Savannah River Site Environmental Report for 1990: Summary pamphlet

Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:10184809

Cummings, C L; Martin, D K; Todd, J L

The SRS publishes the Environmental Report each year to communicate the endings of the environmental monitoring and research programs to the public and government agencies. This pamphlet is intended to summarize important environmental activities at the Savannah River Site in 1990. Highlights include: In 1990, over 40,000 samples of environmental material were collected for radiological and nonradiological analyses. The largest radiation doses to the surrounding population were from the radionuclide ``tritium,`` which was released to air and water from SRS operations.; tritium concentrations measured near the site in air, rainwater, Savannah River water, milk from local dairies and downriver drinking water were higher than background levels; the maximum radiation dose to individuals offsite was estimated to be 0.16 millirem from atmospheric releases of radioactivity, and 0.17 millirem from liquid releases of radioactivity. There was one accidental release of tritium to air on February 7, when 100 curies were released from a K-Area stack. The maximum radiation dose offsite was calculated to be 0.003 millirem (mrem); SRS issued a detailed report on the impact of routine and accidental releases of tritium from 1964 to 1988 on the environment. Currently, SRS investigating possible causes for higher concentrations of mercury found in fish caught onsite, compared to those taken from the Savannah River. Mercury concentrations have been higher in onsite fish since 1989; and, n response to concerns expressed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) over concentrations of radionuclides in fish collected from the Savannah River, the Savannah River Site is working with the GDNR to resolve technical issues regarding sampling and analyses of fish from the river and the resultant dose calculations.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10184809
• Report Number(s): WSRC-IM--91-28-Summ.; ON: DE93000455
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130
540230
540250
540330
540350
560101
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
CESIUM 137
DOSIMETRY AND MONITORING
DRINKING WATER
ENVIRONMENT
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
GROUND WATER
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MERCURY
MILK
MONITORING
PROGRESS REPORT
PUBLIC INFORMATION
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SEDIMENTS
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
SURFACE WATERS
TRITIUM