title: Natural radionuclides and toxic elements in transboundary rivers of Kazakhstan.
abstract: The paper reports on the study of radionuclide and elemental composition of water, bottom sediment and soil samples collected at the border areas of the following transboundary rivers in Kazakhstan: Chagan, Ural, Ilek, Tobol, Ayat, Irtysh, Emel, Ili, Tekes, Shu, Karabalta, Talas and Syrdarya. The employed analyses include the following methods: instrumental gamma-ray spectrometry, radiochemical analysis, neutron activation analysis, XRF and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Evidence of water environment contamination with radionuclides and toxic elements has been revealed in many of the studied rivers both in Kazakhstan and in adjacent countries. Transboundary transfer of the contaminants is most likely related to local industry (uranium mining and processing) and the presence of radioactive substances in the river basins.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan solodukhin@inp.kz.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Solodukhin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poznyak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kabirova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stepanov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ryazanova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lennik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liventsova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bychenko
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Physics KAEC MINT RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zheltov
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007623:Kazakhstan; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive