Measurements of radionuclides in Pond C with an underwater HPGe detector
This study on Pond C is part of a broader effort to appraise Savannah River Site (SRS) waterways impacted by the Par Pond Dam remediation program that commenced 1991. In addition, the results were sought to provide a more complete appraisal of the status of historical radioactive releases that remain in the Lower Three Runs system. Gamma emitting radionuclide concentrations in Pond C sediment were measured with an underwater HPGe detector. The predominant radionuclide was Cs-137 and the only other radionuclide detected was Co-60, which was only 1% as intense as the Cs-137. At the time of the measurements (November 1992), the total Pond C inventory of {sup 137}Cs was 4.5 {plus_minus} 0.8 Ci of which 0.30 {plus_minus} 0.09 Ci was exposed during a 6-ft drawdown for Par Pond Dam repairs. The Pond C inventory of Cs-137 is only 10% of that of Par Pond, primarily because of the much larger area of Par Pond. However, Pond C has a larger average sediment concentration of 8.1 {mu}Ci/m{sup 2} compared to 4.5 {mu}Ci/m{sup 2} for Par Pond, which is consistent with Pond C being closer to the origins of the earlier SRS reactor releases. The maximum Cs-137 concentration observed for Pond C was 55 {mu}Ci/m{sup 2}, which is about 10% higher than the maximum observed for Par Pond.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 125172
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-TR--95-0272; ON: DE96001653
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Evaluation of [sup 137]Cs in pond sedment with an underwater HPGe detector
DETERMINATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND INVENTORY OF RADIONUCLIDES WITHIN A SAVANNAH RIVER SITE WATERWAY