Enviromental sampling at remote sites based on radiological screening assessments
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)
- White Sands Missile Range, White Sands, NM (United States)
- AMSTE-ST Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (United States)
Environmental radiation monitoring (ERM) data from remote sites on the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, were used to estimate doses to humans and terrestrial mammals from residual radiation deposited during testing of components containing depleted uranium (DU) and thorium (Th). ERM data were used with the DOE code RESRAD and a simple steady-state pathway code to estimate the potential adverse effects from DU and Th to workers in the contaminated zones, to hunters consuming animals from the contaminated zones, and to terrestrial mammals that inhabit the contaminated zones. Assessments of zones contaminated with DU and Th and DU alone were conducted. Radiological doses from Th and DU in soils were largest with a maximum of about 3.5 mrem y{sup -1} in humans and maximum of about 0.1 mrad d{sup -1} in deer. Dose estimates from DU alone in soils were significantly less with a maximum of about 1 mrem y{sup -1} in humans and about 0.04 mrad d{sup -1} in deer. The results of the dose estimates suggest strongly that environmental sampling in these affected areas can be infrequent and still provide adequate assessments of radiological doses to workers, hunters, and terrestrial mammals.
- OSTI ID:
- 394026
- 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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