An analysis of the environmental mobility of radiostrontium from weapons testing and Chernobyl in Finnish river catchments

Cross, Matthew A.; Smith, J.T.; Saxén, R; Timms, D N

doi:10.1016/s0265-931x(01)00101-1

Cited by 27 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In contrast to 137 Cs concentrations, the results of the 90 Sr concentrations observation showed neither the change in the slope of the decrease nor associated change in the parameters of the kinetic equation of the first order. The similar effective 90 Sr half-lives observed in the period after the nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl accident correspond with the 90 Sr mobility assessment made by Cross et al [5]. At an example of Finnish rivers, they did not observe any significant differences between the mobility of 90 Sr from nuclear weapons tests and from the Chernobyl accident.…”

Section: Surface Watersupporting

confidence: 87%

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The pilot operation of the nuclear power plant (NPP) Temelín first block was started up in 2001 and of the second block in 2002. Since 1990, the systematic attention has been paid to the monitoring of the hydrosphere reference level in the NPP Temelín vicinity. The Temelín NPP waste water influence has been monitored and assessed since 2001. The monitoring has been focused especially on the tritium, strontium-90 and caesium-137 concentration changes in water, river bottom sediments, fish, and in the water plants biomass. The observed half-lives indicate that the strontium-90 and caesium-137 releases fully interfere with the residual contamination after the nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl accident in the last century. Only the tritium concentrations in water samples, taken in the Vltava River downstream from the NPP Temelín waste water outflow, show a measurable influence.

show abstract

Section: Surface Watersupporting

confidence: 87%

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…1 and 2 to measurements of weapons test and Chernobyl radioactivity in rivers [14,15]. It is hypothesised that changes in average annual activity concentrations with time in different ecosystem components (e.g.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, Smith and coworkers [14] have developed a method, using SAS statistical software (SAS Institute Inc.), to incorporate the time-dependent behaviour of weapons-test fallout into a statistical curve-fitting routine. This allowed comparison of the mobility of l37 Cs [14] and ^Sr [15] from weapons test and Chernobyl fallout events. Models for the runoff of Cs and ^Sr in Finnish catchment calibrated using data from the pre-Chemobyl period were shown to give good predictions of runoff after the Chernobyl fallout.…”

Section: Comparing the Behaviour Of Weapons Test And Chernobyl Falloutmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting transfers of¹³⁷Cs in terrestrial and aquatic environments: A whole-ecosystem approach

2002

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract.lt is well known that during the years after a nuclear accident the bioavailability and environmental mobility of radionuclides may change significantly, resulting in significant changes in contamination of foodstuffs and surface waters. Studies on l37 Cs and, to a lesser extent, Sr, have quantified these changes in some ecosystems. However, variability in temporal changes of these radionuclides in aquatic and terrestrial systems is not yet well quantified. Estimation of such variability is a key component of any predictive model for long-term transfers of radionuclides in the environment. We have analysed measurements (from both weapons testing and Chernobyl deposits) of 13, Cs in runoff waters and in aquatic and terrestrial foodstuffs in order to determine temporal changes in their bioavailability and mobility. Using these empirical data, and the results of parallel modelling studies of vertical migration of radiocaesium in soils, we have quantified the relative importance of transport processes of l37 Cs, as compared to slow changes in its chemical availability in the soil. On the basis of these results, we have developed simple models for predicting time changes in activity concentrations of l37 Cs in surface water, foodstuffs and the human body during the years to decades after radioactive fallout. Importantly, we also determine uncertainties in model parameter estimates, and highlight the potential causes of this uncertainty.

show abstract

“…The calculations show that the fraction of 137 Cs wash-off with respect to its content on the catchment over the observation times from 1965 to 1996 is small and equals 3-9%; over the period after the Chernobyl accident from 1986 to 1996, this fraction equals 1.5-2.3% (data from rivers in Finland [16,17]). For the rivers in the zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, France, and Italy 137 Cs wash-off over 5-10 years after the accident likewise does not exceed several percent [1, 2,14].…”

Section: Evaluation Of the Time Dependence Of The Wash-off Time Constmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…In this case, the wash-off time constant Λ = Λ(t) in correspondence to expression (6) can be determined from the relation Λ = σ 0 exp (-λt)F/P. 90 Sr erodes much more quickly because of its higher mobility; from 1965 to 1996, its content in the basins of Finnish rivers decreased by 25-52% [17]. In this case, the dependence σ = σ(t), determined by Eq.…”

Section: Evaluation Of the Time Dependence Of The Wash-off Time Constmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of radionuclide wash-off from river basins

Andreev¹,

Laikin²,

Platovskikh³

2011

At Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The concept of the rate of transport of exchange and non-exchange forms of radionuclides over river catchment is introduced. On this basis, a differential transport equation is proposed for finding the radionuclide content in soil and radionuclide flow into a river with nonuniform contamination of the catchment area. The time dependence of the radionuclide wash-off time constant is determined from the measurements. It is found that transport is slow, so that radionuclide decay plays a large role. A large fraction of the radionuclides, aside from the long-lived transuranium nuclides, decays within the catchment area and does not enter the river. The flow into the river is largely determined by the radionuclide content near river edge. Examples of calculations of radionuclide flow into a river and bukhta are presented.To study the transport of radionuclides in a river and its basin, the wash-off from the catchment must be taken into account. This process affects their concentration in the water and soil of the catchment. Balance equation can be used to analyze transport in the catchment. Data from many measurements have been generalized for this purpose [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].The following problems are examined in the present article: 1) the determination of the radionuclide wash-off time constant at a given location in the basin; 2) analysis of the radionuclide content in rivers in the zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Siberia, Italy, France, and Finland to find the wash-off time constant and its time dependence;3) formulation of the transport equation for a radionuclide in a catchment with a constant wash-off time; and 4) determination of the wash-off characteristics for radionuclides in a river and bukhta using the transport equations, including with nonuniform contamination of the catchment.As a result of the radioactive contamination of catchment due to the operation of a nuclear power plant, enterprises reprocessing nuclear fuel, storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel, and bases for re-fueling reactors and salvaging submarines, radionuclides are transported by surface wash-off to a river (bukhta, lake). During this process, some radionuclides decay and only a fraction reaches a river. The shorter the half-life and the slower transport, the smaller this fraction is.It is assumed in this article that a radionuclide migrates toward a river at a certain rate. This parameter makes it possible to formulate the balance equation for the contamination density of the catchment. The solution of this equation determines the radionuclide flux into the river and the contamination density for known dependence of its flow onto unit surface area of the catchment.Determination of the Wash-Off Time Constant and Transport Rate of a Radionuclide in a Catchment. The transport rate determined from the expressions for the activity per unit area per unit time of the exchange and non-exchange forms

show abstract

An analysis of the environmental mobility of radiostrontium from weapons testing and Chernobyl in Finnish river catchments

Cited by 27 publications

References 27 publications

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Predicting transfers of¹³⁷Cs in terrestrial and aquatic environments: A whole-ecosystem approach

Analysis of radionuclide wash-off from river basins

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

An analysis of the environmental mobility of radiostrontium from weapons testing and Chernobyl in Finnish river catchments

Cited by 27 publications

References 27 publications

Observed half-lives of3H,90Sr and137Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Observed half-lives of3H,90Sr and137Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Predicting transfers of137Cs in terrestrial and aquatic environments: A whole-ecosystem approach

Analysis of radionuclide wash-off from river basins

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Observed half-lives of³H,⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in hydrosphere in the Vltava river basin in vicinity of NPP Temelín (Czechia)

Predicting transfers of¹³⁷Cs in terrestrial and aquatic environments: A whole-ecosystem approach