ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY AT THE SHIPPINGPORT ATOMIC POWER STATION FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 1962 AND FOR CALENDAR YEAR 1962

Technical Report · Thu Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4689519

During the second half of 1962, measurements of radioactivity were made in the Ohio River, atmosphere, and fallout in the vicinity of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station. The results of these measurements support the conclusion that the radioactive waste released by the power station into the air and into the Ohio River did not result in a significant change in the naturally occurring radioactivity in the environment. During the last six months of 1962 a total of 51,812 mu c of liquid radioactive waste (exclusive of tritium), 0.821 curie of tritium, and 12.1 mc of xenon-133 gas were released into the environment at concentrations less than 1/10 of the amourts recommended by the National Committee on Radiation Protection (NCRP). The average concentration of gross radioactivity in the liquid effluent was 3.0 x 10/sup -9/ mu c/ml, and that for tritium was 1.2 x 10/sup -7/ mu c/ml. The gaseous xenon-133 was released at an air concentration of 1.3 x 10/sup -7/ mu c/cc. The Ohio River and an average concentration of gross beta radioactivity of 3.0 x 10/sup -8/ mu c/ml upstream (sampled at one location) and an average of 3.7 x 10/sup -8/ mu c/ml downstream (sampled at one location) of the liquid waste disposal outfall. The concentration of potassium-4C in the plart river water influent and effluent was 5.5 x 10/sup -9/ and 5.4 mu 10/sup -9/ mu c/ml, respectively. Airborne particulate radioactivity was measured and recorded at two stations. The average air concentration at Station No. 1 was 1.0 x 10/sup -12/ mu c/cc, and at Station No. 3 the average air concentration was 1.5 x 10/sup -12/ mu c/cc (Station No. 2 was out of order during report period). The maximum and minimum concentrations for both stations were 8.5 x 10/sup -12/ and 7.9 x 10/sup -14/ mu c cc. The average radiation levels from Stations No. 1 and No. 3 were essentially the same, 0.020 and 0.023 mr/hr. The maximum and minimum for both stations were 0.060 and 0.008 mr/hr. Radioactlve fallout samples were taken at three different locations and analyzed monthly for beta radioactivity. The average for all stations was 519 mc/mi/sup 2//month. Measurements ranged from a low of 300 mc/mi/sup 2//month to a high of 730 mc/mi/sup 2//morth. A table summarizes the essential environmental monitoring data for the year 1962. The data indicate that at no time did the radioactivity releases from Shippingport exceed the recommended values, and that these releases did not cause a significant increase in background levels of radioactivity. (auth)

• Research Organization: Pittsburgh Naval Reactors Operations Office, AEC
• NSA Number: NSA-17-041029
• OSTI ID: 4689519
• Report Number(s): PNROO-DEV-125
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

HEALTH AND SAFETY
AEROSOLS
AIR
ATMOSPHERE
BACKGROUND
BETA PARTICLES
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
GASES
HYDROLOGY
MEASURED VALUES
POTASSIUM 40
POWER PLANTS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVITY
RECORDING SYSTEMS
SAFETY
SAMPLING
STANDARDS
TABLES
TRITIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE SOLUTIONS
XENON 133