The role of migration of radionuclides in decontamination of environment

Four main pathways of radionuclide migration are considered: removal of radioactivity by surface natural streams, removal by underground waters, resuspension and transport in the atmosphere, export with contaminated agricultural and other kinds of products. All these pathways can provide overall annual decrease of deposited long-lived radioactivity in no more than 0.2-0.3% in the first year and in an order of magnitude 0.1% in consequent years after an accidental contamination of the area. Comparing with the decay rate for 137Cs and 90Sr (about 2.3% per year) removal of radionuclides through geochemical and anthropogenic migration pathways does not provide any significant reduction in the activity of deposited radionuclides. That means that the pattern of deposition levels would be affected by only one factor-radioactive decay of deposited radionuclides