Radiological Aspects of Sea Bed Dumping in the Deep Oceans

摘要

In order to control coastal discharges or ocean dumping of any kind of material, it is necessary to determine a release rate. This can only come from a knowledge of the composition and chemical form of the source materials, the distribution and bioavailability of these materials in the ocean ecosystem, the degree and rates of bioaccumulation and the actual or potential use of the ocean resources. With this information release rates within acceptable limits for man and the ecosystem can then be determined. Today, probably the only situations which apply this approach are the controlled disposal of radioactive wastes. In this paper a recent radiological assessment of the dumping of packaged radioactive wastes on the seabed is discussed and some environmental aspects of the United States Department of Energy program are described examining the feasibility of the emplacement of contained radioactive wastes within the deep ocean sediments. (ERA citation 05:020176)