A 'Reference Site' in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone: radionuclide and stable element data, and estimated dose rates

Data comprise radionuclide activity concentrations, stable element concentrations and both radionuclide and stable element concentration ratios for vegetation and wildlife samples collected in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) in 2014. Estimated absorbed dose rates for wildlife in the CEZ are also presented. Samples of soil, wild grass, earthworms, bees and other insects, small mammals, pine trees and frogs were collected in May and June 2014; frogspawn was collected in April 2015. Data were used to assess the uptake of radionuclides by wildlife living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) and also absorbed dose rates. The isotopes measured were: Americium-241, Caesium-137, Plutonium-238, -239 and -240, Strontium-90 (K-40 and U-238 activity concentrations were estimated from stable element data). Funding for this work was via the TREE project funded by the NERC, Environment Agency and Radioactive Waste Management Ltd. under the RATE programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/ae02f4e8-9486-4b47-93ef-e49dd9ddecd4