Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1998
The results of the various monitoring programs for 1998 indicated that radioactivity from the DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) operations could generally not be distinguished from worldwide fallout and natural radioactivity in the region surrounding the INEEL. Although some radioactive materials were discharged during INEEL operations, concentrations in the offsite environment and doses to the surrounding population were far less than state of Idaho and federal health protection guidelines. Gross alpha and gross beta measurements, used as a screening technique for air filters, were investigated by making statistical comparisons between onsite or boundary location concentrations and the distant community group concentrations. Gross alpha activities were generally higher at distant locations than at boundary and onsite locations. Air samples were also analyzed for specific radionuclides. Some human-made radionuclides were detected at offsite locations, but most were near the minimum detectable concentration and their presence was attributable to natural sources, worldwide fallout, and statistical variations in the analytical results rather than to INEEL operations. Low concentrations of 137Cs were found in muscle tissue and liver of some game animals and sheep. These levels were mostly consistent with background concentrations measured in animals sampled onsite and offsite in recent years. Ionizing radiation measured simultaneously at the INEEL boundary and distant locations using environmental dosimeters were similar and showed only background levels. The maximum potential population dose from submersion, ingestion, inhalation, and deposition to the approximately 121,500 people residing within an 80-km (50-mi) radius from the geographical center of the INEEL was estimated to be 0.08 person-rem (8 x 10-4 person-Sv) using the MDIFF air dispersion model. This population dose is less than 0.0002 percent of the estimated 43,7 00 person-rem (437 person-Sv) population dose from background radioactivity.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Environmental Science and Research Foundation, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-94ID13268
- OSTI ID:
- 769338
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID-12082(98); ESRF-034; TRN: AH200118%%528
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Jul 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AIR FILTERS
DOSEMETERS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MONITORING
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SHEEP
RADIOACTIVITY
FALLOUT
DISCHARGED
CONCENTRATIONS
DOSES
POPULATION
GUIDELINES
GROSS ALPHA
GROSS BETA
MEASUREMENTS
SCREENING
AIR SAMPLES
137CS
GAME ANIMALS
IONIZING RADIATION
BACKGROUND
POPULATION DOSE
SUBMERSION
INGESTION
INHALATION
DEPOSITION