14C Distribution in Atmospheric and Aquatic Environments Around Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, China. Issue 3 (2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Zhongtang; Hu, Dan; Xu, Hong; Guo, Qiuju
• Is Part Of: Radiocarbon. Volume 56:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 1107
• Page End: 1114
• Publication Date: 2014
• Subjects: Radiocarbon dating -- Periodicals; 930.1028505
• DOI: 10.2458/56.17914
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-8222

Abstract

Abstract : Atmospheric CO2 and aquatic water samples were analyzed to evaluate the environmental 14 C enrichment due to operation of the Qinshan nuclear power plant (NPP), where two heavy-water reactors and five pressurized-water reactors are employed. Elevated 14 C-specific activities (2–26.7 Bq/kg C) were observed in the short-term air samples collected within a 5-km radius, while samples over 5 km were close to background levels. The 14 C-specific activities of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the surface seawater samples ranged from 196.8 to 206.5 Bq/kg C (average 203.4 Bq/kg C), which are close to the background value. No elevated 14 C level in surface seawater was found after 20 years of operation of Qinshan NPP, indicating that the 14 C discharged was well diffused. The results of the freshwater samples show that excess 14 C-specific activity (average 17.1 Bq/kg C) was found in surface water and well water samples, while no obvious 14 C increase was found in drinking water (groundwater and tap water) compared to the background level.