Assessment of Technetium in the Savannah River Site Environment
Assessment of Technetium in the Savannah River Site Environment is the last in a series of eight documents on individual radioisotopes released to the environment as a result of SRS operations. The earlier documents describe the environmental consequences of tritium cesium, iodine, uranium plutonium, strontium, and carbon. Technetium transport and metabolism have been studied by the nuclear industry because it is a fission product of uranium, and by the medical community because {sup 99m}Tc commonly is used as a diagnostic imaging agent in nuclear medicine. Technetium has been produced at SRS during the operation of five production reactors. The only isotope with environmental significance is {sup 99}Tc. Because of the small activities of {sup 99}Tc relative to other fission products, such as {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs, no measurements were made of releases to either the atmosphere or surface waters. Dose calculations were made in this document using conservative estimates of atmospheric releases and from a few measurements of {sup 99}Tc concentrations in the Savannah River. Technetium in groundwater has been found principally in the vicinity of the separation areas seepage basins. Technetium is soluble in water and follows groundwater flow with little retardation. While most groundwater samples are negative or show little technetium a few samples have levels slightly above the limits set by the EPA for drinking water. The overall radiological impact of SRS {sup 99}Tc releases on the offsite maximally exposed individual during 38 years of operations can be characterized by maximum individual doses of 0.1 mrem (atmospheric) and 0.8 mrem (liquid), compared with a dose of 13,680 mrem from non-SRS sources during the same time period. Technetium releases have resulted in a negligible risk to the environment and the population it supports.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 10192080
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-TR-93-217; ON: DE94002034; TRN: 93:025614
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jul 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cesium in the Savannah River Site environment
Assessment of plutonium in the Savannah River Site environment. Revision 1
Related Subjects
TECHNETIUM 99
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
GROUND WATER
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
METASTABLE STATES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATION DOSES
540250
540150
540230
540130
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT