Radiological safety of population and workers in two-component nuclear power engineering

«Radiation and Risk», 2024, vol. 33, No. 2, pp.5-16

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2024-33-2-5-16

Authors

Ivanov V.K. – Scientific Advisor of NRER, Chief Radioecologist of Project PRORYV, Chairman of RSCRP, Corresponding Member of RAS, D. Sc., Tech., Prof.
Rachkov V.I. – Research Advisor of R&D work, Project PRORYV, Corresponding Member of RAS, D. Sc., Tech., Prof.
Adamov E.O. – Research Advisor, Project PRORYV, D. Sc., Tech., Prof.
Solomatin V.M. – Head of Dep. of the Chief Radioecologist, Project PRORYV, C. Sc., Biol. JSC PRORYV.
Chekin S.Yu. – Head of Lab. Contacts: 4 Korolyov str., Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249035. Tel.: (484) 399-30-79; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Menyajlo A.N. – Lead. Researcher, C. Sc., Biol.
Korelo A.M. – Senior Researcher. A. Tsyb MRRC.
¹ Joint Stock Company PRORYV, Moscow
² A. Tsyb MRRC, Obninsk

Abstract

The Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Russian Federation, approved by the President of the Russian Federation, indicate that the goal of state policy in this area is to ensure the protection of the population, considering modern requirements. The IAEA Fundamental Safety Principles emphasize the need to protect both current and future generations from radiation risks. The achievement of these safety goals is ensured by the development in Russia of new nuclear energy system based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle (CNFC) and fast neutron reactors (FNR). One of the objects of the new nuclear energy system is the Experimental Demonstration Energy Complex (EDEC) consisting of the BREST-OD-300 FNR, a reprocessing module and a fuel fabrication/refabrication module, located on the territory of JSC «SHK» in the Tomsk region. This article provides assessments of radiation carcinogenic risks for the population living in the 30-km zone of JSC «SHK» under normal operating conditions and for workers after potential emergency situations at EDEC facilities. The conditions for ensuring the protection of future generations of people are also justified. Radiation risk assessments are obtained directly from the dynamics of equivalent doses in human organs and tissues and modern risk models recommended by ICRP Publication 103. The predicted values of the risks of radiation carcinogenesis for the population and personnel are significantly lower than the current limits of NRB-99/2009 for both normal operation and potential exposure during accidents. It has been shown that transmutation of minor actinides during the development of CNFC based on FNR ensures the safety of future generations of people: it reduces the carcinogenic risk of americium by 213 times, neptunium by 101 times, and curium by 47 times. The effect of radiological equivalence of radioactive waste and natural uranium raw materials is achieved after 99 years of radioactive waste storage. Thus, the priority direction for the development of new nuclear power is the energy sector of the CNFC based on the FNR.

Key words
nuclear and radiation safety, carcinogenic risks of present and future generations, radiation safety standards, radiological equivalence, public health, radiobiology.

References

1. Fundamentals of state policy in the field of ensuring nuclear and radiation safety of the Russian Federation for the period until 2025 and beyond. Approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of October 13, 2018 No. 585. Available at: http://pravo.gov.ru/proxy/ips/?docbody=&firstDoc =1&lastDoc=1&nd=102483840 (Accessed 10.04.2024). (In Russian).

2. Fundamental safety principles. Safety fundamentals. IAEA safety standards series No. SF-1. Vienna, IAEA, 2007. 23 p. (In Russian).

3. Malignant neoplasms in Russia in 2022 (morbidity and mortality). Eds.: A.D. Kaprin, V.V. Starinsky, A.O. Shakhzadova, I.V. Lisichnikova. Moscow, P.A. Herzen MNIOI, 2023. 275 p. (In Russian).

4. ICRP, 2007. The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann. ICRP, 2007, vol. 37, no. 2-4, pp. 1-332.

5. Preston D.L., Ron E., Tokuoka S., Funamoto S., Nishi N., Soda M., Mabuchi K., Kodama K. Solid cancer incidence in atomic bomb survivors: 1958-1998. Radiat. Res., 2007, vol. 168, no. 1, pp. 1-64.

6. Preston D.L., Kusumi S., Tomonaga M., Izumi S., Ron E., Kuramoto A., Kamada N., Dohy H., Matsui T., Nonaka H., Thompson D.E., Soda M., Mabuchi K. Cancer incidence in atomic bomb survivors: III. Leukae-mia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, 1950-1987. Radiat. Res., 1994, vol. 137 (Suppl. 2), pp. S68-S97.

7. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. UNSCEAR 2006 Report Vol. I, Annex A: Epidemiological studies of radiation and cancer. New York, United Nation, 2008.

8. Menyajlo A.N., Chekin S.Yu., Lovachev S.S., Tumanov K.A., Korelo A.M., Ivanov V.K. Software module for radiological protection of the public. Radiatsiya i risk – Radiation and Risk, 2020, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 32-48. (In Russian).

9. Radiation Safety Standards (RSS-99/2009). Sanitary-epidemiological rules and standards. SanPin 2.6.1.2523-09. Moscow, Federal Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, 2009. 100 p. (In Russian).

10. Krechetnikov V.V., Titov I.E., Karpenko E.I., Solomatin V.M. Creation of a digital twin to assess the current radioecological situation in the 30-km zone in the area where the ODEK is located. Radiatsiya i risk – Radiation and Risk, 2021, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 68-79. (In Russian).

11. Energy strategy of the Russian Federation for the period until 2035. Approved by order of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 9, 2020 № 1523-р. Available at: http://static.government.ru/me-dia/files/w4sigFOiDjGVDYT4IgsApssm6mZRb7wx.pdf (Accessed 10.04.2024). (In Russian).

12. Nuclear power white paper. Closed nuclear fuel cycle with fast reactors. Ed.: E.O. Adamov. Moscow, NIKIET, 2020. 496 p. (In Russian).

13. New generation nuclear power: radiological viability and environmental benefits. Eds.: V.K. Ivanov, E.O. Adamov. Moscow, Pero, 2019. 379 p. (In Russian).

14. Radiological safety of the public in two-component nuclear power engineering. Ed.: V.K. Ivanov. Obninsk, 2023. 256 p. (In Russian).

15. Waste from innovative types of reactors and fuel cycles: a preliminary study. IAEA nuclear energy series No. NW-T-1.7. Vienna, IAEA, 2019. 117 p.

Full-text article (in Russian)