RADIATION & RISK
Bulletin of the National Radiation and Epidemiological Registry
since 1992
About the Journal : 2025 : vol. 34, No. 4 : The potential danger of radioactive waste from deep burial for future generations after reaching the surface of the earth. The role of the radiation-equivalent principle of nuclear fuel cycle waste disposal

The potential danger of radioactive waste from deep burial for future generations after reaching the surface of the earth. The role of the radiation-equivalent principle of nuclear fuel cycle waste disposal

«Radiation and Risk», 2025, vol. 34, No. 4, pp.5-17

DOI: 10.21870/0131-3878-2025-34-4-5-17

Authors

Spirin E.V. – Chief Researcher of Dep. of the Chief Radioecologist, Project “Proryv”, D. Sc., Biol.
Solomatin V.M. – Head of Dep. of the Chief Radioecologist, Project “Proryv”, C. Sc., Biol. JSC “Proryv”. Contacts: 4 Korolyov str., Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249035. Tel.: +7(484) 399-32-81; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Menyajlo A.N. – Lead. Researcher, C. Sc., Biol.
Ivanov V.K. – Scientific Advisor of NRER, Chief Radioecologist of Project “Proryv”, Chairman of RSCRP, Corresponding Member of RAS, D. Sc., Tech., Prof. A. Tsyb MRRC.
1 Joint Stock Company “Proryv”, Moscow
2 A. Tsyb MRRC, Obninsk

Abstract

An assessment of the expected effective dose (EED) and carcinogenic risks from the consumption of well water over the radioactive waste repository when radionuclides enter the environment has been carried out. Screening calculations using a simplified model of convective motion of radionuclides with pore water have shown, that when reprocessing spent nuclear fuel on the principle of radiation equivalence with uranium raw materials, the EED at the time of radionuclide release to the Earth's surface is 100 times less than when separating only fissile materials from spent nuclear fuel. 99Tc and 237Np form more than 90% of the dose in all cases with and without spent nuclear fuel processing. 129I and 79Se contribute less to the dose. The main contribution to the dose from the decay products of actinides is 237Np, which is formed during the decay of 241Am and 241Pu. The variability of dose and risk reaches three orders of magnitude, depending on the distribution coefficients between the solid and liquid phases of radionuclides. The purification of radioactive waste from separate fractions of minor actinides and fission products, as well as the geochemical properties of the rock, most significantly affect the value of EED.

Key words
expected effective dose, radioactive waste, underground repository, radiation equivalence, migration with water, distribution coefficient, rock, environmental health, public health.

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Full-text article (in Russian)