Atmospheric dispersion of radon around uranium mill tailings of the former Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant in Ukraine. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kovalets, Ivan V.; Asker, Christian; Khalchenkov, Alexander V.; Persson, Christer; Lavrova, Tatyana V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 172(2017)
• Page Start: 173
• Page End: 190
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Radon -- Uranium tailings -- CALPUFF -- Airviro -- Atmospheric dispersion -- Inverse modeling; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.03.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: Simulations of atmospheric dispersion of radon around the uranium mill tailings of the former Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant (PChP) in Ukraine were carried out with the aid of two atmospheric dispersion models: the Airviro Grid Model and the CALMET/CALPUFF model chain. The available measurement data of radon emission rates taken in the territories and the close vicinity of tailings were used in simulations. The results of simulations were compared to the yearly averaged measurements of concentration data. Both models were able to reasonably reproduce average radon concentration at the Sukhachivske site using averaged measured emission rates as input together with the measured meteorological data. At the same time, both models significantly underestimated concentrations as compared to measurements collected at the PChP industrial site. According to the results of both dispersion models, it was shown that only addition of significant radon emission rate from the whole territory of PChP in addition to emission rates from the tailings could explain the observed concentration measurements. With the aid of the uncertainty analysis, the radon emission rate from the whole territory of PChP was estimated to be between 1.5 and 3.5 Bq·m −2 s −1 . Highlights: Simulations of radon in air around the uranium mill tailings in Ukraine were performed. Results of two atmospheric dispersion models are compared with measurements. Only significant emissions outside tailings could explain the observed concentrations.