The solubility of the aerosol, 137Cs and 60Co carrier, in the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant region

The dissolution of aerosol particles, carrier of Cs-137 and Co-60, sampled on filters is studied by means of a leaching test with distilled water. Samples were collected from the ventilation stack of the operating Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) reactor, the shut down reactor and in the ground-level air. The insolubility in water of radionuclides attached to aerosol particles sampled on filters, collected in the operating Unit 2 reactor effluents, is clearly lower than the insolubility in water of radionuclides attached to aerosol particles sampled on filters, collected in the ground-level air. The mean rate of the change in the insolubility in water of Co-60 and Cs-137 attached to aerosol particles, released from the Ignalina NPP and registered at a 3.5 km distance from the NPP, is estimated. The radionuclide activity concentration distribution in the ground-level air is calculated in respect of the insolubility in water of Co-60 attached to aerosol particles and compared with experimental data. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.