Pilot study risk assessment for selected problems at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

Technical Report · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10146642· OSTI ID:10146642

Hamilton, L D; Meinhold, A F; Baxter, S L; Holtzman, S; Morris, S C; Pardi, R; Rowe, M D; Sun, C ^[1]; Anspaugh, L; Layton, D ^[2]

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

Two important environmental problems at the USDOE Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) facility in Fernald, Ohio were studied in this human health risk assessment. The problems studied were radon emissions from the K-65 waste silos, and offsite contamination of ground water with uranium. Waste from the processing of pitchblende ore is stored in the K-65 silos at the FEMP. Radium-226 in the waste decays to radon gas which escapes to the outside atmosphere. The concern is for an increase in lung cancer risk for nearby residents associated with radon exposure. Monitoring data and a gaussian plume transport model were used to develop a source term and predict exposure and risk to fenceline residents, residents within 1 and 5 miles of the silos, and residents of Hamilton and Cincinnati, Ohio. Two release scenarios were studied: the routine release of radon from the silos and an accidental loss of one silo dome integrity. Exposure parameters and risk factors were described as distributions. Risks associated with natural background radon concentrations were also estimated.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 10146642
• Report Number(s): BNL--48777; ON: DE93012535
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290301
AQUIFERS
CLIMATES
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GAUSSIAN PROCESSES
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROLOGY
INGESTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METEOROLOGY
MILK
NEOPLASMS
NEVADA TEST SITE
PITCHBLENDE
PLUMES
PUBLIC HEALTH
RADIATION DOSES
RADIUM 226
RADON
REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
TOPOGRAPHY
TOXICITY
URANIUM
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 238