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Ecological Chronology of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Sites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Michael Buzinny ,
Nikolaj Kovalyukh ,
Ilja Likhtarjov ,
Ivan Los ,
Valerij Nesvetajlo ,
Mieczysław F. Pazdur ,
Vadim Skripkin ,
Oleg Shkvorets  and
Emlen Sobotovich
Michael Buzinny
Affiliation:
Department of Dosimetry and Radiation Hygiene, Ukrainian Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Melnikova 53, 254050 Kiev 50, Ukraine
Nikolaj Kovalyukh
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Radiogeochemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Palladina 34, 252142 Kiev, Ukraine
Ilja Likhtarjov
Affiliation:
Department of Dosimetry and Radiation Hygiene, Ukrainian Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Melnikova 53, 254050 Kiev 50, Ukraine
Ivan Los
Affiliation:
Department of Dosimetry and Radiation Hygiene, Ukrainian Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Melnikova 53, 254050 Kiev 50, Ukraine
Valerij Nesvetajlo
Affiliation:
Biology and Biophysics Institute of Tomsk State University, Lenin 36, 634050 Tomsk 50 Russia
Mieczysław F. Pazdur
Affiliation:
Department of Radioisotopes, Silesian Technical University, Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Vadim Skripkin
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Radiogeochemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Palladina 34, 252142 Kiev, Ukraine
Oleg Shkvorets
Affiliation:
Institute of Radioecology, Ukrainian Academy of Agriculture, Tolstoj 14, 252032 Kiev 32 Ukraine
Emlen Sobotovich
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Radiogeochemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Palladina 34, 252142 Kiev, Ukraine
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Abstract

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We compared 14C levels in annual growth rings of pine trees around the Tomsk nuclear fuel reprocessing plant (NFRP) and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP). At the Chernobyl site, samples were taken from the control area (within a 30-km radius zone around the site) to a distance of 80 km. In Tomsk, we collected samples between 8–10 km and 10–15 km from the site, taking into account prevailing wind directions. Background samples were collected 200 km from the plant. Samples were converted to benzene and counted in an ultra-low-level LSC Quantulus 1220™. Because of the Chernobyl accident, a signal can be detected in the background of routine plant operation. Comparison with the Tomsk data suggests that the routine discharges from Tomsk are more significant than the discharge from the Chernobyl accident. We estimated Tomsk NFRP annual discharge level at up to 30–45 TBq 14C from 1985 to 1988.

Type
IV. 14C as a Tracer of the Dynamic Carbon Cycle in the Current Environment
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , 1995 , pp. 469 - 473
Copyright
Copyright © the Department of Geosciences, The University of Arizona 

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