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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Residual radioactivity in the vicinity of formerly utilized MED/AEC sites

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5101865
As demand for uranium and thorium was accelerated during the 1940's, services of chemical and metallurgical firms and major research facilities were contracted as needed by the Manhattan Engineer District (MED). A lack of documentation of the radiological status at the time contracts were terminated at these facilities led the Department of Energy (DOE), and its predecessor the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), to develop a major radiological resurvey program to fill this information void. A combination of aerial and ground-level radiological monitoring teams were utilized to identify and assess off-site radioactivity. Results from comprehensive aerial surveys provide the approximate areal extent of elevated radiation levels on the ground. These aerial survey results led to two types of ground-level surveys: (1) gamma-ray scanning on foot or from a motorized vehicle (mobile lab based system) to pinpoint the location of residual radioactivity; and (2) compehensive radiological surveys to determine the amount and type of materials present on specific parcels of private and public property identified during the scanning. This type of investigation was initiated in 1978 and has been successful in identifying and assessing the potential radiation hazard from property on which materials bearing natural radioactivity have been found. This paper contains a description of the techniques used to find and evaluate radioactive material displaced outside the boundaries of a formerly utilized site.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Division of Environmental Control Technology
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
5101865
Report Number(s):
CONF-800334--22
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English