Use of the Coplex ecological information systems in assessment of environmental impact

The ISTC no. 245 complex ecological project entitled 'The development of a sophisticated computer based data system for evaluation or the radiation legacy of the former USSR and setting priorities on remediation policy and prevention of radiation contamination of the biosphere' RADLEG (with All- Russia Research Institute of Chemical Technology VNIICHT of the Minatom of Russia as the leading and coordinating organization) was carried out in the time period of 1995-2002 by a large collective body of scientists and engineers of the Ministry on Atomic Energy of Russia, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Research Center 'Kurchatov Institute' Ministry of Defense of Russia, Medbioextrem Federal Authority of the Ministry of Health Care of Russia and their subordinated research institutions with financial support of the European Union and Sweden. The detailed systems analysis of the FSU radiation legacy, the assessment of environmental consequences of the Soviet nuclear complex functioning made it possible to integrate various technical and environmental data and to create the RADLEG data system, including a public accessible database on radiation legacies of the Russian Federation, the CIS and Baltia states with user interface both in Russian and in English, geo-referenced information systems and cadastres. On the basis of a wide international discussion, the following general approach to radiation legacies' management has been outlined: description of radiation sources, pathways to man and the threats ranking, environmental and human health impact, countermeasures and decision-making. In the time period from 2002 to 2005 a complex RADLEG-RADINFO data system on the FSU states' radiation legacies will be created, including a meta-database, regional and local ecological and radioecological cadastres and geo-information systems. The meta-database will contain information, concerning local databases formed on the basis of processing of the project-related archive data collected in CIS institutions associated. The RADLEG-RADINFO data system is intended to be used also for comparative study of environmental contamination caused by emissions of nuclear and thermal power plants of the Minatom of Russia. Emissions of chemical substances from thermal power plants made more than 70% of all atmospheric emissions from stationary sources of all enterprises of the former Minatomenergoprom of the USSR. Therefore, it is now of interest to consider the extent of environmental contamination due to emissions of thermal power plants and boiler-houses, which provide power supply to enterprises of the Ministry on Atomic Energy of Russia. Influence of a nuclear power plant (NPP) at normal operation on radioactive air pollution is known to be rather small in comparison with natural radioactivity of the atmosphere. The presence of only trace quantities of airborne man-made radionuclides from NPPs has been detected. As to chemical pollution of aqueous ecosystems, the impact of nuclear and natural gas fueled power plants is shown to be much weaker as compared to coal and black oil fueled ones. Water discharges of nuclear power plants practically do not render any significant effect on water biota. As a whole, long-term operating experience of objects of nuclear power shows, that in a normal operation mode radioactive pollution in areas around nuclear power plants is insignificant in comparison with the natural background and makes no essential contribution to the population and natural biota radiation exposure. (author)