Radioactivity in the Arctic environment is a central topic within environmental pollution issues. Increased discharges of technetium-99 (99Tc) from the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant Sellafield to the Irish Sea has caused public concerns in Norway. This project (acronym “RADNOR”) includes model and monitoring assessments and improvements, assessment of current and novel abiotic and biotic dose parameters and dose calculations and use of realistic climatic background scenarios in order to assess corresponding consequences for transport of radioactive pollutants. RADNOR consists of three main components: part 1, the determination of levels and time series of 99Tc in benthic and pelagic food webs; part 2, containing working packages on improvements to the understanding of site-specific and time-dependent sediment-water interactions (KD), kinetics of accumulation (CF) and body distribution in marine organisms, including contaminated products for the alginate industry and part 3, dealing with model hindcasts and observations for spreading of 99Tc from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant during the 1990s and improvement of the NRPA dose assessment box model. From the model outputs, doses to man and environment will be calculated resulting in a valuable database for use within environmental management and for decision makers.
Use of previously acquired and continuously updated 99Tc seawater data sets, based on the analysis of 99Tc using 99mTc (NRPA) and Re (CEFAS) as yield monitors. Implementation of 99Tc analytical methodology using rhenium as a yield monitor by IMR. Establishment of time-dependent distribution coefficients (KD) and concentration factors (CF) by AUN An integrated analysis of model hindcasts for 99Tc dispersion performed with two different model concepts (NRPA box model and NAOSIM) and a detailed comparison with observed time series. Statistical analysis of NAOSIM hindcast for flow patterns and adaptation into the NRPA box model and intergration of novel and reassessed abiotic and biotic parameters.
An exercise in intercalibration and quality assurance between institutions and the different analytical methodologies will be carried out, but is not included in the RADNOR proposal.
Agricultural University of Norway Institute of Marine Research, Norway Ocean Atmosphere Systems GbR, Germany Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany Norwegian Polar Institute (NP) Institute of Marine Research, Bergen University of Hamburg, Germany Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, UK FMC Biopolymer, Norway
Norwegian Research Council