Radionuclide transport in shallow groundwater

Abstract Radioactive waste management is a strategic activity that is adopted in the nuclear field to safeguard the operating staff, the population and the environment from radiological risks. Studies that support the environmental assessment of a nuclear site offer insight into the understanding of the transport of radionuclides in environmental matrices (e.g. soil, groundwater, surface water, etc.). These studies, that involve the migration of a radiological source in the environment, are conducted to identify how to approach the safety assessment of current or future nuclear facilities. This work analyzes the source term as the key point in the modeling of the transport of radionuclides in groundwater and soil. A methodological approach, which focuses on the dynamic of the source term in space and time, was applied to model the transport of radionuclides. This approach can be used to plan reliable environmental monitoring networks. The analysis was performed at the nuclear site of Saluggia, Vercelli (Italy).