U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Development of an Alternative Release Limit for a Former Uranium and Thorium Processing Plant in Cushing Oklahoma
Abstract
The purpose of this presentation will be to describe how, through dose modeling and analysis, a complex site was able to obtain an Alternative Release Limit (ARL) that adequately protected the environment, met regulatory approval, and saved money in the process. The Kerr-McGee Refinery Site in Cushing, OK supported an experimental facility that processed nuclear fuel materials from 1963 to 1966. Radiological contaminants at the site as a result of operations consist of natural thorium and isotopes of uranium (Th-228, Th-232, U-234, U-235 and U-238). Site contamination existed in both surface and sub-surface soils and within a shallow aquifer. After the soil was remediated to acceptable regulatory limits, however, the potential existed for residual groundwater contamination to result in exposure to individuals following site closure. Traditional exposure pathway analysis for the resident farmer seemed to indicate that this exposure was excessive. A closer look at the exposure pathways present in this rural location showed that groundwater contamination existed in a shallow aquifer insufficient to support significant irrigation activities and was of sufficiently poor water quality that it could not be used for drinking water. Through the determination of aquifer yield pumping tests, agreement from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality,more »
- Authors:
-
- NEXTEP Consulting Group, Louisville, Kentucky (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 21290804
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09-WM-07193
TRN: US10V0129038215
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'07: 2007 Waste Management Symposium - Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals, Tucson, AZ (United States), 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 12 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; AQUIFERS; CONTAMINATION; DOSE LIMITS; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; GROUND WATER; NUCLEAR FUELS; OKLAHOMA; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; REMEDIAL ACTION; SIMULATION; THORIUM; THORIUM 228; THORIUM 232; URANIUM; URANIUM 234; URANIUM 235; URANIUM 238; WATER QUALITY
Citation Formats
Thatcher, A H. Development of an Alternative Release Limit for a Former Uranium and Thorium Processing Plant in Cushing Oklahoma. United States: N. p., 2007.
Web.
Thatcher, A H. Development of an Alternative Release Limit for a Former Uranium and Thorium Processing Plant in Cushing Oklahoma. United States.
Thatcher, A H. 2007.
"Development of an Alternative Release Limit for a Former Uranium and Thorium Processing Plant in Cushing Oklahoma". United States.
@article{osti_21290804,
title = {Development of an Alternative Release Limit for a Former Uranium and Thorium Processing Plant in Cushing Oklahoma},
author = {Thatcher, A H},
abstractNote = {The purpose of this presentation will be to describe how, through dose modeling and analysis, a complex site was able to obtain an Alternative Release Limit (ARL) that adequately protected the environment, met regulatory approval, and saved money in the process. The Kerr-McGee Refinery Site in Cushing, OK supported an experimental facility that processed nuclear fuel materials from 1963 to 1966. Radiological contaminants at the site as a result of operations consist of natural thorium and isotopes of uranium (Th-228, Th-232, U-234, U-235 and U-238). Site contamination existed in both surface and sub-surface soils and within a shallow aquifer. After the soil was remediated to acceptable regulatory limits, however, the potential existed for residual groundwater contamination to result in exposure to individuals following site closure. Traditional exposure pathway analysis for the resident farmer seemed to indicate that this exposure was excessive. A closer look at the exposure pathways present in this rural location showed that groundwater contamination existed in a shallow aquifer insufficient to support significant irrigation activities and was of sufficiently poor water quality that it could not be used for drinking water. Through the determination of aquifer yield pumping tests, agreement from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and sensitivity and uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo techniques, it was shown that the average member of the critical population was adequately protected in the current site configuration without further remediation. This paper describes the analytical methods and models used to apply the general dose limit of 0.25 mSv yr{sup -1} (25 mrem yr{sup -1}) to the particulars of the Cushing Site, and demonstrates how these methods achieved a much higher ARL for total uranium in groundwater that was accepted by the regulators and achieved significant savings for the Licensee. (authors)},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21290804},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}