Radioactive waste barrels discovered on Northeast Atlantic ocean floor

Scientists aboard the research vessel Pourquoi Pas? have discovered a massive graveyard of radioactive waste on the floor of the Northeast Atlantic. During a dive using the submersible Nautile at depths exceeding 4,550 meters, researchers located tens of thousands of barrels containing radioactive material.

Many of the barrels have corroded, leading to the leakage of radioactive content into the surrounding sediment and water. Instruments detected elevated levels of radionuclides, specifically cobalt-60 and niobium-94, as well as cesium-137 and americium-241. While the latter two can also originate from nuclear weapons testing or accidents, scientists will require months of laboratory analysis to definitively identify the source and extent of the damage.

It is estimated that over 200,000 barrels of nuclear waste were deposited in this area during the second half of the 20th century. Interestingly, the researchers observed that various marine organisms, including sponges, crabs, and anemones, have colonized the barrels, turning the waste site into an unexpected island of life. Scientists are now investigating whether these organisms are absorbing radionuclides through direct contact.