| Abstract [eng] |
Two nuclear waste disposal sites (Maišiagala radioactive waste storage facility site and Stabatiškė near surface repository site) were compared in terms of the contaminant movement through the unsaturated zone. Extensive data sets of the hydraulic properties, water content and isotope composition have been collected and summarized. Distribution features of globally widespread radionuclide tritium and the water molecule tracer isotopes in precipitation, unsaturated zone soil moisture profiles and groundwater were determined. Stable isotopes seasonal variation occurring in precipitation almost disappears in the unsaturated zone soil moisture and especially in shallow groundwater, but in both sites slight seasonal peak traces remain, which at the Maišiagala site are a bit more contrasting in comparison with the Stabatiškė site. Both sites were modelled by using unsaturated flow and transport models. Six scenarios have been developed to simulate the water and solute movement under low, moderate, and high water input, and instantaneous and continuous solute input conditions. In order to validate the representativeness of the hydraulic parameters, the model has been used to estimate the tritium distribution in the unsaturated zone, which properly represents the dynamics of the unsaturated zone. The uniformity of the daily input in each month should be kept in mind in the evaluation of the smooth changes of the tritium profile and water budget elements. |
