Bear viewing : Pack Creek, Swan Cove, and Windfall Harbor.

no.9

Trends in radionuclide concentrations for selected wildlife and food products near the Hanford Site from 1971 through 1988

From 1971 through 1988 at least 40 species of wildlife and 27 different types of food products were collected and analyzed for radionuclides as part of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) Environmental Monitoring Program. This report summarizes the results of these analyses for sample types collected for all or most of the 18-year period. The objectives of this summary investigation were to identify long-term trends or significant year-to-year changes in radionuclide concentrations and, if possible, relate any observed changes in radionuclide concentrations to their sources and probable causes. Statistical techniques were employed to test for long-term trends. Conspicuous short-term changes in radionuclide concentrations were identified from inspection of the data. 30 refs., 16 figs., 4 tabs