Abstract
A hydrodynamic model of the upper part of the Techa river was developed on the basis of the river valley geometry as well as data of hydrological conditions and of the granulometric composition of bottom sediments. The model describes the transport of radioactivity by suspended sediments with different granulometric compositions (clay, silt) in the early 1950s. It includes the stirring-up of bottom sediments and the precipitation of suspended sediments as a function of water discharge rate and water level in the investigated part of the river. The results allow to specify the development of the river system contamination as a result of inflow of suspended sediments contaminated with radionuclides. In the period of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) discharges, the water of the Techa river contained a large fraction of finely dispersed particles of less than 5 µm diameter. At the site of LRW discharge 80% of the discharged activity was adsorbed to these particles. Depending on the water flow, 40–80% of the suspensions precipitated at the bottom of subsequent sedimentation reservoirs. A total of about 1.6 MCiFootnote 1adsorbed to the suspended particles entered the open hydrographic system of the Techa river. The conclusion that the largest part of the activity was adsorbed on the suspended particles contradicts the assumption in the Techa river dosimetry system, TRDS-2000, that most of the released activity entered the Techa river in soluble form. For a correct reconstruction of the doses received by the Techa river population it is, therefore, essential to consider hydrodynamic models that take into account the transport of radionuclides adsorbed on the suspended particles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In contrast to current usage, activities in this article are specified in the former unit Ci (=3.7×1010 Bq). This is done in order to simplify the reference to historical records and also to facilitate comparison with those related Russian publications which still employ the former unit.
References
Degteva MO, Shagina NB, Tolstykh EI, Vorobiova MI, Napier BA, Anspaugh LR (2002) Studies on the extended Techa river populations: dosimetry. Radiat Environ Biophys 41:41–44
Degteva MO, Kozheurov VP, Burmistrov DS, Vorobiova MI, Valchuk VV, Bougrov NG, Shishkina HA (1996) An approach to dose reconstruction for the Urals population. Health Phys 71:71–76
Vorobiova MI, Degteva MO (1999) Simple model for the reconstruction of radionuclide concentrations and radiation exposures along the Techa river. Health Phys 77:142–149
Kellerer AM (2000) The Southern Urals radiation studies. A reappraisal of the current status. Radiat Environ Biophys 41:307–316
Mokrov YG (2002) A reconsideration of the external dose assessment for the Techa river population. Radiat Environ Biophys 41:303–306
ICRP (1991) Publication 60. The 1990 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Annals of the ICRP 21 (1–3). Pergamon Press, Oxford
Mokrov YG (2003) Radioactive contamination of bottom sediments in the upper reaches of the Techa river: analysis of the data obtained in 1950 and 1951. Radiat Environ Biophys 42:155–168
Mokrov YG, Shagin DÌ (2001) Study of regularities of suspended particles contaminated by radionuclide transfer with the Techa river water during 1949--1951 (in Russian). Radiat Saf Probl 1:18–31
Mokrov YG, Shagin DM (2002) The role of suspended particles in the process of formation of radioactive contamination of the Techa river in 1949–1951. Proceedings of an International Conference on environmental radioactivity in the Arctic and Antarctic, June 2002. St. Petersburg, Russia, pp 63–66
Mokrov YG, Shagin DM (2002) Development of the hydrodynamic model of the Techa river for calculation of the suspended particle transfer (in Russian). Radiat Saf Probl 2:71–73
Marey AN et al. (1952) Influence of Mendeleyev’s plant industrial discharge into the Techa river on sanitary conditions of life and health of the riverside area population (in Russian). Report, Mayak PA, Ozyorsk, p 210
Ilyin DI (1956) Radioactive substance migration from the open ponds. Doctoral thesis (in Russian), Mayak PA, Ozyorsk, p 270
Saprykin VÀ, Pichugin VP (1949) Geological-geodesic data on Metlino’s ponds (in Russian). Report, VNIPIET Archive
Hydrologic Engineering Center (1993) HEC-6. Scour and deposition in rivers and reservoirs. Users Manual. US Army Corps of Engineers
Mokrov YG (2002) Reconstruction and forecast of radioactive contamination of the Techa river. Part I. The role of the suspended particles in formation of the Techa river contamination in 1949–1951 (in Russian). Radiat Saf Probl 1:176
Kolosov IA (1968) Study of self-decontamination of the rivers contaminated by long-lived radioactive isotopes (in Russian). Doctoral thesis, Institute of Applied Geophysics, Ozyorsk, p 226
Goloshchapov PV et al. (1992) Physical-chemical condition and plutonium distribution in the bottom sediments and in the floodplain of the Techa river (in Russian). Report, Institute of Biophysics, Chelyabinsk, p 37
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mokrov, Y.G. Radioactive contamination in the upper part of the Techa river: stirring-up of bottom sediments and precipitation of suspended particles. Radiat Environ Biophys 42, 285–293 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-003-0218-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-003-0218-3