Modification of the dynamic radionuclide uptake model BURN by salinity driven transfer parameters for the marine foodweb and its integration in POSEIDON-R

¹ Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), PO Box 9034, 6800 ES Arnhem, The Netherlands
² Ukrainian Center of Environmental and Water Projects, Prospect Glushkova 42, 03187 Kiev, Ukraine

Abstract

This work is based on the describing a new approach in estimation of Concentration Factor (CF) for marine organisms radionuclides uptake. We considered the dependence of CF from the water salinity (determining the K⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions). The radionuclide uptake by the marine biota of Dnieper-Bug Estuary using the numerical compartment-model POSEIDON-R with latest modifications was applied. The levels of radionuclides in the different marine organisms, representing the various types of marine organisms in the different trophic levels of the foodweb, were calculated. The uptake model takes into account both the uptake of radionuclides via food consumption, by describing the predator-prey relations, and the direct uptake of radionuclides from the water via the gills. The influence of the K⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions, competitive ions against ¹³⁷Cs⁺, ⁹⁰Sr²⁺ ions respectively, on the uptake rate was investigated.