137Cs in waters and bottom sediments of the Sea of Japan in 2002 and 1994

During an expedition aboard R/V Pavel Gordienko (September, 2002) investigations in the Sea of Japan areas, where radioactive wastes were disposed by the former Soviet Union, were carried out in order to assess present level of radioactive contamination of marine environment. Concentration of I37Cs, radioecologically one of the most important radionuclides, in near-bottom sea water and bottom sediments were measured to be low, 2.8-17.2 Bq/m**3 and 3.2-27.2 Bq/kg dry weight, respectively, that did not differ significantly from levels elsewhere in the northwest Pacific Ocean arising from global fallout. Results of measurements were compared with results of the Joint Japanese- Korean -Russian expedition to the Sea of Japan in 1994.