Effect of distribution coefficient, contaminated area, and the depth contamination of the guildelines for uranium residual radoiactive material in soils
- Argonne, National Laboratory, IL (United States)
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup guidelines for uranium applicable to remedial actions at Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) sites are derived on a site-specific basis. The DOE residual radioactive material guideline Computer code, RESRAD, is used in these evaluations. This analysis investigates the effect of site-specific parameters on the guideline values (specifically distribution coefficient, depth of contamination, and area of contamination) for 17 FUSRAP sites. On the basis of site-specific parameters, guideline values for a subsistence farmer scenario in RESRAD varied by as much as a factor of 40. For a high distribution coefficient (greater than 100 cm{sup 3}/g) and a thick source (thickness greater than 100 cm), radon and plant ingestion pathways are very important. For these sites, maximum dose/source ratios would occur at 1,000 y or more following remediation. For low distribution coefficients, water dependent pathways become important because of the leaching of radionuclides. Maximum dose/source ratios would occur at different times depending on the travel times of the radionuclides through the unsaturated/saturated zones. For intermediate distribution coefficients (normally between 40-200 cm{sup 3}/g) and small contamination depths, dust inhalation and external exposure are important pathways, while for larger contamination depths, the plant ingestion pathway becomes very important. The maximum dose/source ratios would occur immediately following remediation in both cases. For 17 FUSRAP sites, the size of most of the contaminated areas was greater than 3,000 m{sup 2}, and the guideline values were found to be insensitive to this parameter.
- OSTI ID:
- 394025
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9607135--
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: Suppl.6 Vol. 70; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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