Dose assessment for process water tunnels at Hanford Site.

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2000 · Remediation

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.3440110107· OSTI ID:943122

Kamboj, S; Yu, C; LePoire, D

The RESRAD-BUILD and RESRAD computer codes were used for dose assessment of the 105-C Process Water Tunnels at the Hanford Site. The evaluation assessed three different exposure scenarios: recreational use, tunnel maintenance worker, and residential use. The recreationist and maintenance worker scenarios were evaluated by using RESRAD-BUILD, a computer model for analyzing the radiological doses resulting from remediation and occupancy of structures contaminated with radioactive material. The recreationist was assumed to use the tunnels as an overnight shelter for eight hours per day for one week. The maintenance worker was assumed to spend 20 hours per year working in the tunnel. Six exposure pathways were considered for both scenarios in dose assessment. The gradual removal of surface contamination over time and ingrowth of decay products were considered in calculating the dose at different times. The maximum dose would occur immediately after the release and was estimated to be 1.9 mrem/yr for the recreationist and 0.9 mrem/yr for the maintenance worker. The residential scenario was evaluated by using the probabilistic RESRAD code. It was assumed that total activity from the tunnels would be brought into the near-surface layer by future human activities. Eight exposure pathways were considered. The maximum yearly dose for this very unlikely scenario would occur immediately after the release and was less than 4 mrem/yr for the maximally exposed individual. The assessment demonstrates that both codes are suitable for nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning sites, where buildings and structures with residual radioactivity must be evaluated to facilitate property transfer or release.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: EM
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 943122
• Report Number(s): ANL/EA/JA-37666
• Journal Information: Remediation, Journal Name: Remediation Journal Issue: 2000 Vol. 11; ISSN 1051-5658
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BUILDINGS
COMPUTER CODES
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
DECOMMISSIONING
DECONTAMINATION
DETERMINISTIC ESTIMATION
EVALUATION
HUMAN POPULATIONS
PERSONNEL
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVITY
REMOVAL
RISK ASSESSMENT
SURFACE CONTAMINATION
TUNNELS
USES
WATER