural plants from various types of soil ;
microfertilizers and accumulation of radionuclides by the agricultural crops;
efficiency of sapropel and zeolites application reducing the radioactive contamination of agricultural production ;
accumulation and excretion of radionuclides from organism of the agricultural animals, physiological and immunobiological state, reproductivity at the long-term keeping of animals in conditions of radioactive contamination of the territory;
facilities for keeping and feeding the animals, supporting decrease of radionuclides transfer to the animal products ;
estimation of action of ferrocyanides and natural sorbents on radioceasium transfer from the diet to milk and meat of the agricultural animals in industrial conditions ;
mathematical models for migration of radionuclides and heavy metals in a soil-plant link and in a chain forage-animal organism-animal products ;
combined action of radionuclides and heavy metals on the agricultural animals' organism ;
consequences of the long-term application of agrochemical measures and long-term dynamics of caesium and strontium behavior in a soil-plant link.

Radiological monitoring of territories, agricultural lands and agricultural production contaminated with radionuclides

comprehensive monitoring of farming industry in the radioactive contaminated territories of Ukraine ;
creation and maintenance of the experimental polygons for monitoring and prediction of radionuclides migration in soils of the Exclusion zone ;
specification of the radiological state in settlements of Chernigiv, Zhitomyr and Volyn' regions;
radiological monitoring and long-term prediction for the irrigated lands;
secondary contamination of the environment as a result of a wind transfer of radionuclides;
secondary contamination of the environment in consequence of the forest fires and minimisation of the ionising irradiation action on participants of the fire-fighting ;
monitoring of contamination of agricultural lands and plant production with ⁹⁰Sr ;
radiation-hygienic state of life and labour conditions at the various kinds of agricultural works in plant-breeding and animal-breeding on the radionuclide contaminated territories ;
scientific substantiation of the methodology for representative sampling during radiological monitoring ;
specification of the strontium track configuration in a near zone of ChNPP accident and detailisation of the radiation state in the sites selected for rehabilitation; creation of map on contamination of the exclusion zone with TUE (²³⁸Pu, ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Pu, ²⁴¹Am), ¹⁴⁴Ce and ¹⁵⁴Eu;
optimisation and maintenance of a system for radiological control and monitoring in agroindustrial manufactoring connecting with implementation of PL-97 ;
analysis of the agroionic climate in zones of ChNPP radioactive contamination ;
phytosanitary state in zones of the radioactive contamination, prediction of the situation and system of the protective measures against pests and diseases for main agricultural crops in conditions of radioactive contamination of the territory ;
ways of migration and outflux of the radioactive substances in farming industry.

Physical-and-chemical properties of Chornobyl radioactive fallouts and kinetics of fuel particles resolution in the environment

physical-and-chemical properties of fuel particles and their behavior in the environment;
inhalation intake of fuel particles into the human respiratory organs ;
modeling of the fuel particles formation;
radionuclides migration in the agricultural lands and soils of the exclusion zone ;
horizontal and vertical migration of radionuclides in the agricultural territories ;
radionuclides migration in a zone of irrigation farming ;

biogenic radionuclides outflow from іs point of the terminal localisation of the radioactive wastes ;

creation of mathematical models for the radionuclides migration in soils of the exclusion zone .

Processing and rational use of agricultural production obtained in the radioactive contaminated territories

technologies for milk processing with the purpose to decrease the radionuclides content in the final products;
technology for the soft cheese manufacturing during contaminated milk processing;
technologies for decrease of radiocaesium content in the raw meat products and for keeping its nutritional and biological values ;
technologies for initial processing, storing and processing of the cattle skin contaminated with radionuclides ;
distribution of radionuclides and other chemotoxicants during processing of the plant raw materials;
improvement of methods for detection the radionuclides content in soil, plants and animals on the base of the nuclear-physical and micro-wave devices and facilities :
methods for the life detection of specific activity of caesium isotopes in muscles of the agricultural animals ;
selection, substantiation and attestation of the standard sites for metrological supply of the remote gamma-spectrometric survey of the territory ;
research-methodical works on testing and implementation of devices for measurements of ionising irradiations.