Preoperational radiation surveillance of the WIPP project by EEG during 1992
The purpose of the EEG preoperational monitoring program is to document the existing concentrations of selected radionuclides in various environmental media collected from the vicinity of the WIPP site to provide a basis of comparison of any effects of future WT-PP operations. The basic methodology for conducting environmental surveillance both on-site and off-site was outlined by Spiegler (1984). This report represents a continuation of the EEG baseline data beginning in 1985, previously reported in EEG-43, EEG-47, EEG-49 and EEG-51. Such radionuclide baseline data are important in order to determine whether future WIPP operations with radioactive waste have affected concentrations of these radionuclides in the environment. EEG data are consistent with similar environmental measurements obtained by DOE beginning in 1985. Since late 1985, the EEG has collected or received as split samples 2 443 air filters with particulates, 202 water samples, 16 biota samples and 13 soil/sediment samples. A total of 5,946 specific radionuclide analyses have been performed on these samples. As reported previously by EEG (EEG-43, EEG-47, EEG-49 and EEG-51), observed concentrations of U-238 daughter radionuclides were not in equilibrium with the parent radionuclide in water samples. This observation is consistent with different radionuclide mobility in the environment. In a notice of proposed rule making for 40 CFR 141 (US EPA 1991), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations reflect this in the calculated activity-to-mass ratio of 1.3 pCi/{mu}g of uranium using a geometric mean of the U-234:U-238 ratio in water supplies of 2.7. Ra-226 and Ra- 228 were reported in a number of water samples in concentrations similar to those previously published by EEG and DOE.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Evaluation Group, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-89AL58309
- OSTI ID:
- 10129572
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/AL/58309-54; EEG-54; ON: DE94007446; TRN: 94:003222
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
EEG operational radiation surveillance of the WIPP Project during 2001
Preoperational radiation surveillance of the WIPP Project by EEG for the years 1993 - 1995
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
WIPP
RADIATION MONITORING
GROUND WATER
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SOILS
URANIUM 234
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
URANIUM 238
RADIUM 226
RADIUM 228
SAMPLING
URANIUM
BASELINE ECOLOGY
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
052002
540230
540250
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES