Discharge of14C by nuclear power stations with RBMK-1000 reactors

Gaiko, V. B.; Korablev, N. A.; Solov'ev, E. N.; Trosheva, T.I.; Shamov, V.P.; Umanets, M. P.; Shcherbina, V. G.

doi:10.1007/bf01122497

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…As , for the period before 1957, we used atmospheric 14 C specific activity data from OxCal v4.2.4 [ 41 , 42 ]; for the period of 1957–2013, we used 14 C specific activity measurements in P . sylvestris from the background location and from the surroundings of INPP [ 17 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of radiocarbon in sediments of the cooling pond of RBMK type Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania

et al. 2020

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The vertical distribution of radiocarbon ( 14 C) was examined in the bottom sediment core, taken from Lake Drūkšiai, which has served as a cooling pond since 1983 for the 26 years of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) operation using two RBMK-1500 reactors (Russian acronym for”Channelized Large Power Reactor”). 14 C specific activity was measured in alkali-soluble and -insoluble fractions of the sediment layers. Complementary measurements of the 210 Pb and 137 Cs activity of the samples provided the possibility to evaluate the date of every layer formation, covering the 1947–2013 period. In addition, 14 C distribution was examined in the scales of pelagic fish caught between 1980 and 2012. Our measurements reveal that, during the period 1947–1999, the radiocarbon specific activity in both fractions exhibits a parallel course with a difference of 5 ± 1 pMC (percent of modern carbon) being higher in alkali-soluble fraction, although 14 C specific activity in both fractions increased by 11.4–13.6 pMC during the first 15 years of plant operation. However, during the 2000–2009 period, other than previously seen, a dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) → aquatic primary producers → sediments 14 C incorporation pattern occurred, as the radiocarbon specific activity difference between alkali-soluble and -insoluble fractions reached 94, 25, and 20 pMC in 2000, 2006, and 2008, respectively. Measurements in different sediment fractions allowed us to identify the unexpected organic nature of 14 C contained in liquid effluences from the INPP in 2000–2009. The discrepancy between 14 C specific activity in fish scales samples and DIC after 2000 also confirmed the possibility of organic 14 C contamination. Possible reasons for this phenomenon might be industrial processes introduced at the INPP, such as the start of operation of the cementation facility for spent ion exchange resins, decontamination procedures, and various maintenance activities of reactor aging systems and equipment.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of radiocarbon in sediments of the cooling pond of RBMK type Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania

et al. 2020

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“…The stack of the 4th Chernobyl NPP reactor contained 1850 tons of graphite (Gaiko et al 1985), and the activity of 14 C accumulated in graphite during the operation of the 4th reactor was estimated to be 100 TBq (Begichev et. al.…”

Section: Evaluation Of 14 C Deposition In the Reactor Graphitementioning

confidence: 99%

Radioactive Graphite Dispersion in the Environment in the Vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Buzinny¹

2006

Radiocarbon

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This paper estimates the radioactive graphite dispersion on the land surface (forest litter and soil) as a result of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) release. Graphite mass was calculated using an estimated average concentration of 2.5 × 107 Bq/kgC (carbon). The sample collection method, sample origin and its mass, and sample preparation procedure used for preparation of benzene were taken into account to obtain the optimum sensitivity of the method. Thus, the sensitivity of the corresponding method for graphite detection in forest litter was estimated to be 0.2 mg/m2. All analyses gave a range of deposited graphite from 0.12 to 52.6 mg/m2. The maximum value was observed at a site located 9 km west of the Chernobyl NPP. The results of the study indicate the importance of studying the upper layer of soil (0–5 cm) in addition to the lower layer of forest litter.

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“…The boiling water reactors (BWRs) and heavy water reactors (HWRs, CANDU type) as well as gas cooled reactors (HTGR, AGR, Magnox) release 14 C mainly as carbon dioxide; whereas discharges from pressurized water reactors (PWRs) are dominated by hydrocarbons such as methane or ethane [1, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The discharges from light-water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors (RBMK), which operated at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP), are of carbon dioxide form 14 C [11,12] and are similar to other BWRs. The INPP located in north-eastern Lithuania operated two RBMK-1500 units (design electric power 1500 MW e ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling of 14C Vertical Distribution in Bottom Sediments of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Reservoir

Barisevičiūtė

Maceika

Juodis

et al. 2021

Water

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The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) in Lithuania is a rare case when lake water is used instead of river or sea water for cooling. Lake Drūkšiai with water residence time of 3–4 year and undisturbed sediment layers is a unique system to assess the impact of a nuclear facility on the aquatic ecosystem with a sufficiently high temporal resolution. We constructed a model of radiocarbon cycling processes in lake ecosystem which evaluates the 14C specific activity vertical distribution in two organic sediment fractions: alkali-soluble and alkali-insoluble. Model calculations proved that during the first 15 years of operation since 1983, 14C annual aqueous releases from the INPP were in water dissolved inorganic carbon form and varied in the range of 2.4 ÷ 3.7 × 108 Bq/year. The results of the modeling of hypothetic scenarios also showed that there was the only one episode of elevated releases from the INPP in 2000–2001, which changed the interaction between the two organic sediment fractions for the period of 2000–2006. It was caused most probably by released chemicals from INPP but not by 14C contamination. Interaction processes between both sediment fractions recovered to its original state after 2006, indicating that the released additional chemical compounds lake ecosystem have been cleaned-up.

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Discharge of14C by nuclear power stations with RBMK-1000 reactors

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Distribution of radiocarbon in sediments of the cooling pond of RBMK type Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania

Distribution of radiocarbon in sediments of the cooling pond of RBMK type Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania

Radioactive Graphite Dispersion in the Environment in the Vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Modeling of 14C Vertical Distribution in Bottom Sediments of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Reservoir

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