The use of cluster analysis to assess potential impact of atmospheric discharges from NPP on biota

«Radiation and Risk», 2018, vol. 27, No. 1, pp.43-52

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2018-27-1-43-52

Authors

Perevolotskaya T.V. – Senior Researcher, C. Sc., Biol., Associate Prof. Russian Research Institute of Radiology and Agroecology (RIRAE), Obninsk. Contacts: Kievskoe Sh., 109 km, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249032. Tel. +7(960)519-68-99; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Perevolotsky A.N. – Lead. Researcher, D. Sc., Biol. Russian Research Institute of Radiology and Agroecology (RIRAE), Obninsk
Spiridonov S.I. – Head of Lab., D. Sc., Biol., Prof. Russian Research Institute of Radiology and Agroecology (RIRAE), Obninsk.

Abstract

Before planning construction of a new NPP potential impact of atmospheric discharges from the designed NPP on the environment including human and non-human biota must be assessed. Radiological consequences estimates depend largely on qualitative and quantitative composition of the discharge. In Russia data on chemical and physical form of radionuclides and their composition are limited, that is why for modeling annual normalized discharge of the following targeted radionuclides ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁴¹Ar, ⁸⁵Kr, ¹³³Xe, ¹³⁵Xe, ¹³¹I, ¹³³I, ⁶⁰Co and ¹³⁷Cs we used data from UNSCEAR Report on discharges of radionuclides during normal operation of 19 PWR nuclear power plants located in France. The choice of the NPPs was governed by the duration of monitoring (≥ 10 years), the presence of above listed radionuclides in the discharges. For classification of NPPs by quantitative composition of annual normalized discharge hierarchical cluster analysis was used. All NPPs were divided into 6 clusters. In each cluster amount of each of the targeted radionuclides in annual normalized discharge was determined. For conservative estimating exposure situation and calculating radiation doses to biota we used the largest values of the upper quartiles of normalized discharges of raionuclides. We found that radioactivity of ⁴¹Ar, ⁸⁵Kr, ¹³³Xe and ¹³⁵Xe in the total radioactivity of noble gases was >90%, the amount of ¹³¹I and ¹³³I in the total amount of discharged radioiodines was ∼46%, the amount of ¹³⁵I was 38%. To calculate the radiation dose to biota more accurately, radioactivity of ⁵¹Cr and ⁵⁸Со should be taken into account, because the contribution of each of the radionuclides activity to the total radioactivity of discharged aerosols is about 20%. If total composition of the annual discharge of noble gases, radioiodines, and aerosols differs from that considered in the article, in that case it is reasonable to estimate radioactivity of specific radionuclides discharged.

Key words
NPP, pressurized water reactor (PWR), WWER, planned discharge of radiaonuclides, radiation situation, radiobiological effects, noble radioactive gases, radioactive isotopes of iodine, aerosols, biota, classification, cluster, median, upper quartile.

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