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방사능 야생동물: 핵 유산이 지구 생물에 미치는 보이지 않는 영향

 

방사능 야생동물: 핵 유산이 지구 생물에 미치는 보이지 않는 영향


방사능-야생동물


태평양의 목가적인 서식지인 에뉴에탁 환초 주변의 고요한 바다에서 바다거북은 방사능이라는 불길한 존재가 숨어 있다는 사실도 모른 채 행복하게 번성하고 있습니다. 제2차 세계대전 당시 미국이 43차례 핵폭발을 실험했던 에네웨탁 환초는 현재 콘크리트 무덤에 묻혀 있는 방사성 폐기물이 독성 물질이 서서히 스며들고 있는 곳입니다.

최근의 과학적 발견으로 이 폐기물의 핵 흔적이 주변에 서식하는 바다거북의 껍질에 각인되어 다양한 야생 생물 종에 영향을 미치는 전 세계 핵 오염의 광범위한 문제를 조명하는 등 문제가 되는 현실이 드러났습니다.

열대 바다 깊은 곳부터 독일의 숲 한가운데, 일본의 산 정상까지, 핵 실험과 재난의 잔재가 동물계에서도 드러나고 있습니다. 이 동물들의 방사능 수치는 인간에게 직접적인 위협이 되는 경우는 거의 없지만, 인류의 광범위한 핵 발자국을 지속적으로 상기시키는 역할을 합니다.

비엔나 공과대학의 방사화학자이자 동물 방사능 전문가인 게오르그 슈타인하우저는 "경각심을 일깨워주는 이야기"라고 경고합니다. "자연은 잊지 않습니다."

에네웨탁 환초의 바다거북

전 세계 방사능 오염의 대부분은 20세기 강대국들이 실시한 광범위한 핵 실험에서 비롯되었습니다. 1948년부터 1958년까지 미국이 핵 실험을 실시한 에뉴에탁 환초는 여전히 가슴 아픈 사례로 남아 있습니다.

1977년 미국은 이 환초의 방사성 폐기물 정화를 시작했는데, 주로 섬 중 한 곳의 콘크리트에 묻혀 있었습니다. 연구자들은 이 정화 작업으로 인해 환초의 석호에 있는 오염된 퇴적물이 실수로 교란되었다고 추측하고 있습니다. 이 퇴적물은 바다거북이 헤엄치는 동안 섭취했거나 바다거북의 주요 먹이인 해조류와 해초에 영향을 미쳤을 수 있습니다. 거북이의 껍질에서 나무 나이테와 비슷한 층으로 측정된 방사능의 존재는 핵 활동의 역사적 기록으로 사용됩니다.

🐗 독일 바이에른의 멧돼지

핵무기 실험은 또한 낙진으로 알려진 방사능 먼지와 재를 대기 상층으로 방출하여 오염을 확산시켰으며, 이는 전 세계적으로 순환하여 먼 지역에 정착할 수 있게 했습니다.

바이에른 숲에서는 야생 멧돼지가 엄청난 수준의 방사능을 운반하는 것으로 밝혀졌습니다. 처음에는 1986년 체르노빌 원자력 발전소 사고로 인한 것으로 추정되었지만, 최근 스타인하우저 연구팀이 주도한 연구에 따르면 바이에른 멧돼지 오염의 최대 68%가 시베리아에서 태평양에 이르는 전 세계 핵 실험에서 비롯된 것으로 밝혀졌습니다. 멧돼지는 인근 토양에 쌓인 핵 낙진에서 나온 방사능을 흡수한 송로버섯을 섭취함으로써 오염되었습니다.

이러한 폭로는 유럽의 안전 한계를 넘어선 것으로, 환경 내 핵 오염이 예상치 못하게 광범위하게 퍼져 있다는 사실을 강조합니다.

#방사능야생동물, #원자력유산, #체르노빌영향, #환경적결과, #야생동물연구, #방사능모니터링, #글로벌핵실험

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