Modelling the dispersion of radionuclides following short duration releases to rivers: part 1. water and sediment

Jim Smith, M. Bowes, F. Denison

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    Abstract

    This paper evaluates and generalises state-of-the-art approaches for modelling short duration liquid discharges of radionuclides (3H, 14C, 60Co, 134Cs, 137Cs, 65Zn, 89Sr, 90Sr, 125I, 131I, 241Am, isotopes of Pu and U) to rivers. An advection dispersion model was parameterised and used to predict the concentrations of radionuclides in the river environment, i.e. in river water, river bed sediment and fish (Part II of this paper covers uptake to fish). The coupled transport and bio-uptake model was used to predict the concentrations of radionuclides in the River Thames, UK, and one of its tributaries as a result of hypothetical short duration discharges. A simplified version of this model was developed and presented as look-up graphs. The influence of various environmental parameters on model output was evaluated by sensitivity analysis. Time-integrated water and sediment concentrations and maximum sediment concentrations may be predicted for all rivers on the basis of the river volumetric flow rate only. Maximum concentration in water is, however, also dependent on other river characteristics. For this latter case, generalised modelling approaches are tested for use in situations where detailed hydrological and dispersion data are not available.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)485-501
    Number of pages17
    JournalScience of the Total Environment
    Volume368
    Issue number2-3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2006

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