Special features of 60Co migration in a water-bearing layer

The consequences of an incident, involving a leak of liquid radioactive wastes into ground water, at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in 1985 are examined. The 60Co distribution in a water-bearing layer is formed with the migration of a cobalt ion which is not sorbed and which with time transforms into a cation which is sorbed. The characteristic transformation time is several years. The parameters describing these processes for the conditions of a nuclear power plant and used for calculating 60Co migration to the Don are presented. The processes resulting in the transformation of cobalt ions in bottom deposits and wells are also investigated.