Problems of solid radioactive waste management on the example of the radioactive isotope 14C

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Abstract

The management of irradiated graphite waste continues to attract the attention of specialists from a number of related industries, in connection with the technical and economic component, along with the fact that solid radioactive waste entering the environment in the process of disposal acquires biogenic character. The environmental safety of solid radioactive waste management is associated with the possibility of biologically significant 14C to enter the human body.

Resulting from the development of the nuclear industry, 14C has become one of the causes of global and local pollution.  The consequences of thermonuclear explosions, operation of nuclear power plants, as well as nuclear fuel cycle enterprises, isotope production for the production of drugs labeled with 14C, research institutions are considered as sources of 14C.

The world output of accumulated reactor graphite is estimated at 250,000 tons. In the Russian Federation, the total volume is approximately 60,000 tons of graphite. The share of accumulated irradiated graphite in Russia comprises 24% of the total volume of accumulated graphite.

Having studied and analyzed the statistical data of scientific research, using the methods of generalized data processing, systematization and comparative analysis, we have taken the liberty to make a general conclusion about modern approaches and the relevance of solving the problem of SRW management on the example of the 14C radioactive isotope.

About the authors

Vladimir V. Perelygin

Saint Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University

Email: vladimir.pereligin@pharminnotech.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0999-5644
SPIN-code: 3128-7451
Scopus Author ID: 13105602000
ResearcherId: AAV-6556-2020

Doctor of Medicine (MD), Professor, Head of the Industrial Ecology Department

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Peter K. Kotenko

Institute of additional professional education «Extreme medicine», Nikiforov Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine of EMERCOM of Russia

Email: mil.med.kot@gmail.com

Doctor of Medicine (MD), Professor, Head of the Department of Life Safety, Extreme and Radiation Medicine

Russian Federation, Санкт-Петербург

Alexandra G. Podboronova

Saint Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University; V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute

Email: podboronova.aleksandra@pharminnotech.com

Master Student, Engineer of the 2nd category, Laboratory of Complex Technologies for the Separation of Isotopes and Fission Products

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Mikhail V. Zharikov

Saint Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: zharikov.mihail@pharminnotech.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0720-501X
SPIN-code: 7818-7228
ResearcherId: AAS-9156-2021

Master Student

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Lyudmila V. Sklyarova

Saint Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University

Email: sklyarova.lyudmila@spcpu.ru

Master Student

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. The share of Russia and foreign countries in the world accumulated irradiated graphite output

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3. Fig. 2. Carbon-14 decay curve

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4. Fig. 3. Formation of radiocarbon and its distribution in the environment

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Copyright (c) 2021 Perelygin V.V., Kotenko P.K., Podboronova A.G., zharikov M., Sklyarova L.V.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
 


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