TABLE 1. Average activity (Bq) of the whole chains of natural radionuclides in the continental crust and soil, and total activity of wastes from nuclear power. After and .

K-40

Th-232

U-238

Total

Concentr. of parents in 1 g of soil

Number of radionuclides in chain

Content in crust (17.3 x 1024 g)

0.420

1

7.3 x 1024

0.045

9

7.8 x 1023

0.033

14

5.7 x 1023

0.498

24

8.6 x 1024

Soil (in 1 ton)

4.2 x 105

4.1 x 105

4.6 x 105

1.3 x 106

Soil (in 1 km3)

8.4 x 1014

8.1 x 1014

9.2 x 1014

2.6 x 1015

Wastes from nuclear power reactors in 1997

Wastes accumulated until 2000 from the whole civilian nuclear fuel cycle, after 500 years cooling

2.2 x 1015*

 

7.4 x 1015*

* This paper