Updated estimates of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu + /sup 241/Am inventory, spatial pattern, and soil tonnage for removal at Nuclear Site-201, NTS

Conference · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5248472

Simpson, J C; Gilbert, R O

Updated estimates of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu + /sup 241/Am inventory and spatial pattern in surface soil are given for Nuclear Site (NS)-201 in Area 18 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). These new estimates are based on 712 /sup 241/Am soil concentrations including 185 data values not previously available. Estimates were obtained using essentially the same Kriging techniques and the estimated average /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu to /sup 241/Am ratio of 7.5 used by Simpson and Gilbert (1980) to obtain previous results. Estimated concentration contours, 68% confidence bands for the contours and estimated median concentrations for 50 x 50 ft blocks are given. The total Pu + Am inventory estimated to be in the top 5 cm of soil over the 109 hectare study (an area 5.2 hectares larger than used by Simpson and Gilbert, 1980) is approximately 16.3 curies. The approximate 68% confidence interval on this inventory estimate is about 6.7 to 45.6 curies. It is estimated that about 58 acres (approx. = 23 hectares) of land in the study are contaminated at levels greater than 40 pCi/g which includes about 40 acres (approx. = 16 hectares) at levels greater than 160 pCi/g. Approximately 28,000 tons of soil would need to be removed (to 15 cm depth) to clean up all areas with estimated concentrates greater than or equal to 160 pCi/g. About 41,000 tons would require removal at the 40 pCi/g level. These new estimates of inventory and spatial patterns are within the range of sampling error of previous estimates obtained by Simpson and Gilbert (1980).

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5248472
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-9588; CONF-810569-2; ON: DE82016831
• Resource Relation: Conference: Nevada applied ecology group annual meeting, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 27 May 1981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMERICIUM 241
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
NEVADA TEST SITE
SOILS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
ACTIVITY LEVELS
DECONTAMINATION
FALLOUT
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
CLEANING
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510302* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)