# Radiocaesium in mosses from the Kopački rit Nature Park in Croatia: searching for undeclared releases from nuclear facilities in war-torn Ukraine

## TL;DR

This study looked for signs of radioactive pollution in Croatia's Kopački Rit Nature Park to detect possible nuclear releases from war-affected Ukraine, but found no elevated levels.

## Contribution

The study confirms Kopački Rit as a reliable site for monitoring radioactive pollution from potential nuclear incidents in Ukraine.

## Key findings

- Moss samples from Kopački Rit showed no elevated radiocaesium levels.
- The area remains a suitable reference site for detecting anthropogenic radioactive pollutants.

## Abstract

The invasion of Ukraine and military operations around Ukrainian nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities have prompted us to search for radiocaesium in mosses from the Kopački Rit Nature Park in Croatia, since mosses are known bioindicators of airborne radioactive pollution, and Kopački Rit is a known low radiocaesium background area. Sampling was finished in August 2023, and our analysis found no elevated radiocaesium levels. Kopački Rit therefore remains a suitable place for future detection of anthropogenic radioactive pollutants.