Application of Biota Dose Assessment Committee Methodology to Assess Radiological Risk to Salmonids in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River
Protective guidance for biota in the U.S. Department of Energy's Graded Approach for Evaluating Radiation Doses to Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota is based on population level protection guides of 10 or 1 mGy.d-1, respectively. Several "ecologically significant units" of Pacific salmon are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Middle Columbia Steelhead unit is endangered and the adult steelhead spawn in the reach. The reach also supports one of the largest spawning populations of fall chinook salmon in the Northwest. The existence of the major spawning areas in the Hanford Reach has focused considerable attention on their ecological health by the U.S. Department of Energy, other federal and state regulatory agencies, and special interest groups. Dose assessments for developing salmonid embryos were performed for the hypothetical exposure to tritium, strontium-90, technetium-99, iodine-129, and uranium isotopes at specific sites on the Hanford Reach. These early life stages are potentially exposed in some areas of the Hanford Reach to radiological contaminants that enter the river via shoreline seeps and upwelling through the river substrate. At the screening level, one site approached the dose guideline of 10 mGy.d-1 established with the RAD-BCG methodology and exceeded a precautionary benchmark of 2.5 mGy.d-1. Special status of listed species affords these populations more consideration when assessing potential impacts of exposure to radionuclides and other contaminants associated with the Hanford Site operations. The evolution of dose benchmarks for aquatic organisms and consideration of precautionary principal and cumulative impacts are discussed in this paper.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 958527
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-45208; EY3542401; TRN: US1000358
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Third International Symposium on the Protection of the Environment from Ionising Radiation (SPEIR 3), 397-405
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Grays River Watershed and Biological Assessment Final Report 2006.
Grays River Watershed and Biological Assessment, 2006 Final Report.
Related Subjects
HANFORD RESERVATION
SALMON
RADIATION DOSES
RISK ASSESSMENT
COLUMBIA RIVER
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
TRITIUM
STRONTIUM 90
TECHNETIUM 99
IODINE 129
biota
radiological
salmonids
Hanford reach
Columbia River