Contemporary evidence of radiological contamination of southeast Abai oblast, Kazakhstan, from nuclear weapons tests

Harbron R. Lipikhina A. Yessilkanov G. Apsalikov K. Brait Y. Hoshi M. Ostroumova E.
November 2025 Springer Nature

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
2025 #334 Issue 11 7829 - 7838 pp.

Atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons were performed at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (SNTS) In Kazakhstan between 1949 and 1962 and at the Lop Nor nuclear test site (LNNTS) in China between 1964 and 1980. Archival reports suggest highly elevated total beta activities were detected in the superficial soil layer in southeast Abai oblast, Kazakhstan, in the days and weeks following tests performed at LNNTS. In this study, we reviewed contemporary evidence of contamination of southeast Abai oblast, including both previously published studies and newly acquired soil samples. Combined, these results provide little contemporary evidence of contamination of the study region by nuclear tests. Soil activities of ¹³⁷Cs in the study region are relatively low and within global average levels for the same latitude. The ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atomic ratio appears to be lower than the global average. This suggests regional contamination, however it is not possible to distinguish between LNNTS and SNTS as the potential source.

Contamination , Kazakhstan , Lop Nor , Nuclear tests

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International Agency for Research on Cancer, Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, 25 Avenue Tony Garnier, Lyon, 69007, France
Population Health Sciences Institute, Sir James Spence Institute, Newcastle University, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, United Kingdom
Scientific Research Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology, Semey Medical University Non-Commercial Joint-Stock Company (NCJSC), 258 Gagarin St, Semey, 071407, Kazakhstan
The Center for Peace, Hiroshima University, 1-1-89 Higashisenda-Machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, 730-0053, Japan

International Agency for Research on Cancer
Population Health Sciences Institute
Scientific Research Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology
The Center for Peace

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