Feasibility and alternate procedures for decontamination and post-treatment management of Pu-contaminated areas in Nevada

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1975

OSTI ID:4174773

Wallace, A; Romney, E M; White, M G; Dunaway, P B ^[1]

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1. eds.

The feasibility and environmental impact of cleaning up Pu-contaminated areas in Nevada are discussed. Findings from pertinent land area decontamination and postmanagement experiences which can be applied to solving Pu problems at the Nevada Test Site and the Tonopah Test Range are reviewed. Previous experiences from accidental and planned releases of Pu in the environment are discussed along with those gained from nuclear fallout decontamination studies. Problems concerning revegetation of arid lands are discussed. It is pointed out that the fragile nature of the desert is such that any drastic alteration will result in a seriously damaged ecosystem. Revegetation by natural means is difficult, if not impossible, from a practical point of view. Post-treatment management of disturbed areas is almost always necessary to ensure recovery. Correction of the damage may require greater efforts than the decontamination, and may have more far-reaching consequences than those concerned with the present status of the land. (CH)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Energy Research and Development Administration, Las Vegas, Nev. (USA). Nevada Operations Office
• NSA Number: NSA-33-000621
• OSTI ID: 4174773
• Report Number(s): NVO--153
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*NEVADA TEST SITE-- LAND RECLAMATION
*PLUTONIUM-- DECONTAMINATION
*SOILS-- DECONTAMINATION
*TONOPAH TEST RANGE-- LAND RECLAMATION
510300* --Environmental Sciences
Terrestrial--Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport
DESERTS
ENVIRONMENT
EROSION
N44300* --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Radioactivity Monitoring & Transport
N44320 --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Radioactivity Monitoring & Transport--Soil
N44500 --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Site Surveys
PLANT GROWTH
REVEGETATION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS