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

Abstract The dissolution of aerosol particles, carrier of 137 Cs and 60 Co, 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 60 Co and 137 Cs 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 60 Co attached to aerosol particles and compared with experimental data.