Environmental Pollution Nuclear Power Plants: Modelling for the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant (Ukraine)

Abstract

It is known that there is emission of radionuclides during normal operation of nuclear power plants. The paper analyses sources of radioactivity and environmental pollution for the case study of Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Based on the radionuclides concentrations in air emissions, the highest concentrations are found for Nitrogen-16, Krypton-83m, Argon-41, Tritium, and Xenon-131m. Among non-radioactive chemicals, only nitrogen dioxide concentration in the air is found to be below the permissible limit. The highest concentrations of suspended particles in the air near the Khmelnytskyi power plant were measured in the range 3.4–7.7 mg/m3. Up to 90% of non-radioactive air emissions are generated in the boiler room. The main contribution to the gas-aerosol emission of Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant is made by inert radioactive gases, which do not directly migrate in ecosystem along food chain. The expected contribution of iodine radioisotopes and activated corrosion products to the total emission is very small. Crop contamination with aerosol radionuclides nuclear power plant is analysed. Contamination of agricultural products with aerosol radionuclides in case of maximal projected accident at Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant (Ukraine) is calculated.