Meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Headquarters
On 18-22 of June 2018 the meeting dedicated to the implementation of scientific work: “Use of isotope hydrology to characterize groundwater systems in the vicinity of nuclear power plants” was held in Vienna at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters.
Scientists of the ISP NPP of NAS of Ukraine (M. Panasiuk and D. Matrosov) participated in the meeting on the invitation of the IAEA. The meeting program included presentation of work’s intermediate results of given project in which specialists from Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, Italy, China, Morocco, Lithuania, Pakistan, Ukraine and Japan participate.
The characterization of groundwater in the vicinity of NPPs is one of the most serious problems. Existing IAEA safety standards are available as manuals of safety for hydrogeological studies (IAEA 1984, 2002, 2003 and 2011). However, any guidelines absent in the documents concerning the methods of appropriate characterization of groundwater near the NPP and methods of the information systems creation for planning countermeasures for population and environment protection in a case of accidental release of radioactive materials.
The purpose of the scientific research implementation is development of the methodology of indicators usage for determination of numerous parameters of an aquifer. The methodology will be used for the guidelines creation on optimal management and protection of groundwater resources from radioactive contamination through discharges and emissions from the NPP including accidents.
Participants of the meeting decided that noble gases (81Kr, 85Kr, 3He та4He), Tritium, Chlor-36 etc. are perspective inert indicators by which parameters of radionuclide migration in the environment can be determined and calibration of mathematical models of moisture and mass transfer can be implemented.
ISP NPP researchers use these indicators for development a parameters estimation method of radionuclide migration by groundwaters and recommendations about minimization of negative impact of radioactive contamination on the environment.
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