Destruction of Fuel Particles from the Chernobyl Fall-Out on the Territory of Belarus

Mironov, V.P.; Matusevitch, J.; Kudryashov, V.P.

doi:10.1007/978-94-010-0993-5_8

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…However, under the effect of active soil components, as a result of nuclear decay and oxidation of tetravalent uranium, fuel particles are destroyed, which leads to an increase of fine particle fraction. 2 As a result the integral surface square of newly formed fine particles increases raising the leaching rate of fission products from the fuel particles. The mobile (or soluble) fraction of radionuclides increases with time and the radionuclides become more accessible for plants, animals and humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of irradiated reactor uranium in soil samples in Belarus using 236U as irradiated uranium tracer

Mironov

Matusevich

Kudrjashov

et al. 2002

J. Environ. Monitor.

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This work presents experimental results on the distribution of irradiated reactor uranium from fallout after the accident at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in comparison to natural uranium distribution in different soil types. Oxidation processes and vertical migration of irradiated uranium in soils typical of the 30 km relocation area around Chernobyl NPP were studied using 236U as the tracer for irradiated reactor uranium and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry as the analytical method for uranium isotope ratio measurements. Measurements of natural uranium yielded significant variations of its concentration in upper soil layers from 2 x 10(-7) g g(-1) to 3.4 x 10(-6) g g(-1). Concentrations of irradiated uranium in the upper 0-10 cm soil layers at the investigated sampling sites varied from 5 x 10(-12) g g(-1) to 2 x 10(-6) g g(-1) depending on the distance from Chernobyl NPP. In the majority of investigated soil profiles 78% to 97% of irradiated "Chernobyl" uranium is still contained in the upper 0-10 cm soil layers. The physical and chemical characteristics of the soil do not have any significant influence on processes of fuel particle destruction. Results obtained using carbonate leaching of 236U confirmed that more than 60% of irradiated "Chernobyl" uranium is still in a tetravalent form, ie. it is included in the fuel matrix (non-oxidized fuel UO2). The average value of the destruction rate of fuel particles determined for the Western radioactive trace (k = 0.030 +/- 0.005 yr(-1)) and for the Northern radioactive trace (k = 0.035 + 0.009 yr(-1)) coincide within experimental errors. Use of leaching of fission products in comparison to leaching of uranium for study of the destruction rate of fuel particles yielded poor coincidence due to the fact that use of fission products does not take into account differences in the chemical properties of fission products and fuel matrix (uranium).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of irradiated reactor uranium in soil samples in Belarus using 236U as irradiated uranium tracer

Mironov

Matusevich

Kudrjashov

et al. 2002

J. Environ. Monitor.

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“…In the initial deposition from the Chernobyl NPP, the majority of transuranic elements were contained in individual ''hot'' fuel particles. 4 Therefore, the migration of radionuclides in the environment was mainly determined by physical properties of fuel particles, but it only slightly depended on the chemical properties of individual actinides. However, under the effect of chemically ''active'' soil components, as a result of nuclear decay and oxidation of tetravalent uranium UO 2 (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, under the effect of chemically ''active'' soil components, as a result of nuclear decay and oxidation of tetravalent uranium UO 2 (i.e. matrix of fuel particles), the particles are destroyed, and the fine particle fraction increases 1,4 which raises the leaching rate of transuranics and fission products from the fuel particles. The soluble fraction of radionuclides increases with time and the transuranics become more accessible for plants, animals and humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth profiling of Pu, 241Am and 137Cs in soils from southern Belarus measured by ICP-MS and ? and ? spectrometry

Boulyga

Zoriy

Ketterer

et al. 2003

J. Environ. Monitor.

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The depth distribution of plutonium, americium, and 137Cs originating from the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) was investigated in several soil profiles in the vicinity from Belarus. The vertical migration of transuranic elements in soils typical of the 30 km relocation area around Chernobyl NPP was studied using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), alpha spectrometry, and gamma spectrometry. Transuranic concentrations in upper soil layers ranged from 6 x 10(-12) g g(-1) to 6 x 10(-10) g g(-1) for plutonium and from 1.8 x 10(-13) g g(-1) to 1.6 x 10(-11) g g(-1) for americium. These concentrations correspond to specific activities of (239+240)Pu of 24-2400 Bq kg(-1) and specific activity of 241Am of 23-2000 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Transuranics in turf-podzol soil migrate slowly to the deeper soil layers, thus, 80-95%, of radionuclide inventories were present in the 0-3 cm intervals of turf-podzol soils collected in 1994. In peat-marsh soil migration processes occur more rapidly than in turf-podzol and the maximum concentrations are found beneath the soil surface (down to 3-6 cm). The depth distributions of Pu and Am are essentially identical for a given soil profile. (239+240)Pu/137Cs and 241Am/137Cs activity ratios vary by up to a factor of 5 at some sites while smaller variations in these ratios were observed at a site close to Chernobyl, suggesting that 137Cs is dominantly particle associated close to Chernobyl but volatile species of 137Cs are of relatively greater importance at the distant sites.

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Long-term development of the radionuclide exposure of murine rodent populations in Belarus after the Chernobyl accident

Ryabokon

Смолич

Kudryashov

et al. 2005

Radiat Environ Biophys

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As a determinant of the associated health risks, the behavior of radionuclides in natural ecosystems needs to be better understood. Therefore, the activity concentration of various long-lived radionuclides released due to the Chernobyl accident, and the corresponding contributions to the whole-body dose rate, was studied as a function of time in mammalian indicator species inhabiting the natural forest ecosystems of Belarus, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) and the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollus). The activity concentrations of 137Cs, 134Cs, 90Sr, 238Pu, 239,240Pu, 241Pu and 241Am in soil and in animals were measured at five monitoring sites with different ground deposition of radionuclides at different distances from the destroyed reactor. The observed temporal pattern of the radionuclide activity concentration in the studied animal populations reflects the changes in biological availability of these isotopes for biota, mostly due to fuel particle destruction and appearance of dissolved and exchangeable forms of radionuclides. The time course of 134+137Cs activity concentrations in animal populations appeared as a sequence of increase, peak and decrease. Maximal levels of radiocesium occurred 1-2 years after deposition, followed by an exponential decrease. Concentrations of incorporated 90Sr increased up to the tenth year after deposition. The activity concentrations of transuranic elements (238Pu, 239,240Pu, 241Pu and 241Am) were much lower than those of the other radionuclides, in the studied animals. A considerable activity of 241Am in animals from areas with high levels of contamination was firstly detected 5 years after deposition, it increased up to the tenth year and is expected to increase further in the future. Maximal values of the whole-body absorbed dose rates occurred during the year of deposition, followed by a decrease in the subsequent period. Generally, this decrease was monotonic, mainly determined by the decrease of the external gamma-ray dose rate, but there were exceptions due to the delayed maximum of internal exposure. The inter-individual distributions of radionuclide concentrations and lifetime whole-body absorbed doses were asymmetric and close to log-normal, including concentrations and doses considerably higher than the population mean values.

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Destruction of Fuel Particles from the Chernobyl Fall-Out on the Territory of Belarus

Cited by 3 publications

References 1 publication

Determination of irradiated reactor uranium in soil samples in Belarus using 236U as irradiated uranium tracer

Determination of irradiated reactor uranium in soil samples in Belarus using 236U as irradiated uranium tracer

Depth profiling of Pu, 241Am and 137Cs in soils from southern Belarus measured by ICP-MS and ? and ? spectrometry

Long-term development of the radionuclide exposure of murine rodent populations in Belarus after the Chernobyl accident

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