EVALUATION OF RADIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY OF HANFORD, JANUARY- MARCH 1963

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4674913

Wilson, R.H. ed.

Comprehensive surveillance of the occurrence of radioactive materials in the air, water, and foodstuffs has been continued in the vicinity of the Hanford plant. Gross beta activity in air during the rirst quarter of 1963 remained at the levels persisting since September 1962, following resumption of USSR nuclear testing. Iodine-131 in milk from farms in the neighborhood of the Hanford plant averaged less than 4 mu mu c per liter, the maximum individual sample being only 12 mu mu c per liter. Natural radiation background with some contribution from world-wide fallout continued to be the primary source of environmental exposure for most persons in the Hanford environs. Cooling water from the reactors, which is discharged to the Columbia River, continued to be the low level waste streams with the greatest potential for contributing to the radiation exposure of persons in the environs of the plant. For the 12 month period ending March 1963, the estimated dose to the Gr-tract for persons drinking Pasco sanitary water was about 2% of applicable limit recommended by the National Committee on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). Residents of Kennewick using Columbia River water probably received about one-third as much. Concentrations of radiophosphorus found in whitefish were significantly lower than observed during the same period in 1962. For a few persons who eat them in quantity, locally-caught fish continued to be the major source of radioisotopes. Summing of exposure from various sources in a manner that tends to maximize the total dose to an individual leads to estimates of about 10% of the NCRP maximum permissible exposure for the GI-tract, about 15% of the FRC guides for the total body, 1% to the adult 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-17-030750
• OSTI ID: 4674913
• Report Number(s): HW-77533
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
AIR
BACKGROUND
BETA PARTICLES
BONES
CONTAMINATION
DRINKING WATER
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
FISH
FISSION PRODUCTS
FOOD
HAPO
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HYDROLOGY
INTESTINE
IODINE 131
MILK
MONITORING
MPD
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PHOSPHORUS 31
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVITY
REACTORS
SAFETY
SAMPLING
STANDARDS
THYROID
WASTE DISPOSAL
WATER
WATER COOLANT