BIOPROTA: an international forum for environmental modelling in support of long-term radioactive waste management
- Enviros Consulting Ltd, D5 Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX (United Kingdom)
- Nuclear Research Institute, CZ-25068 REZ (Costa Rica)
An international Forum, BIOPROTA, has been set up and maintained which allows common long-term environmental radiological assessment problems, such as post-closure modelling studies to be identified and then addressed. The focus of the Forum is to address key uncertainties in environmental modelling and related dose assessment with special reference to evaluation of the long-term impact of contaminant releases associated with radioactive waste management. The application of shared resources results in effective resource management and the development of common solutions to common problems. The Forum began in 2002 and has benefited from the knowledge and experience of organisations from Belgium (SCK.CEN), Czech Republic (NRI), Canada (OPG), Finland (Posiva), France (ANDRA, EdF), Japan (NUMO), Korea (KAERI), Norway (NRPA), Spain (ENRESA, CIEMAT), Sweden (SKB, SSI), Switzerland (Nagra), UK (Nirex, Nexia, UKAEA) and the USA (EPRI). These organisations include a mixture of operators, regulators and research institutes, and hence, including the participation of their technical support organizations, constitutes a very broad-based Forum. Enviros has acted as the technical secretariat to the Forum since its formation. Initially the Forum focused on three themes aimed at advancing knowledge and improving model predictions relating to performance and safety assessments: Theme 1 Development of a database to meet the key biosphere assessment information deficiencies. Theme 2 Implementation of a series of tasks to address key modelling issues, including uncertainties and inconsistencies in the modelling of inhalation, irrigation and soil contamination dose pathways; and approaches to the modelling the transfer of radionuclides across the geosphere-biosphere interface zone (GBIZ). Theme 3 Provision of guidance on site characterisation and experimental and monitoring protocols relevant to improving confidence in the biosphere component of the overall performance assessment. Substantial work under Themes 2 and 3 was completed in 2005/06 resulting in the publication of a variety of reports and guidance documents. Results of the model comparisons conducted under Theme 2 suggest that we can be confident in model structures and we have gained knowledge of the sensitive assumptions. Population of the database produced under Theme 1 is ongoing after release of an initial version which focused on data for Cl-36, Se-79, Tc-99, I-129, Np-237 and U-series radionuclides. In 2006, BIOPROTA received further international interest. The 2006 annual workshop identified a series of current issues for which proposals for tasks aimed at addressing these issues are under development. This includes exchange of information on models and processes of relevance to Cl-36 behaviour, as well as modelling the disequilibrium in the U-238 decay chain in environmental systems; more precise understanding of released C-14 distribution within various environmental carbon pools; and studies of the GBIZ under environmental change. A special workshop was held on Cl-36 behaviour and the workshop report published. An overview of the current state of play in biosphere modeling and dose assessment programmes relating to radioactive waste management will be presented based on national presentations by Forum members at the 2007 workshop and the key research outputs developed through the Forum will be described. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21290817
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09-WM-07208; TRN: US10V0142038228
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'07: 2007 Waste Management Symposium - Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals, Tucson, AZ (United States), 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 12 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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