Amchitka Island, Alaska, special sampling project 1997
This 1997 special sampling project represents a special radiobiological sampling effort to augment the 1996 Long-Term Hydrological Monitoring Program (LTHMP) for Amchitka Island in Alaska. Lying in the western portion of the Aleutian Islands arc, near the International Date Line, Amchitka Island is one of the southernmost islands of the Rat Island Chain. Between 1965 and 1971, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission conducted three underground nuclear tests on Amchitka Island. In 1996, Greenpeace collected biota samples and speculated that several long-lived, man-made radionuclides detected (i.e., americium-241, plutonium-239 and -240, beryllium-7, and cesium-137) leaked into the surface environment from underground cavities created during the testing. The nuclides of interest are detected at extremely low concentrations throughout the environment. The objectives of this special sampling project were to scientifically refute the Greenpeace conclusions that the underground cavities were leaking contaminants to the surface. This was achieved by first confirming the presence of these radionuclides in the Amchitka Island surface environment and, second, if the radionuclides were present, determining if the source is the underground cavity or worldwide fallout. This special sampling and analysis determined that the only nonfallout-related radionuclide detected was a low level of tritium from the Long Shot test, which had been previously documented. The tritium contamination is monitored and continues a decreasing trend due to radioactive decay and dilution.
- Research Organization:
- International Technologies Corporation, Las Vegas, NV (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Nevada Operations Office (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC08-97NV13052
- OSTI ID:
- 758915
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV-624; TRN: US0003962
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 28 Jun 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Subsurface Completion Report for Amchitka Underground Nuclear Test Sites: Long Shot, Milrow, and Cannikin, Rev. No.: 1
Amchitka Island, Alaska, Biological Monitoring Report 2011 Sampling Results
Related Subjects
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ALASKA
NUCLEAR TEST SITES
AMCHITKA ISLAND AREA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SAMPLING
TRITIUM
RADIATION MONITORING
AMERICIUM 241
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
BERYLLIUM 7
CESIUM 137
AMCHITKA ISLAND
SPECIAL SAMPLING REPORT 1997
LONG-TERM HYDROLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM