Off-site environmental monitoring report: Radiation monitoring around United States nuclear test areas, calendar year 1988

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:137627

This report describes the Off-Site Radiation Safety Program conducted during 1988 by the Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA`s) Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory-Las Vegas (EMSL-LV). This laboratory operates an environmental radiation monitoring program in the region surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and at former test sites in Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Mississippi. The surveillance program is designed to detect and document any changes in radiation levels in the environs of the nuclear test areas and to take the actions needed to protect the health and well-being of the public in the event of any accidental release of radioactive contaminants. Information presented in this report includes the following results and interpretation of data for 1988: the measurement of external exposure using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and pressurized ion chambers (PICs); air surveillance including radioactive particulates, noble and reactive gases, and tritium; long-term hydrological monitoring; milk surveillance; and the biological monitoring of both animals and humans. Comparison of the measurements and sample analysis results with background levels and with appropriate standards and regulations indicated that no significant radioactivity, of recent NTS origin, was detected off site by the various EPA monitoring networks and there was no significant exposure to the population living in the vicinity of the NTS. The major contribution to population exposure came from naturally occurring background radiation which yielded approximately 85 mrem/yr and worldwide fallout which accounted for about 0.14 mrem/yr. 29 refs., 43 figs., 25 tabs.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV (United States). Environmental Monitoring Systems Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AI08-86NV10522
• OSTI ID: 137627
• Report Number(s): DOE/DP/00539--061; EPA--600/4-89/019; ON: DE90005018
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ALASKA
COLORADO
COMPLIANCE
DATA ANALYSIS
DOSES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
HEALTH HAZARDS
MISSISSIPPI
MONITORING
NEVADA TEST SITE
NEW MEXICO
PROGRESS REPORT
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
SAFETY
THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETRY
TRITIUM
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US EPA
Yucca Mountain Project