Model assessment of additional contamination of water bodies as a result of wildfires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone
Abstract
Forest fires and wild fires are recognized as a possible cause of resuspension and redistribution of radioactive substances when occurring on lands contaminated with such materials, and as such are a matter of concern within the regions of Belarus and the Ukraine which were contaminated by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Modelling the effects of such fires on radioactive contaminants is a complex matter given the number of variables involved. In this paper, a probabilistic model was developed using empirical data drawn from the Polessie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve (PSRER), Belarus, and the Maximum Entropy Method. Using the model, it was possible to derive estimates of the contribution of fire events to overall variability in the levels of (137)Cs and (239,240)Pu in ground air as well as estimates of the deposition of these radionuclides to specific water bodies within the contaminated areas of Belarus. Results indicate that fire events are potentially significant redistributors of radioactive contaminants within the study area and may result in additional contamination being introduced to water bodies.
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Radionuclides have been remobilized by wildfire in locations characterized by elevated background radiation, such as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and watersheds in proximity to Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
“Finally, radionuclides have been remobilized by wildfire in locations characterized by elevated background radiation, such as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and watersheds in proximity to Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.”
From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Bondar et al., 2014
In years with greater number of wildfires, fallout of 137cesium and 239, 240plutonium to the water surface increased, suggesting that radionuclides were being introduced to water bodies from the wildfire events.
“In years with greater number of wildfires, fallout of 137cesium and 239, 240plutonium to the water surface increased, suggesting that radionuclides were being introduced to water bodies from the wildfire events.”
From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Bondar et al., 2014
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Paul, M. J., LeDuc, S. D., Lassiter, M. G., Moorhead, L. C., Noyes, P. D., & Leibowitz, S. G. (2022) · Water Resources Research · doi:10.1029/2021wr030699 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
“Bondar et al. (2014) applied an empirical model to assess the contribution of wildfire activity to radionuclide contamination of two water bodies in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.”
- Authors
- Bondar, Y. I., Navumau, A. D., Nikitin, A. N., Brown, J., & Dowdall, M.
- Affiliations
- National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (BY)
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Dowdall, M.
- Venue
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-12
- Volume
- 138
- Pages
- 170-176
- ISSN
- 0265-931X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2012067410
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BLR-11-004)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Radiological and Ultrasound Technology › Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
- Keywords
- forest fires, Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, radioactive contamination, cesium-137, plutonium-239,240, probabilistic models, maximum entropy method, radionuclide deposition, water pollution, Belarus
- MeSH terms
- Air Pollutants, Radioactive, Republic of Belarus, Cesium, Cesium Radioisotopes, Fires, Models, Theoretical, Plutonium, Radiation Monitoring, Water Pollutants, Radioactive, Models, Statistical, Chernobyl Nuclear Accident
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