Radioactive iodine-131 over Taiwan after the Chernobyl accident

Two weeks after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, a substantial increase in radioactivity above normal background levels was observed in various samples taken in Taiwan, R. O. C., which is 7600 km from Chernobyl. The¹³¹I concentrations in grass, rainwater, and milk were monitored continuously in succeeding weeks and correlations with weather conditions are discussed. Levels of radiation fallout over Taiwan due to the Chernobyl accident are much lower than the response levels recommended by local authorities and pose no danger to the public.     

Comparison of radionuclides levels from the Chernobyl reactor accident and from global fallout

Studies on radioactive fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests have been carried out at this laboratory since the mid-fifties. The data thus generated on the levels and composition of radioactive fallout in India has been published periodically. Consequent to the Chernobyl reactor accident in the USSR in April 1986, similar studies were carried out. A number of fairly active samples were collected from commercial aircraft which had flown over the USSR soon after the accident. Even though the levels of fallout from the Chernobyl reactor accident observed in India were not significant from a health hazard view point, the studies provided detailed information on differences in the composition of fallout from the accident and long term radiation exposures likely to accrue from the Chernobyl fallout as opposed to global fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. This paper presents the results and their interpretation on the above aspects.     

Comparison of the uptake of radiocaesium from soil to grass after nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl accident.

In order to compare the transfer factors of 137Cs deposited after the fallout from the Chernobyl accident with 137Cs from nuclear weapons testing, soil and vegetation samples have been collected from a semi-natural ecosystem in western Norway. For the 137Cs from Chernobyl, 85% is found in the upper 5 cm of soil, whereas most of the nuclear weapons test 137Cs is found between 3 and 12 cm in the soil profile. The transfer factors from soil to vegetation are calculated to be 0.41 +/- 0.07 m2 kg-1 for the nuclear weapons test 137Cs and 0.40 +/- 0.22 m2 kg-1 for Chernobyl 137Cs. Hence, the results show no significant difference between the two fallouts. The effective ecological half-life of 137Cs for this ecosystem is estimated to be between 10 and 20 years. Wash-out and binding effects seem to be of minor importance for the uptake.     

Migration rates of radionuclides deposited after the Chernobyl accident in various North German soils.

In three soils typical for Northern Germany including Eutric Cambisol, Orthic Podsol and Eutric Histosol (Food and Agriculture Organization nomenclature), distributions of 90Sr, 134Cs, 137Cs and 239Pu + 240Pu in the soil profiles were determined. Sampling was performed more than 3 years after deposition of Chernobyl fallout nuclides. Migration rates calculated with a compartmental model showed no significant differences between Cs originating from either atomic weapons or Chernobyl fallout. This result indicates that Chernobyl Cs may have reached sorption equilibrium with the soil matrix 3 years after the accident. Both the compartmental model and the dispersion equation reproduce distributions of most of the activities, but fail to reproduce some (minor) activity fractions that show increased mobility.     

On the transport and trajectories of the chernobyl debris across Canada and the arctic

A scenario is presented for the transport of the Chernobyl radioactive debris across Canada and the Arctic. It is based on the analysis of the¹⁰³Ru/¹³⁷Cs ratios in terms of the Chernobyl release pattern. The ratios which ranged from 0.2 to more than 4.0 were associated with four different phases of the Chernobyl emissions which lasted 10 days, from April 26 to May 6, 1986. Debris from the initial phase /ratios of 0.2 to 0.5/ and the last phase /ratios above 2.5/ would have entered Canada on a very broad front extending from northern Quebec to the North West Territories by way of Greenland and the Arctic; debris from the second phase /ratios of 0.5 to 2.0/ and the third phase /ratios of 2.0 to 2.5/ would have entered Canada from the west after travelling by way of northern Siberia and the Bering Sea.Paper presented at the IVth International Symposium of Radioecology of Cadarache, France, March 1988.     

Migration of plutonium isotopes in forest soil profiles in Lublin region (Eastern Poland)

The distribution of Pu isotopes in three profiles of forest soil in Lublin region was determined. The retention half-time and migration velocity of^239,240Pu originated from global and Chernobyl fallouts was calculated. The average rate of migration of the global fallout plutonium was 0.4 cm/year and that of the Chernobyl one 0.7 cm/year. Good correlation between Pu concentration and organic matter contents was found only in the case of podzolic soil profile. In two profiles a good negative correlation between Pu activity and exchangeable pH of the soil layer was determined.     

Radiocesium concentration in milk after the Chernobyl accident in Japan

Radiocesium concentrations in cow's milk from two producing districts in Japan were measured monthly for three years following the Chernobyl accident. The Chernobyl contribution in¹³⁷Cs concentration was evaluated from the¹³⁴Cs concentration and the¹³⁷Cs/¹³⁴Cs ratio. The highest¹³⁷Cs concentration of 0.6 Bq l^–1 was observed in May 1986 and the Chernobyl contribution has decreased during three years to levels corresponding to the contribution from past nuclear weapons fallout. Annual values of child internal dose through milk consumption were estimated at 0.6, 0.3 and 0.1 Sv for the first, the second and the third year following the accident, respectively.     

Geochemical studies on the Chernobyl radioactivity in environmental samples

Artificial radionuclides in deposition and airborne dust samples in 1986 were measured at Tsukuba and 11 stations in Japan. In May 1986, the Chernobyl radioactivity was observed in rain and air samples in Japan. The Chernobyl-derived Pu isotopes, which are characterized by higher²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu (85) and²⁴¹Pu/²³⁸Pu (0.5) activity ratios than those of the nuclear test-derived Pu and⁹⁰Sr, were detected in deposition and airborne dust samples in Japan, as well as volatile radionuclides such as¹³¹I and¹³⁷Cs. However, the activities of Pu isotopes and⁹⁰Sr observed in Japan were about two and three orders of magnitude lower than those expected from the activity ratios in the total release at Chernobyl, which means that the residence time of Pu in the air was shorter than that of¹³⁷Cs. In order to understand the fractionation between the Chernobyl radionuclides we studied about individual wet and dry deposition. The results suggest that this cause is due to the difference of the particle size of radionuclide-bearing particles, which may be related to the release process of Chernobyl radionuclides.     

Observation of111Ag and110mAg in the Chernobyl fallout

Evidence for the presence of¹¹¹Ag in Chernobyl fallout at Monaco is given. This fission radionuclide has not been previously reported in Chernobyl fallout. Peak values were as high as 1.9 Bq m^–3. Arguments are presented that the observed^110mAg content in the fallout originated from volatilisation of silver neutron flux monitors in the reactor rather than production by other nuclear reactions.     

Regional distribution of Chernobyl-derived plutonium deposition in Finland

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986 caused a widely spread plume of radionuclides containing, amongst other materials, plutonium isotopes. The regional deposition of these nuclides in Finland has been assessed, based on samples of lichen, peat, precipitation, surface soil and grass. Unlike the deposition of transuranium elements from the weapons tests in the 1950"s and the 1960"s, the deposition in Finland from the Chernobyl accident was very unevenly distributed. Even then, the Chernobyl-derived deposition of ^239,240Pu in the most contaminated regions of Finland was only around 10% of the global fallout from weapons tests. The total amount of ^239,240Pu deposited in Finland was 1^.10¹¹ Bq (»25 g), i.e., approximately half of a percent of the activity deposited in the 1950"s and the 1960"s. In addition to the alpha-emitting Pu isotopes, the Chernobyl plume also contained a significant amount of the beta-emitting ²⁴¹Pu, which is the precursor of the long-lived alpha-emitter ²⁴¹Am. The highest plutonium deposition values were found in a relatively narrow swath from the southwestern coast of Finland northeastwards across the country. This is related to the calculated route of the air parcel trajectory associated with the initial explosion of the Chernobyl reactor. The high deposition values found in the northeastern part of the plume route over Finland can be attributed to the simultaneous occurrence of precipitation. The relatively high plutonium deposition in the southwestern part of Finland occurred, however, without concurrent precipitation. This indicates that the plutonium was at least partly associated with relatively large particles having a substantial deposition velocity due to gravitational setting     

Time evolution of the airborne radioactivity in Řež related to the activity release rate in Chernobyl

The airborne radioactivity in e near Prague has been investigat'ed after the Chernobyl accident. The nuclide composition was determined. The evolution of the activity ratio of selected radionuclides to caesium in air was obtained. It has been supposed that this evolution may be related to differences in the release rate of various radionuclides during the accident as well as to the meteorological situation at the Chernobyl site.     

Procedures and findings of examination of air contamination by alpha-active plutonium aerosols: Primary and secondary products of Chernobyl accident

Atmospheric contamination pattern by Pu-radionuclides over a 30 km zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1987–1988 has been examined. Aerosol samples were analyzed for isotopic composition by using gamma- and alpha-spectrometric, and radiochemcal methods. Preliminary analysis of isotopic and fractional composition of aerosols carried out earlier indicated that over the first few months after the Chernobyl accident the relative contribution of^238,239,240Pu to air contamination was lowered as compared with beta-active products. At present, however, alpha-active plutonium isotopes became the dominant radioactive contaminants of the atmosphere and the concentrations of^238,239,240Pu inhaled fractions turned out to be lower than the limiting permissible values based on the USSR radiation safety standards for radioactive contamination of the atmosphere for the limited part of population exposed to radionuclides. Neverheless, it is necessary to know even moderate levels of atmospheric contamination by Pu-radionuclides, since their long impacts on the personnel operating in the 30 km zone of the Chernobyl NPP and population residing in the adjavent regions have not been studied properly. So, the risks for population health of such impacts cannot be generally excluded from consideration.     

131I and137Cs in the environment following the chernobyl reactor accident

The measured¹³¹I and¹³⁷Cs radioactivity in air, on the ground, and in milk at different places throughout the world were compared. It was found that the measured radioactivity can be explained assuming that the radioactive material released during the Chernobyl accident was transported primarily in two segments. The first part was transported at low altitudes, contaminated areas around Chernobyl and extended up to 2000–3000 km. The second part was injected into the troposphere. The radionuclides carried at high altitudes by the west-to-east winds traveled over continental Asia, Japan, Pacific Ocean, and North America. The time integrated radioactivity concentrations in nearground air particulates, the integral ground deposition densities and milk concentrations can be described by an exponential decrease as a function of the distance from Chernobyl. The intercept (values near the damaged reactor) and the slopes (describing dispersion conditions) were calculated. The deposition velocities for¹³¹I and¹³⁷Cs transported with the two altitude air masses are given.This work was supported in part by the Computer Center of the University of Maryland.     

Deposition of fission product radionuclides in lichens and coniferous plants in Turkey

The effects of the Chernobyl disaster on lichens and pines, which are widely distributed in northern and western Turkey, have been examined within the four years between 1986–1990. Analyses of the plants studied by -spectrometry and spectrophotometric techniques have shown that the highest radioactive pollution was observed in the Pseudevernia furfuracea. The effects of Chernobyl on the ecosystem have been examined by comparing different plant species from the point of view of their reception and accumulation of fallout radionuclides.     

Migration of Chernobyl plutonium in soils

Various geochemically linked landscapes were studied for the distribution of Chernobyl plutonium in soils.     

Some data on transuranium element distribution in particle size fractions of Chernobyl soils

Some Chernobyl soils were collected in the north-west direction. The samples have been separated into particle size fractions 1–2; 0.5–1; 0.25–0.5; 0.16–0.25; 0.05–0.16; 0.01–0.05; 0.005–0.01; 0.002–0.005; 0.00005–0.002; and less than 0.00005 mm. The fractions were analyzed on^238,239,240Pu,²⁴¹Am,^242,244Cm content. In contrast to the global plutonium fallout, the peak of plutonium activity falls in the particle size range of 0.01–0.05 or 0.005–0.01 mm in Chernobyl soils. Transplutonium elements are more mobile in the soil. As the distance from Chernobyl increases, the trend of their distribution becomes much similar to the global fallout. It is found that the most mobile part of soil with particles of sizes less than 0.05 mm contains 55–70% of plutonium activity and 30–65% of americium and curium activity.     

Environmental impact of radioactive silver released from nuclear power plant

Radioactive silver ^110mAg is not a fission product, but as a contaminant originating from Chernobyl, was registered in many European countries. The environmental impact of radioactive silver was specially expressed in the process of obtaining copper and noble metals from ores originating from opencast mines. Direct consequence was contaminated metal silver in the period of several years after the Chernobyl accident. It was shown that radioactive silver originating from nuclear plants, present in the environment in small concentrations due to the high concentration degrees (10⁴-10⁶) can cause high contamination in the process of the production of metal silver. Experts responsible for the functioning of nuclear power plants should have these facts in mind if they are using silver compounds in reactor core influence area.     

Plutonium isotopes in the surface air in Japan: Effect of Chernobyl accident

Plutonium isotope concentrations in the surface air at Tsukuba, Japan are reported during the period from 1981 to the end of 1986. The^239,240Pu concentration in the surface air, which showed a marked seasonal variation with a spring maximum and fall minimum, decreased until the end of 1985 according to the stratospheric residence time of 1.15 years. In May 1986, elevated^239,240Pu concentrations with high²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu activity ratios were observed. The serial trend of plutonium concentration in the surface air is similar to the concentrations of the Chernobyl-released radionuclides. These findings suggest that a significant part of the plutonium in the surface air in May 1986 was due to the Chernobyl fallout. The size distribution of plutonium bearing particles indicates that plutonium isotopes were mechanically released in the Chernobyl accident. The surface air concentration of plutonium from the Chernobyl accident was much lower than the concentrations of the volatile fission products, and increased the monthly mean^239,240Pu concentration by only 0.03 Bqm^–3.     

Post-Chernobyl radiomonitoring of the forest ecosystem

The forest is about 2/3 territory of the Ukraine, contaminated after Chernobyl accident. It has accumulated 3.2^*E15 Bq radionuclides of cesium and strontium. Twenty observationsites were established in the forests on Northern, Western and Southern directions from Chernobyl NPP. During three years the samples of soil, litter, plants, trees, animals have collected and activity measured. Also the depth distribution of activity in the soil and mobility of the radionuclides have measured. It was found the main part of radionuclides is still in the top layer of the soil and litter. Strontium has higher mobility than cesium and its depth distribution is less slopping. Litter has role of a secondary source of radioactivity and continuously contaminated the plants and mushrooms.     

A study on the evaluation of cesium removal performance in soil washing process using flocculating agent

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - As a result of nuclear power plant accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, and even their maintenance, the soil is contaminated due to the...