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Title: Beneficial uses program. Progress report, period ending September 30, 1979

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5277586

Progress in the Beneficial Uses Program during the quarter ending September 30, 1979 is described. Operational Safety Requirements and Standard Operating Procedures for the Sandia Irradiator for Dried Sewage solids were written and approved. The contractor for the Technology Transfer Program was selected. A study was completed to determine the mechanisms of poliovirus inactivation by direct and indirect effects of ionizing radiation. Direct effects were found to be due primarily to RNA damage while indirect effects appeared to be mostly due to protein damage. A large scale bacterial inactivation study was begun. Effects of moisture loss by evaporation, regrowth inhibition by moisture reduction and competitive inhibitors for specific general will be studied. preliminary scoping results on radiation inactivation were obtained. Animal refeeding studies at New Mexico State University were expanded to include extensive forage digestability studies with steers supplemented with Las Cruces sludges. A large breeding experiment with sheep was also started to determine supplementation effects on reproduction efficiency, weight changes, lambing data and hormonal responses. Greenhouse experiments on the effects of sludge additions on heavy metal behavior are progressing. The separation technology and source development program for cesium 137 at Sandia was transferred to ORNL on September 30, 1979. Pollucite pellets containing 37.5% cesium have been successfully fabricated. It appears that these pellets will be satisfactory for use in irradiators such as SIDSS.

Research Organization:
Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5277586
Report Number(s):
SAND-80-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English