L'impact des rejets de la Centrale nucléaire de Tihange (Belgique) sur l' écosystème Meuse: Études in situ et recherches expérimentales durant la période 1981-1984. Contrat B10-B-330-81-B avec la Commission des Communautés européennes, BLG 573
Kirchmann, R.; Lambinon, J.; Maisin, J.; Micha, J.-C.; Myttenaere, C.; Sironval, C. (1985). L'impact des rejets de la Centrale nucléaire de Tihange (Belgique) sur l' écosystème Meuse: Études in situ et recherches expérimentales durant la période 1981-1984. Contrat B10-B-330-81-B avec la Commission des Communautés européennes, BLG 573. Imprimerie Coopérative: Huy. 48 pp.
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| Authors | | Top |
- Kirchmann, R.
- Lambinon, J., more
- Maisin, J.
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- Micha, J.-C., more
- Myttenaere, C.
- Sironval, C.
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| Abstract |
This multidisciplinary study constitutes an extension of the research conducted since 1976 on the impact on the Meuse river of the liquid releases from the PWR-type nuclear power plant built at Tihange (cfr. BLG 555), the perspective of this work being its use as a model for the running waters of other regions having similar characteristics. The part of the in situ studies described here deals with the physico-chemistry of the waters, the algal flora, the macroinvertebrates and the fishes. The phytoplankton, major element of the ecosystem, is particularly stressed as well as the growth and the breeding of some species of the fauna. The modifications of the aquatic biocenosis shown are mainly quantitative (modifications of populations of species and in some cases of their biomass) and functional. Furthermore, it is accentuated that the estimation of the impact of the thermal and chemical releases from the nuclear power plant must be considered in the general ecological context of the industrial and urban pollution of the region under consideration. As far as the radioactive releases are concerned, their impact has noticeably decreased and the releases from the nuclear power plant at Tihange have only little effect on the invertebrates and the fishes used as radiocontamination tracers. The experimental aspect of the research has been extended. In particular, the interest of the alga Scenedesmus acutus as laboratory material for the fixation of radionuclides from releases has been confirmed. Works on the kinetics of transfer of some radionuclides have been continued. An experimental process has shown that some tritiated molecules, a fraction of which being biologically available, may arise from lixiviate of resins, irradiated in the core of a nuclear reactor, in the presence of tritiated water. Finally, in view of obtaining a better understanding of the effect of the chlorine and of the thermal releases, the laboratory study of the photosynthetic activity of planktonic algae has been initiated and the lethal temperature for some species of macroinvertebrates has been determined |
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