Environmental surveillance and natural resource monitoring at the DOE Pantex plant
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (United States)
- Battelle Pantex, Amarillo, TX (United States)
The US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Pantex plant is located on the Southern High Plains of the Texas Panhandle. Principal plant activities include the assembly and disassembly of nuclear weapons; surveillance, storage, maintenance, repair, and nonexplosive testing of nuclear weapons components; manufacturing of chemical explosive components; and environmental restoration. Environmental monitoring has been conducted for more than 25 yr to assess potential impacts of facility operations on air, surface and ground waters, soils, vegetation, and wildlife. Measured concentrations of airborne radionuclides and nonradiological constituents around the plant perimeter are in compliance with applicable regulations. Concentrations of radionuclides in soils and vegetation from both on-site and off-site locations are typical of those attributable to naturally occurring radioactivity and to worldwide fallout. The calculated dose potentially received by a maximally exposed individual in 1997 was 0.000034 mSv (0.0034 mrem). No contamination directly attributable to Pantex operations has been found in the Ogallala aquifer beneath the plant nor downgradient in the well field operated by the city of Amarillo. Some nonradiological contaminants have been found in the perched aquifer beneath the plant and off-site to the southeast. The extent of contamination is being investigated and the problem remediated.
- OSTI ID:
- 298261
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-981106-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 99:001893
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 79; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, Washington, DC (United States), 15-19 Nov 1998; Other Information: PBD: 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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