EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF HANFORD, JULY- SEPTEMBER 1963

Technical Report · Fri Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4109047

Wilson, R.H. ed.

BS>Comprehensive surveillance of the occurrence of radioactive materials in air, water, and foodstuffs was continued in the vicinity of the Hanford plant. Gross beta activity in air during the third quarter of 1963 decreased to levels observed prior to USSR weapon tests that started in August 1962. The concentration of I/sup 131/ measured in milk from farms in the neighborhood of the Hanford plant during the third quarter was usually less than 10 pC/l; the maximum found in an individual sample was 136 pC/l which occurred in September following an unplanned release from one of the chemical separations plants. Natural background radiation, with some contribution from world-wide fallout continued to be the primary source of environmental exposure for most people living in the Hanford environs. The largest contribution of radioactive material from the Richland Operation continued to be the highly dilute low level waste in the reactor cooling water discharged to the Columbia River. For persons drinking Pasco sanitary water during the 12-month period ending September 1963, the estimated dose to the GI tract was about 2 1/2% of the applicable limit recommended by the National Committee on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). Residents of Kennewick using Columbia River water received about one- third as much exposure. Sanitary water for Richland is now supplied by a pumping plant located on the Columbia River that started operation in June 1963. Because Richland's water supply was previously supplied by wells charged from the Yakima River, the estimated dose to the GI tract for the 12 months ending September 1963 was less than 1% of the applicable limit recommended by the NCRP. Radiophosphorus content of fish caught downstream from the reactors was within the expected range and probably constituted the major source of radioisotopes for the few people who eat them in quantity. Exposure from the various sources, summed in a manner that tends to maximize the total dose to an individual, were estimated to be about 10% of the Federal Radiation Council (FRC) guide for the total body, 30% of the FRC guide for a child's thyroid, and about 30% of the NCRP maximum permissible rate of intake for bone-seeking radionuclides. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-18-010303
• OSTI ID: 4109047
• Report Number(s): HW-79652
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
AIR
BACKGROUND
BETA PARTICLES
BODY
BONES
COLUMBIA RIVER
COOLING
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
FISH
FOOD
HEALTH AND SAFETY
IODINE 131
IRRADIATION
LEVELS
MAN
MEASURED VALUES
MILK
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PHOSPHORUS ISOTOPES
POPULATIONS
PUMPS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOGRAPHY
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SEASONS
TESTING
THYROID
WASTE SOLUTIONS
WATER