Ecosystem remediation in radioactively polluted areas: the Chernobyl experience

Title: Ecosystem remediation in radioactively polluted areas: the Chernobyl experience

Author: Davydchuk, Vassili

Reference: Ecological Engineering, 8 (4), p.325-336, Aug 1997

DOI: 10.1016/S0925-8574(97)00026-8

Keywords: Nuclear accident; Radiation damage; Countermeasures; Ecosystem remediation; Maintenance;

Forestation; Self-restoration; Radionuclides redistribution; Stabilisation; Radioecological situation; Ukraine; Chernobyl; Forest restoration

Abstract: The ecosystems of Chernobyl nuclear accident zone, having been deeply transformed by normal long-term agricultural and forestry activity, have been damaged by irradiation after the nuclear accident of 1986 and then influenced by post-accident countermeasures. Ecosystem remediation is being undertaken in this area, including maintenance of the forests, artificial afforestation, and processes of spontaneous self-restoration of the natural coenoses. Both natural and artificial remediation of the landscapes and ecosystems at the abandoned territory improves their capacity to retain radionuclides and their ability to stabilise the processes of redistribution of radionuclides and their spread in the environment. The Chernobyl zone is a territory of great importance for studying ecosystem remediation processes and elaborating on ecological engineering technologies to correct serious environmental problems arising from radionuclides release.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857497000268

Radioecological investigation of food of animal origin in Belgrade environment.

Title: Radioecological investigation of food of animal origin in Belgrade environment.

Author: Gordana, Vitorović / Svetlana, Grdović / Branislava, Mitrović / Milan, Obradović / Branko, Petrujkić

Reference: The Japanese journal of veterinary research, 57 (3), p.169-173, Nov 2009

Keywords: food, animals, Belgrade, 137Cs

Abstract: The activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, 232Th and 137Cs were measured using gamma spectrometric method in different food chain samples from Serb Belgrade environment during the periods May-June 2007 and May-June 2008 year. Relatively high activities of 40K and 137Cs were detected in the soil. These results indicate that 137Cs is present in Belgrade environment even 20 years after nuclear accident in Chernobyl. However, in the samples of feedstuffs, animal products and bio indicators (meat of wild animals and fish), activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides and 137Cs were low and below the detection limits. Results of these trials have shown that investigated animal products from the natural environment around Belgrade, are radioactivity safe.

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20025125?dopt=Abstract

The University of Arizona Institutional Repository: Radiocarbon Volume 48 (2006) Number 3 RADIOACTIVE GRAPHITE DISPERSION IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Title: The University of Arizona Institutional Repository: Radiocarbon Volume 48 (2006) Number 3 RADIOACTIVE GRAPHITE DISPERSION IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Author: Buzinny, Michael

Reference: The University of Arizona, Geosciences, May 2011

Keywords: graphite, soil, forest

Abstract: 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/kg C (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.

URL:http://digitalcommons.arizona.edu/holdings/journal/article?r=http%3A%2F%2Fradiocarbon.library.arizona.edu%2FVolume48%2FNumber3%2F451-458.pdf

Nuclear Fuel in the Destroyed 4th Unit of Chernobyl NPP

Title: Nuclear Fuel in the Destroyed 4th Unit of Chernobyl NPP

Author: Volodymyr M. PAVLOVYCH

Reference: Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Aug 2002

Keywords: nuclear fuel, 4th Unit of Chernobyl NPP

URL: http://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/NSRG/reports/kr79/kr79pdf/Pavlovych.pdf

Worker Health and Safety Issues in Reinforcing the Entombment of the Chernobyl Reactor

Title: Worker Health and Safety Issues in Reinforcing the Entombment of the Chernobyl Reactor

Author: Likhtarev, Illya

Reference: Health Physics: November 2007 – Volume 93 – Issue 5 – pp 480-486

DOI: 10.1097/01.HP.0000279600.49256.e6

Keywords: 4th Unit of Chernobyl NPP, dosimetry data, health state

Abstract: The paper provides an overview of current work involving the strengthening of the Sarcophagus over the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant destroyed 4th unit. It includes a brief summary of the types of work being performed, the radiological environment, the medical surveillance program, the protective measures being implemented, and the internal and external radiation monitoring program for the workers. Also, it presents a summary of the workplace monitoring data and the internal and external dosimetry data, and estimates of the total effective doses received by the workers during the work. The primary contribution to worker radiation doses was from external exposure. The maximum total effective doses received are 9.2 mSv mo(-1) and 17.4 mSv y(-1).

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18049224?dopt=Abstract

Molecular and isotopic records of the combustion inputs to the environment over the last 250 yrs

Title: Molecular and isotopic records of the combustion inputs to the environment over the last 250 yrs

Author: Lima, Ana Lúcia Cessel de, 1969-

Reference: Thesis (Ph. D.)–Joint Program in Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2004.

Keywords: Carbon-14, Carbon-13, 137Cs, hydrocarbons

Abstract: The most ubiquitous source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the environment is incomplete combustion. This study generated a high-resolution historical record of pyrogenic PAH emissions since pre-industrial times from anoxic aquatic sediments, allowing for detailed comparison with energy consumption data. We show that an increase in PAH concentrations over the last decade may be due to a rise in emissions from diesel-powered vehicles. Compound-specific radiocarbon measurements demonstrated unequivocally that the proportion of PAHs derived from fossil fuel combustion has increased substantially during the 20th century. [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁴C measurements were also used to constrain the relative importance of combustion versus in situ production as sources of perylene. In addition, a comparison of the down-core concentration and isotopic profiles of black carbon (BC) generated by a combination of chemical and/or thermal oxidation methods highlighted the limitations of these methods when applied to sedimentary matrices. Finally, parallel lead and cesium isotopic records revealed two new potential stratigraphic markers in North American sedimentary records. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb profiles show a distinct peak in the mid-19th century, while a ¹³⁷Cs peak was found to coincide with the 1986 Chernobyl accident.

URL: http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/39413

Transgenic plants are sensitive bioindicators of nuclear pollution caused by the Chernobyl accident.

Title: Transgenic plants are sensitive bioindicators of nuclear pollution caused by the Chernobyl accident.

Author: Kovalchuk, I / Kovalchuk, O / Arkhipov, A / Hohn, B

Reference: Nature biotechnology, 16 (11), p.1054-1059, Nov 1998

DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04831.x

Keywords: Chernobyl; radionuclides; radiolysis; soil; water ecosystems; bioaccumulation; transition ratio; radiomorphosis

Abstract: To evaluate the genetic consequences of radioactive contamination originating from the nuclear reactor accident of Chernobyl on indigenous populations of plants and animals, it is essential to determine the rates of accumulating genetic changes in chronically irradiated populations. An increase in germline mutation rates in humans living close to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant site, and a two- to tenfold increase in germline mutations in barn swallows breeding in Chernobyl have been reported. Little is known, however, about the effects of chronic irradiation on plant genomes. Ionizing radiation causes double-strand breaks in DNA, which are repaired via illegitimate or homologous recombination. We make use of Arabidopsis thaliana plants carrying a beta-glucuronidase marker gene as a recombination substrate to monitor genetic alterations in plant populations, which are caused by nuclear pollution of the environment around Chernobyl. A significant (p<0.05) increase in somatic intrachromosomal recombination frequencies was observed at nuclear pollution levels from 0.1-900 Ci/km2, consistent with an increase in chromosomal aberrations. This bioindicator may serve as a convenient and ethically acceptable alternative to animal systems.

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9831035?dopt=Abstract

Seasonal 7 Be and 137 Cs activities in surface air before and after the Chernobyl event

Title: Seasonal 7 Be and 137 Cs activities in surface air before and after the Chernobyl event

Author: Kulan, A.

Reference: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 90 (2), p.140-150, Jan 2006

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2006.06.010

Keywords: ⁷Be; ¹³⁷Cs; Atmosphere; Aerosols; Chernobyl fallout; Nuclear weapons fallout; Sweden; Europe

Abstract: Seasonal fluctuations of cosmogenic ⁷Be (T_1/2 = 53.4 days) and anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs (T_1/2 = 30 years) activities in surface air (aerosols) have been extracted from a long data record (1972–2000) at high latitude (56°N–68°N, Sweden). Normalization to weekly average values was used to control long-term trends so that cyclical trends could be investigated. Enhanced ⁷Be activity was observed in spring and summer seasons and likely relates to the seasonal thinning of the tropopause. Variations in the ¹³⁷Cs activity record seem to reflect how the isotope was injected in the atmosphere (stratospheric from bomb tests and tropospheric from the Chernobyl accident) and subsequent transport mechanisms. Accordingly, until 1986, the surface air ¹³⁷Cs activity was strongly related to nuclear weapons test fallout and exhibits temporal fluctuations resembling the ⁷Be. Conversely, since 1986 the Chernobyl-produced ¹³⁷Cs dominates the long-term record that shows annual cycles that are strongly controlled by atmospheric boundary layer conditions. Additionally, short-term data within the post-Chernobyl period suggest subtle intrusion of air masses rich in ¹³⁷Cs that may occur throughout the year, and differences resulting from spatial occurrence at these latitudes. This is an important observation that may have to do with year-to-year variation and calls for caution when interpreting short-term data records.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X06001032

Retrospective determination of 137 Cs specific activity distribution in spruce bark and bark aggregated transfer factor in forests on the scale of the Czech Republic ten years after the Chernobyl accident

Title: Retrospective determination of 137 Cs specific activity distribution in spruce bark and bark aggregated transfer factor in forests on the scale of the Czech Republic ten years after the Chernobyl accident

Author: Suchara, I. / Rulík, P. / Hůlka, J. / Pilátová, H.

Reference: Science of The Total Environment, 409 (10), p.1927-1934, Apr 2011

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.02.019

Keywords: Chernobyl; ¹³⁷Cs deposition; Spruce bark contamination; Effect of predictors; Aggregated transfer factors; Pre-Chernobyl bark contamination

Abstract: ► Current ¹³⁷Cs activities in bark indicate Chernobyl radioactive fallout loads. ► ¹³⁷Cs transfer from soil to bark is not affected by soil activities of ¹³⁷Cs. ► Elevation as a factor affecting wet ¹³⁷Cs deposition and stand pollution. ► An estimate of pre-Chernobyl soil-bark transfer factor for ¹³⁷Cs.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711001689

Accumulation and potential dissolution of Chernobyl-derived radionuclides in river bottom sediment

Title: Accumulation and potential dissolution of Chernobyl-derived radionuclides in river bottom sediment

Author: Sanada, Yukihisa / Matsunaga, Takeshi / Yanase, Nobuyuki / Nagao, Seiya / Amano, Hikaru / Takada, Hideshige / Tkachenko, Yuri

Reference: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 56 (5), p.751-760, May 2002

DOI: 10.1016/S0969-8043(01)00274-3

Keywords: Chernobyl; River bottom sediment; Sequential selective extraction; ¹³⁷Cs; ⁹⁰Sr; ^239,240Pu; ²⁴¹Am

Abstract: Areas contaminated with radionuclides from the Chernobyl nuclear accident have been identified in Pripyat River near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The river bottom sediment cores contained ¹³⁷Cs ( 10⁵– 10⁶ Bq/m²) within 0–30 cm depth, whose concentration is comparable to that in the ground soil in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant (the Exclusion Zone). The sediment cores also accumulated ⁹⁰Sr ( 10⁵ Bq/m²), ^239,240Pu ( 10⁴ Bq/m²) and ²⁴¹Am ( 10⁴ Bq/m²) derived from the accident. Several nuclear fuel particles have been preserved at 20–25 cm depth that is the peak area of the concentrations of the radionuclides. Th ese inventories in the bottom sediments were compared with those of the released radionuclides during the accident. An analysis using a selective sequential extraction technique was applied for the radionuclides in the sediments. Results suggest that the possibility of release of ¹³⁷Cs and ^239,240Pu from the bottom sediment was low compared with ⁹⁰Sr. The potential dissolution and subsequent transport of ⁹⁰Sr from the river bottom sediment should be taken into account with respect to the long-term radiological influence on the aquatic environment.

URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969804301002743