Lunch Seminar "Modelling accumulation of radionuclides in terrestrial ecosystems originating from an eventual long-term groundwater contamination"

This study was conducted as part of the risk assessment of Swedish final deposits of nuclear fuel waste. We wanted to know: i) What proportion of the contamination accumulates in the case of a long-term groundwater contamination, ii) Where in the ecosystem accumulation takes place? and iii) Which soil, vegetation and radionuclides properties are most important for accumulation? To answer these questions, we developed the model Tracey. Tracey calculates the long-term fluxes of tracer elements in terrestrial ecosystems a function of daily weather. The model was applied to two forest ecosystems in Forsmark with contrasting hydrology, a Pine-Spruce forest of the up-hill areas and an Alder forest of the down-hill areas. We identified the vegetation, soil and radionuclides properties that are most important for accumulation.