page_title: Airborne radioactivity increase in Europe in autumn 2017
section_title: Possible source
hierarchical_section_title: Airborne radioactivity increase in Europe in autumn 2017 / Possible source
caption_attribution_description: English: “Nuclear power reactor fuel assembly”. Nuclear power reactor fuel assembly at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Works Русский: «ОАО "Новосибирский завод химических концентратов"». Топливная кассета энергетического атомного реактора на ОАО "Новосибирский завод химических концентратов". Россия, Новосибирск
context_page_description: Airborne radioactivity was detected in Europe in autumn 2017, starting from the last days of September. The source is widely suspected to be in Russia; the Russian government, however, denies that any nuclear mishaps occurred that could have caused the radiation spike. The radioactive isotope detected was ruthenium-106; across Europe, it was found to be in small quantities, not significant for the health of the population far away from the source. It is estimated, however, that the radiation released posed a danger to any employees or residents within several kilometers of the currently unknown source.
context_section_description: While the release of the gaseous noble gas element Krypton-85 is routine during nuclear reprocessing, the noble metal Ruthenium, which is generated in a fission product yield rate of from 0.39% to 3.103% of every fission of a nucleus of uranium or plutonium respectively, is by contrast generally in metallic form, with a high boiling point of 4,150 °C (7,500 °F) in spent fuel. Owing to the ionizing radiation environment of spent fuel and the entry of oxygen, however, radiolysis-reactions can generate the more volatile compound Ruthenium(VIII) oxide, which has a boiling point of approximately 40 °C (104 °F) and is a strong oxidizer, reacting with virtually any fuel/hydrocarbon. The use of a solution of tributyl phosphate in the hydrocarbons kerosene or dodecane, is frequently used as part of the nuclear reprocessing method known as PUREX. Accidental airborne releases of Ru-106 have occurred, through this pathway in the past, such as the British B204 reprocessing incident in 1973, where a number of employees were heavily exposed.
  With corrosion of the fuel rod-cladding in the MAGNOX-reactor spent fuel pools (an issue in the British case, due to the selection of magnesium for the coating on the fuel rods), reprocessing needed to occur within a few months at the B205 facility; most other facilities (like the French La Hague) place the spent-fuel in spent fuel pools for about a decade, until the Ru-106, which has a half-life of ~ 1 year, has safely decayed into Rh-106 and finally the stable Pd-106. All attempts at PUREX applied to relatively freshly discharged spent-fuel need to take into account the presence of the oxidative and volatile Ruthenium(VIII) oxide.
  Initially, there was no indication given for the source of these radioactive particles, apart from an October 2017 statement coming from German authorities estimating the source in Eastern Europe, at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Germany. A later report from the German Federal Radiation Protection Service indicated that a location to the South of the Urals was possible (as well as other potential locations). Nonetheless, Roshydromet (the meteorology service of Russia) initially announced that the only location in Russia where ruthenium-106 was detected was St. Petersburg, from September 25 until October 7, in very small quantities. As reported by Roshydromet, Ru-106 activity in St. Petersburg was at 115.4 μBq/m³ from October 2 to 6.
  The French Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Security (IRSN) ruled out the emissions as coming from a nuclear reactor, estimating that it should have come either from a nuclear treatment site or from a center producing radioactive medicine. The location where emissions have taken place is estimated south of the Ural mountains, between the Urals and the Volga river, in Russia or Kazakhstan.
  Roshydromet then issued a report describing a rise in beta activity of aerosols and surfaces at all monitoring posts in South Ural from September 25 to October 1, 2017. In two aerosol samples, an increase in Ru-106 activity was detected. On September 26 and 27, Ru-106 decay products were detected in the Republic of Tatarstan. On September 27 and 28, high pollution levels of aerosols and surfaces was detected in Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don. In two aerosol samples from Chelyabinsk Oblast, 986- and 440-fold activity increases were measured, as compared to the preceding month.
  The Mayak nuclear plant is widely suspected as the source of the radiation. Authorities at Mayak and Rosatom, the Russian state company running the nuclear industry, have both denied a link.
  On 21 November 2017 Russia reversed itself by confirming that a radiation spike was recorded at two monitoring facilities within a 100-kilometre (62 mi) radius of the Mayak nuclear reprocessing and isotope production plant. Russia, however, continues to deny that the source of the radiation is within Russia, and claims that "the published data is not sufficient to establish the location of the pollution source."
  Rosatom initially stated that it had not carried out any 
caption: A nuclear fuel rod assembly bundle being inspected before entering a reactor.
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