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BIOPROTA: international collaboration in biosphere research for radioactive waste disposal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

K. Smith ,
G. M. Smith  and
S. Norris
K. Smith*
Affiliation:
Eden Nuclear and Environment Ltd, Eden Conference Barn, Low Moor, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1XQ, UK
G. M. Smith
Affiliation:
GMS Abingdon Ltd, Tamarisk, Radley Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3PP, UK
S. Norris
Affiliation:
Radioactive Waste Management Directorate, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RH, UK
*
*E-mail: ks@eden-ne.co.uk
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Abstract

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Consideration of the biosphere is important in the post-closure safety assessment of a geological disposal facility (GDF) as the biosphere acts as the receptor for any contaminants that may be released from the geosphere. Considerable uncertainty exists in the characteristics of the biosphere at times in the far future when any contaminant releases from a GDF would reach the accessible environment. These uncertainties include human behaviour, affecting environmental change as well as exposure modes.

A number of critical scientific issues have been identified through the practical application of the International Atomic Energy Agency reference biosphere approach within both site generic and site specific repository assessment projects. These issues are being addressed through an international collaboration programme, BIOPROTA. The purpose of this paper is to describe the BIOPROTA programme, its objectives and typical working method. The approach is illustrated with examples from the recent work programme including model intercomparison studies for the radionuclides 36Cl and 79Se.

Keywords

biosphere researchgeosphere-biosphere interfacedose assessment modelswaste disposal
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 76 , Issue 8 , December 2012 , pp. 3233 - 3240
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
© [2012] The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2012

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