Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Results of the Long-Term Radioecological Monitoring of the Beloyarsk NPP Cooling-Pond

6/05/2024 2024 - #02 Environmental aspects of nuclear power

Panov A.V. Korzhavin A.V. Korzhavina T.N.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2024.2.12

UDC: 502.175:621.039.7(285.2:470.54)

The results of long-term (1967 – 2019) radioecological monitoring of the Beloyarsk NPP cooling-pond are presented. The influence of the waste process waters from thermal (AMB-100 and AMB-200) and fast (BN-600 and BN-800) nuclear power plant reactors on the content of artificial radionuclides in surface waters, bottom sediments, macrophytes and ichthyofauna of the Beloyarsk cooling-pond was studied. Critical radionuclides, routes of their entry into the ecosystem and periods of maximum discharge of radioisotopes into the cooling-pond have been determined. It was shown that during the period of monitoring studies, the content of artificial radionuclides in the freshwater ecosystem main components decreased by tens and hundreds of times: in surface waters – by 4.3 – 74.5 times, in bottom sediments (silty sapropel) – by 10.1 – 505 times, in macrophytes (elodea, hornwort) – 13.1 – 25,800 times, in ichthyofauna (9 species of fish) – 1.3 – 44.6 times. The improvement in the radioecological state of the cooling pool occurred due to the shutdown of the first stage thermal reactors of the nuclear power plant (AMB-100 and AMB-200), as well as due to the decay and redistribution of the radioisotopes from the aqueous phase into bottom sediments and migration with water runoff from the pond to the river system. The maximum discharge of artificial radionuclides into the reservoir was noted during the period of restoration and decontamination work aimed at eliminating emergencies at the AMB thermal reactors of the first stage of the Beloyarsk NPP.The commissioning of the BN-800 fast brider power unit in 2016 did not lead to an increase in radioactivity in the Beloyarsk cooling-pond. This indicates the absence of a significant additional supply of the radioisotopes to the cooling pool after a change in the technology of electricity production at the Beloyarsk NPP from thermal to fast reactors.

References

  1. Koltik I.I. Nuclear Power Plants and Radiation Safety. Ekaterinburg, 2001, 366 p. (in Russian).
  2. Oshkanov N.N., Govorov P.P. Liquid Metal Reactor BN-600: Main Characteristics and Operating Experience. News of universities. Nuclear energy. 2009, no. 2, pp. 7–20 (in Russian).
  3. Oshkanov N.N., Sheinkman A.G., Govorov P.P. Analysis of the operational reliability of a power-generating unit with a BN-600 reactor during the period 1980–1993. Atomic Energy. 1994, no. 76 (3), pp. 165 – 169 (in Russian).
  4. Chebotina M.Ya., Trapeznikov A.V., Trapeznikova V.N., Kulikov N.V. Radioecological Studies of the Beloyarskoye pond. Sverdlovsk, Ural Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1992. 76 p. (in Russian).
  5. Radiation Situation in Russia and the Neighboring States in 1991–2019. The yearbooks of Roshydromet. Obninsk. NPO «Typhoon» (in Russian).
  6. Trapeznikov A.V., Chebotina M.Ya., Trapeznikova V.N., Guseva V.P., Nikolin O.A. The Influence of Nuclear Power Plants on the Radioecological State of the Cooling Pool. Ekaterinburg, AkademNauka. 2008; DOI: https://doi.org/10.25016/2541-7487-2016-0-2-82-88 (in Russian).
  7. Trapeznikov A.V., Trapeznikova V.N., Korzhavin A.V. Dynamics of the Radioecological State of the Freshwater Ecosystems Exposed to Long-Term Effects of a Nuclear Power Plant within the Boundaries of the Observed Zone. Radiation biology. Radioecology. 2015, no. 55 (2), pp. 302–313; DOI: https://doi.org/10.7868/S0869803115020150 (in Russian).
  8. Trapeznikov A.V., Korzhavin A.V., Trapeznikova V.N., Plataev A.P. Radioecological Study of the Beloyarskaya NPP Cooling Pool before Commissioning of the 4th Power Unit BN-800. Medical-biological and socio-psychological problems of safety in emergency situations. 2016, no. 2, pp. 82–88; DOI: https://doi.org/10.25016/2541-7487-2016-0-2-82-88 (in Russian).
  9. Korzhavin A.V., Trapeznikova V.N., Trapeznikov A.V., Nikolkin V.N., Plataev A.P. The First Results of a Radioecological Study of the Beloyarskaya NPP Cooling Pool after the Commissioning of the 4th Power Unit BN-800. Medical-biological and socio-psychological problems of safety in emergency situations. 2018, no. 2, pp. 70-82; DOI: https://doi.org/10.25016/2541-7487-2018-0-2-70-82 (in Russian).
  10. Lyubimova S.A., Chebotina M.Ya., Trapeznikov A.V., Trapeznikova V.N. The Influence of Warm Water on Higher Plants of the Beloyarskoe pond. Ecology. 1989, no. 1, pp. 173 – 175 (in Russian).
  11. Trapeznikova V.N., Trapeznikov A.V., Kulikov N.V. Accumulation of 137Сs by Commercial Fish in the Cooling Pool of the Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant. Ecology. 1984, no. 6, pp. 36 – 40 (in Russian).
  12. Trapeznikov A.V., Trapeznikova V.N., Korzhavin A.V., Nikolkin V.N. Radioecological Monitoring of the Freshwater Ecosystems. Ekaterinburg, AkademNauka. 2019, no. 4. 447 p. (in Russian).
  13. Guidelines for Hydrometeorological Stations and Posts. Issue 12. Observations of Radioactive Contamination of Natural Environment Components: Guidance Document RD 52.18.826-2015. Roshydromet. Obninsk, Federal State Budgetary Institution «NPO Typhoon». 2015 (in Russian).
  14. Chebotina M.Ya., Nikolin O.A. Radioecological Studies of Tritium in the Ural Region. Ekaterinburg, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2005. 92 p. (in Russian).
  15. Chebotina M.Ya. Tritium in the Water of the Beloyarskoye Pond During the operation of Three Units of a Nuclear Power Plant. Water management of Russia. 2010, no. 4. pp. 458–473; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35567/1999-4508-2010-4-5 (in Russian).
  16. Panov A., Trapeznikov A., Trapeznikova V., Korzhavin A. Influence of Operation of Thermal and Fast Reactors of the Beloyarskaya NPP on the Radioecological Situation in the Cooling Pool. Part 1: Surface Water and Bottom Sediments. Nuclear Engineering and Technology. 2022, no. 54 (8), pp. 3034 – 3042; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2022.03.004

nuclear power plant cooling pool radioecological monitoring artificial radionuclides long-term dynamics

Link for citing the article: Panov A.V., Korzhavin A.V., Korzhavina T.N. Results of the Long-Term Radioecological Monitoring of the Beloyarsk NPP Cooling-Pond. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2024, no. 2, pp. 138-154; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2024.2.12 (in Russian).

Open PDF file