4.3 Nuclear Power Installations
The other danger for the Arctic environment is connected to potential accidents in
nuclear power plants and installations, decommissioning and refueling of nuclear
power vessels. Until now several accidents has happened with nuclear powered
submarines e.g. Kursk however their impact to the environment was negligible
(Amundsen et al. 2002; Matishov et al. 2002). The possible accident with a nuclear
fuel leakage to marine environment is possible and in consequence the radionuclides levels in organisms near the accident location may exceed recommended
levels (Iosjpe et al. 2011).
The Russian Federation had recently increased the number of nuclear powered
vessels and installation in the Arctic. Particularly, the development of floating
nuclear power plants (FNPPs) off-shore Siberia is believed to pose a potential
danger to the environment (Kuznetsov et al. 2004). The risk of leakage of radioactive materials, explosion or terrorist attack would be greatly increased when the
FNPPs system project is completed (one FNPP “Akademik Lomonosov” is already
launched, several are planned to be finished by the end of this decade).
4.4 Re-introduction of Deposited Contaminants
Several activities performed by humans may disrupt the marine sediments and
induce the re-mobilisation of contaminants archived in deep sediment layers. The
increase of bottom fishery using trawling techniques may disrupt large areas the
Arctic Sea bottom. The deep mixing of shelf sediments may be also induced by
underwater constructions e.g. oil exploitation platforms, submarines or floating
nuclear power plants. The contaminants re-introduction may be also caused by
biological activity (bioturbation) (Thibodeaux and Bierman 2003). Thus, the
increase of benthic fauna biomass caused by less demanding environmental conditions may increase the chemicals release.
5 Summary
Global changes such as temperature rise, air and water circulation patterns or
precipitation patterns changes, will have direct and indirect influence on contaminants distribution in the Arctic. Contaminants long range transport, emissions and
sinks, persistence and degradation processes and speciation will be definitely
modified. The fate of contaminants, their accumulation in organisms and toxicology
will undergo changes together with marine food web structure or animal migration
habits. The large risk of new contamination of the Arctic environment is also
connected to increase of human activity in the Arctic.
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A. Pouch and A. Zaborska
The other danger for the Arctic environment is connected to potential accidents in
nuclear power plants and installations, decommissioning and refueling of nuclear
power vessels. Until now several accidents has happened with nuclear powered
submarines e.g. Kursk however their impact to the environment was negligible
(Amundsen et al. 2002; Matishov et al. 2002). The possible accident with a nuclear
fuel leakage to marine environment is possible and in consequence the radionuclides levels in organisms near the accident location may exceed recommended
levels (Iosjpe et al. 2011).
The Russian Federation had recently increased the number of nuclear powered
vessels and installation in the Arctic. Particularly, the development of floating
nuclear power plants (FNPPs) off-shore Siberia is believed to pose a potential
danger to the environment (Kuznetsov et al. 2004). The risk of leakage of radioactive materials, explosion or terrorist attack would be greatly increased when the
FNPPs system project is completed (one FNPP “Akademik Lomonosov” is already
launched, several are planned to be finished by the end of this decade).
4.4 Re-introduction of Deposited Contaminants
Several activities performed by humans may disrupt the marine sediments and
induce the re-mobilisation of contaminants archived in deep sediment layers. The
increase of bottom fishery using trawling techniques may disrupt large areas the
Arctic Sea bottom. The deep mixing of shelf sediments may be also induced by
underwater constructions e.g. oil exploitation platforms, submarines or floating
nuclear power plants. The contaminants re-introduction may be also caused by
biological activity (bioturbation) (Thibodeaux and Bierman 2003). Thus, the
increase of benthic fauna biomass caused by less demanding environmental conditions may increase the chemicals release.
5 Summary
Global changes such as temperature rise, air and water circulation patterns or
precipitation patterns changes, will have direct and indirect influence on contaminants distribution in the Arctic. Contaminants long range transport, emissions and
sinks, persistence and degradation processes and speciation will be definitely
modified. The fate of contaminants, their accumulation in organisms and toxicology
will undergo changes together with marine food web structure or animal migration
habits. The large risk of new contamination of the Arctic environment is also
connected to increase of human activity in the Arctic.
86
A. Pouch and A. Zaborska