Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
18
Radioactive Aerosols of
Chernobyl Accident
A.K. Budyka and B.I. Ogorodnikov
CONTENTS
18.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 473
18.2 Dynamics of the Ejection of Radionuclides from the Reactor ........................................... 474
18.3 Global Transfer of the Accident Products ........................................................................... 475
18.4 Sampling Devices ............................................................................................................... 476
18.5 Aerosol Characteristics in the First Half Year after the Accident ...................................... 476
18.6 Gaseous Components I, Te, and Ru in the Atmosphere...................................................... 481
18.7 Characteristics of Radioactive Aerosols near the Earth's Surface...................................... 485
18.8 Forest Fires in the Exclusive Zone ...................................................................................... 486
18.9 Aerosols of the “Shelter”..................................................................................................... 487
18.9.1 Types of Aerosols .................................................................................................... 487
18.9.2 Aerosol Concentration inside the “Shelter”............................................................. 488
18.9.3 Aerosol Concentration in the “Bypass” of the “Shelter” in 2002-2009 ................. 490
18.9.4 Aerosol Transport from the “Shelter” into the Atmosphere.................................... 491
18.9.5 Aerosol Dispersity in Premises of the “Shelter” ..................................................... 491
18.9.6 Radioactive Aerosol Dispersity in the “Bypass” System
of the “Shelter” in 2002-2010 ................................................................................. 492
18.10 Radioactive Aerosols Close to the Surface Layer of the Atmosphere near the “Shelter” ..... 493
18.11 Concentrations of Rn, Tn, and Their Daughter Products Inside and Outside of the
“Shelter” in 2002-2009 ...................................................................................................... 497
18.12 Conclusion........................................................................................................................... 499
Acknowledgment ........................................................................................................................... 499
References......................................................................................................................................500
18.1 INTRODUCTION
The accident in the fourth block of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) resulted in radioactive
contamination not only in a territory of the European part of the former USSR, but also in the entire
northern hemisphere, including the United States and Japan. This accident should be classiied as
a global disaster.
It is very clear that the contamination of territories occurred due to atmospheric transfer and
fallout of radioactive aerosol particles on the earth's surface. Therefore, understanding the physico-
chemical properties of radioactive aerosols, formed as a result of reactor explosion, allows not only
the correct assessment of the scale of the disaster, but also the choice of a more effective means of
defense for more than 300,000 people, who participated in the liquidation of the consequences of
the Chernobyl accident.
Despite the fact that a few months after the accident the radioactive aerosol concentrations did not
exceed permissible concentrations in the majority of the territory that surrounds Chernobyl (30 km
around Chernobyl NPP), today there are places with a dangerously high level of air contamination.
473
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