Uncertainty of the long-term resuspension factor

Resuspension of contaminated soil into the atmosphere is one of the key processes that must be considered in the estimation of inhalation doses to humans. Data for air and soil contamination collected in Ukraine over several years since the Chernobyl accident have permitted analysis of resuspension in terms of the underlying mechanisms. Various empirical models for the resuspension factor as a function of time (e.g. Linsley, Garland, Anspaugh, etc.) are compared to the observed resuspension factors over time (9 yr) at two sites; in general, these models give overestimates for the resuspension factor as a function of time. The observed values of the resuspension factor range from greater than 10−5 m−1 at early time points to around 10−10 m−1 at later points. The uncertainty in the resuspension factor is decreased to within 1 order of magnitude if annual averaging of the experimental data is used and if the resuspension factor is determined as a function of time and of the predominant regional conditions of vegetative cover and climate.