What Are the Dangers of Living in the Aktau Area of Western Kazakhstan?

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In summary, the Aktau area in western Kazakhstan is experiencing a boom from the oil industry and there are plans to build a Dubai-like town. However, the area is also contaminated with heavy minerals and radioactive waste from an open cast uranium mine and scrap metal used for mining. The radiation levels in the area vary, with some spots reaching up to 5,000 microroentgen per hour. There is conflicting information about the health risks of living in this area, with some studies suggesting a decrease in cancer rates and others reporting an increase. However, personal experiences and data from the area suggest that it may not be safe to live there, with cases of cancer and other health issues being reported. It is recommended to avoid this area and
  • #1
martine
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Not sure if this is the right forum, please move if a more appropriate forum exists.

Even after Fukoshina I'm not quite sure what to make of radioactivity, how to read levels or radiation and what the danger is of getting sick.

Below are two small articles about the Aktau area in western Kazakhstan. Lake Koshkar Ata seems to be contaminated with heavy minerals and radioactive waste, there's an open cast uranium mine nearby and lots of scrap metal, originally used for mining.

http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/caspian/page/1356.aspx"
http://www.worldlakes.org/shownews.asp?newsid=1640"

From the articles, or just from comon sense, what is your feeling about living there? This is not a school topic. The Aktau area is currently seeing a boom from the oil industry, with many Western companies and people moving there. There even seem to be plans to build a Dubai-like town with artificial islands, etc.. I just don't find any information on how dangerous it actually is to live there. In case you ask: there are some amazing job offers out there
 
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  • #2
This chart is quite useful for understanding the effects of different levels of radiation.
http://xkcd.com/radiation/

I'm pressed for time right now and don't have any knowledge of the specific area but if you can find readings for the radiation levels there you can compare it to the chart to get an understanding.
 
  • #3
The main problem in determining risk is that it not only depends on dose but on dose rate, type of exposure (acute or chronic), the age of the individual, and the overall health of the individual.

I can't remember the source, but I had read that a chronic dose of 1000mrem increases the risk of fatal cancer by 1 in 2000. Since you have a (rough) chance of developing fatal cancer of 1 in 3 to 1 in 4 (studies vary), this is a relatively insignificant increase in risk. But, make that same dose acute, and the risk is increased (the study didn't give the number, though).
 
  • #4
daveb's statistic of a risk/dose of 0.05 per Sv is in the ballpark of published literature. If you want to read more about risk estimates the following resources might be useful:

UNSCEAR (2000): Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Vol. II: Effects
ICRP 60 (1990): Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection
NCRP 116 (1993): Limitation of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation
BEIR V (1990): Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation


An interesting topic is radiation hormesis, in which small amounts of radiation might actually reduce cancer incidence and mortality. There have been studies on people who live in areas where background radiation is several times the norm (background is roughly 3.5 mSv per year) where they found cancer incidence rates are slightly decreased, if changed at all.

See Calabrese et. al in Nature 2003 "Toxicology rethinks its central belief" if you're interested.
 
  • #5
Thanks a lot for all your answers. I just looked through the two articles linked above again. one of them mentions:
"Analyses of air and soil samples showed that contamination caused by Koshkar-Ata is below the average world level (1.15 - 0.20 Roentgen). Meanwhile, a real danger is being posed by the burial places of radioactive wastes at the mouth of the Koshkar-Ata. Radiation activity in these burial places reaches 5,000 microroentgen per hour."

Well, the second number sounds very high to me. However, it doesn't say what the range of radiation is. Does radiation spread by wind or does it kind of stay at a fixed point? The first number doesn't give a time. 1.15 - 0.20 Roentgen per year or per hour? Per our would probably be quite a lot...
When I look at the link provided with the first answer I see that 50ms is the maximum yearly dose permitted by us radiation workers and 100ms is the minimum dose linked to increased cancer risk. If I convert the roentgen correctly, then that doesn't look too good, doesn't it?

"Among the industrial dumps and derelict industrial equipment there are several radiation hotspots exceeding 1,500 to 3,000 µR/h, as against natural radiation in Kazakhstan of 10 to 15 µR/h."

If I do conversions correctly then the yearly natural radiation in kz is already much higher than what seems to be the upper limit of what's recommended, right?

From Wikipedia "his high level of radiation does not seem to have caused ill effects on the residents of the area and even possibly has made them slightly more radioresistant, which is puzzling and has been called "radiation paradox". It has also been reported that residents have healthier and longer lives"
Right, but that would probably be for people who live there all their live?

So basically, I've seen a lot of numbers, but they are still just numbers to me. I don't really know much more :(
 
  • #6
kinda crazy isn't it... The NCRP report 116 is a good guide, in the ncrp report #49 it says that the safe yearly dose is 100 mrem or 1 mSv a year for public exposure above normal back ground radiation. The dose in any unrestricted area in the environment from external sources does not exceed 0.002 rem (0.02 mSv) in anyone hour.

Having a breakdown chart to hourly,daily,weekly dose rates listing different radionuclide's would be an easy fix but I'm sure it would freak many people out.

here is a calculator that should give you some basic ideas on dose rates:

http://www.wise-uranium.org/rdcri.html

here's a Dose convert calculator too:

http://www.convertworld.com/en/equivalent-dose/
 
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  • #7
I don't know if you found any information yet. But I would recommend to stay away from that place. I was born in Aktau and at the age of 3, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Nobody in my family has a history of this desease. I have nothing to blame but this lake and the whole environment of the region. I don't really believe in the radiation paradox because now both my parents deal with some type of tumor. They lived in Aktau their whole life and yet hardly resistant to radiation. My advice is stay away from that place and look for job in a safer place, may be in other part of Kazakhstan.
 
  • #8
martine said:
Not sure if this is the right forum, please move if a more appropriate forum exists.

Even after Fukoshina I'm not quite sure what to make of radioactivity, how to read levels or radiation and what the danger is of getting sick.

Below are two small articles about the Aktau area in western Kazakhstan. Lake Koshkar Ata seems to be contaminated with heavy minerals and radioactive waste, there's an open cast uranium mine nearby and lots of scrap metal, originally used for mining.

http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/caspian/page/1356.aspx
http://www.worldlakes.org/shownews.asp?newsid=1640

From the articles, or just from comon sense, what is your feeling about living there? This is not a school topic. The Aktau area is currently seeing a boom from the oil industry, with many Western companies and people moving there. There even seem to be plans to build a Dubai-like town with artificial islands, etc.. I just don't find any information on how dangerous it actually is to live there. In case you ask: there are some amazing job offers out there

Here's a good Q&A link http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/cat25.html

Statistics are usually "population" statistics, e.g. "X" cancers per 100,000 people per 1 rem and they aren't appropriate for determining an individual's risk. Those of us that have worked in nuclear power plants, national labs, medicine, etc. are able to work safely around radiation.
 

1. What is radioactivity and why is it dangerous?

Radioactivity is the spontaneous emission of particles or energy from the nucleus of an unstable atom. This process can release harmful radiation that can damage living cells and cause various health problems, such as cancer.

2. How can we be exposed to radioactivity?

We can be exposed to radioactivity through various sources such as nuclear power plants, medical procedures that use radioactive materials, and natural sources like radon gas in the environment. We can also be exposed to radiation from man-made objects like nuclear weapons or accidents at nuclear facilities.

3. What are the potential health risks of exposure to radioactivity?

The health risks of exposure to radioactivity depend on the dose and type of radiation, as well as the duration of exposure. Some potential risks include acute radiation sickness, cancer, and genetic mutations. The severity of these risks also depends on factors such as age, overall health, and individual sensitivity to radiation.

4. How can we protect ourselves from the dangers of radioactivity?

There are several ways to protect ourselves from the dangers of radioactivity. These include maintaining a safe distance from sources of radiation, limiting exposure time, and using protective equipment like lead shielding. It is also important to follow safety protocols and regulations set by authorities in regards to handling and disposing of radioactive materials.

5. Can radioactivity be beneficial?

While radioactivity can be dangerous, it also has many beneficial uses. For example, it is used in medical treatments such as cancer therapy and diagnostic imaging. It is also used in industrial and scientific applications, such as in the production of electricity and in research. However, it is important to handle and use radioactive materials safely to minimize any potential risks.

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