Risks from radionuclide migration to groundwater in the Chernobyl 30-KM zone

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199607000-00002· OSTI ID:381122

Bugai, D A; Dzhepo, S P ^[1]; Waters, R D; Skal`skij, A S ^[2]

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1. Inst. of Geological Sciences, Kiev (Ukraine)
2. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Remediation of contaminated groundwater in the Chernobyl 30-km evacuation zone is frequently identified as a priority by technical experts and Chernobyl site officials in Ukraine. In order to evaluate the health risk basis for this groundwater remediation, we have estimated both on-site and off-site health risks caused by radionuclide migration to the groundwater and compared these risks with those from exposure to radioactive contamination on the ground surface. A simple and conservative analytical model was developed to assess radionuclide transport to the groundwater from the soil surface contaminated by radioactive fallout. {sup 90}Sr, the primary radioactive contaminant of concern for the groundwater-migration exposure pathway, was evaluated in the analysis. The estimated health risk to hypothetical, self-sufficient residents in the 30-km zone is dominated by external and internal irradiation (due primarily to ingestion of agricultural products) from {sup 137}Cs, which is present in soils of the 30-km zone in roughly equal proportion with {sup 90}Sr. The estimated risk from contaminated groundwater is approximately an order of magnitude lower. Analysis of {sup 90}Sr migration via groundwater to surface water and down-river population centers shows that, despite generally unfavorable environmental conditions in the 30-km exclusion zone, radionuclide transport via the groundwater pathway has potential to contribute only marginally to the off-site radiological risk, which is governed by wash-out of radionuclides form the contaminated river flood plain and catchment areas by surface water during spring snowmelt and rains. Health risks due to off-site radionuclide migration via groundwater are below the level requiring application of counter-measures. 32 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratory
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 381122
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 71; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTAMINATION
FALLOUT
GROUND WATER
INGESTION
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOILS
STRONTIUM 90
UKRAINE