• Title/Summary/Keyword: Chernobyl

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Radioactivity data analysis of 137Cs in marine sediments near severely damaged Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants

  • Song, Ji Hyoun;Kim, TaeJun;Yeon, Jei-Won
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.52 no.2
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    • pp.366-372
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    • 2020
  • Using several accessible published data sets, we analyzed the temporal change of 137Cs radioactivity (per unit mass of sample) in marine sediments and investigated the effect of the water content of sediment on the 137Cs radioactivity, to understand the behavior of 137Cs present in marine environments. The 137Cs radioactivity in sediments decreased more slowly in the Baltic Sea (near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) than in the ocean near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP). The 137Cs radioactivity in the sediment near the FDNPP tended to increase as the water content increased, and the water content decreased at certain sampling sites near the FDNPP for several years. Additionally, the decrease in the water content contributed to 51.2% of the average 137Cs radioactivity decrease rate for the same period. Thus, it may be necessary to monitor both the 137Cs radioactivity and the water content for marine sediments to track the 137Cs that was discharged from the sites of Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants where severe accidents occurred.

Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident (체르노빌 사고의 건강 영향)

  • Jeong, Mee-Seon;Jin, Young-Woo
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.237-249
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    • 2011
  • The Chernobyl accident was a terrible catastrophe for humanity. Scientists are in concurrence about an increase of thyroid cancer incidence among children, but not among adults, because even areas less contaminated by radiation have also reported an increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer. In this case, the rise might be due to a screening effect. There is no convincing evidence that the incidence of leukemia and solid cancer has increased among the exposed populations, but it still remains a controversial issue. Additionally, apparent evidence of decreased fertility and increased hereditary effects have not been observed in the general population. WHO suggested 4,000 people could have died or may die in the future among emergency workers and residents of the most contaminated areas, while Greenpeace insists there will be 93,080 victims around the world. The radiation dose due to Chernobyl was mainly low, so if its health effects are to be found, more long-term and welldesigned research will be needed.

Geoinformation decision support system for remediation of the 137Cs contaminated agricultural lands after the Chernobyl NPP accident

  • Titov, Igor Evgenievich;Krechetnikov, Viktor Vladimirovich;Mikailova, Rena Aleksandrovna;Panov, Aleksei Valerievich
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.54 no.6
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    • pp.2244-2252
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    • 2022
  • Based on GIS technologies, a decision support system (GIDSS) has been developed to remediate agricultural lands in the Bryansk region (Russia) contaminated by 137Cs after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. GIDSS is a multilevel system consisting of basic, information and computational layers. GIDSS allows justifying a targeted approach for the remediation of agricultural lands belonging to agricultural enterprises for the production that meets the established radiological requirements for the content of radionuclides. Evaluation of the effectiveness of alternative remediation technologies and the selection of optimal measures were carried out at the level of elementary plots using radiological criteria. The introduction of GIDSS will enable agricultural producers in the south-western districts of the Bryansk region to conduct radiation-safe agro-industrial production in radioactively contaminated areas, which will help improve the socio-economic situation of the region and return it to normal living conditions.

Comparison of Gene Mutation Frequency in $Tradescantia$ Stamen Hair Cells Detected after Chernobyl and Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accidents

  • Panek, Agnieszka;Miszczyk, Justyna;Kim, Jin-Kyu;Cebulska-Wasilewska, Antonina
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.373-378
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    • 2011
  • Our aim was to investigate the genotoxicity of ambient air in the Krak$\acute{o}$w area after Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident and compare with results from Chernobyl fallout. For the detection of ambient air genotoxicity the technique for screening gene mutation frequency in somatic cells of the $Tradescantia$ stamen hairs ($Trad$-SH assay) was used. Since 11th of March 2011 (Fukushima NPP accident), several pots containing at least 15 shoots of bioindicating plants were exposed to ambient air at 2 sites in the Krak$\acute{o}$w surrounding area, one in the city center, and about 100 pots in a control site (in the glasshouse of the Institute of Nuclear Physics) Continuous screening of mutations was performed. Progenies of 371,090 cells exposed were analyzed. Mutation frequency obtained in the first 10 days has shown a mean control level (GMF*100=$0.06{\pm}0.01$). At scoring period related to influence of a potential Fukushima fallout, a significant increase of gene mutation frequencies above the control level was observed at each site in the range, 0.10~0.33 depending on the location, (mean value for all sites GMF*100=$0.19{\pm}0.05$) that was associated with a strong expression of toxic effects. In the reported studies following the Chernobyl NPP accident monitoring $in$ $situ$ of the ambient air genotoxicity was performed in the period since April $29^{th}$ till June $3^{rd}$ 1986 also with Trad-SH bioindicator. In general, mutation frequency increases due to Chernobyl fallout(GMF*100=$0.43{\pm}0.02$) were corresponding to fluctuation of radioactivity in the air reported from physical measures, and to published reports about increase in chromosome aberration levels. Although, recent data obtained from monitoring of the ambient air quality in the Krak$\acute{o}$w and surroundings are lower when compared to results reported after Chernobyl NPP accident, though results express a significant increase above the control level and also are corresponding with increased air radioactivity reported from physical measurements. Statistically significant in comparison to control increase in gene mutation rates and more prolonged than that after Chernobyl fallout increase of GMF was observed during the period following the Fukushima NPP failure.

Forty Years of Anthropogenic Radionuclides in Surface Seawater. Italian and Japanese Data

  • Cigna, Arrigo A.
    • Ocean Science Journal
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    • v.41 no.4
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    • pp.261-290
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    • 2006
  • The concentrations of man made radionuclides in surface seawater since early '60s are here reported as measured in Italy and Japan. Most of the data refers to $^{90}Sr$ and $^{137}Cs$, but occasionally the concentrations of $^{89}Sr$ and $^{134}Cs$ in some Italian samples are also given. The main sources of man made radionuclides were the global fallout produced by the nuclear weapon tests and the Chernobyl accident. The respective contributions to the contamination of surface seawater around both countries are discussed.

The Analysis of Activity on Removal from Operation of the Chernobyl Atomic Power Station, Experience of the First Year After Closing Power Station

  • Kravchenko, Georgiy;Jung, Ki-Jung
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 2002.05a
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    • pp.319.2-319
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    • 2002
  • removal from operation of power units of nuclear stations in the various counties last decade the usual phenomenon. Good practice on a successful conclusion from operation of power units in Japan. USA is turned out. Germany, Russia and other countries. The features inherent in the Chernobyl atomic power station make this process especial, unique.

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Ten Years since Chernobyl Accident: a Review of Radiological Cosequences (체르노빌 원전사고 10년의 회고)

  • Lee, Jai-Ki
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.183-200
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    • 1996
  • Many information channels have dealt with the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident in different voices ever since the time of the accident. Large differences in the data about the amount of released radioactivity, losses of life, environmental effects and economic damage confuse the information receiving group. The intention of this paper is to provide an insight to the consequences of the accident through review of the reports and articles on the given issue and the scientific background. The formal reports reviewed include those from IAEA, EC, OECD/NEA, the governments of the two most-affected countries; Belarus and Ukraine. Much consideration was paid to make the text as plain as possible.

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