1990 Environmental monitoring report, Tonopah Test Range, Tonopah, Nevada

Technical Report · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5062670· OSTI ID:5062670

Hwang, A; Phelan, J; Wolff, T; Yeager, G; Dionne, D; West, G; Girard, C

There is no routine radioactive emission from Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range (SNL, TTR). However, based on the types of test activities such as air drops, gun firings, ground- launched rockets, air-launched rockets, and other explosive tests, possibilities exist that small amounts of depleted uranium (DU) (as part of weapon components) may be released to the air or to the ground because of unusual circumstances (failures) during testing. Four major monitoring programs were used in 1990 to assess radiological impact on the public. The EPA Air Surveillance Network (ASN) found that the only gamma ({gamma}) emitting radionuclide on the prefilters was beryllium-7 ({sup 7}Be), a naturally-occurring spallation product formed by the interaction of cosmic radiation with atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen. The weighted average results were consistent with the area background concentrations. The EPA Thermoluminescent Dosimetry (TLD) Network and Pressurized Ion Chamber (PIC) reported normal results. In the EPA Long-Term Hydrological Monitoring Program (LTHMP), analytical results for tritium ({sup 3}H) in well water were reported and were well below DOE-derived concentration guides (DCGs). In the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo) Drinking Water Sampling Program, analytical results for {sup 3}H, gross alpha ({alpha}), beta ({beta}), and {gamma} scan, strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) and plutonium-239 ({sup 239}Pu) were within the EPA's primary drinking water standards. 29 refs., 5 figs., 15 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5062670
• Report Number(s): SAND-91-0593; ON: DE92000602
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540330 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTINIDES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COMPILED DATA
COMPLIANCE
DATA
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
LAWS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM
POLLUTION LAWS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REMEDIAL ACTION
RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
SANDIA LABORATORIES
TEST FACILITIES
TONOPAH TEST RANGE
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
TRITIUM
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US AEC
US CLEAN AIR ACT
US CLEAN WATER ACT
US DOE
US EPA
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
US SUPERFUND
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WEAPONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES