Transport and Dispersion of Radioactive Contaminants in Air & Water

Dispersion and transportation of airborne and waterborne radio contaminants are of acute environmental and public health concern. Knowledge of processes controlling their travel is crucial for efficient monitoring, risk evaluation, and counter-measures. Physical and chemical procedures that affect radioactive particle and radionuclide dispersion in atmosphere and aquatic environment are the topic of this work. Applying computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Gaussian plume dispersion models, the study replicates the airborne transport of suspended pollutants in changing meteorological parameters such as wind speed, temperature gradients, and atmospheric stability. Hydrodynamic models are also used to replicate transport of radioactive contamination in water sources, taking turbulence, diffusion, and sediment interaction into consideration. The results characterize wind direction and air stability as of paramount importance to the horizontal and vertical air-borne pollutant dispersion and the water temperature stratification and water flow as significant to aquatic dispersion. Contrast with previous nuclear disasters illustrates the performance of predictive models in forecasting contamination spread. The research assists with the better appreciation of radioactive dispersion phenomena, pertinent to emergency preparedness, environment management, and regulation. Subsequent research will strive to enhance the accuracy of forecasting through real- time monitoring and advanced modeling.