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Title: Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: Borehole 299-E33-46 Near Tank B-110 in the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area.

Abstract

This report presents vadose sediment characterization data that improves understanding of the nature and extent of past releases in the B tank farm. A vertical borehole, located approximately 15 ft (5 m) from the northeast edge of single-shell tank 241-B-110 was drilled to a total depth of 264.4 ft bgs, the groundwater table was encountered at 255.8 ft bgs. During drilling, a total of 3 two-ft long, 4-inch diameter split-spoon core samples were collected between 10 and 254 ft bgs-an average of every 7.5 ft. Grab samples were collected between these core sample intervals to yield near continuous samples to a depth of 78.3 m (257 ft). Geologic logging occurred after each core segment was emptied into an open plastic container, followed by photographing and sub-sampling for physical and chemical characterization. In addition, 54 out of a total of 120 composite grab samples were opened, sub-sampled, logged, and photographed. Immediately following the geologic examination, the core and selected grab samples were sub-sampled for moisture content, gamma-emission radiocounting, tritium and strontium-90 determinations, total carbon and inorganic carbon content, and 8 M nitric acid extracts (which provide a measure of the total leachable sediment content of contaminants) and one-to-one sediment to watermore » extracts (which provide soil pH, electrical conductivity, cation, and anion data and water soluble contaminant data. Later, additional aliquots of selected sleeves or grab samples were removed to measure particle size distribution and mineralogy and to squeeze porewater. Major conclusions follow. Vadose zone contamination levels were lower than generally anticipated prior to the initiation of the field investigation. Strong evidence of extensive vadose zone lateral migration in WMA BBXBY exists. There are indications that such lateral migration may have extended into WMA B-BX-BY from adjacent past practice discharge sites. Ponding of runoff from natural precipitation in the WMA may have added significant amounts of spatially confined infiltration. Borehole soil characterization has identified strontium-90 and technetium-99 as the two main radionuclides underneath tank B-110. The Sr-90 data indicate limited future mobility unless abnormally high amounts of infiltration occur. Neither technetium-99 nor strontium-90 is expected to significantly impact groundwater in the current moisture and geochemical environment below the B Tank Farm. At borehole 299-E33-46 (near tank B-110), strontium 90 was found down to 26 m (85 ft) bgs with strontium 90 values up to 11,250 pCi/g of sediment. Other tank wastes contaminants (e.g., nitrate) were found down to 69 m (200 ft) bgs. The strontium-90 was immobile under the current ionic regime in the pore water. Technetium-99 releases into the vadose zone near tank B-110 from a transfer line leak appear to be inconsequential. Technetium-99 does not occur above detection limits in the upper parts of the vadose zone where other tank waste constituents (e.g., strontium-90, fluoride, carbonate, and nitrate) are present. Technetium-99 is present in a few soil samples in the PlioPleistocene unit. This unit appears to be an effective conduit for lateral migration and the presence of technetium-99 is postulated to have another source.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
15010322
Report Number(s):
PNNL-14119
820201000; TRN: US0500277
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; BOREHOLES; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; MINERALOGY; NITRIC ACID; PARTICLE SIZE; RADIOISOTOPES; SEDIMENTS; STORAGE FACILITIES; STRONTIUM 90; TECHNETIUM 99; TRITIUM; RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; vadose zone; B-110 Tank; Sr-90; Tc-99; contaminant fate

Citation Formats

Serne, R Jeffrey, Bjornstad, Bruce N, Gee, Glendon W, Schaef, Herbert T, Lanigan, David C, Mccain, Richard G, Lindenmeier, Clark W, Orr, Robert D, Legore, Virginia L, Clayton, Ray E, Lindberg, Michael J, Kutnyakov, Igor V, Baum, Steven R, Geiszler, Keith N, Valenta, Michelle M, Vickerman, Tanya S, and Royack, Lisa J. Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: Borehole 299-E33-46 Near Tank B-110 in the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area.. United States: N. p., 2002. Web. doi:10.2172/15010322.
Serne, R Jeffrey, Bjornstad, Bruce N, Gee, Glendon W, Schaef, Herbert T, Lanigan, David C, Mccain, Richard G, Lindenmeier, Clark W, Orr, Robert D, Legore, Virginia L, Clayton, Ray E, Lindberg, Michael J, Kutnyakov, Igor V, Baum, Steven R, Geiszler, Keith N, Valenta, Michelle M, Vickerman, Tanya S, & Royack, Lisa J. Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: Borehole 299-E33-46 Near Tank B-110 in the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area.. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15010322
Serne, R Jeffrey, Bjornstad, Bruce N, Gee, Glendon W, Schaef, Herbert T, Lanigan, David C, Mccain, Richard G, Lindenmeier, Clark W, Orr, Robert D, Legore, Virginia L, Clayton, Ray E, Lindberg, Michael J, Kutnyakov, Igor V, Baum, Steven R, Geiszler, Keith N, Valenta, Michelle M, Vickerman, Tanya S, and Royack, Lisa J. 2002. "Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: Borehole 299-E33-46 Near Tank B-110 in the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area.". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15010322. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15010322.
@article{osti_15010322,
title = {Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: Borehole 299-E33-46 Near Tank B-110 in the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area.},
author = {Serne, R Jeffrey and Bjornstad, Bruce N and Gee, Glendon W and Schaef, Herbert T and Lanigan, David C and Mccain, Richard G and Lindenmeier, Clark W and Orr, Robert D and Legore, Virginia L and Clayton, Ray E and Lindberg, Michael J and Kutnyakov, Igor V and Baum, Steven R and Geiszler, Keith N and Valenta, Michelle M and Vickerman, Tanya S and Royack, Lisa J},
abstractNote = {This report presents vadose sediment characterization data that improves understanding of the nature and extent of past releases in the B tank farm. A vertical borehole, located approximately 15 ft (5 m) from the northeast edge of single-shell tank 241-B-110 was drilled to a total depth of 264.4 ft bgs, the groundwater table was encountered at 255.8 ft bgs. During drilling, a total of 3 two-ft long, 4-inch diameter split-spoon core samples were collected between 10 and 254 ft bgs-an average of every 7.5 ft. Grab samples were collected between these core sample intervals to yield near continuous samples to a depth of 78.3 m (257 ft). Geologic logging occurred after each core segment was emptied into an open plastic container, followed by photographing and sub-sampling for physical and chemical characterization. In addition, 54 out of a total of 120 composite grab samples were opened, sub-sampled, logged, and photographed. Immediately following the geologic examination, the core and selected grab samples were sub-sampled for moisture content, gamma-emission radiocounting, tritium and strontium-90 determinations, total carbon and inorganic carbon content, and 8 M nitric acid extracts (which provide a measure of the total leachable sediment content of contaminants) and one-to-one sediment to water extracts (which provide soil pH, electrical conductivity, cation, and anion data and water soluble contaminant data. Later, additional aliquots of selected sleeves or grab samples were removed to measure particle size distribution and mineralogy and to squeeze porewater. Major conclusions follow. Vadose zone contamination levels were lower than generally anticipated prior to the initiation of the field investigation. Strong evidence of extensive vadose zone lateral migration in WMA BBXBY exists. There are indications that such lateral migration may have extended into WMA B-BX-BY from adjacent past practice discharge sites. Ponding of runoff from natural precipitation in the WMA may have added significant amounts of spatially confined infiltration. Borehole soil characterization has identified strontium-90 and technetium-99 as the two main radionuclides underneath tank B-110. The Sr-90 data indicate limited future mobility unless abnormally high amounts of infiltration occur. Neither technetium-99 nor strontium-90 is expected to significantly impact groundwater in the current moisture and geochemical environment below the B Tank Farm. At borehole 299-E33-46 (near tank B-110), strontium 90 was found down to 26 m (85 ft) bgs with strontium 90 values up to 11,250 pCi/g of sediment. Other tank wastes contaminants (e.g., nitrate) were found down to 69 m (200 ft) bgs. The strontium-90 was immobile under the current ionic regime in the pore water. Technetium-99 releases into the vadose zone near tank B-110 from a transfer line leak appear to be inconsequential. Technetium-99 does not occur above detection limits in the upper parts of the vadose zone where other tank waste constituents (e.g., strontium-90, fluoride, carbonate, and nitrate) are present. Technetium-99 is present in a few soil samples in the PlioPleistocene unit. This unit appears to be an effective conduit for lateral migration and the presence of technetium-99 is postulated to have another source.},
doi = {10.2172/15010322},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/15010322}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Sun Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}