Session: 05-05: Radiation Science and Nuclear Materials

Paper Number: 132278

132278 - Model Development and Behavioral Characteristics of Radionuclides in Oceanic Biota 

Abstract: 

   

    One of the serious impacts on the environment and human health is the proper evaluation of radioactivity from elevated naturally occurring isotopes or those from industrial activities. Radionuclides produced from nuclear explosions and nuclear facilities when released into the environment may reach the human body through which radionuclides can enter the human body through the food pathways. Radionuclides discharged into surface waters are subject to a series of physical and chemical processes that affect their transport from the source point. These processes include flow processes, such as downcurrent transport (advection) and mixing processes (turbulent dispersion). Sediment processes, such as adsorption/desorption on suspended, shore/beach, and bottom sediments, and down-current transport, deposition, and resuspension of sediment, which adsorb radionuclides; Other processes, including radionuclide decay and other mechanisms that will reduce concentrations in water, such as radionuclide volatilization (if any). The processes are, in general, three-dimensional and transient in nature. However, a generic assessment of annual average radionuclide concentrations from routine discharges can be made on the assumption that a number of processes are at a steady state.

    Radionuclides released into the environment can enter the human food chain posing a potential hazard to health. The estimation of radionuclide transfers from the atmosphere to waterbodies and subsequently from oceanic to aquatic animals is therefore an important aspect of any overall radiological assessment model. Conception of ecosystem changes of radionuclides is important to ensure the productive management for food safety. The Fukushima nuclear accident which happened in recent years’ released a massive concentration of radiocesium into the ocean and subsequent water bodies across Japan. In this study, our main mandate is to study the behavior of some radionuclides (Cesium(CS) 137, Strontium(Sr) 90, Carbon(C) 14 and Tritium(H3) their decay characteristics and the transfer medium in Pisceverous Fish species, Benthnic Fish species and Forage Fish and the Pacific Ocean; understanding the decay mode, and transfer model is the driving force of development systematic policy models for nuclear emergency. The oceanic study concentration in some sea mammals and herbivores was developed using the exponential double dynamic model.

The results indicate Pisceverous fish species such as octopus and squid are predicted to have a higher concentration at the onset of an emergency. On the Allometric scale a predicted concentration of 0.766 of radioisotope concentration in an oyster fish. The southern belt oysters are observed to contain a higher sediment property, thus the susceptibility of concentration in this fish species is higher than its normal level.

Presenting Author: Priscilla Obeng Oforiwaa Tsinghua University, Beijing

Presenting Author Biography: Dr Priscilla Obeng Oforiwaa is a postdoc research fellow at the Tsinghua University Hefei Institute of Public Safety and Research. Research focuses on Nuclear Safety and emergency for radionuclide concentration in food.

Authors:

Priscilla Obeng Oforiwaa Tsinghua University, Beijing
Xiaole Zhang Tsinghua University
Guofeng Su Tsinghua University