Kosovo west: Environmental assessment of depleted uraniumand others radionuclides

• Published in: Radioprotection Vol. 37; no. C1; pp. C1-1283 - C1-1287
• Main Authors: Bréchignac, F., Banducci, F., Benedetti, A., Cuccuru, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 01.02.2002
• ISSN: 0033-8451; 1769-700X
• DOI: 10.1051/radiopro/2002161

The poster presents the assessment of the environmental impact of Depleted Uranium (DU) in Kosovo Conflict in 1999. CISAM (Joint Force Centre for Military Studies and Applications) teams performed five environmental check campaigns in Kosovo (first in October 1999, last in May 2001) to study the effect of DU on the environment, collecting samples from 18 sites. Depleted Uranium and other radio-nuclides concentrations have been measured in environmental matrix; irradiation doses and internal contamination due to re-suspension have been evaluated too. The results suggest that there is not immediate risk, but scientific uncertainties concern the long term effect of the "lost" DU; other researches are in progress. The DU results obtained in 18 sites in West Kosovo are reported and summarized, in particular; data are given concerning the site "NATO 98" Radonjick lake. The results of the campaigns are matched with the conclusive remarks of UNEP and others European organizations.