Methodology for estimating radiation doses due to tritium and radiocarbon releases. [Health hazards from thermonuclear reactors]
Although the exact release rates of tritium (/sup 3/H) and /sup 14/C to the environment from a fusion power plant are not known, unit dose rates from postulated releases to air or to surface water can be calculated for a hypothetical individual and for population groups. Assuming a tritium release of 1 curie per year (Ci/yr) as HTO to the atmosphere, a hypothetical maximum individual residing near a fusion power plant might receive a dose rate of 2 x 10/sup -3/ millirem per year (mrem/yr). Assuming a 1 Ci/yr release to surface waters, this individual might receive a dose rate of 1.5 x 10/sup -5/ mrem/yr. The dose rate to the population of the world including the United Sates and the regional population was estimated to be 1 x 10/sup -2/ man-rem/yr from the release to the atmosphere and 6 x 10/sup -2/ man-rem/yr from the release to surface waters. Dose rates from releases of 1 Ci/yr /sup 14/C to the atmosphere were estimated to be 0.4 mrem/yr to the bone of the hypothetical maximum individual and 2 man-rem/yr to the total body of the world population. Because of the persistence of /sup 14/C in the environment and the fact that carbon is a major constituent of any living thing, efforts should be made to eliminate those releases with available technology such as double containment of the reactors to prevent air leakage.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 7215280
- Report Number(s):
- BNWL-2020; TRN: 77-011509
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CARBON 14
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HUMAN POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
HEALTH HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
TRITIUM OXIDES
CHRONIC IRRADIATION
DOSE RATES
FORECASTING
INTERNAL IRRADIATION
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SURFACE AIR
SURFACE WATERS
AIR
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DOSES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GASES
HAZARDS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
POPULATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560161* - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Man
700206 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Environmental Aspects