Transuranic resuspension
Characteristics of aged resuspension sources are more uncertain than those of new resuspension sources, which can be investigated using inert-particle controlled-tracer sources. Even though airborne concentrations are low, one aged uniform-area source which can be used for resuspension studies is the accumulated radionuclide fallout in the soil from stratospheric and tropospheric fallout debris. Airborne radionuclide concentrations from this source were investigated at convenient locations on the Hanford site. The objective is to summarize plutonium and americium resuspension research conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory from 1977 to 1983. Airborne plutonium was determined at five sites in the Hanford area, and both plutonium and americium were determined at two Hanford sites. Airborne plutonium and americium were examined as a function of aerodynamic particle diameter, sampling height, wind speed increments, and wind direction increments. The following results are discussed: airborne radionuclide concentrations, ..mu..Ci/cm/sup 3/ of sampled air; radionuclide activity densities, ..mu..Ci/g of airborne solids; airborne plutonium fluxes, ..mu..Ci/(m/sup 2/ day); /sup 241/Am//sup 239 +240/Pu) activity ratios, (..mu..Ci /sup 241/Am)/(..mu..Ci/sup 239 +240/Pu); and airborne solid concentrations, ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ of sampled air. In addition, a relationship based on field data for aged plutonium sources at Bikini Atoll, the Hanford site, and Rocky Flats was developed to estimate the maximum expected plutonium activity density on airborne solids compared to activity densities for bulk surface-soil samples. As a result, it is possible to more accurately predict resuspension factor ranges as a function of the resuspension source activity densities. 31 references, 18 figures, 5 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6943045
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-11792; CONF-8311110-4; ON: DE84011903
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDES
ACTIVITY LEVELS
AMERICIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HANFORD RESERVATION
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PARTICLE RESUSPENSION
PARTICLE SIZE
PLUTONIUM
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SIZE
TRANSPLUTONIUM ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS