The Impact of Tides and Monsoons on Tritium Migration and Diffusion in Coastal Harbours: A Simulation Study in Lianyungang Haizhou Bay, China

Abstract

Many nuclear power plants have been built along China’s coasts, and the migration and diffusion of radioactive nuclides in coastal harbours is very concerning. In this study, considering the decay and free diffusion of radioactive nuclides, a local hydrodynamic model based on the FVCOM was built to investigate the migration and diffusion of the radioactive nuclide tritium in Haizhou Bay, China. This model was calibrated according to the observed tidal level and flow velocity and direction, which provide an accurate background. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tides and monsoons on the migration path and concentration variations in tritium over time. The results demonstrated that the simulated flow field can reflect real-life receiving waters. The distribution of the tritium concentration is affected by the flow field, which is related to the tides. Moreover, more severe radioactive contamination was exhibited in winter than in summer because monsoons may have hindered the migration and diffusion of tritium within the harbour. Given the poor hydrodynamic conditions and slow water exchange in the open ocean in Haizhou Bay, the diffusion rate of radioactive nuclides outside the bay area was higher than that within it.