Association of Hanford origin radionuclides with Columbia River sediment
Results are reported from measurements of present radionuclide concentrations in Columbia River sediments. A description of the rates and mechanisms governing the decrease in radioactivity levels in the river sediments between 1971 and 1976; a characterization of the areal and depth distribution of fine grain, silty sediments in the McNary Reservoir mode by sub-bottom seismic surveying; and analysis of deep piston cores which penetrate the entire thickness of sediment deposits at selected sites in McNary Reservoir to provide radionuclide data for estimating the inventories of radionuclides in the sediment deposits in the McNary Reservoir are included. The results of these studies showed that the short- and intermediate-lived radionuclides have now decayed to insignificant levels, and only a few long-lived radionuclides (i.e., /sup 54/Mn, /sup 55/Fe, /sup 60/Co, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 152 -154/Eu, /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239 -240/Pu, and /sup 241/Am) at trace concentrations remain buried in the sediment deposits. The surface sediments in the McNary Reservoir contain much lower radionuclide concentrations than deeper sediments because of the build-up of 40 to 80 cm of fresh, relatively uncontaminated new sediment deposits since 1971.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 7086911
- Report Number(s):
- BNWL-2305
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
COBALT 60
COBALT ISOTOPES
COLUMBIA RIVER
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EUROPIUM 152
EUROPIUM 154
EUROPIUM ISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HAPO
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IRON 55
IRON ISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANGANESE 54
MANGANESE ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
RIVERS
SAMPLING
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
US AEC
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES