Investigation and Study on Environmental Radioactive Background in Xinchang and Jijicao Rock of Beishan Preselected Region for HLW Disposal Repository in China

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On the basis of field environmental investigation and monitoring, the environmental radioactivity background of Xinchang and Jijicao rock in Beishan preselected region has been preliminary investigated and studied, and the public dose from local natural background radiation is estimated which can provide basic data and information for environmental impact assessment and safety assessment of HLW(the high level radioactive waste) disposal repository in the future. From the result of investigation and study, the environmental radioactivity of Xinchang and Jijicao rock is generally within normal natural background. The effective dose to local resident from natural background radiation is 2.110 mSv/a by internal and external exposure.

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Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 726-731)

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869-876

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August 2013

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© 2013 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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[4] The analysis of soil sample The soil samples are collected at the same time with the measurement of gamma radiation dose rate and radon concentration in air. The analysis results of soil samples are shown in the table 4(totally 91 soil samples). Table 4 The analysis results of soil samples 238U (Bq/kg) 226Ra (Bq/kg) 232Th (Bq/kg) 40K (Bq/kg) 137Cs (Bq/kg) α (Bq/kg) β (Bq/kg) Ir IRa Xinchang and Jijicao rock mean 28.8 26.9 33.7 597.5 7.8 1023.9 678.5 0.3 0.2 range 8.44~51 10.7~48.2 14~76.1 250~1058 0.07~37.7 323~4455 254~1495 0.1~0.5 0.1~0.4 Soil in Jiuquan[[] X.Y. Ren, S.M. Bai, Q. Sun,etc.: Investigation of Natural Radionuclide Contents in Soil in Gansu Province, Natural Environmental Radioactivity Level in China (The Chinese National Environmental Protection Agency, China 1995). ] mean 80.0 25.4 35.7 429.2 range 20.1~200.0 14.4~46.1 16.4~70.3 115.5~711.8 Soil in Beishan[[] China Institute For Radiation Protection: The Summary Report of Radioactive Background Investigation in Beishan Preselected Region (Taiyuan, China 2006) ] mean 34.1 34.3 38.8 652.1 19.8 1255.5 861.4 range 19.3~76.4 20.2~76.8 16.2~64.9 496~861 4.58~49.7 641~3157 640~1130 From the analysis results of soil sample, the content of 238U,226Ra,232Th,40K are generally within normal environmental background in Jiuquan and Beishan. The external and internal exposure index of soil samples are all small which can meet the relevant requirements of the Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials(GB6566-2001),and the use of soil is unrestricted. The artificial radionuclide 137Cs with certain content is detected in all soil samples, and the total α and total β of some samples are slightly high due to there are activities of nuclear research and nuclear waste disposal near the study area.

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[5] The analysis of plant sample A total of 67 plant samples were collected in the environmental investigation, there were 15 kinds of plant, mainly including Nitraria Tangutorum, Zygophyllum, Ephedra, Branchy Tamarisk, Ammodendron and Achnatherum Splendens, etc. The analysis results of plant samples are shown in table 5. Table 5 The analysis results of plant samples Location 238U (Bq/kg) 226Ra (Bq/kg) 232Th (Bq/kg) 40K (Bq/kg) 137Cs (Bq/kg) α (Bq/kg) β (Bq/kg) Xinchang and jijicao rock mean 0.9 1.0 1.2 162.9 0.2 89.3 359.2 range 0.15~3.64 0.07~5 0.14~6.52 44.9~558 0.01~1.45 16.9~373 177~676 Soil in Jiuquan[13] mean 80.0 25.4 35.7 429.2 range 20.1~200.0 14.4~46.1 16.4~70.3 115.5~711.8 Soil in Beishan[14] mean 34.1 34.3 38.8 652.1 19.8 1255.5 861.4 range 19.3~76.4 20.2~76.8 16.2~64.9 496~861 4.58~49.7 641~3157 640~1130 Plant in Beishan[14] mean 130.1 0.4 8.4 136.2 range 26.8~243 0.086~1.43 0.7~35.7 37.2~238 From the analysis results of plant samples, the contents of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, total α and total β of plant samples are in the range of environmental background compared with the soil background level in Jiuquan and Beishan. A small amount of artificial radionuclide 137Cs is detected in plant samples, and the total α and total β are slightly higher in some samples due to there are activities of nuclear research and nuclear waste disposal near the study area.

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[6] The analysis of rock sample A total of 15 rock samples are collected from boreholes of BS15 ~ BS19 which were taken from three different depths (100m, 300m and 500m). The analysis results of rock samples are shown in Table 6. Table 6 The analysis results of rock samples Location 238U (Bq/kg) 226Ra (Bq/kg) 232Th (Bq/kg) 40K (Bq/kg) 137Cs (Bq/kg) Total α (Bq/kg) Total β (Bq/kg) External exposure index(Ir) Internal exposure index(IRa) Xinchang and jijicao rock Mean 50.3 50.9 120.1 911 0.11 1153.7 1389.9 0.8 0.3 Range 6.68~194 10.3~184 4.91~232 386~1936 0.07~0.27 78.8~2048 42.5~2465 0.2~1.5 0.1~0.9 Soil in Jiuquan[13] mean Range 80.0 25.4 35.7 429.2 20.1~200.0 14.4~46.1 16.4~70.3 115.5~711.8 Soil in Beishan[14] mean range 34.1 34.3 38.8 652.1 19.8 1255.5 861.4 19.3~76.4 20.2~76.8 16.2~64.9 496~861 4.58~49.7 641~3157 640~1130 From the analysis results of rock sample, the contents of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and total β in rock samples are higher than the soil background in Jiuquan and Beishan, and the content of 137Cs is very low. The contents of 238U, 232Th, 40K are within the normal range compared to their average content in the crust of the earth. Most of the external, internal exposure index of each sample are small, which can meet the requirement of Limit of Radionuclides in Building Materials(GB6566-2001), and the use of soil is unrestricted. The artificial radionuclides 137Cs is detected with trace amounts in rock samples, and total β is high in several samples which may be related to activities of nuclear research and nuclear waste disposal near the study area.

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[7] The analysis of water samples The analysis results of water samples are shown in table 7. Table 7 The analysis results of water samples Sequence number Results of analysis (mBq/L) Sampling location 238U 226Ra 232Th 40K 137Cs 90Sr Total α Total β 1 32.9 <9 0.024 533 5080 8820 Sishili well, well water 2 7.38 40 0.003 1674 1755 4680 Jinmiaogou mine, adit water 3 22.2 30 not detected 411 5360 3150 Jinmiaogou mine, adit water 4 79.1 10 not detected 283 1175 9450 Jiujing, well water 5 155 10 0.001 510 4902 7670 Yuanyanggou, well water 6 88.7 10 not detected 223 2859 6780 Xinchang, grove, well water 7 69.1 10 0.001 372 1819 4180 Xinchang, ravine, well water 8 96.1 20 not detected 561 1480 7990 Fluorite mine, well water 9 403 24.1 0.098 533 <4.0 30.4 1750 5920 Borehole BS05,291.29-301.45m 10 0.09 29.4 not detected 1674 <4.0 10.6 5920 1940 Borehole BS15,320.75-342.63m 11 0.272 54.3 not detected 411 <4.0 12.8 6040 1630 Borehole BS15,404.75-426.63m 12 0.968 117 not detected 283 <4.0 10 6090 2690 Borehole BS15,509.76-538.26m mean 79.6 30.9 0.025 622 <4.0 16.0 3685.8 5408.3 range 0.09~403 10~117 0.001~0.098 223~1674 <4.0 10~30.4 1175~6090 1630~9450 Jiuquan Well water[[] G.F. Zhao, Q. Sun, S.M. Bai,etc.: Investigation of Natural Radioactivity Level of Water in Gansu Province, Natural Environmental Radioactivity Level in China (The Chinese National Environmental Protection Agency, China 1995). ] range 24.8~111.9 19.9~52.8 0.29~0.45 82.4~779.8 Mean 68.3 36.4 0.37 131.1 Beishan well water[14] Range 3.4~12 12~67 330~2100 631~1340 mean 6.25 30.8 1056 942.8 The Table 7 shows that the contents of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 40K in well water are within the normal range of radioactive background. Except 40K and total β of Jinmiaogou coal mine, total α and β of Jinmiaogou gold mine in tunnel water, other radioactive indicators are in the normal range of the well water background. Except 232Th and total β, other radioactive indicators are high in borehole water which may be related to the relatively high radioactive content of granite and there are activities of nuclear research and nuclear waste disposal near the study area. The contents of total α and β of all water samples do not meet the requirements of Health Standards for Drinking Water (GB5749-2006) (total α<0.5Bq/L, total β<1Bq/L), so they can not be as drinking water. Dose estimation and evaluation Dose estimation models and related parameters used in dose estimation process are from the report of UNSCEAR and ICRP. Based on radioactive background investigation, the annual effective doses to the public caused by background radiation are preliminary estimated. External exposure mainly includes terrestrial γ radiation and cosmic rays. Internal exposure mainly includes: (1) Internal exposure by inhalation of radon and its daughters in the air; (2) Internal exposure by intake of natural radionuclides in food and water. According to the results of investigation, Xinchang and Jijicao rocks are sparsely populated, and only one family to the south of Xinchang rock. The radiation dose to herdsman from natural background is preliminary estimated.

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[1] External exposure dose According to measurement results of γ radiation dose rate, γ radiation dose rate of outdoor and indoor environment are respectively 112nGy/h and 119 n Gy/h in the study area. The total effective dose to herdsman by external exposure was 0.721 mSv/a, slightly less than the average annual effective dose(0.87mSv/a) by external exposure in Jiuquan[7].

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00638.s001

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[2] Internal exposure dose l The doses to the public caused by inhalation of radon According to the measurement results of radon concentration in the air and the average concentration of 222Rn of bungalow in Gansu province, the mean of radon concentration in the outdoor air is 6.1 Bq/m3 and the concentration of radon in indoor air is 33.3 Bq/m3. The occupancy factor of indoor and outdoor are 0.77 and 0.23 respectively[[] P.Y. Gao, Y.F. Tao, J.L. Huo, etc.: Chinese J. Radiological Medicine and Protection, Vol. 11(1)( 1991), pp.32-35

DOI: 10.1109/ifost.2007.4798552

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[3] The analysis of total dose The total effective dose to the public from the background radiation by internal exposure and external exposure is 2.074mSv/a which is obtained by the results of dose estimate of external exposure and internal exposure in Xinchang and Jijicao rock. It is lower than the effective dose (2.3mSv/a[19]) to the public by natural radiation in China. And the radiation dose to the public by natural background is mainly from the external exposure of γ radiation and internal exposure of radon inhalation. From the result of dose estimation, the study area belongs to the normal natural radioactive background region. Conclusions The environmental radioactivity background of Xinchang and Jijicao rock in Beishan preselected region has been preliminary investigated and evaluated, and the public dose from local natural background radiation is estimated in this paper which can provide basic data and information for siting of geological disposal, construction of underground research laboratory, environmental impact assessment and safety assessment of HLW disposal repository in the future. The investigation results of environmental radioactivity background of Xinchang and Jijicao rock show that the results of the field monitoring and radioactive analysis of samples are generally within normal environment background. The effective dose to local residents from natural background radiation is 2.074mSv/a by internal and external exposure which is less than the effective dose(2.3mSv/a) to the public in China . In conclusion, the results of investigation and evaluation show that the environmental radioactivity of Xinchang and Jijicao rock is generally within normal natural background. References

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