The technical basis for air pathway assessment of resuspended radioactive aerosols: LLNL experiences at seven sites around the world

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10106201

Shinn, J H

There is a large uncertainty in quantifying the inhalation pathway and the aerosol emission rate in human health assessments of radioactive-contamination sites. The need for site-specific assessments led to formation of our team of specialists at LLNL, who have participated in numerous field campaigns around the world. Our goal was to obtain all the information necessary for determining potential human exposures and to estimate source terms for turbulent transport of the emissions during both normal and disturbed soil conditions. That is, measurements were made of the key variables to quantify the suspended aerosols at the actual contamination sites, but different scenarios for habitation, site management, and site cleanup were included. The most notable locations of these site-investigations were the Marshall Islands (Bikini, Enewetak, and Rongelap), Nevada Test Site (GMX, Little Feller, Palanquin, and Plutonium Valley), Tonopah (Nevada--site of Roller Coaster), Savannah River Lab (South Carolina--H-Area site), Johnston Island (cleanup of rocket-impact site), Chernobyl (Ukraine--grass field end sandy beach sites near Nuclear Power Plant Unit 4), and Palomares (Spain--site of aircraft accident). This discussion will review the variables quantified, methods developed, general results, uncertainty of estimations, and recommendations for future research that are a result of our experience in these field studies.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10106201
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--115045; CONF-930914--1; ON: DE94003626
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130
540150
540230
540250
AEROSOL MONITORING
CONCENTRATION RATIO
PARTICLE RESUSPENSION
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
SAMPLING
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES