Decontamination of concrete surfaces at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5377777

Cox, E J; Garde, R

For the past two years the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory has been engaged in decontaminating its former plutonium facility. The facility was in use for over 30 years for plutonium operations varying from dry metallurgical processes to wet (solution) recovery processes. To date approximately 3400 square meters of floor surface have been decontaminated to permit re-use for nonplutonium work. Approximately 330 square meters of concrete surfaces required scarifying the contamination after all other attempts such as detergents and acid solutions had proven ineffective. The uses of hand-held and floor type pneumatic scarifiers are described as well as an inexpensive but effective contamination containment chamber built at Los Alamos for use with the hand-held model. Contamination control, waste handling, manpower requirements, and cost are documented for the techniques used at LASL.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5377777
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-80-1460; CONF-800542-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400702* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Properties of Radioactive Materials
BUILDING MATERIALS
CLEANING
CONCRETES
COST
DECONTAMINATION
FLOORS
LASL
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SURFACES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT