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The cooling pond of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant: A groundwater remediation case history
Author(s) -
Bugai Dmitri A.,
Waters Robert D.,
Dzhepo Sergei P.,
Skalsk'ij Alexander S.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/96wr03963
Subject(s) - remedial action , environmental remediation , groundwater , environmental science , nuclear power plant , radionuclide , nuclear power , radioactive waste , radioactive contamination , groundwater contamination , environmental engineering , contamination , hydrology (agriculture) , waste management , water resource management , engineering , aquifer , geotechnical engineering , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics , biology
The cooling pond of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was heavily contaminated as a result of the reactor accident in April 1986. From 1989 to 1993 the cooling pond represented one of the major sources of 90 Sr migration from the Chernobyl site to the Dnieper River. Several attempts have been made to contain radioactive contamination within the pond. Overestimation of releases via groundwater pathway and design mistakes led to unsuccessful remedial actions in 1986 and in later periods. In addition, remediation criteria based solely on comparison of contaminant concentrations in groundwater with drinking water standards were not effective from the health risk perspective, because the public was not directly exposed to contaminated groundwater; the exclusion zone surrounding the site acted as an institutional control to prevent public access. In light of recent estimates of low risks due to radionuclide transport outside the exclusion zone, a “no action” approach may represent the most reasonable strategy for the near‐term management of the cooling pond.