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

Chemical effluents in surface waters from nuclear power plants. Quarterly progress report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5854026
A yield study was conducted at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station to determine: (1) the concentrations of copper in circulating waters while changing from open to closed cycle operation; and (2) the copper concentrations in sediment in the cooling tower basin. Copper concentrations in the circulating waters increased during changeover. The peak concentration in the soluble fraction of the water from the east cooling tower during changeover was 24 ..mu..g Cu/l in 1978 compared to 570 ..mu..g Cu/l in 1979; in the west cooling tower the peak concentration was 144 ..mu..g Cu/l in 1979. Copper concentrations in the sediment from the west cooling tower basin were much higher than those in the sediment in the discharge zone; the highest concentration in the discharge zone and cooling tower basin were 22 and 860 ..mu..g Cu/g dry weight, respectively. Copper concentration in the interstitial waters of the west cooling tower sediment were positively correlated to those in the sediment. In the basin, a marked gradient in copper concentration from Cells 1 to 11 was found both in the particles and interstitial waters. Additional studies on the toxic response of Corbicula manilensis to copper indicate that this freshwater clam is sensitive to copper concentrations as low as 10 ..mu..g/l.
Research Organization:
California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
5854026
Report Number(s):
UCID-17744-79-3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English