Barrels of radioactive waste decaying on the ocean floor found
France and other European countries dumped more than 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste on the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean between the 1950s and 1990s. Now an international team of scientists is studying how the containers, the ocean floor and the surrounding ecosystem have changed over the decades. Initial observations show that some of the barrels are severely corroded. At the same time, marine life has survived around the radioactive waste.
Barrels of radioactive waste rotting on the ocean floor
From 1950 to 1990, France and other European countries used the North Atlantic Ocean as a place to store radioactive waste. In total, more than 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste were dumped there.
At that time, experts and officials did not expect the barrels to remain sealed on the ocean floor forever. On the contrary, there was an approach that the radioactive substances could gradually disperse over time in the deep ocean waters.
From the point of view of today's environmental views, such an approach raises serious questions. Therefore, scientists are trying to determine what condition the containers have become after decades and their impact on the environment.
**Some barrels are severely corroded**
An international team of researchers has organized an expedition to the area where the radioactive waste is located on a French research vessel.
During the expedition, which lasted from May 27 to June 28 this year, the team made about 20 dives.
Observations showed that some of the containers were severely corroded. Signs of severe corrosion were found in some of the barrels. Therefore, researchers suspect that radioactive substances may have leaked from them.
**The barrels have become an "artificial reef"**
Scientists expected that there would be almost no life left in the area where the radioactive waste was stored. However, studies have shown a different picture.
Various marine organisms continue to live around the barrels. Crabs, sea sponges, sea anemones and other organisms have settled in some containers.
Thus, the radioactive waste containers that have been lying on the ocean floor for decades have become a kind of "artificial reef".
However, scientists emphasize that this does not mean that the radioactive waste is harmless.
**Radionuclides detected in samples**
The researchers collected samples of seabed sediments, ocean water, and various organisms and microbial communities from around the barrels.