| NUKLEONIKA 2011, 56(4):343-348
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS
OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY UPON GROUNDWATERS
Alvydas Zagorskis, Vilma Verikaite
Department of Environmental Protection, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University,
11 Sauletekio Ave., LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
The study was performed in Maišiagala radioactive waste repository where tritium (3H) spreading into
the environment via groundwaters and the resulting pollution caused a major problem. To solve the pollution problem the repository underwent an upgrade in 2006. In the article studies of volume activity of 3H in the groundwater performed in March and October 2009 are presented. The obtained results are compared to the outcome of the research performed in the repository the previous year, i.e. before upgrading. Both in March and October 2009 borehole 4 happened to be dry, which prevented a direct comparison between the measured tritium volumetric activity in the respective borehole water and the values measured earlier. In 2005, prior to upgrading, the highest value of two measurements performed the same year for 3H volumetric activity in boreholes 4.1 and 4.2 were determined as 650 ± Bq·l–1 and 1570 ± Bq·l–1, respectively. The volumetric activity of 3H in borehole 4.1 established by experimental studies in March was equal to 154.9 ± 4.5 Bq·l–1, which is 17 times greater the value measured in the same borehole in October. The measured 3H volumetric activity in borehole 4.2 decreased from March to October 11 times, namely from 58.6 ± 3.2 Bq·l–1 down to 5.0 ± 2.3 Bq·l–1. Such a striking change might be attributed to a significant reduction of tritium leak to groundwaters.
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