Modeling of 210Pb and 210Po radionuclide emissions from local power plants in central Poland

Abstract

Due to the more volatile nature of ²¹⁰Po in relation to ²¹⁰Pb, an imbalance of activity concentrations in high temperature combustion processes can be observed, especially in fine particulates (diameter < 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 μm). In the atmosphere and in the soil around coal-fired power plants, ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po concentrations are a combination of activities from natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study only portions of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb radionuclides resulting from energy production activities were analyzed. Due to the high mobility of fine particles, a surface area of 172 km × 140 km in central Poland was chosen for simulation. For validation of the modeling approach, three grid versions were applied: 1 km, 2 km and 4 km. Simulated results confirmed experimental–computational values of an excess of both radionuclides in the atmosphere in 2017 in the city of Lodz. Different aerosol fractions, seasons and various grids in the selected area were subjected to 36 individual simulations. The ²¹⁰Po activity concentrations measured in winter and summer 2017 were 42.5 and 8.99 μBq m⁻³, respectively. Simulated and measured values of artificial ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb activities are well correlated.