Update and improvement of the global krypton-85 emission inventory

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity 2013-01, Vol.115, p.34-42
• Main Authors: Ahlswede, Jochen, Hebel, Simon, Ross, J. Ole, Schoetter, Robert, Kalinowski, Martin B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Applied sciences; Characteristics; chopping; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Emission; Emission inventory; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; fuels; information sources; inventories; Isotope production; isotopes; Krypton Radioisotopes - analysis; Krypton-85; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear fuel reprocessing; Nuclear Power Plants; Nuclear Weapons; plutonium; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Radioactive Hazard Release; Radioactive wastes; uranium; Wastes
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2012.07.006

Krypton-85 is mainly produced in nuclear reactors by fission of uranium and plutonium and released during chopping and dissolution of spent fuel rods in nuclear reprocessing facilities. As noble gas it is suited as a passive tracer for evaluation of atmospheric transport models. Furthermore, research is ongoing to assess its quality as an indicator for clandestine reprocessing activities. This paper continues previous efforts to compile a comprehensive historic emission inventory for krypton-85. Reprocessing facilities are the by far largest emitters of krypton-85. Information on sources and calculations used to derive the annual krypton-85 emission is provided for all known reprocessing facilities in the world. In addition, the emission characteristics of two plants, Tokai (Japan) and La Hague (France), are analysed in detail using emission data with high temporal resolution. Other types of krypton-85 sources are power reactors, naval reactors and isotope production facilities. These sources contribute only little or negligible amounts of krypton-85 compared to the large reprocessing facilities. Taking the decay of krypton-85 into account, the global atmospheric inventory is estimated to about 5500 PBq at the end of 2009. The correctness if the inventory has been proven by meteorological simulations and its error is assumed to be in the range of a few percent. ► Krypton-85 is mainly produced in nuclear reactors and released during reprocessing. ► Krypten-85 can be possibly used as an indicator for clandestine reprocessing. ► This work provides an up-to-date global krypton-85 emission inventory. ► The inventory includes emissions from all possible artificial sources.