9. Case study: Survey in sites remediated after contamination due to iodine production using waters associated to oil exploitation

The information presented in this section is based on the documentary records provided by the Ministry of Emergency Situations from Azerbaijan Republic, by the specialized companies ECOLAND and IZOTOP. The maps represent the results gathered by two IAEA missions deploying the IAEA Mobile Unit and supported by teams of international experts visiting the remediated sites and the waste storage facility.

The Development of oil industry in Azerbaijan led to formation of a number of attendant industrial facilities, which were established mainly in XX century, including:

• oil and gas refinery
• petrochemical industry
• iodine production plants

Oil industry caused environmental problems on Absheron Peninsula as a result of insufficient attention paid to protection of environment in the period of former USSR.

• contamination of areas by oil
• swamping and salinization of land
• contamination by NORM
• hydrocarbon pollution of air and water