Summary of the environmental dose models used at DOE nuclear sites in 1979
Methods for assessing public exposure to radiation from normal operations at DOE facilities are reviewed in this report. This review includes a summary of the methods used in 1979 as described in annual environmental reports submitted by Department of Energy (DOE) contractors. The methods used ranged from estimating public doses based on environmental measurements and comparison to the DOE concentration guides, to complex methods using environmental pathway modeling and estimated radionuclide releases. No two sites used the same combination of measurements and pathway models in their analysis. While most sites used an atmospheric dispersion model to predict air concentrations of radioactive material, only about half of the sites provided enough information about the model used to permit proper model evaluation. The waterborne pathways related to drinking water or ingestion of fish were generally well described, while the external exposure or terrestrial food pathways were often not considered. The major recommendation resulting from this review was that complete documentations of the models used should be included either within the annual reports or as separate readily available documents. In addition, most sites could make better use of graphics (i.e., tables and figures) to better communicate the findings of their analyses.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 10115723
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-3916; ON: DE93005747
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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RADIATION DOSES
STATISTICAL MODELS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
FOOD CHAINS
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
PUBLIC HEALTH
RECOMMENDATIONS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
GASEOUS WASTES
US DOE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
INHALATION
INGESTION
LIQUID WASTES
DOSIMETRY
560101
DOSIMETRY AND MONITORING