Estimation of natural radioactivity in underground water sources for personal use in Zhytomyr city and its suburbs Mykhailo Buzynnyi, Roman Prihod’ko, Liubov Mykhailova Scientific Reports, 2025 The article reviews recent research and data analysis on natural radioactivity in 49 artesian drinking water samples from private sources in Zhytomyr city and its suburbs. The measurements support the installation of modern water purification systems, especially to lower natural radionuclides. A liquid scintillation spectrometer and an HPG γ-spectrometer were used to measure activity concentrations of 222 Rn, total uranium, 226 Ra, and 228 Ra isotopes. LSC-based methods were employed to measure 222 Rn and 226 Ra in a two-phase sample; uranium was extracted using a 20% solution of TBP in o-xylene to determine activity concentration via LSC. Recently developed simple procedures have been used to concentrate water radioactivity with ion-exchange resins, thereby improving detection limits for uranium and radium isotopes. These methods rely on straightforward techniques and widely available materials. Water radionuclide data collected over the past three years include 228 Ra. We compared it with data from the previous three-year set of similar water sample studies and with data from studies conducted on drinking water sources in the Zhytomyr region from 1999 to 2019. The data were consistent across sources. The 226 Ra/ 228 Ra ratio mainly ranges from 0.5 to 3.5. Radiation doses were expressed as lifetime average annual doses, considering age-dependent dose coefficients and relevant weighting factors. When evaluating potential radiation exposure, emphasis is placed on Ra isotopes, as they contribute most to the radiation dose. The activity concentration of 228 Ra ranged from 3 to 500 mBq/L, corresponding to an irradiation dose of 2.7 to 452 µSv/y, which accounts for up to 96.2% (median – 65.6%) of the total irradiation dose from U and Ra isotopes ingested through drinking water.
Regarding the possible impact of forest fires on the radioactive pollution of groundwater in the chornobyl exclusion zone Mykola Panasiuk, Mykhailo Buzynnyi, Serhii Kirieiev, Natalia Sosonna, Ihor Kovalenko, Liubov Mykhailova Scientific Reports, 2025 Sr in the aquifer. The transformation of wood and forest litter into ash due to a forest fire concentrates radioactivity in it, which lies on the soil surface, making it vulnerable to rapid leaching by atmospheric precipitation. As a result, this radioactivity can become a significant local source of radioactive contamination of surface and groundwater, which requires updating the radioactivity monitoring regulations in the relevant observation wells of the CEZ.
137Cs daily intake with the foodstuff in the selected cohort of the village Narodychi 30 years after the Chornobyl accident Mykhailo Buzynnyi, Shinzo Kimura, Mykola Didukh, Yukako Komasa, Liubov Mykhailova, Takaaki Takeuchi Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2025 The radiation accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which occurred on April 26, 1986, led to large-scale environmental releases of radioactivity. Its consequences—radionuclide contamination of soils, agricultural products, wild mushrooms, and berries—manifest even after decades. One of the regions most affected by the Chornobyl accident was the Zhytomyr region (Polissya). The soils of Ukrainian Polissya (North of Ukraine) have high 137 Cs transfer factors, leading to corresponding food contamination, especially of milk and forest products. The current study aimed to calculate and analyze the individual daily dietary intake of 137 Cs in a cohort of rural residents based on regular sampling and radioactivity measurement of each family’s daily food rations and considering each cohort member’s quantitative food consumption indicators over 2 years. Monthly studies of 137 Cs activity concentration in foodstuff were performed to cover diet radioactivity peculiarities and estimate their impact on corresponding daily intake for the selected cohort (11 families, 2 to 6 members per family, 34 persons in total) lived in village Narodychi, Zhytomyr oblast (region) during of November 2015 to October 2017. This study included a detailed quantitative recording of the foodstuff consumed diet according to the specially developed questionnaire for each family member for one selected day of each month and laboratory gamma-spectroscopy measurement of 137 Cs activity concentration in foodstuff samples covering diet consumed by each family, the same day including three meals. Daily intake of 137 Cs was calculated by combining daily family questionnaire data and individual data on 137 Cs activity concentration in the respective family on the same day. Individual annual exposure dose estimates were made on corresponding dietary statistical 137 Cs intake estimates and age-dependent dose coefficients. Foodstuff 137 Cs radioactivity measurements showed that domestic vegetables, fruits, and berries contain one to dozens of Bq/kg. Milk and dairy dishes contain tens to several hundred when ready-made first and second courses of meat, including those adding forest mushrooms, sometimes containing up to several hundred Bq/kg. Calculations show that the daily intake of 137 Cs from the diet for different cohort members ranged from 0.1 to 704 Bq. It depends on radioactivity changes during the year in the family food basket and individual preferences in food consumption of corresponding family members, especially of milk and products prepared with milk, and to a greater extent of foodstuff of forest origin: wild berries and mushrooms, and it was higher for males. Statistical data of daily 137 Cs intake varies greatly by cohort members and families. Conservative estimates of the cohort’s irradiation dose for each year are below 0.33 mSv/year when the corresponding mean is almost twice as high in the second year. It has been shown that the individual’s annual effective irradiation dose is determined by the family’s food basket and eating habits. Educational work on avoiding certain foods should be essential in preventing high 137 Cs intake from food.
Analysis of increasing 90Sr migration with groundwater from the Chornobyl NPP I. Kovalenko, M. Panasiuk, N. Sosonna, M. Buzynnyi, I. Onyshchenko, L. Spasonova 18th International Scientific Conference Monitoring of Geological Processes and Ecological Condition of the Environment Monitoring 2025, 2025 Summary Paper shows the conditions for the formation of high 90Sr concentrations in the interval of neutral or close to neutral (pH = 6.5–7.5) groundwater of the industrial site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, based on samples from well 21-1A. It is shown that high volumetric activities of 90Sr in the range of 50–2550 Bq/L in groundwater are formed under the influence of ionic strength (IS). According to long-term monitoring observations at the ChNPP industrial site, the dynamics of 90Sr activity concentration increase in observation wells almost coincides with the dynamics of groundwater IS increase from “background” values of 2–5 mmol/L to maximum values of 18.2 mmol/L. High volumetric 90Sr activities of groundwater simultaneously or with some advance accompanied by high values of ionic strength, as well as concentrations of chlorine, nitrate, sulfate, bicarbonate, potassium and sodium ions. The concentrations of calcium ions also fluctuate in synchrony with the dynamics of 90Sr distribution. Such dynamics indicates that 90Sr and anions and cations move with groundwater at the same speed, i.e., practically without being sorbed, as is typical for chloride ion (CI), nitrate ion (NO3), sulfate ion (SO4 2−), bicarbonate ion (HCO3) and other anions. Reduction of sorption properties of soils occurs due to the influence of groundwater ionic strength, which exceeds the value of 10–12 mmol/L.
Long term studying of uranium and radium-226 activity in drinking water in some regions of Ukraine and assessment of corresponding hypotetical irradiation doses Mykhailo Buzynnyi, Liubov Mykhailova Scientific Reports, 2024 The article summarizes the activity concentrations data of 226 Ra and the sum of uranium isotopes (∑U) in samples of drinking underground water for different regions of Ukraine studied during 1998–2023 in the radiation monitoring laboratory of the State Institution "O.M. Marzieiev Institute of Public Health National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. Arithmetic mean and standard deviations, minimum and maximum values for 226 Ra and ∑U activity concentrations are presented for the entire 1240 sample set and for each region separately. Collected data show that the established state permissible level for drinking water of 1.0 Bq/l is exceeded for 226 Ra in 1.1% of the studied samples, and for ∑U—in 3.9% correspondingly. The detected high levels of 226 Ra and ∑U activity concentrations correspond to certain regions belonging to the Ukrainian crystalline shield territory. A comparison of the current data with the data of previous studies held during of 1989–1991 indicates a significant difference: for the previous studies the average and standard deviations are much higher. We attribute this to the fact that the centralized sampling of previous studies was random, and it was related exclusively to communal water supply systems. At the same time, the current sample set covers a much larger number of regions, different water consumers; the data set includes the results of repeated studies for a large number of sources, in particular, sources with purified water. Hypothetical exposure doses caused by consumption of 226 Ra and ∑U in water for the current sample set were estimated for different age groups for each sample studied, as is, without taking into account the pattern of water consumption. The corresponding dose exceeds the WHO recommended value of 0.1 mSv per year for children under the age of one year for 220 cases (17.7%). This dose limit excess for other age groups corresponds—for children: aged 12–17 years—13.1%, aged 1–2 years—7.4%, 7–12 years old—5.6%, 2–7 years old—3.9% and for adults—4.1%.
A PERMANENT MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF FILTRATION AND MIGRATION CONDITIONS BETWEEN THE PRIPYAT AND UZH RIVERS OF THE CHORNOBYL EXCLUSION ZONE , Mykola PANASIUK, Natalia SOSONNA, , Ihor KOVALENKO, , Mykhailo BUZYNNYI, , Oleksii SHEVCHENKO, and Visnyk of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Geology, 2024 Background. Over the past 8–10 years, the radio-hydroecological and hydrogeological conditions of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone have changed significantly. Under the influence of the decommissioning of the water-containing cooler, the levels, speed and direction of movement of groundwater have changed on a regional scale. New radiation-hazardous objects were created: Storage of spent nuclear fuel (SSNF-2) and Centralized storage of spent nuclear fuel (CSSNF). The impact of climate change on the regime of water bodies has also increased. To study the impact of radiation-hazardous objects on the water environment of the exclusion zone, to forecast changes in hydrogeological conditions under the influence of climate change and man-made loads, it is necessary to create an updated model of filtration and migration conditions with the possibility of its further adjustment and improvement. Methods. In creating and developing a constant mathematical model based on the finite difference method, the geological and hydrogeological conditions of the research area were considered. Spatial constructions were also carried out to visualize the geological structure using GIS technologies. The filtering scheme was drawn up for computational operations. The QGis program was used to construct the surfaces of geological horizons, and the Visual MODFLOW program was used to develop the filtration model. Results. A model of filtration and migration conditions of the Pripyat-Uzh interfluve of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was constructed. The distribution of groundwater levels and heads in the Buchach aquifer was obtained. Forecasts of the paths, directions and time limits of the spread of pollutants with underground water from radiation-hazardous objects have been made. We carried out forecasts of the impact of changes in the boundary conditions of the aquifer on the hydrodynamic parameters of groundwater to justify project decisions on improving the network of observation wells and determining the conditions of flooding of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant site. Forecasts of the impact of global warming on the underground water regime have been carried out. Conclusions. The forecast field of pressure distribution demonstrates the possibility of improving the radiological state of groundwater as a result of: increasing the thickness of the aeration zone and its sorption capacity and accelerating self-purification due to the growth of underground flow gradients. It is important that the unloading of polluted groundwater will not take place in the Pripyat River, but in the isolated residual lakes of the former cooling pond. It will take about 20 years for groundwater to reach the lakes from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant site.
Estimation of 228Ra Contribution to Exposure Dose for Kyiv Residents Consuming Artesian Water M. Buzynnyi, R. Pryhodko, L. Mykhailova, M. Panasiuk Nuclear and Radiation Safety, 2024 У статті наведено опис запровадження високочутливих методів визначення активності ізотопів радію у питній воді і приклад використання цих методів для оцінки доз опромінення мешканців м. Києва від природних радіонуклідів в артезіанській воді. Для вимірювань активності 226Ra, 228Ra і суми ізотопів урану (∑U) використовували α/β-рідинно-сцинтиляційний спектрометр та γ-спектрометр з напівпровідниковим детектором. Характерною рисою запроваджених методів є простота – мінімальна кількість технологічних операцій. Для концентрування радію та виготовлення колонок використано доступні іонообмінні смоли та матеріали. Суму ізотопів урану визначали методом рідинно-сцинтиляційного лічення після екстракції урану розчином трибутилфосфату в орто-ксилолі. Оцінки доз опромінення виконані в термінах отриманої за життя дози з урахуванням вік-залежних дозових та відповідних вагових коефіцієнтів. Досліджено 25 проб артезіанської води, відібраної в м. Києві з артезіанських свердловин та бюветних комплексів. Питома активність 228Ra у досліджених зразках складає від 7 мБк/л до 99 мБк/л. Ці значення відповідають накопиченій за життя дозі опромінення від 6 мкЗв до 90 мкЗв на рік, що для різних джерел може складати від 79,2 % до 97,5 % від загальної дози опромінення, яка враховує надходження з питною водою також урану і радію.
Current situation and challenges at fukushima: Hands-on measurements of radiation contamination after fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant accident 20th Imeko Tc4 Symposium on Measurements of Electrical Quantities Research on Electrical and Electronic Measurement for the Economic Upturn Together with 18th Tc4 International Workshop on ADC and Dca Modeling and Testing Iwadc 2014, 2014
Dispersion of radon in the atmosphere around old uranium mill tailings Nukleonika, 2010
Application of the track method for radon measurement in Ukraine V.A. Nikolaev, M.G. Buzynniy, I.B. Vorobiev, A.V. Gromov, A.S. Krivokhatskiy, I.P. Los, A.V. Zelenskiy, Yu.A. Tomilin International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation Part, 1993
Tritium contents in water reservoirs and water supply sources in several regions of the Ukrainian S.S.R. Vestnik Akademii Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, 1991
Radon concentration in living accommodations in the Ukrainian S.S.R. in 1989 Vestnik Akademii Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, 1991
Estimation of Natural Radioactivity in Underground Water Sources for Personal Use in Zhytomyr City and Its Suburbs M Buzynnyi, R Prihod'ko, L Mykhailova Scientific reports 15 , 2025 2025
Інтенсифікації досліджень 226Ra, 228Ra і ізотопів урану у питній воді застосуванням іонообмінних смол МГ Бузинний, РВ Приходько, ЛЛ Михайлова Актуальні питання громадського здоров'я та екологічної безпеки України … , 2025 2025
Двадцять п’ять років лабораторії радіаційного моніторингу МГ Бузинний, і інші. Тридцята міжнародна наукова конференція молодих істориків науки, техніки і … , 2025 2025
Study of 90Sr Increased Migration Conditions with Groundwater in the Zone of Chornobyl NPP Industrial Site Influence I Kovalenko, M Panasiuk, N Sosonna, G Levin, G Roenko, M Buzynnyi Aartvork F., Trunova O. Operational environmental monitoring based on the … , 2025 2025
Regarding the possible impact of forest fires on the radioactive pollution of groundwater in the chornobyl exclusion zone M Panasiuk, M Buzynnyi, S Kirieiev, N Sosonna, I Kovalenko, ... Scientific reports 15 (1), 13910 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Analysis of increasing 90Sr migration with groundwater from the Chornobyl NPP I Kovalenko, M Panasiuk, M Buzynnyi, N Sosonna, I Onyshchenko, ... Monitoring’2025. XVIII International Scientific Conference “Monitoring of … , 2025 2025
137Cs daily intake with the foodstuff in the selected cohort of the village Narodychi 30 years after the Chornobyl accident M Buzynnyi, S Kimura, M Didukh, Y Komasa, L Mykhailova, T Takeuchi Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. DOI : 10.1007/s10661-025-13759-3 … , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Estimation of 228Ra contribution to exposure dose for Kyiv residents consuming artesian water. M Buzynnyi, R Pryhodko, L Mykhailova, M & Panasiuk Nuclear Radiation Saf., 30–40 , 2024 2024
Уран і радій-226 у воді артезіанських свердловин м.Київ. МГ Бузинний, ЛЛ Михайлова Актуальні питання громадського здоров’я та екологічної безпеки України … , 2024 2024
A permanent mathematical model of filtration and migration conditions between the Pripyat and Uzh rivers of the Chornobyl exclusive zone M Panasiuk, N Sosonna, I Kovalenko, M Buzynnyi, O Shevchenko Visnyk of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Geology, 115-124 , 2024 2024
Factors influencing the increased 90Sr radioisotope migration in highly alkaline groundwater at Chornobyl NPP site IO Kovalenko, MI Panasiuk, NV Sosonna, VEI Khan, MG Buzynnyi, ... Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 275, 107431 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Long term studying of uranium and radium-226 activity in drinking water in some regions of Ukraine and assessment of corresponding hypotetical irradiation doses M Buzynnyi, L Mykhailova Scientific Reports 14 (1), 2530 , 2024 2024 Citations: 11
Isotope Composition of Groundwater and Surface Waters in the Area of the Dombrovsky Quarry of Kalush-Golinsk Deposit of Potassium Salts. YO Malkova, IO Kovalenko, VV Dolin, YM Demikhov, MI Panasiuk, et al. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 257, 107083 , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Mathematical model of hydrogeological conditions and forecasts of groundwater salinization under the influence of Dombrovsky Quarry of Kalush-Golinsky Potassium Salt Deposit N Sosonna, M Panasiuk, Y Malkova, I Kovalenko, S Bagriy, M Buzynnyi 17th international conference monitoring of geological processes and … , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
Conditions of 90Sr migration with alkaline groundwater at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Industrial Site IO Kovalenko, MI Panasiuk, NV Sosonna, MG Buzynnyi, IP Onyshchenko Monitoring’2023 XVII International Scientific Conference “Monitoring of … , 2023 2023
Matrix approach for processing liquid scintillation spectra of 14C M Buzynnyi Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators … , 2023 2023
Практичні аспекти застосування методу черенковського лічення з корекцією кольорового гасіння МГ Бузинний Довкілля та здоров'я 107 (2), 40-46 , 2023 2023
Practical aspects of the application of cherenkov counting method with the correction of sample’s color quenching MG Buzynnyi Environment & Health., 40–46 , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
Traces of 14C Emissions for the Operation Period of Two Ukrainian NPPs: Rivne and Chornobyl M Buzynnyi, O Romanenko, L Mykhailova, A Lytvynko, M Panasiuk Radiocarbon 65 (2), 335-342 , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
Influence of Solution Ionic Strength on the Formation of Increased 90Sr Migration in Groundwater of the Chernobyl NPP Industrial Site IO Kovalenko, MI Panasiuk, NV Sosonna, GV Levin, PА Lushnia, ... Nuclear Power and the Environment 1 (26), 47-54 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
НРБУ-97. Державні гігієнічні нормативи. Норми радіаційної безпеки України. ІА Ліхтарьов, ІП Лось, інш. К.: , 1997 1997 Citations: 369
Plutonium and other alpha emitters in mushrooms from Poland, Spain and Ukraine. JW Mietelski, AS Baeza, J Guillen, M Buzinny, N Tsigankov, P Gaca, ... Applied radiation and isotopes 56 (5), 717-729 , 2002 2002 Citations: 73
Concentrations of thorium and uranium in freshwater samples collected in the former USSR. K Shiraishi, Y Igarashi, M Yamamoto, T Nakajima, IP Los, AV Zelensky, ... Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 185 (1), 157-165 , 1994 1994 Citations: 42
Measurements of 226Ra, 222Rn and uranium in Ukrainian groundwater using ultra-low-level liquid scintillation counting. AV Zelensky, MG Buzinny, IP Los Liquid scintillation spectrometry, 405-411 , 1993 1993 Citations: 41
14C Analysis of Annual Tree Rings from the Vicinity of the Chernobyl NPP. M Buzinny, I Likhtarev, I Los', N Talerko, N Tsigankov Radiocarbon 40, 373-380 , 1998 1998 Citations: 37
Загальнодозиметрична паспортизація населених пунктів України, які зазнали радіоактивного забруднення після Чорнобильської аварії. Узагальнені дані за 1996 р. (Збірка 6) АЮ Романенко, ІА Ліхтарьов, і ін. 1997 Citations: 32
Application of the track method for radon measurement in Ukraine. VA Nikolaev, MG Buzynniy, IB Vorobiev, AV Gromov, AS Krivokhatskiy, ... Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements 21 (3), 433-436 , 1993 1993 Citations: 28
The distribution of 137Cs and 90Sr in the biomass of pine trees planted in 1987–1988 in the near zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant M Buzinny, K Shepelevich Applied Radiation and Isotopes 52 (4), 905-910 , 2000 2000 Citations: 23
Ecological chronology of nuclear fuel cycle sites. M Buzinny, N Kovalyukh, I Likhtarjov, I Los, V Nesvetajlo, MF Pazdur, ... Radiocarbon 37 (2), 469-473 , 1995 1995 Citations: 21
Radionuclide contents in environmental samples as related to the Chernobyl accident K Shiraishi, Y Muramatsu, T Nakajima, M Yamamoto, IP Los, ... Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 171 (2), 319-328 , 1993 1993 Citations: 21
Природна радіоактивність питної води свердловин на території України. МГ Бузинний Гігієнічна наука та практика на рубежі століть/Мат. ХІV з'їзду гігієністів … , 2004 2004 Citations: 19
Radiocarbon of accidental release of Chernobyl NPP in annual tree rings. NN Kovalyukh, VV Skripkin, EV Sobotovich, MG Buzinny, EV Sanin Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Slaskiej 1229, Matematyka- Fizyka Z71 … , 1994 1994 Citations: 19
Дослідження природних радіонуклідів у підземній воді в Україні МГ Бузинний, ЛЛ Михайлова, ВІ Сахно, МО Романченко Довкілля та здоров’я, 31-35 , 2011 2011 Citations: 18
Radioactive graphite dispersion in the environment in the vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant M Buzinny Radiocarbon 48 (3), 451-458 , 2006 2006 Citations: 17
Newly designed 0.8-ml Teflon® vial for microvolume radiocarbon dating. M Buzinny, V Skripkin Radiocarbon 37 (2), 743-747 , 1995 1995 Citations: 17
Radon - 222 in water: concentrations, doses, standards. AV Zelensky, MG Buzinny, IP Los Problems of Radiation Medicine, 71 – 83 , 1993 1993 Citations: 17
Elemental analysis of freshwater samples collected in the former USSR by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. K Shiraishi, T Nakajima, Y Takaku, A Tsumura, S Yamasaki, I Los, ... Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 173 (2), 313-321 , 1993 1993 Citations: 16
Результаты работ по оценке радиоактивного загрязнения грунтов и подземных вод в районе объекта" Укрытие". НИ Панасюк, НИ Павлюченко, ВМ Рудько, АМ Алферов, АП Оружий, ... Проблеми Чорнобиля.-2001.-Вип 7, 97-115 , 2001 2001 Citations: 13
Monitoring 241Pu in Ukrainian soil. M Buzinny, I Los, N Tsigankov, S Soroka Advances in Liquid Scintillation Spectrometry, 97-102 , 1996 1996 Citations: 13
Long term studying of uranium and radium-226 activity in drinking water in some regions of Ukraine and assessment of corresponding hypotetical irradiation doses M Buzynnyi, L Mykhailova Scientific Reports 14 (1), 2530 , 2024 2024 Citations: 11
GRANT DETAILS
Substantiation of the ways to reduce the natural radionuclides transfer to the environment and human body in uranium mining, extraction and processing sites.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS (PATENTS, SOFTWARE, PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS)
Radon and Thoron source. Джерело радону і торону. (Patent)
Method of measurement of volumetric activity of radon in soil gas. (Patent)
CONSULTANCY
Liquid scintillation counting, Radiocarbon dating
Industry, Institute, or Organisation Collaboration