Airborne /sup 238/Pu and /sup 239/Pu associated with the larger than ''respirable'' resuspended particles at Rocky Flats during July 1973

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7236865· OSTI ID:7236865

Sehmel, G A

In July 1973, a field experiment was conducted at Rocky Flats to measure plutonium resuspension. Previously, for this experiment, airborne plutonium concentrations in respirable size ranges were reported. Concentrations were measured at three sites between the eastern security fence and eastern cattle fence. On 13 nonrespirable particle diameter ranges between 10 and 210 ..mu..m, /sup 239/Pu concentrations range from 10/sup -8/ to 10/sup -4/ ..mu..Ci/g. Airborne /sup 238/Pu concentrations as a function of particle diameter ranged from 10/sup -9/ to 10/sup -5/ ..mu..Ci/g. Both /sup 238/Pu and /sup 239/Pu were found on all particle diameter ranges. Airborne plutonium fluxes on nonrespirable particles decreased with both height and distance. The nonrespirable total /sup 239/Pu flux ranged from 1 x 10/sup -7/ to 6 x 10/sup -4/ ..mu..Ci/m/sup 2//day. Airborne /sup 238/Pu//sup 239/Pu ratios were always equal to or greater than similar ratios reported measured on the ground surface. Ground surface ratios ranged from 1.5 x 10/sup -2/ to 2.2 x 10/sup -2/. Only near the eastern security fence were airborne ratios similar to ground level ratios. At the eastern security fence, airborne /sup 238/Pu//sup 239/Pu ratios ranged from 0.2 to 0.4. These airborne ratios were one order of magnitude greater than ground surface ratios. Increased ratios indicate /sup 238/Pu is more readily resuspended at greater distances from the eastern security fence than near the eastern security fence.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(45-1)-1830; E(29-2)-3533
• OSTI ID: 7236865
• Report Number(s): BNWL-2119
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AEROSOLS
AIR
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALTITUDE
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENT
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FLUIDS
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIOISOTOPES
ROCKY FLATS PLANT
SIZE
SOLS
SURFACE AIR
US AEC
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VARIATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES