Radioecological consequences of a potential accident during transport of spent nuclear fuel along an Arctic coastline

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity Vol. 100; no. 2; pp. 184 - 191
• Main Authors: Iosjpe, M., Reistad, O., Amundsen, I.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Arctic; Arctic Regions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological effects of radiation; Dose; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geography; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Modelling; Natural water pollution; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Radioactive Hazard Release; Radiocontamination; Seawaters, estuaries; Spent nuclear fuel; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics; Transport; Water Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Arctic Ocean; Arctic Region; Norwegian Current; Norwegian Sea; Arctic Regions; ANE, Atlantic, Norwegian Current; Norway; PN, Arctic; ANE, Norway; Spent nuclear fuel; Modelling; Marine; Arctic; Transport; Dose; Radioactive pollution; Radioactive contamination; Hazardous waste; Radioisotope; Radioecology; Marine environment; Radiobiology; Risk assessment; Polar region; Dosimetry; Seawater; Human; Spent fuels; Radioactive waste; Nuclear materials transportation; Subpolar zone; Accident; Environment impact; Water pollution; Maritime transportation
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.11.010

This article presents results pertaining to a risk assessment of the potential consequences of a hypothetical accident occurring during the transportation by ship of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) along an Arctic coastline. The findings are based on modelling of potential releases of radionuclides, radionuclide transport and uptake in the marine environment. Modelling work has been done using a revised box model developed at the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority. Evaluation of the radioecological consequences of a potential accident in the southern part of the Norwegian Current has been made on the basis of calculated collective dose to man, individual doses for the critical group, concentrations of radionuclides in seafood and doses to marine organisms. The results of the calculations indicate a large variability in the investigated parameters above mentioned. On the basis of the calculated parameters the maximum total activity (“accepted accident activity”) in the ship, when the parameters that describe the consequences after the examined potential accident are still in agreement with the recommendations and criterions for protection of the human population and the environment, has been evaluated.