Radioecological exposure assessment for the Chernobyl cooling pond (Lake) with hydrodynamics impacts

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996 · Health Physics

OSTI ID:394022

Feng, Y ^[1]; Miller, L F ^[2]; Bartell, S M ^[3]

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1. Ohio EPA, Columbus, OH (United States)
2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
3. SENES Oak Ridge Inc., TN (United States)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the implication of adding hydrodynamic complexity in estimating the exposure of biota to {sup 137}Cs in the Chernobyl cooling pond (lake) from May to September 1986. Hydrodynamics was incorporated into this study in two ways. First, the radionuclide transport and distributions were estimated by using a hydrodynamic-transport Finite Element model. The model considered surface wind forces, bottom friction forces, bathymetry, advection, turbulent diffusion, and sedimentation. Second, hydrodynamics was coupled with the ecological process (population dynamics) in the transport model to determine phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass density change and distributions in the cooling pond (lake). The exposure estimation for plankton and fish was conducted in a two-dimensional finite element mesh which was used in the hydrodynamic-transport model. The results indicated that the influence of hydrodynamics on formation of water circulation patterns and {sup 137}Cs transport and distribution in the cooling pond (lake) was significant. The impacts of hydrodynamics upon the plankton biomass change and distribution were roughly equivalent to plankton population growth. Estimated exposure concentrations with the hydrodynamics effect were five times greater than those calculated without the effect at some locations. Overall, the results suggest that the consideration of hydrodynamics in studying exposure and risk can be necessary for a large water system.

• OSTI ID: 394022
• Report Number(s): CONF-9607135-; ISSN 0017-9078; TRN: 96:028702
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Vol. 70, Issue Suppl.6; Conference: 41. Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society, Seattle, WA (United States), 21-25 Jul 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 MATHEMATICS
COMPUTERS
INFORMATION SCIENCE
MANAGEMENT
LAW
MISCELLANEOUS
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
HYDRODYNAMICS
CORRELATIONS
PHYTOPLANKTON
RADIATION DOSES
ZOOPLANKTON
LAKES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
FISHES
BATHYMETRY
BIOMASS
SEDIMENTATION
CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR
COOLING PONDS
CESIUM 137
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD