Radiological environs study at a fuel fabrication facility. [General Electric Fuel Fabrication Plant at Wilmington, NC]
Field studies were conducted to detect environmental contamination from fuel fabrication plant effluents. The plant chosen for study was operated by the General Electric Company, Nuclear Fuel Division, at Wilmington, NC. The facility operates continuously using the ammonium diuranate (ADU) process to convert 2.0 to 2.2% enriched UF/sub 6/ to UO/sub 2/ fuel. Continuous air samplers at five sites measured the concentrations of /sup 234/U and /sup 238/U in air for 36 one-week intervals. River water was sampled at nine locations above and below the plant discharge point during each of three field surveys. The atmospheric concentrations of /sup 234/U and /sup 238/U appeared to vary according to a log-normal distribution. The annual facility release of approximately 2 to 3 mCi uranium to the atmosphere would add from 0.01 to 0.2 fCi/m/sup 3/ uranium in the atmospheric environs. An individual residing continuously at the nearest residence is predicted to receive a 50-year dose commitment of 0.9 mrem to the lung. The approximately 1 Ci/y of uranium liquid effluent released would increase the uranium concentration in Northeast Cape Fear estuary about 3 kilometers downstream by 0.3 pCi/liter. Although this water is not potable and is not used for any potable water supply, ingestion of water containing uranium at this concentration for a year would deliver a 3-mrem dose commitment to the bone.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Montgomery, AL (USA). Eastern Environmental Radiation Facility
- OSTI ID:
- 6275266
- Report Number(s):
- EPA/520/5-77-004; TRN: 79-009401
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
RADIOACTIVITY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
FALLOUT DEPOSITS
RADIATION MONITORING
FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
DOSE COMMITMENTS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LUNGS
PLANTS
SEDIMENTS
SKELETON
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
THORIUM 228
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
THORIUM 230
ISOTOPE RATIO
THORIUM 232
URANIUM 234
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 238
DATA COMPILATION
GASEOUS WASTES
LIQUID WASTES
NORTH CAROLINA
TABLES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
DATA
DATA FORMS
ECOSYSTEMS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FALLOUT
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
POPULATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SOUTHEAST REGION
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM ISOTOPES
USA
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
500300* - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510302 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
520302 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
560171 - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects